For my first assignment for Outside magazine, I visited the World Stone Skimming Championships on Scotland’s Easdale Island. A community fundraiser, the event draws 350 competitors and a couple hundred more spectators every fall. My 42-meter skim was good enough for 30th place, but Scot Dougie Isaacs stole the show—for the 8th time in 13 years. Read the story here.
I love solo adventures, but there’s nothing like sharing favorite places with family. Ma finally visited Lake Tear of the Clouds, and The Rev climbed Marcy. Creek-side fine dining with scotch and chocolate nightcaps like they taught me how. Story for Mountain online.
Beginning in January, I helped pioneer the “Got Mountains?” department for Simply Lake Placid magazine, a new publication that showcases life in New York’s Adirondack High Peaks region. Awesome opportunity. I shared some hiking intel and camping how-to and researched the science behind Adirondack slides. And of course, I couldn’t not write about pie.
The inaugural issue dropped last week. Check it out:
Take a Walk: 5 Favorite Day Hikes in the High Peaks
Next up: Winter.
Eradicating energy poverty one Luci light at a time.
“With Luci, MPOWERD took innovations in solar and LED technology and, essentially, put them into a beach ball. Although the PVC lights do resemble toys, they’re also waterproof and shatterproof, making for a product that holds up to harsh, isolated living conditions in the developing world. It’s easy to see why international distributors and outdoorsy folk alike took notice.” Story, Mountain online
Even in a lousy snow year, Eastern skiers find the goods. Story, Mountain online
Beginning last spring, I tested the Avantis for Mountain magazine. Check out my review on Mountain online.
“Built to handle the whole mountain with precision and power, the Avanti is available in just about every flex you could need. The 120 is optimal for both versatility and comfort.”
For the Early Winter 2015 issue of Mountain, I wrote about ReFleece, a startup out of Lawrence, Massachusetts, that converts used fleece and rain shells into gadget sleeves, bags and tech cases. Founded by Sam Palmer and his wife, Jennifer Feller, ReFleece is the product of years in the outdoor industry, Ivy League degrees—and a commitment to sustainability.
“The values are built into the business,” says Palmer. “It’s what makes our products compelling.” Story
