The North American Rocky mountains by begin as far south as mid-New Mexico, but their northernmost point is a full 3,000 miles away, nestled inside an ecosystem that looks absolutely nothing like its southern counterpart. This should serve as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with that great collection of mountains … a family …
Category: Mountain Field Guide
Mar 06 2023
Iztaccíhuatl: The Peak of Mexican Ecstasy & Heartbreak
Standing proudly at 17,160 feet (5,230 m), Iztaccíhuatl boasts the third highest peak in Mexico. Like some of the largest mountains in Mexico, such as Popocatépetl and La Malinche, Iztaccíhuatl is a volcano (now extinct) in the center of the country. It is one of the few remaining mountains in Mexico to have a peak …
Feb 05 2023
Hiking the Volcanoes of Iceland
The blackout curtains in the hotel room did their job, and when I pulled back the shade around 10pm, a solid brick of bright sunlight pierced the pane of thick glass. After a long day of traveling, my body, refreshed by a quick nap after check-in, wanted to move. Luckily, I was in Iceland in …
Jan 31 2023
The New Mexico Rocky Mountains
Anytime someone mentions the Rocky Mountains, it is hard to not become immediately inundated with visions of majestic mountain peaks, covered with snow, looming above the world at such heights that it would be inappropriate to compare them to anything but heaven. And yet, there is a stretch of the Southern Rocky Mountains that refuse …
Jan 29 2023
Mount Mansfield and the Persistence of the Spirit
Vermont is a mountainous state. The mountain that best represents the pinnacle of the Green Mountain State is Mount Mansfield, located in Chittenden and Lamoille counties. Mount Mansfield gets its name from its resemblance to a man, complete with facial features and even an Adam’s apple. Popular among locals and tourists alike, Mount Mansfield offers …
Jan 05 2023
The Lewis and Clark Expedition Map of the Rocky Mountains
How Master Cartographer William Clark Set Out to Map the Rockies It was 1803 when President Thomas Jefferson and his like-minded band of enlightened souls embarked on a shared journey to the far reaches of the American Republic … a journey that was as spiritual as it was geographical, as bold as it was foolhardy. …
Jan 03 2023
Cardiovascular Contortion on Old Rag Mountain
Tucked into Shenandoah National Park in Madison County, Virginia, is Old Rag Mountain. With a low peak standing staunchly at 3,284 feet (1,001 m) and a prominence of less than half that, it offers a fun hike for all skill levels, with two routes to the summit. The more strenuous hike – considered by many …
Mar 06 2022
Scenic Phoenix: Exploring Piestewa Peak
Rising over the palms and the Pueblo Revival and “desert school” building designs of the city of Phoenix, Arizona, are the desert peaks that form the Phoenix Mountains. This winter I got to explore the second highest peak of the Phoenix Mountains, Piestewa, during my Christmas/New Year holiday. Winter is a lovely time for exploring …
Feb 28 2022
How Lewis & Clark Crossed the Rocky Mountains
It is nothing short of a tragedy to find just how little appreciation is given to the momentous feats of the souls who came before us, upon whose legs and backs our country came into its rightful greatness. The Lewis & Clark expedition of 1804 – 1806 is one such feat. In our world of …
Feb 28 2022
Mount Elbert: The Highest Peak in the Rocky Mountains
In the deep heart of the Rocky Mountains, just south of the alpine town of Leadville, a mountain known locally as the “Gentle Giant” overlooks snow-capped ranks of lesser peaks and hills. This is where she has lived for about thirty million years, and with any luck, the next thirty million years isn’t going to …