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Snowshoe to an AMC High Hut in the White Mountains

The Appalachian Mountain Club keeps three of its huts in the Whites in New Hampshire open in winter. For snowshoers who relish a good climb, try the 3.8-mile (one-way) hike from Pinkham Notch to the Carter Notch hut. The 19-mile Brook Trail will bring you to this unique accommodation, situated between the dramatic ridges of Carter Dome and Wildcat “A.” Here, you can spend the night at the AMC’s oldest standing hut, a stone building constructed in 1914, perched just above two glacial lakes. The trail splits at the 1.8-mile mark, veering left to the top of Carter Dome or straight to Carter Notch. As you cross a bridge and continue the ascent to the notch, the northern hardwood forest is soon replaced by a boreal forest of sweet-smelling spruces and firs. The last section of the trail snakes between the ridges and the majestic glacial lakes to the old hut. Inside the cozy walls, you’ve earned your dinner and a night’s sleep on a mattress.

 
An easier hike is the 1.75-mile trail from the campground at Franconia Notch State Park to Lonesome Lake Hut. The trail leads through a sheltered birch, pine, and spruce forest to the shores of this bowl-shaped lake. Savor Franconia’s carved granite and the surrounding 5,000-foot mountains in all their splendor, with rarely a peep heard. All three huts, including the Zealand Falls Hut, are self-serve, so bring winter sleeping bags and food. Rates start at $25 a night for members, $30 for nonmembers.
 

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Mass MOCA Announces Major Expansion

Located in North Adams, Massachusetts, just down the road from Williams College and the Clark Art Museum in Williamstown, Mass MOCA is comprised of 26 buildings that were once home to a thriving textile mill. With one building the length of a football field, the museum is in a unique position to house immense works, like the recreation of a 1950s amusement park or a 20-ton sand castle— pushing the boundaries of what most people consider art. One of the most popular offerings is the massive Sol LeWitt installation, where 107 wall drawings are on view until 2033. The long-term exhibition seems to be a hit, because Mass MOCA just announced that other artists will join LeWitt in creating giant spaces devoted to their work. Painter Robert Rauschenberg, sculptor Louise Bourgeois, light artist James Turrell, conceptual artist Jenny Holzer, multimedia artist Laurie Anderson, and instrument maker Gunnar Schonbeck were all chosen for the next round of expansion, set to be unveiled in 2017. Mass MOCA will double its size to 250,000 square feet of exhibition space, making it the largest contemporary art museum in the country. 

 
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Sailing on the Schooner Mary Day

There’s a renewal of spirit as soon as we set sail on the Schooner Mary Day. The smell of wood mixes with the salty air as we glide out of that postcard-perfect Camden Harbor, gently crawling by the other historic schooners and yachts in the early morning fog. Goodbye mainland and the endless barrage of bad news, hello loons, anonymous pine-studded islands, and wide open water to bathe away all woes of modernity. I take deep gulps of the crisp air and breathe deeply.  

There’s 6 crew and 25 passengers from across America on our 3-night voyage, all under the more than capable helm of hirsute Captain Barry King. We’re asked to participate as much or as little as we like. My daughter and I jump at the opportunity to pull on the halyards of the main, joining many others in the group. The large sail rises, linked to a massive mast that still stands from the original 1962 design. With all sails up, the 90′ Mary Day is a beauty, as evidenced by all the motorboats that come by our side during the trip to take photos. We sail by the first of many lighthouses as Captain Barry bellows, “Porpoises on the starboard side,” only to watch the fins of their small gracefully arched backs break the water’s surface. 
 
Maine’s vast shoreline is best appreciated from the water. The Camden Hills rise above the mainland, island upon island form a welcome mat to the sea, rimmed with granite and topped with pine. Often we pass islands where one fortunate soul owns the lone house, sailboat docked, ready for service whenever he or she pleases. But today, there are more porpoises, seals, and bald eagles flying overhead than boats on the water. I breathe in more of that heavenly air, lie down and look up at the sails. Life is good. 
 
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Top 5 Travels of 2010, Strolling Kingsbrae Gardens, St. Andrews, New Brunswick

A good botanical garden has often been a highlight of my travels, from the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Capetown to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria. So I was excited to walk through the Kingsbrae Gardens in St. Andrews this past July, especially after being cooped up in Down East Maine dealing with three solid days of rain. Due to inclement weather, I had to cancel a cruise to see puffins at Machias Seal Island, a sea kayaking jaunt on Cobscook Bay, and an oceanfront hike at Culter Coast Public Lands. So when the sun finally came out on the ferry ride over from Eastport to New Brunswick, I could breathe again. Those breaths of fresh air soon became flower scented as I made my way through the wave of colors from flowers in bloom at Kingsbrae. Just across the Maine border, the quiet seaside town of St. Andrews is an undiscovered gem with Kingsbrae Gardens leading the way. Hummingbirds flew under the tall chestnut trees, water lilies dotted the fountains, and everywhere you looked, there was some whimsical sculpture nestled within the 27-acre grounds. I bent down and inhaled from the sweet-smelling rugosas and for a moment, everything was bliss.

 

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Join the Festivities this Summer in Switzerland

Yesterday I talked about the slate of trips now being offered by Run the Alps. While we’re discussing that part of the world, I want to fill you in on what’s happening this summer in Switzerland from a recent luncheon I had in Boston with old friends from Swiss Tourism. The big news is that Fête des Vignerons or the Winegrower’s Festival returns to the glorious Lake Geneva seaside town of Vevey from July 26 to August 11, 2019. This event only occurs once every 20 years! Join singers, dancers, wine experts, and loads of other performers for the extravaganza. Elton John, Sting, Quincy Jones, Slash, and Chick Corea are a just a handful of renowned performers appearing at the Montreux Jazz Festival June 28 to July 13. And from September 20-22, Roger Federer will get to compete in front of the home crowd along with Rafael Nadal, when the Laver Cup comes to Geneva. The Swiss know how to have a good time! 
 
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Bermuda’s Pink Sale Offer’s 50% Off Room Rates

Need to get away? If you live on the East Coast corridor and just endured another snowstorm accompanied by temps in the single digits, I would say you’re due. You might want to know about Bermuda’s Pink Sale, where 9 hotels on island are offering a 50% discount. Book from today through February 3rd for hotels stays until April 30th. I just checked the 10-day forecast and highs reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit, a helluva lot better than the 9 degrees outside my office window in Boston. Also check Fairmount Southampton for discounts. Flights are direct and only 2 hours from New York, Boston, and DC. If you need suggestions on what to do while you’re there, check out my Boston Globe story. 

 
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New York City Unveils $3.3 Billion Plan to Improve Waterfront

On a bike trip around Manhattan last summer, I was delighted to witness the improvements New York was making along its shoreline. Like many American cities, New York has reconnected with its waterfront setting over the past decade, converting dilapidated docks and toxic marsh along the rivers into manicured parkland. Biking near 170th Street under the steel arch High Bridge, we spotted recent additions to the Harlem River shoreline, most noticeably a new boathouse at Swindler Cove Park and an adjoining children’s garden. Now Mayor Bloomberg has announced a $3.3 billion plan for new parks and environmental improvements to its 578 miles of shoreline to help boost recreation and real estate. I look forward to experiencing the new parks and shoreline walks in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
 

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