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Visit Yellowstone Without the Crowds in Winter

Yellowstone National Park has already attracted over 3.8 million visitors in 2015 and that number will surely increase in 2016, when the National Park Service celebrates its centennial. Indeed, Yellowstone in summer feels more like “forever congested” than “forever wild.” Come winter, these same parks are virtually uninhabited, almost returning to their original state. Who wouldn’t relish the opportunity to cross-country ski or snowshoe with more bison and elk than homo sapiens? The Yellowstone National Park Lodges has just announced six Lodging and Learning packages that will help entice you. They include “Yellowstone on Skis” and a “Winter Wildlife Expedition.” All trips are guided and transfers are available from the nearby Bozeman airport. Austin Adventures, now owned by the same company that runs the National Park Lodges, Xanterra, also offers a 6-day winter adventure in Yellowstone. The trip features a snowshoe hike above Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and a snowmobile ride over Lake Yellowstone on your way to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Austin Adventures also just announced that all 4th graders will travel free on their trips in 2016 to the national parks. 

 

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See Mount Rushmore in Winter and Then Ski Terry Peak

I’ll be devoting all next week to visiting America’s National Parks in winter, my favorite time of year to go since traffic is at a minimum. But to get us in the right frame of mind, I’m going to start with that iconic granite sculpture, Mount Rushmore. Approximately 3 million people a year visit the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Honest Abe. Come winter, visitation drops from highs of 5,000 a day in summer to less than 100 people daily. That’s a lot more wiggle room. And just like Yellowstone is an hour away from the ski area, Big Sky, the Black Hills of South Dakota is home to Terry Peak. With a vertical rise of 1,100 feet and an elevation over 7,000 feet, more snow falls on Terry Peak than anywhere else in the region. New this winter is the Gold Corp Express, Terry Peak’s third high-speed quad chairlift. 

 
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Holiday Stocking Stuffer No. 2, Beyond the Craft

Having sat next to my brother at a number of his workshops, including stops at Harvard and the Seattle Film Festival, I know firsthand how incredibly inspirational and motivational his talks can be. Jim’s already worn so many hats in the entertainment world—talent agent to stars like Alan Arkin and Helen Hayes, screenwriter, director, documentarian, award-winning producer—and known so much talent that have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and others that have failed miserably. In fact, he’s distinctly qualified to understand and analyze why some people can make a good living pursuing their creative ambitions and others stuff those dreams away in a dimly lit office far from their film, art, or journalism schools. Take it from a guy who’s worked as a full-time freelance travel writer and screenwriter for the past 25 years, Spielberg is not going to call on line one and you’ll be marketing far more than you’ll be writing. 

Fortunately Jim has organized all of his thoughts and anecdotes into one book, Beyond The Craft. Not only will you learn how to network effectively, creating a detailed marketing plan of follow-up phone calls, but you’ll understand the necessity of knowing everything about the business side, most importantly who are the players who can hire you or show your wares. Jim also delves into the psychological aspects of dealing with rejection and the importance of surrounding yourself with incredibly supportive friends. He’s literally been all over the world delivering his seminar on How to Live a Creative Life. In fact, Jim just returned from Dublin, London, and Paris teaching filmmakers and writers on how best to make their voices and visions shine. Beyond the Craft should be mandatory reading at every film and art school across the nation, a pragmatic step-by-step guide to making your dreams a reality. 
 
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My Favorite Winter Outdoor Picks in Eastern Massachusetts

If you missed yesterday’s Boston Globe, I was interviewed by writer Brion O’Connor and asked to divulge some of my favorite locals jaunts in winter. Strolling Broadmoor, World’s End, Arnold Arboretum, Walden Pond, and Mt. Auburn Cemetery; skiing Wachusett; tubing Nashoba; even frostbite sailing with the Boston Sailing Center made it into the story. Have a look! 
 
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Skiing Quebec on a Budget

If you’re looking for a Northeastern ski area with a dose of affordable French flavor, then a visit to Quebec’s Eastern Townships is in order. With a lift ticket at Stowe reaching $115 this winter, you can head another hour north and be skiing at a quarter of the price. This is especially true with the current rate of exchange at US$1 to CAN$1.35. On the shores of Lake Memphremagog, Owl’s Head offers the best of Vermont skiing, but at absurdly low prices. For a measly US$54, you get one night lodging, breakfast, and a lift ticket! And this being Quebec, that breakfast will include freshly baked croissants, patisserie, and café au lait. Not a bad way to celebrate Owl’s Head’s 50th anniversary this ski season. 

 
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Autocamp Announces New Location on Cape Cod to Debut Fall 2020

Autocamp, the California-based Airstream hotel brand with locations in Santa Barbara, Yosemite National Park, and the Russian River Valley, is heading East. They just announced the debut of a new property in the Woods Hole/Falmouth area of Cape Cod, set to open next fall. The property will operate year-round and will feature 108 total accommodations, including customized Airstream Suites, ADA-accessible X Suites, and Luxury Tents, as well as a two-story clubhouse, community fire pits, and group meeting and event space. The custom 31-foot Airstreams at all AutoCamp locations feature AutoCamp’s signature mid-century modern design. The property will also host on-site activities for guests such as yoga and meditation, a campfire speaker series, music programming, local beer and cider tastings, and occasional farm-to-table dinners. AutoCamp Cape Cod will also be dog-friendly, offering Pet Kits, which include a cozy blanket, food and water bowls, and treats. 

 
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Bike the Texas Hill Country with Sojourn

Many of the people I meet who founded their active travel company have a genuine passion for the sport. Tom Hale spent over 5,000 miles on a bike the summer of 1979 prior to opening Backroads. When Susan Rand was in college, she would load her panniers witch camping gear and clothes and hit the road. Then she became athletic director at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, and worked for four years at Vermont Bicycle Tours prior to starting her own company, Sojourn, in 1995. Her fall foliage trips along the shores of Lake Champlain in her native Vermont are still the most popular weeklong jaunts. Yet, it’s the itineraries I don’t normally see in a catalog that I find most intriguing. In the summer, Sojourn heads to the Columbia River Gorge to bike between glorious Mount Hood and Mount Adams. In late fall and mid-winter, Rand takes riders to the Sonoran Desert outside Tucson to bike, hike in Saguaro National Park, and horseback ride in John Wayne country at the Rancho De La Osa Guest Ranch. New this spring is a trip to Texas Hill Country, an overlooked biking region outside of San Antonio that I’ve written about for National Geographic Adventure. Rand personally tries all of the trips she designs and this has quickly become one of her favorites. You’ll be biking under tall cypress trees on lonely backcountry roads past large cattle ranches and fields of bluebonnets that are in bloom in early spring. You’ll also visit the Alamo and LBJ Ranch. So saddle up and get out there on your next sojourn.
 

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