Life on a Big River in a House That Floats
Hard to believe that they'd simply hand over the keys to a 48-foot houseboat, but here I was at the helm, with little experience piloting a boat larger than a canoe.
The New York Times, 10 August 2007
Dog Sledding in Montana's Wilderness
Near Yellowstone National Park, dog sledding is an exhilarating and nostalgic way to travel through wild country — quieter than snowmobiles, faster than skis or snowshoes.
The New York Times, 13 March 2009
In a Dark Shack Luring Pike, Spear at Ready
Unlike other forms of fishing, spearing remains a game of deception and patience in which your attention can never waver.
The New York Times, 30 January 2009
Born-Again Hunter
I quit hunting years ago — too many competing interests, too little time. Then my wife picked up the manly art of hunting from her girlfriend, and something within me reawakened.
The New York Times, 31 October 2008
Island Hopping by Kayak at America's Ceiling
One of the rewards of being a travel writer is the chance to write a story you like about a place you love — in this case, Wisconsin's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
The New York Times, 1 August 2008
American Journey: Riding the Rails in the Black Hills
The Mickelson Trail follows an old mining railroad route through the heart of South Dakota's Black Hills.
The New York Times, 27 June 2008
Rediscovering a Hidden Island
Some friends and I got the urge to kayak around the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, the once-upon-a-time U.S. Navy bombing range. We found terrific snorkeling and some of the wildest beaches in the Caribbean.
The New York Times, 7 November 2007
Getting Down and Dirty in an Underground River
When you mention the tropics, plate-sized whipscorpions and predatory shrimp don't leap to mind. Nor does rappelling 200 feet straight down a sinkhole or the possibility of drowning. But exploring the underground Rio Camuy in Puerto Rico is all that—and more if you go with natural showman Rossano Boscarino.
The New York Times, 5 October 2007
Solitude and the Sea
Fish are plentiful on this hidden island six miles off the eastern end of Puerto Rico - and the fishermen not so.
The New York Times, 20 April 2007
In Minnesota, a Big Fish in a Big Lake
In fishing for muskellunge - or muskies, as real fishermen prefer to call them - "big" is the operative word. Even the lures are large.
The New York Times, 26 October 2006
Trekking with Wolves
Snowshoeing through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area reveals a wilderness seen and unseen.
The New York Times, 21 February 2010
Above the Shores of Gitche Gumee
The Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota can feel like a long, green tunnel, with views.
The New York Times, 4 April 2006
Rocking the Underground
Is bad-boy caver John Ackerman saving Minnesota caves—or destroying them?
Minnesota Monthly, October 2007
Morel Majority
Spring is the season for the king of Minnesota mushrooms—so tasty they might tempt even a fungi-phobic.
Minnesota Monthly, May 2007
On the Powwow Trail
Colorful summer celebrations bring Native Americans and non-Indians together across Minnesota and the Midwest.
Minnesota Monthly, August 2012
On the Hunt
Minnesota’s hunting tradition has been waning for decades. Could an influx of Hmong immigrants give the dying sport a much-needed boost?
Minnesota Monthly, October 2011
Scenes from the Silk Road
A Leap of Faith Reveals China's Wild West.
Star Tribune, 12 February 2006
Swimming with Gentle Giants
Manatees, drawn by warm water, flock to springs in central Florida during the winter. Human visitors come in droves too, to see these odd, shy and endangered creatures.
Star Tribune, 18 September 2005
Shadows in the Mountains
The spirit of the South China tiger haunts the hills of Hupingshan National Nature Reserve.
Star Tribune, 3 April 2005
Paddling into the Blue in Florida
Kayaking the Great Calusa Blueway, off the coast of Lee County, Florida., leads to a hidden slice of wilderness.
Star Tribune, 29 September 2010
The Wild Heart of Ellesmere Island
For almost 20 years, Dave Mech has traveled to this Arctic Island to study the rise and fall of wolf populations.
Globe and Mail, 14 August 2004
Solo Kayaker Waits Out Storm
Stranded on an isolated peninsula, once the location of a World War II prison camp, a paddler wonders who is a prisoner—and of what?
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 17 August 2003
Cold Streams and Hot Springs
Half a day by train from Tokyo, the Japan Alps are home to swirling rivers and steaming baths.
Toronto Globe and Mail, 27 September 2003
Rollin' on the River
Running Jamaica's mountain streams leads to the back door of country life.
Islands, July-August 2000
A Path to the Past
A kayak journey gives three paddlers unique insight into the history and legends of Lake Superior's real North Shore.
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 20 August 2000
Savoring Saunas
The ambassador of the Finnish sauna holds court on the island of Lauttasaari.
Islands, April 1995
The Valley Below
The Whitewater River has carved out a lush refuge for trout and other wildlife.
Minnesota Monthly, June 1999
Ghosts of Way Kambas
Among its elephants and tigers, an extraordinary park in Indonesia harbors the rare Sumatran rhino.
International Wildlife, September-October 1998
Reality Bites
Wilderness and civilization collide—sometimes fatally—at the expanding frontier of wolf country.
Minnesota Monthly, August 1998
The Rarest Rhino
Tracking an elusive quarry can be a frustrating undertaking in Java.
Islands, August 1998
Superior Refuge
Wisconsin's Apostle Islands offer respite from Lake Superior's fury.
Islands, June 1995
Where the Buffalo Roam
Each fall South Dakota's Custer State Park recruits would-be buckaroos for its bison roundup.
Sports Illustrated, 29 November 1993
