The Journey to Happiness
By Anne Groebner
Ever wonder what it would be like to just pack your belongings in a camper and become a vagabond — stress just dripping away like ice cream on a hot summer day? Checking off an entire bucket list of places to see, destinations you have never explored? Having the ability to head south in the winter and head north in the summer? Visit all of the State and National Parks in the United States?
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Camp Grace Makes History
with a Hometown Twist
By Steph Slater, teacher/author of Pinetop- Lakeside
While many doctors prescribe routine pills and/or diet changes for most ailments, two local doctors of the White Mountains, Jennifer Jensen and Ian Brimhall, tell their patients to take “two weeks in nature and call them in the morning.”
growing trend across the globe, Time Magazine published
A Trip to the Mojave Part II
Campfire Chatter
Currently, our White Mountains weather is taking on that crisp, brisk feel that so many of us look forward to about this time of year. Yet my thoughts have returned to a brief visit I made this past June to
A Trip to Mojave - Part I
The Campsite with no Shade.
By Rob Bettaso
Photos by Jamie Bettaso
This past June, I met my brother (Jamie) and an old Army friend of his (Matt) at the Mojave National Preserve, which is situated between the California cities of Barstow
Desert Warmth
in a Cold World - Part I
BY ROB BETTASO
Of all the wild places in America, our National Parks may be the best known and the most beloved by the general public. But not all folks feel this way. Ed Abbey, in his own inimitable way, called them National Parking Lots. I know many other outdoor enthusiasts who consider our parks over-crowded, over-priced, over-developed and over-rated.
Desert Warmth
in a Cold World - Part II
BY ROB BETTASO
Since this is the concluding part of a two-part article, let me initially set the stage: What - a hiking/camping/backpacking trip; Where - the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park; When - September 9-13, 2020 (including travel to and from the Park); Why - because me, and my like-minded friends, can think of no better tonic for the human soul than deep
Biologists Unite
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTO BY LIN PIEST
During the Coronavirus “lock-downs” this past Spring, I took several little camping trips. All my outings were within a 50-mile radius of home; ran only a night or two; were spontaneous and solitary. If humans were a risk to be around, well then, I would spend my time with the trees, the grasses, the birds and the bugs
Lost & Found - Part I
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTO BY JEFF RIESNER
Other than sailors and windmill owners, I’d be hard pressed to think of anyone who really enjoys the wind once it tops, say, 25mph. A gentle breeze, sure. An occasional blustery Spring storm, okay. But
Lost & Found - Part II
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTOS BY JEFF RIESNER
It was late morning, early in July. I was hiking solo high in the White Mountains looking for a rare Pine Grosbeak and had only a vague notion of where camp was. Back at camp (or close to it) were my three
Why Wool?
NATURE’S MAGIC FIBER
BY ANDREW LARSON
One of my earliest memorable pieces of outdoor equipment was an army surplus knitted wool sweater. Military OD green, of course. It was itchy and it was heavy. That sweater though, more than any others,
Building a Survival Fire
Foul Weather Tourists
Part I
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTO BY DANIEL SWANSON
On the first night of my week-long camping and road trip, I was surrounded by hunting hounds. No, I hadn’t been “treed” by a pack “black-n-tans.” I simply had not known that it was bear season in Utah’s Manti-La Sal
Foul Weather Tourists Part II
BY ROB BETTASO
PHOTO BY DANIEL SWANSON
When I arrived at our campsite overlooking the impounded Green River at Flaming Gorge, it was drizzling rain and temperatures were in the high 40’s (F). It was late afternoon, about 4 p.m. An end-o
Friendships Forged in a
Wild Land - Part I
Friendships Forged in a
Wild Land - Part II
Rock Crossing Campground - Coconino
The Rock Crossing Campground is an excellent camping area. Each campsite is neatly raked and incredibly clean with a designated area for a tent. There is a table, grill and a fire pit and a large metal Bear-proof container for food. We reached the campsite at around 4:30 p.m. and set up camp. After a brief rain shower, we cooked dinner and enjoyed a spectacular sunset and, as luck would have it, a rainbow.
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