First, I changed my mind at the last minute and flew out with my waders on. I needn’t have bothered – we were able to step from the pontoons directly to the beach.  Our flight out was about an hour over slate-colored Cook Inlet. We flew directly at Augustine Volcano, which is just as striking “in person” as it is …

Two years ago I backpacked for a week in the Brooks Range. I was more excited than nervous about the opportunity to see some brown bears, and so was thrilled when we saw four on our first day. Alas, though we saw plenty of sign we saw not a single bear for the remainder of the trip. So when I …

Reykjavik-Keflavik-Seattle-Anchorage I had been debating about what to do on my last day in Iceland: more exploration in Reykjavik, a final visit to Reykjanes Geopark (where I began this trip), or some hours at the world-famous Blue Lagoon Spa..? I’d seen most of what I wanted to see in the city already, outside of visiting some museums and I simply wasn’t …