Why is the U.S. Government Crushing Six Tons of Valuable Ivory?
In November, the Fish and Wildlife Service crushed six tons of ivory seized from illegal wildlife traffickers. Why? To slow the skyrocketing slaughter of elephants across Africa.
Articles
I write features and essays for magazines, newspapers and websites. Here is a selection of some of my favorite work. For my most recent stories, please check out my blog.
Detour Ahead
Is the print guidebook going the way of the triceratops? Not just yet. I investigate the guidebook industry in a short news story.
On Utah’s Cedar Mesa, Solitude and the Thrill of Discovery
For years, I've visited a remote, little-known mesa in southeastern Utah to look for ruins and contemplate the beauty of the desert. I keep returning because the solitude offers something rare: the challenge and thrill of discovery.
Texas Makes Me Happy
One rainy spring day, after a particularly hard winter, I packed up my car and left. I promised myself I wouldn't make plans more than a few hours ahead of time. A wild impulse, it turned out to be one of the most memorable and important trips of my adulthood. This is the story.
In The Heart Of Alaska, Serenity Springs Eternal
I went to Fairbanks, Alaska to see a harsh and beautiful landscape. I realized I had never really understood the north until I was there, alone, in winter. I also realized the power of quiet and stillness to understand the unspoken rhythms of a place.
Open Season
Thanks to developing technology, the niche sport of ocean rowing is booming. But now that the sport is open to anyone with strong legs and a penchant for suffering, the number of costly and dangerous rescues may rise.
Standing Guard
New photos and records are illuminating a little-known passage in American history: The buffalo soldiers were some of our first national park rangers.
4 Skiers vs. 1.2 Million Acres
A short story on a big guilty pleasure: heli-skiing the enormous wilderness of a new operation, Bearpaw, in northern British Columbia.
The Authentic Old West
There are few places where the Old West remains free from the T-shirt stores and other detritus of modern-day tourism, but northeastern New Mexico is one of them.
Pure Fluff
My overworked brother Andrew lives to ski powder. On this week-long trip to British Columbia, I was on a mission: find Andrew fresh tracks he'll never forget.
Have Lots, Want Not
A fun bite-size story on the curious challenge of living it up on a private island in Fiji.
The Mighty Colorado at a Glide
A travel feature on canoeing a spectacular and little-known stretch of the Colorado River, blessed with 1,500-foot sandstone cliffs and still waters.
Mind Over Madness
A hopeless stressball, I signed up with a coach who promised to rewire my brain through mental exercises. The result changed my life. Here's the story.
Grandeur of the Rapids
The 226-mile stretch of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is one of the world's most storied river trips. In this Boston Globe travel feature, I share my 18-day journey.
The Next Southwest
Moab gets a face-lift. The Grand Canyon shows off two secret falls. And the Colorado River makes room for untested paddlers. Presenting the 20 best adventures in the Four Corners, where everything old (even the ancient stuff) is new again.
Singlehood in Dudedom
For a single girl, dating in testosterone-heavy mountain towns is notoriously hazardous—and hilarious. A front-lines report.
In Utah, Rafting Through Prehistory
Utah's desert might seem an improbable place to find whitewater, but the San Juan River, which runs through deep canyons and past ancient Native American dwellings, is one notable exeption.
High, Dry, and Satisfied
He searched from Switzerland to Hawaii, but Ralph Fäsi, CEO of high-tech giant VisionOne, never found the perfect escape—until he bought his own. Welcome to Motu Teta, one man's private island in the rar reaches of Tahiti.