Travel – Page 14 – David Kotz

Iceland – Reykjavik and Golden Circle

Our week in Iceland began with a tour of some classic sights.

Our extended family loves to travel. We sought an interesting destination to celebrate a graduation and two birthdays, and settled on Iceland. So eleven of us met up in Reykjavik for a busy week of touring this beautiful country. Iceland’s northernmost point just grazes the Arctic Circle, but even at Reykjavik (on the southwest coast) and on our dates (three weeks after solstics) the days were still very long: sunrise at 0342 and sunset at 2325; it was never dark! Although Iceland is a small island, a one-week visit is really only enough to scratch the surface – we focused on the area around the capital of Reykjavik (and the crowded “Golden Circle” of nearby sights) and the remote Westfjords peninsula. This post focuses on the Reykjavik area; see the combined gallery or the location-specific galleries below. Read on!

Maroon Bells

Photographing one of the most iconic mountain scenes in North America.

This being my first visit to Aspen, I spent the past few months asking friends and colleagues where I should plan to hike. Although there were many great suggestions, I had only one day I could fully allocate to hiking. From my research, it was eminently clear that the Maroon Bells are a must-see destination. Fortunately, they are easy to reach from Aspen, with a free city bus from Aspen town over to the base lodge of the Aspen Highlands ski area – which in summer serves as the base for the shuttle bus up the Maroon Creek valley to Maroon Lake and its trailhead. Read on and be sure to visit the photo gallery!

Aspen Mountain

A steep climb at high altitude, with outrageous views.

I was in Aspen for a AAA&S workshop for higher-ed leaders; immediately afterward, I pulled together my hiking and photography gear and took the hotel shuttle into the center of town. From there, I walked a kilometer on city streets to reach the trailhead for the Ute Trail, which leads up to Ute Rock and beyond to the summit of 11,270’ Aspen Mountain (3435m). I was fortunate to have arrived in Aspen three days earlier, to give me a little time to acclimatize to Aspen’s 7,980’ elevation (2432m). Still, especially under the afternoon’s strong summer sun, I really felt the altitude as I climbed the incredibly steep trail through eight, nine, ten thousand feet. The first half of the route ascends on steep switchbacks through a forest of aspen and conifers, with wildflowers sprinkling the forest floor; it then follows ski slopes (black diamond and double-black diamond!), some with lingering patches of snow, to the summit. Three thousand feet of gain in under three miles, at this altitude, whew!

I take in the view from the sundeck at the summit.

Aspen

My first visit to Aspen – beautiful!

I had the opportunity this week to attend a Forum for Higher Education Leaders, hosted by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAA&S), in Aspen, Colorado. I had never been to Aspen before… but the opportunity to spend a week in the Rocky Mountains, during wildflower season, was too much for a hiker/photographer like me to pass up.

View down to center of Aspen, along my route down Aspen Mountain.

Northern Lights

Two brilliant nights, above the Arctic Circle.

As noted in the prior post, we spent four nights in Saariselkä, near the northern tip of Finland. We stayed at the “Northern Lights Village,” which we all hoped was eponymously named! Guests are housed in individual little cabins, called “aurora cabins,” which have glass across half their roof, and a special in-room tablet computer that rings a gentle alarm whenever the Northern Lights are visible. We were all hopeful to see the aurora borealis, at least once. We did! Read on, and check out the photo gallery!

Lapland

Northern Finland – Sami culture, reindeer, dogsleds, and more.

After our day in Helsinki (Finland) and our day in Tallinn (Estonia), we hopped on a Finnair flight to the northern tip of Finland – specifically, to the tiny town of Saariselkä, where one can downhill ski at the northern-most lift-skiing resort in the world, cross-country ski on an extensive trail network, explore reindeer farms, experience dogsledding, and more. We stayed four nights at the “Northern Lights Village,” a delightful resort in the middle of all these delightful opportunities. Read on, and check out the photo gallery for more!

David skied on nordic skis to the summit of Saariselkä, Finland.

Tallinn

Dartmouth Alumni Travel to Finland.

While our group was based in Helsinki, Finland (see prior post), we took a long day trip across the Baltic Sea to visit the medieval heart of the city of Tallinn, now the capital of Estonia. What a delightful place! Read on and check out the gallery.

Our group entering the old town of Tallinn, Estonia.

Helsinki

Dartmouth Alumni Travel to Finland.

I had the pleasure of joining an Alumni Travel group for a week in Finland; we visited Helsinki (Finland) and Tallinn (Estonia) before heading north of the Arctic Circle to the northern tip of Finland, where we could enjoy one last burst of winter and hope to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). We had a great group of guests – alumni from Dartmouth College, Tufts University, and the College of William and Mary – all led by the indefatigable local guide, Hanna. I was the faculty leader (common on alumni trips), offering academic lectures twice during the trip. It was a wonderful trip – read on and check out the first gallery of photos!

SC wildlife – December

I was back in South Carolina for the Christmas holiday and had a chance to explore some of the wildlife around Kiawah Island and Magnolia Plantation, both near Charleston. The gallery shows some of my favorite photos from that week… deer, ducks, alligators, herons, and seagulls. I especially enjoyed watching a pair of blue herons going about the construction of their nest. They seemed to be taking their time, slowly building it one tiny stick at a time.

Blue herons building a nest, Magnolia Gardens, South Carolina.

Top 12 photos of 2023

It’s hard to pick just twelve.

I enjoyed photography in 2023 and decided to share my pick of favorites. It was not easy! 12 photos for 12 months – not one per month, but just the twelve that I felt were especially beautiful or interesting. See the full gallery – where I recommend clicking the “play” button to see them as a slideshow – and read on for some commentary about each one.