waterfall – Page 3

Grindelwald – Berghaus Bäregg

Stunning views from our walk toward some glaciers above Grindelwald.

For the second hike of our week-long visit to Grindelwald, we chose the opposite side of the valley, a deep canyon formed by the Ischmeer Glacier, whose remnants cling to the high slopes of 4000-meter peaks like Schreckhorn, Finsteraarhorn, and Feischerhorn. Our primary goal was the Berghaus Bäregg – literally, mountain house at bear corner – which we rightly anticipated would provide a sunny lunch spot with spectacular views of the glacier. Our stretch goal was to continue onward to Schreckhornhütte, another hut far upslope at elevation 2,527m. Although we turned around when we reached 6,000’ (1829m) we enjoyed the sunny meadows strewn with wildflowers; views of glaciers and snowfields spawning massive waterfalls and cascades; and challenging sections of trail where it clung to the cliffside or crossed massive washouts. And, a hearty lunch at the Berghaus! Read on, and check out the gallery.

View from Berghaus Bäregg, toward the Ischmeer glacier; the trail continues level across the green slope at left and around the corner.

Iceland – Westfjords

A beautiful two days in the remote northwestern region of Iceland.

After a few days amongst throngs of tourists at the “Golden Circle” of sights near Reyjavik (see my prior post) we headed for the remote northwestern corner of Iceland, the Westfjords. We rented a rural house at the blue dot on the map below, and explored westerly from there – reaching the westernmost tip of Iceland, which is also the westernmost point in Europe. It required driving some remote, dusty, narrow, twisty, and sketchy roads… but also led us to stunningly beautiful landscapes. Read on! and check out the galleries linked below.

We rented a house in the Westfjords (blue dot) and in Reykjavik, Iceland.

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.

Trues Brook cascades

A ‘wanderful’ afternoon, not far from home.

It was a busy (and rainy!) weekend so I was looking for a short outing; some place nearby, perhaps with a waterfall and some colorful fall foliage – a great combination to photograph on a cloudy day. So I checked my friend Eli Burakian’s book Hiking New England Waterfalls for some ideas. Ahah! True’s Brook, just south of West Lebanon; amazingly, after 36 years living in the Upper Valley, I’d never visited True’s Ledges along True’s Brook. It was roaring with runoff from the weekend’s heavy rains, and not in great shape for photographs, so I snapped a few with my iPhone and decided to wander on up the road and over into Meriden. Come see what I found!

True’s Brook cascades, Lebanon NH. iPhone 14 Pro, “long exposure”

Starr King and Waumbek

Hiking through the clouds at the peak of fall foliage.

Fall has finally arrived, with cooler weather and the hint of color in the leaves of hardwood trees around our home. Because we live at the bottom of the river valley, the advent of fall color at home means that the foliage is reaching its peak beauty at higher elevations, and further north. So, I was itching to get out, and selected a moderate hike in the White Mountains: up Mount Starr King and then across the Kilkenny ridge to Mount Waumbek. Beautiful! read on.

Webster & Jackson

Failed parking leads to great experience.

Last weekend I was lucky to snag the last parking spot at the trailhead for the Osceola peaks, even at 7:30am on a Sunday morning. Today I could not find any parking near my desired trail, in the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I found a parking lot –distant but empty – for a roadside waterfall, and studied the map. I could walk back up the road (emphasis on UP!) or I could bushwhack alongside the waterfall and its brook and join the trail further up slope. It was super steep… but the route would avoid a roadwalk and save time, right? I decided to go for it; wow, was I in for a treat! Sometimes a little bad luck turns into an outstanding opportunity. Read on!

Flume cascades, above Crawford Notch (White Mountains, NH).

Bondcliff backpack

An abbreviated but beautiful overnight hiking trip.

We had planned this outing for months, and I was jealously guarding these dates on my calendar. Alex and Jeff and I were determined to make a four-day, three-night backpacking trip in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), here in New Hampshire. The weather had other plans, with heavy rain and strong thunderstorms in the forecast. We squeezed our trip into two days, and it all turned out well; read on!

Alex. David, and Jeff – ready to hit the trail. (Lincoln Woods, WMNF)

Cyprus – Baths of Aphrodite

Highlights on the western tip of Cyprus.

We hired a driver and asked to head to the northwestern shore of Cyprus, to visit the legendary Baths of Aphrodite. According to Greek legend, Aphrodite would bath in the spring of this small grotto and, one day, met her lover Adonis when he stopped here while out hunting. Read on!

South Georgia – Shackleton

Walking in the footsteps of Shackleton’s famous walk to survival.

I’ve been enthralled by the story of explorer Ernest Shackleton and his ill-fated expedition to Antarctica ever since I read the incredible story in the book Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. You can imagine, then, how exciting it was for me to be able to walk in his footsteps on the final leg of his incredible trek for survival in 1916. Read on!

Descending toward Stromness, in the footsteps of Shackleton – South Georgia.

Top 12 photos of 2022

It’s hard to pick just twelve.

I enjoyed photography in 2022 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.