NOTES FROM ABOVE THE TREE LINE
ROCK PTARMIGAN
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FROM THE FIELD
A Hiker’s Five-Hour Route to the Couch
The hike begins at 8:15 a.m. with a map open on the kitchen table. By nine, the hiker has compared three trailheads. By ten,…
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FROM THE FIELD
The Volunteer Who Could See the Whole Trail
At a trail workday, the tallest volunteer is asked whether he can see a missing sign from where he stands. He cannot. Someone suggests…
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FROM THE FIELD
The Tent-Placement Summit
At the campground, four friends spend forty minutes selecting a site for one tent. One wants morning sun. Another wants shade. A third has…
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The Peach That Came Backpacking
It entered the pack firm, fragrant, and full of promise. At the end of the hike it emerged…
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A Ranger Removes His Hat, Revealing Another Hat
The afternoon interpretive walk was going well. A ranger had explained how the river shaped the valley, identified…
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The Mountain Road Driving Test
The ordinary road test checks whether you can stop at a sign, change lanes, and park beside a…
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Birders Propose a New Field Mark: Confidence
The bird appeared for approximately two seconds, behind three leaves, at the exact moment everyone reached for a…
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17 One-Star Reviews of Nature
Mountains blocked the sunset. Lizards were unfriendly. Sand was sandy.
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10 Hiking Pants to Shit Yourself In
Butt-seam leaks, missing belts, homicidal zippers, and one pair that allegedly arrived with someone else’s underwear in the…
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