NOTES FROM ABOVE THE TREE LINE
ROCK PTARMIGAN
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FROM THE FIELD
The Bristlecone Pine Has Been Standing Here Since Before Most of Our Problems
The oldest bristlecone pines do not look successful. They are twisted. Partly dead. Often short. Exposed wood is sandblasted smooth by wind and ice.
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FROM THE FIELD
Local Coyote Would Like to Clarify That Was Not a Dog
A coyote seen crossing a suburban bike path Wednesday issued a correction after neighborhood social-media users spent nearly two hours attempting to identify what…
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FROM THE FIELD
12 Hiking Poles for People Ready to Admit Walking Is Hard
Walking is simple until someone puts a mountain underneath it. Then humans begin adding equipment. Trekking poles can improve stability, involve the upper body,…
Latest Stories
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A Bear Locker Full of Questions
The new food-storage container at the campsite is a rutabaga nearly as wide as a picnic table. Nobody…
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A Shorter Line to “The Real Grand Canyon”
Near a national park entrance, a man in a folding chair offers visitors a shortcut to “the real…
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The Trail Dog Encounters a Gear Founder
The dog recognized him before her owner did. Ten years earlier, he had shared half a sandwich at…
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Thirty Minutes of Unscheduled Woods
At 2:00 p.m., the camp counselors were told they had half an hour with no assigned activity. They…
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The Friend Who Learned One Birdsong
Last spring, the group’s bird expert identified everything by sound. This spring, his friend learned the call of…
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Ice Cube on Finding a Quiet Trail
Fictional satirical interview. This conversation did not take place. Rock Ptarmigan: What brings you out before sunrise? Ice…
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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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