Trekking with Wolves
Snowshoeing through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area reveals a wilderness seen and unseen.
The New York Times, 21 February 2010
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A Fighting Chance
An ambitious recovery project is giving the Puerto Rican parrot, one of the world's ten most endangered birds, a new lease on life.
Audubon, September-October 2009
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Why I Hunt
There's the thrill, yes. But there are also ecological benefits that become clear when you are authentically engaged in the natural world.
Star Tribune, 29 November 2009
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Iron Resolve
The University's School of Public health is leading a vast partnership to discover why so many Iron Range taconite miners are dying of a brutal lung disease.
Minnesota, May-June 2009
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Life on a Big River in a House That Floats
Hard to believe that they'd simply hand over the keys to a 48-foot houseboat, but here I was at the helm, with little experience piloting a boat larger than a canoe.
The New York Times, 10 August 2007
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Dog Sledding in Montana's Wilderness
Near Yellowstone National Park, dog sledding is an exhilarating and nostalgic way to travel through wild country — quieter than snowmobiles, faster than skis or snowshoes.
The New York Times, 13 March 2009
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In a Dark Shack Luring Pike, Spear at Ready
Unlike other forms of fishing, spearing remains a game of deception and patience in which your attention can never waver.
The New York Times, 30 January 2009
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Born-Again Hunter
I quit hunting years ago — too many competing interests, too little time. Then my wife picked up the manly art of hunting from her girlfriend, and something within me reawakened.
The New York Times, 31 October 2008
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Island Hopping by Kayak at America's Ceiling
One of the rewards of being a travel writer is the chance to write a story you like about a place you love — in this case, Wisconsin's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
The New York Times, 1 August 2008
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Alien Invasion
More than ever before, exotic species are knocking at our state's door, driving native species to extinction and destroying diverse ecosystems. That's a bad thing, right?
Minnesota Monthly, June 2008
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La Vida Local
Save the planet, save the farmer, save the local economy, save good food! But why eat local — really? Locavores' claims are hard to swallow.
Minnesota Monthly, May 2008
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American Journey: Riding the Rails in the Black Hills
The Mickelson Trail follows an old mining railroad route through the heart of South Dakota's Black Hills.
The New York Times, 27 June 2008
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Rediscovering a Hidden Island
Some friends and I got the urge to kayak around the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, the once-upon-a-time U.S. Navy bombing range. We found terrific snorkeling and some of the wildest beaches in the Caribbean.
The New York Times, 7 November 2007
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Getting Down and Dirty in an Underground River
When you mention the tropics, plate-sized whipscorpions and predatory shrimp don't leap to mind. Nor does rappelling 200 feet straight down a sinkhole or the possibility of drowning. But exploring the underground Rio Camuy in Puerto Rico is all that—and more if you go with natural showman Rossano Boscarino.
The New York Times, 5 October 2007
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Rocking the Underground
Is bad-boy caver John Ackerman saving Minnesota caves—or destroying them?
Minnesota Monthly, October 2007
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Morel Majority
Spring is the season for the king of Minnesota mushrooms—so tasty they might tempt even a fungi-phobic.
Minnesota Monthly, May 2007
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Solitude and the Sea
Fish are plentiful on this hidden island six miles off the eastern end of Puerto Rico - and the fishermen not so.
The New York Times, 20 April 2007
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In Minnesota, a Big Fish in a Big Lake
In fishing for muskellunge - or muskies, as real fishermen prefer to call them - "big" is the operative word. Even the lures are large.
The New York Times, 26 October 2006
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Above the Shores of Gitche Gumee
The Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota can feel like a long, green tunnel, with views.
The New York Times, 4 April 2006
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The Wildest Horse
China fulfills a bold dream to restore "P-Horses" to the Gobi Desert.
Wildlife Conservation, August 2006
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Scenes from the Silk Road
A Leap of Faith Reveals China's Wild West.
Star Tribune, 12 February 2006
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Swimming with Gentle Giants
Manatees, drawn by warm water, flock to springs in central Florida during the winter. Human visitors come in droves too, to see these odd, shy and endangered creatures.
Star Tribune, 18 September 2005
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Shadows in the Mountains
The spirit of the South China tiger haunts the hills of Hupingshan National Nature Reserve.
Star Tribune, 3 April 2005
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Cabin Relations
My wife and I own a cabin. Sometimes, it owns us. But we are coming to terms.
Midwest Home, September 2005
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A Place to Call Home
A travel-weary Jim Brandenburg creates a new life in the north woods.
Midwest Home, June-July 2005
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Portage Panorama
A trip to the tip of Minnesota's Arrowhead reveals the pristine Superior shores of yesteryear.
Minnesota Monthly, July 2005
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Ticket to Glide
On a lodge-to-lodge skiing trek along Lake Superior's North Shore, an urban couple soaks up winter's wonders.
Minnesota Monthly, December 2004
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The Wild Heart of Ellesmere Island
For almost 20 years, Dave Mech has traveled to this Arctic Island to study the rise and fall of wolf populations.
Globe and Mail, 14 August 2004
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Scouting the Grand Excursion
Before the fireworks and flotillas begin, our correspondent travels the Mississippi in search of river-town personality, breathtaking vistas, and the ghost of Millard Fillmore.
Minnesota Monthly, May 2004
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Solo Kayaker Waits Out Storm
Stranded on an isolated peninsula, once the location of a World War II prison camp, a paddler wonders who is a prisoner—and of what?
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 17 August 2003.
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Cold Streams and Hot Springs
Half a day by train from Tokyo, the Japan Alps are home to swirling rivers and steaming baths.
Toronto Globe and Mail, 27 September 2003.
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The Tracker
"Hunting" with infrared technology, wildlife conservationist Ron Tilson keeps tabs on Sumatra's endangered tigers.
Islands, July-August 2000
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Rollin' on the River
Running Jamaica's mountain streams leads to the back door of country life.
Islands, July-August 2000
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A Path to the Past
A kayak journey gives three paddlers unique insight into the history and legends of Lake Superior's real North Shore.
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 20 August 2000
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Savoring Saunas
The ambassador of the Finnish sauna holds court on the island of Lauttasaari.
Islands, April 1995
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The Valley Below
The Whitewater River has carved out a lush refuge for trout and other wildlife.
Minnesota Monthly, June 1999.
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Ghosts of Way Kambas
Among its elephants and tigers, an extraordinary park in Indonesia harbors the rare Sumatran rhino.
International Wildlife, September-October 1998.
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Reality Bites
Wilderness and civilization collide—sometimes fatally—at the expanding frontier of wolf country.
Minnesota Monthly, August 1998.
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The Rarest Rhino
Tracking an elusive quarry can be a frustrating undertaking in Java.
Islands, August 1998.
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Superior Refuge
Wisconsin's Apostle Islands offer respite from Lake Superior's fury.
Islands, June 1995.
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Where the Buffalo Roam
Each fall South Dakota's Custer State Park recruits would-be buckaroos for its bison roundup.
Sports Illustrated, 29 November 1993.
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