RECENT WORK & SELECT PUBLICATIONS
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A Vision in the Desert: Chile’s Resilient Pink Flamingos
Flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the spectacular Andean Mountains to the east, Chile stretches over 2,600 miles from its northern reaches to the southern terminus of Cape Horn. Here, travelers will discover volcanic and glaciated landscapes forged by fire and ice, view the tenacity of life in jungle and desert and experience the elemental beauty of water and stone.
Silversea, July 2018
Shavers Fork Overnighter
High up on the summit of Cheat Mountain, a spectacular river begins its journey to the sea. On the way, it passes through the heart of West Virginia’s old-growth red spruce forests, tumbles over a spectacular horseshoe waterfall, and meanders through some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Appalachia.
Highland Outdoors, July 2018
Highland Profiles: Mike Williams
If you’re a rock climber who’s spent any time in West Virginia’s New River Gorge, you likely know of Mike Williams—or at least recognize his name. If you’re an NRG climber and don’t, you must have spent the previous decade living under a rock instead of climbing one.
Highland Outdoors, June 2018
ADA-Accessible Boat Launch Opens in Canaan Valley
The Blackwater River became accessible to everyone today following the ribbon cutting ceremony and official opening of an ADA-accessible canoe / kayak launch.
Highland Outdoors, May 2018
Plant the Town Red: Restoring West Virginia’s Red Spruce Ecosystems
The gravel crunches under our boots as we hoof it up the relentless grade of Forest Road 80, a reconditioned logging road that switchbacks its way up the western slope of Cabin Mountain in Canaan Valley.
Highland Outdoors, April 2018
Highland Profiles: Ian Beckner
I pulled up to Driftland Ski and Sport in Davis as I had many times before. The open sign always seems to be on, and owner Ian Beckner always seems to be inside.
Highland Outdoors, February 2018
In Defense of WV’s State Parks
It’s no secret that West Virginia’s state parks are struggling. The state park system is plagued by a $50 million maintenance backlog, and 2016 saw a round of layoffs and the shuttering of several state park pools.
Highland Outdoors, January 2018
What We Found in West Virginia’s Headwaters
My mind raced as I picked my way through a snowy rhododendron tunnel. It was late March, and I had just returned home to the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia from a 16-day assignment to explore the northern reaches of Chilean Patagonia.
National Geographic Blog, January 2018
Alpine Training at Seneca Rocks
While West Virginia proudly boasts some of the best rock climbing in the Unities States, there’s one thing the Mountain State lacks: big mountains.
Highland Outdoors, January 2018
What We Found in West Virginia’s Headwaters
My mind raced as I picked my way through a snowy rhododendron tunnel. It was late March, and I had just returned home to the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia…
Field Notes, December 2017
New River Boulder Bounty Wrap-Up: James Pearson Brings in the Bounty on the ASCEND / Organic Climbing Project
Trad master and overall crusher James Pearson rolled in fashionably late to the New River Boulder Bounty, and immediately sent the ASCEND / Organic project…
ASCEND Blog, December 2017
ASCEND Teams up with Organic Climbing for New River Boulder Bounty
Yes, we’re aware. It’s dark when you go to work and it’s dark when you leave. That’s why winter is the best time to come get your crush on at ASCEND.
ASCEND Blog, November 2017
Jimmy Webb Nabs Numerous First Ascents in the New River Gorge
Contributed all photos and captions for this web piece.
Rock and Ice, November 2017
WV Bridge Day: BASE Jump Bonanza
On the third Saturday of every October, BASE jumpers from across the globe zero their sights on the New River Gorge Bridge…
Highland Outdoors, October 2017
Justice for West Virginia’s Cheat River
If Congress doesn’t reauthorize the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, it could spell the end of stream restoration.
Rewire, October 2017
Try West Virginia’s “Epic” Mountain Biking Adventure for Yourself
Deep in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, a 34-mile long ridgeline juts prominently into crisp mountain air, with knife-edge cliffs that drop 200 feet to the rugged slope below.
WV Tourism, October 2017
The First Day at Coopers
‘Twas the first day at Coopers, and all through the woods, The climbers were out trying to bag up the goods.
Highland Outdoors, October 2017
Road Tripping the Pacific Northwest Coast
I’m a West Virginian at heart. I’ve had a love affair with the verdant and rugged topography of the Appalachian Mountains my entire life.
RootsRated, September 2017
The Fascinating Story of Happy Camp, California: One of the Pacific Northwest’s Final Frontiers
Along the banks of the mighty Klamath River in far northern California rests a sleepy mountain town.
RootsRated, September 2017
Gilded Sends: New River Gorge Bouldering
Climbers, rejoice! The autumnal equinox is here, bringing with it every boulderer’s favorite season.
Highland Outdoors, September 2017
Summersville Lake: Climbing in the Wake of PsicoRoc
The country’s first outdoor deep-water soloing competition was certainly a spectacle, but what does it mean for the future of climbing at Summersville Lake?
Highland Outdoors, August 2017
Microplastics in a Macroworld: Water Sampling in Patagonia
I feel as if we’ve stumbled into the center of the universe. We emerge from the thick forest canopy that has been obscuring our view for miles.
National Geographic, July 2017
NROCKS Full Moon Via Ferrata
Many species sync certain behaviors with the full moon. From urinating badgers and mating corals to glowing scorpions and the wild behaviors of our own pets, the full moon can cause things to get a bit… whacky
Highland Outdoors, July 2017
Made in the Shade: Summer Crags in the New River Gorge
Climbers, rejoice! The autumnal equinox is here, bringing with it every boulderer’s favorite season.
Highland Outdoors, June 2017
Paragliding in the WV Highlands
The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge is an avian paradise. Look around and you’ll see hawks, geese, vultures, and many migratory species flourishing in the young forests and wetlands that characterize the distinct landscape.
Highland Outdoors, June 2017
Pure Patagonia, Part 2: Sampling in South America’s Final Frontier
I wake up at 6:00 a.m., comfortable in my sleeping bag despite the stiff bed. I take a deep breath and smell the coffee.
Field Notes, May 2017
Pandapas Pond: Blacksburg’s Mountain Biking Paradise
The thriving town of Blacksburg, Virginia, is known for many things, including access to the rolling hills and slew of outdoor activities surrounding the ancient New River Valley.
RootsRated, May 2017
Pure Patagonia, Part 1: Sampling in South America’s Final Frontier
I feel as if we’ve stumbled into the center of the universe. We emerge from the thick forest canopy that had been obscuring our view for miles. The landscape is vast.
Field Notes, April 2017
Episode 1: Getting There
Our Patagonia adventure team describes the adventure before the adventure—traveling to Chile and arriving in a bustling, thriving, city. Not everything went as planned.
RootsRated, February 2017
Episode 2: The Long Road to Adventure
One of South America’s greatest road trips, Chile’s southern road is a wild, scenic, and unpredictable highway that cuts through some of the most beautiful geography on the planet.
RootsRated, February 2017
Episode 3: Exploring the Unexplored
If you’ve got what it takes to visit the unexplored reaches of Patagonia, these 10 adventures will be right up your alley.
RootsRated, February 2017
Episode 4: Back to Civilization
Patagonia isn’t just about the wilderness—there are amazing cities waiting to be discovered. Valparaíso is one of the best. Our guide looks at some of the best the city has to offer.
RootsRated, February 2017
Episode 5: A Glimpse into Chilean Culture
Chilean culture can be complicated, but it’s also fascinating. Our guide helps you understand what makes Chile the unique place that it is.
RootsRated, February 2017
The Ultimate Cross-Country Climber Road Trip
America’s love affair with the road trip began to blossom in the late 1930s.
RootsRated, February 2017
Water Water Everywhere
Last August, 16 of the world’s best climbers rallied on the bullet-hard sandstone of Summersville Lake, West Virginia, for America’s first deep-water-soloing competition on real rock.
Rock and Ice, January 2017
Ice Climbing in West Virginia
When the Mountain State is deep within the grip of Old Man Winter, Chris Bailey keeps a very specific emergency pack in his truck.
Highland Outdoors, January 2017
Gregg Corio: Morgantown’s Ice Man
If you tune into the Teva Mountain Games, an annual adventure sports competition, you’ll see the world’s best ice climbers…
Zackquill, January 2017
Meet Jim Snyder and Charlie Walbridge: Pioneers of the Iconic Cheat River
In the rugged Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, an equally rugged river flows north for almost 162 miles.
RootsRated, December 2016
From Alpine to High Desert: 10 Days of Climbing in Idaho
Famous Potatoes—Idaho’s state slogan is proudly printed on the bottom of its license plate.
RootsRated, December 2016
Try West Virginia’s “Epic” Mountain Biking Adventure for Youself
Deep in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, a 34-mile long ridgeline juts prominently into crisp mountain air, with knife-edge cliffs that drop 200 feet to the rugged slope below.
RootsRated, September 2016
WV Climbing Competition Makes a Splash
On a crisp summer morning, 16 of the world’s best rock climbers gathered on the crystal clear waters of Summersville Lake to climb its world-famous Nuttall Sandstone cliffs for Psicoroc.
Highland Outdoors, August 2016
New River Climbing Beta
You’re 80 feet above the ground and 800 feet above one of the oldest rivers on the planet. You place your toe on an improbable edge and inch your hand up to an impeccable jug.
Highland Outdoors, July 2016
Searching for the Pure Life in Paradise
White sand gives softly under our feet, reflecting enough ambient light to illuminate the empty beach and rolling boils of big surf. The crescendo of crashing waves makes the black expanse of the Pacific sound as if it is breathing…
National Geographic, May 2016
Have Some Eco-Heroism With Your Climbing Adventure
The morning sun dances off the glassy ripples lapping against my kayak. I dip a sampling bottle under the crystalline surface one, two, three times, the displaced bubbles rising as I rinse it with seawater.
National Geographic, June 2015
Protecting Our Fortress in the Sky
Clouds materialize from the void, billowing off craggy spires like smoke from a pipe. Late-season snow clings to steep mountainsides, stained from rock and dirt and hard as concrete.
National Geographic, September 2014
Boulder Hopping
My forearms are pumped and my heel hook is just off the mark. I slap my right hand up a few inches higher on a sloping sidepull.
Outside Bozeman, September 2014
In Search of Pika, Part 3
Clouds materialize from the void, billowing off craggy spires like smoke from a pipe. Late season snow clings to steep mountainsides, stained from rock and dirt and hard as concrete.
Field Notes, August 2014
In Search of Pika, Part 2
As we rounded the bend in the rocky trail, rock walls of gneiss and schist soared from the sagebrush meadows above us like magnificent giants guarding the pristine wilderness ahead.
Field Notes, July 2014
In Search of Pika, Part 1
No two days are alike in the mountains. I’m flying solo on an eight-week road trip in the interior West this summer, enjoying my fill of hiking, biking and climbing.
Field Notes, July 2014
How Could the Tsunami in Japan Affect Oceans in Alaska Today?
Steve Weileman and the Ikkatsu Project seek to understand how Plastic Debris Affects Marine Ecosystems.
Field Notes, June 2013
Penguins, Whales, and Life on Ship Sailing Around the Antarctic Peninsula
ASC Adventurer, Laura Smith braves ice fields and frigid water for science.
Field Notes, April 2013
ASC and the AAC Go Hand in Hand for one Adventurer
In an age where awareness of climate change exists but little is understood, I had always accepted the science behind the debate.
Field Notes, December 2012
Secchi Disks, Banded Gulls, and a Whole lot of Adventure with the Wilderness Classroom
ASC teams up with the Wilderness Classroom to study water quality and bird migration in the name of science and adventure.
Field Notes, November 2012
What Can ASC Add to Your Adventure?
As a traveling rock climber road tripping to America’s greatest climbing destinations, our ropes don’t often take us to areas where relevant data for ASC studies can be collected.
Field Notes, August 2012