Travels in Quebec’s Eastern Townships - Part 2

Whether you ski Quebec’s Mount Bromont or just take the gondola to the 1,800 foot summit, it’s worth hanging out at the ultra contemporary Summit Lodge for the stellar sunsets.

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Stunning Cross-Country Skiing in Slovenia

I've cross-country skied all over the world, which makes me pretty picky as to what makes for ideal skiing. I found it in Slovenia, a small country that many Americans don't think of as a cross-country skiing destination. Yet, it's ideal for its diversity of landscapes, immense amounts of fresh powder, charming villages aplenty and a populace that has a love affair with nature. I recently wrote an article for ForbesLife on four cross-country ski destinations in Slovenia.

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Slovenia Cross Country Ski Resorts in Pictures

Cross country skiing in Slovenia couldn't be more idyllic, with fresh powder, tracked trails, no crowds, unbeatable mountain scenery, and quaint villages. At Pokljuka, I found fresh powder and the opportunity to learn the rigors of the biathlon -- who knew the rifle was so heavy. At Planica, a wide, tree-lined trail led up to a pristine mountain hut where I sat with the locals for a hearty lunch. Log Pod Mangart may be small but what it lacks in size it makes up for with dramatic mountain scenery. This area in the photo below, the Nordic Center Bonovec Medvode, is just 20 minutes west of downtown Ljubljana. This YouTube video slideshow offers a window into Slovenia’s cross country skiing treasures.

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Gear Review: Fashionable + Functional Winter Wear

It seems like every year when the first colorful blossoms appear on the trees in New York City -- and I don’t mean this winter when unseasonably warm weather tricked many plants to unexpectedly and inappropriately bloom -- in the spring, someone in my neighborhood will ask  if I lost a ton of weight. The answer is always “no,” (I’m as tiny as I’ve always been.) But the question arises because all winter long I’m wearing bulky clothing that keeps me toasty but makes my 104-pound frame look about 50 pounds heavier, until I shed the clothes at the first sign of a warm breeze. Those days are now over, thanks to some very cool clothing manufactured by Stio, a Jackson Hole, Wyoming company.  

As a cross country skier, snowshoer, and winter hiker and walker, whether on a trail or on city streets, I want outerwear that performs well when I’m active, giving me the warmth I crave but without sacrificing style. In fact, it’s not unusual for people to come up to me when I’m waiting on line or sitting in a cafe or coffee shop to ask me where I got the (Stio) sweater, jacket or vest. Some even ask to feel it because each item -- especially the jacket and vest -- looks (and feels) oh-so-soft.

The three items you see pictured below can be paired up, all worn together or separately. And each provides warmth without bulk. The Idyll Hooded Sweater is made of 100% Merino wool in a fashionable tunic style, making it work well whether I’m cross country skiing or lounging beside a roaring fire with a glass of wine at mountain lodge. (It looks good with jeans, leggings, polar fleece tights, sweater dresses or merino wool skirts.)

The grey-hued Lofted Sky Insulated Jacket is stuffed with PrimaLoft, a synthetic insulator that’s light, breathable and packs small -- something I value because I never check luggage. I’ve worn it in a freezing rain and found it to be water resistant and quick drying. You can put glove liners, for example, in an inside stash pocket. (The interior teal color is quite striking.)

The Marsten Down Vest is packed with HyperDry Water Resistant Down so that even though I was stuck in a freezing rainstorm, I was dry and warm. (The vest’s down hoodie and deep pockets protected my head, neck and hands from the elements.) And, the vest was quick drying once I found shelter. For Nordic skiing, depending on the temperatures, I like pairing the vest with a Smart Wool or Icebreaker Merino wool long-sleeve sweater. Like with the Ofted Sky Insulated Jacket, this article of clothing is very compressible. In fact, when flying recently, I brought along a small pillowcase that I stuffed the vest into, making a very comfy pillow. These three pieces of clothing are now my go-to winter wear items.

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Maine Cross Country Ski Weekend in Pictures

It's probably not surprising to read an article describing how cell phones have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. But reading an article in the Sunday New York Times today "Step Away From The Phone"  -- describing, among the cell phone "detox" methods, how phones may need to be put into a lock box in order to foster normal human interactions in the home -- made me reflect on how I often completely disconnect from the phone and the Web by immersing myself in the wilderness. 

One of these trips with the Appalachian Mountain Club was a long weekend of guided lodge-to-lodge cross country skiing from Gorman Chairback to Little Lyford Lodge in Maine. The phone is the furthest thing from my mind -- lock box not needed -- as I embrace the simple pleases, such as stepping into a wood-fired sauna; enjoying a family-style dinner of pan-seared salmon with blueberry chutney; and snuggling in my bed that's decked out with comfy, flannel bedding. This short YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my experience.

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Winter Travel Safety

For me, winter means downhill and Nordic skiing. But a ski vacation, like with all travels, doesn't mean throwing caution to the wind. For example, when I flew to A-Basin in Colorado from New York City, I suffered altitude sickness. On another journey to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, my ski buddy tore the ligaments in his thumb after a serious stumble on the slopes. When I spent a week skiing in the Lake Tahoe area,  one of my friends suffered an ACL injury after a fall on a mogul field. Yes, skiing is not without its risks.

That's why I wrote a guest post on winter safety tips for MedjetAssist that offers a reliable air-medical transport membership program. After all, whether you're suffering from head trauma from colliding with a tree on a downhill run or life-threatening altitude sickness and you're far from home and appropriate medical services, you need to be evacuated quickly and efficiently to the hospital of your choice.

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Women's Travel Safety Tips

After a  New York City woman, Sarai Sierra, who traveled to Istanbul alone, was found slain recently, some in the media and others are suggesting that perhaps she shouldn't have been traveling alone. Or maybe the problem was that she possibly made some nefarious connections on Instagram. So is the conclusion that women shouldn't use social media when they travel? Or does it really boil down to the recommendation that women shouldn't travel alone?

I frequently travel alone. I spent a month in Iceland where I hiked across desolate lava-scapes where fumaroles spouted sulfurous gases beside my boots , trekked along cliff tops where the only things I encountered were puffins, and spent an evening at a codfish festival where I was the only non-Icelandic person in the village.

During the month I spent alone bus hopping across Turkey, I traveled to an island where the only way to get around is a bicycle or horse-drawn carriage, wandered the warren of streets in Istanbul hunting for out-of-the-way coffee shops, and settled into the languid rhythm of another, larger isle where each day meant choosing between yet another white crescent of sand or another winery.

I often travel alone by bicycle, as I did in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway where I pedaled from one wee fishing village to the next, and by cross-country skis, as I recently did in Washington's Methow Valley where I carried a backpack with all my gear and cruised 15-20 km a day from one lodge to the next, all the while marveling at the snow-draped conifer forests, frozen streams, and occasional timber shelters I passed along the way.

Suggesting that women not travel alone is not the answer to violence against women. But, clearly, there are some tips to assure that your travels are as safe as they can be. Recently Billie Frank at Santa Fe Travelers asked 10 women travel bloggers (including me) to provide their top women's travel safety tips. Aside from the many tips I've provided, you'll find additional health and safety travel tips in my e-book: The Travel Authority: Essential Tips for Hassle-Free Travel.

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My Top Travel Tip For Women + Much More

Ever wonder why I rarely if ever carry a purse? What made me fall in love with Spain, Portugal and Israel? What makes Washington state's Methow Valley so special? And, I bet you have no idea what motivated me to start traveling around the world once I graduated from high school?

You'll find out the answers to these and other things about my life as a travel writer by reading this interview I did with Dian Emery at GirlsGetaway.

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Lodging in Washington's Methow Valley: Warm, Charming + Eco-friendly

The  rugged Goat Wall – with its massive icicles strung down its surface, like granite Christmas tree – looms over my trail as I cross-country ski over a snow-covered bridge. Below is the glacial-carved Methow River, its waters flowing below ground.  On the other side, naked cottonwood trees stand guard. The snowstorm blowing around me worsens, making it difficult to see the trail that's already dark, hemmed in by lovely Western red cedar and birch trees.

I'm on my way to the North Cascades Basecamp, a simple lodge turned ecology center that will become my most favorite accommodation in the Methow Valley, an unspoiled part of Washington state (it's four hours northwest of Spokane) and one that's renown for its network of well-groomed cross country ski trails.

Once inside, I gravitate to a cozy niche: a sunken lounge space in one corner of the living room with an expansive bay widow, thick carpeting and an amber-glowing wood burning stove. As I snuggle up with a cup of mint tea, I spot skiers gliding past the Douglas firs and Ponderosa pines outside. Then I wander to the myriad bookshelves and select a tome on birds in winter.  The vibe is calm, warm and welcoming. So much so that I find it difficult to get back on my skies for another 13 km before dinner.

Each of the six rooms in the main lodge – there are also cabins – are given regional names: Goat Wall, Rendezvous (a much loved nearby hut-to-hut trail system), Mt. Gardner (an almost 10,000-foot peak), Becky (a well-respected climber). I decide on Pasayten (a wilderness area) on the second floor with its queen size bed and large adjoining bathroom. By the morning, the new fallen snow has crawled up to the base of my second floor window!

Everywhere I look, I find local artwork hung on the walls, including a lovely landscape mosaic of stones in the dining room that's set for family-style meals. That evening, I sit around one of the long wooden tables along with two couples who are ultra-marathoners and the proprietors. The tangy goat cheese spread appetizer is straight from the nearby dairy. Then, we dig into the Africa spicy stew that's thick with squash, chickpeas, peanuts, tomatoes; a leafy salad and beets.

Kim and Steve Bondi, the new owners -- they're both wildlife biologists -- of this property, have upped the sustainability (and educational) factor by raising bees for honey, planting a herb and vegetable garden (their menus incorporate everything from homegrown cilantro to spinach), and leading naturalist tours. Every Saturday morning in the winter they bring in a naturalist who leads a two-hour complimentary snowshoe tour through the woodlands. During the year they also host other programs, including animal tracking,  art illustration in nature and a migratory bird festival. Their upcoming watercolor class in mid-February with noted painter John Adams is especially tempting.

Thursday is Bread & Soup night + an environmental presentation with experts in the field. It's a great time to mingle with the community -- and the Methow Valley has community spirit aplenty. And dozens show up each week. If the topic happens to be wolves, close to 100 people may pack into the wee room. This night -- we learn about the elusive lynx in the boreal forests -- I sit at a table sipping a flavorful potato, spinach and garlic soup along with two of the men who produced the goat cheese that I enjoyed the night before.

At the North Cascades Basecamp,  even the basement warming hut -- the focal point of the presentations -- beckons the skier: a stove is kept burning, hot chocolate and apple cider are available as is the ultra fresh Mazama water, and gourmet chocolate truffles (also from Mazama). There are plenty of eco lessons to be learned by reading the posters on the walls: how to distinguish lynx tracks and how the black-capped chickadees survive in winter.

The next morning, after a breakfast of homemade pressed apple cider, locally roasted coffee (organic and free trade) as well as a filling bowel of porridge consisting of farro, rye and flax, I'm not happy to be leaving the Basecamp. I know I'll my room with its snow coated forest views, the healthy wholesome cuisine, the sun splashed living room, and the friendliness of Kim and Steve Bondi. I'll just have to return, soon.

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Visiting Davos, Switzerland Without Downhill Skiing

Though I downhill ski, when I travel to ski country, I like to find options that don’t lock me in to nothing but a week of high-priced lift tickets, expensive food at mountain resorts and dealing with everything from out of control skiers to long lift lines. Of course, everything is a little different in Europe but, still, I prefer varying my activities when visiting a ski resort.

And that’s what I did when I visited Davos, Switzerland. This is, of course, a mega resort and yet there is plenty to do that has nothing to do with downhill skiing. Here are some of my favorite activities plus additional options:


1. Cross country ski

More than 45 miles of trails beckon, some for those, like me, who prefer classic Nordic skiing, and others for skiers who like to skate. Many trails wander through peaceful valley. And you hardly have to be an expert: there’s a ski school, a place to rent equipment and, even better, the trails are free! Plus, you’ll find a two-mile trail that’s available for night Nordic skiing.

2. Ice skating

I’m not a big fan of indoor skating but, in Davos, you have your choice: If you prefer the relative warmth of an indoor rink, you’ve got it here. But Davos is also home to Europe’s largest natural rink. This is where I skate when I travel to Davos.

3. Hiking

Just because there’s snow on the ground is no reason to stop hiking. And Davos, with it’s well-marked trails, makes it easy to either work up a sweat on a strenuous trail or just enjoy the scenery. When I don’t have a lot of time to get to a trailhead, I walk around Davos Lake. Otherwise, there a lovely 2+ hour easy walk from Ischalp back to Davos that meanders through a dense, snow-coated forest and then along a wide trail to Calavadel with its scenic valley views, finally following a river to Davos.

4. Snowshoeing

I actually prefer Nordic skiing to snowshoeing which I find nowhere near as smooth and rhythmic. That being said, Davos offers some pristine showshoe trails, including those that make a loop from the top of the Pischa cable car station. There you’ll maybe have the well-marked trails to yourself as you wander along sunny slopes. And, of course, like most things in Davos, you can sign up for a 1+ hour showshoe trek by moonlight.

5. Tobogganing

Though I’m not the biggest fan of careening downhill at high speed with no chance of slowing down before hitting the bottom, families love tobogganing here, especially nighttime adventures along the curves of Davos-Schatzalp.

6. Horsedrawn carriage

This is definitely a more mellow alternative that can be perfect for couples who want a romantic ride by moonlight.

7. Wellness & Pleasure Pool Centre

After all these workouts, mellow as many may be, your muscles are bound to become weary. That’s why you’ll want to spend the afternoon at the Wellness Center where you can opt for a hot stone massage or an interesting acupoint massage (it’s based on acupuncture meridiens). You’ll also have your choice of treatments and rooms, like found in the Saunarium and Silent Room, with gorgeous mountain views. A Finnish sauna, foot pools, hydrotherapy pool and cold surge shower are all meant to stimulate your immunity and your circulation.

8. Museums

Davos is not all about action. The town is chock full of cultural activities. Among the museums that I love because I enjoy checking out vintage artifacts include the Winter Sports Museum where you’ll find displays of old ski bindings, sleds and skates; the Toy Museum with its teddy bears, doll houses and other items from a private collection dating from the 18th century; and the Museum of Medicine -- because I have a medical background, I can’t pass this up -- where you’ll find artifacts that make you glad you’re seeing a doctor in the 21st century.

In addition, because I enjoy checking out art, the Kirchner Museum is a must see for those who enjoy this German artist’s colorful landscapes. His work is said to have inspired Expressionism and this museum is the largest collection of his work in the world.

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