Have you ever thought about quitting the rat race, becoming free from rent or a mortgage, and hitting the open road?

Whatever your answer to that question, a lot of people do. For years, Instagram has showcased beautifully aesthetic versions of a more simple life on the road with the hashtag , which is populated with nearly 18 million posts. And the subreddit r/VanLife has almost 300,000 members who discuss the ins and outs of their experience and share pictures of their setups and views.

After spending some time talking to vanlifers and lurking in vanlife spaces on the internet, the most important thing I鈥檝e learned about vanlife is that there is no single version of vanlife. The moniker, I think, refers more to a state of mind that corresponds with a way of being鈥攁 freedom ontology that can be achieved through life on four wheels. Remove the tethers that bind you to a specific place (and the costs associated with them) and experience a more real autonomy and the ability to wander. There is no monolith, only your unique experience.

In many ways, it鈥檚 not surprising that this mode of existence exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdowns and remote work created competing senses of containment and openness. At the same time indoor experiences became less likely, a lot of work could be done from anywhere. For many, it became the right time to take to the road and experience the outdoors from a new, built-out, moveable home.

Philosophy and aesthetics aside, there are also more material considerations that drive some to consider vanlife. As 国产吃瓜黑料 has reported on, the cost of living in mountain towns has steadily increased over the last several years, and American cities, broadly speaking, aren鈥檛 getting any cheaper.

Is #vanlife the answer?

I spoke to two vanlife pros at different points on the cost, build-out, and lifestyle spectrums to get a more thorough understanding of the expenses, benefits, and unexpected realities of living out of a van.

Bruce Dean, Ph.D., is a Wavefront Sensing Group Leader at NASA鈥檚 Goddard Space Flight Center. In that role, he helped develop one of the flight algorithms as a key component in aligning the James Webb Space Telescope鈥檚 mirrors. He鈥檚 a lifelong runner and endurance athlete, holds 14 U.S. patents, and currently lives in his van in Colorado. He鈥檚 been fulltime in his Mercedes Sprinter van since 2021. He also has a business founded on vanlife, build-outs, and life coaching called .

William Gayle spends summers working for the Parks Service in Yosemite, California, and the ski season in Mammoth Lakes, California. He has spent a number of his years in Mammoth living in a converted minivan that he built out with pull-out drawers and a platform bed.

The Realities of #Vanlife

Both Gayle and Dean offered me a window into their own unique vanlives.

The Cost of Insurance

For Gayle, the most terrifying moment of vanlife came when his van鈥攚ith all of his earthly possessions inside it鈥攚as stolen. Though he insures the vehicle with homeowners insurance, Gayle says it didn鈥檛 really hit him that his van is a moveable and stealable container of his life until he was walking around with only the clothes on his back. Thankfully, it was recovered within 24 hours, but Gayle never shook the worry that it created.

Dean also mentioned insurance as one of his most significant expenses.

General Expenses

Gayle told me that the daily cost of dining out added up quickly. His minivan didn鈥檛 have kitchen facilities, so for at least one ski season, he ended up spending somewhere between $40 and $80 a day on food and drinks. Although Gayle only used his vans for winters in Mammoth, that daily food cost annualizes to somewhere upward of $15,000. For context, the financial website that the average American household spends around $9,985 per year on food.

Dean hasn鈥檛 paid an electrical bill since 2021. He also told me he pays very little for water, and most of the time can refill at campgrounds for free. Many gas-stations are OK with letting him fill his water tank if they happen to have a water tap outside. The only housing related bills that he has every month are for Starlink (mobile satellite internet, currently $165 per month), gas, and insurance. He told me gas costs can vary widely depending on if you travel a lot. He has a full kitchen and cooks every night. He also runs every day and installed a shower so he can shower every night.

Romantic Relationships

When I asked Gayle if there were any elements of vanlife that surprised him鈥攁nd he鈥檇 want readers to know about鈥攈e mentioned relationships, specifically romantic ones. 鈥淚t made romantic relationships hard,” he said. “People want to get out of their own house; they don鈥檛 necessarily want to come hang out in your van where you can鈥檛 even sit up.鈥�

Builds and Fixes

Gayle said his build-out was relatively inexpensive. Modeling his design after truck-bed campers he鈥檚 seen, he completed his first version of a platform bed with underbed pull-out drawer storage in 2018 and modestly iterated from there, completing most of the work before the cost of lumber skyrocketed during COVID.

Dean is handy鈥攁nd can do most repairs and improvements himself. 鈥淚t pays to install the best components available, to help avoid problems later,” he said. “But these can be expensive, most notably, the batteries, solar panels, a refrigerator, and electrical components, these can really add up. That said, you would have anyway if you lived in a conventional home.鈥�

Gas and Tolls

Dean told me that a surprising part of vanlife, at least the way he does, has been the sheer number of toll roads and pay-to-cross bridges. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e more inconvenient than costly,鈥� he said.

Gayle used his van in Mammoth Lakes in winter, and he didn鈥檛 have heat. Driving around to heat up his vehicle ended up being a more significant expense than he expected.

How Does Vanlife Compare to the General Cost of Living in the U.S.?

To get a better understanding of renting in major cities and outdoor destinations, I used , and I picked a few desirable places to stack up against the average cost of vanlife that I discerned from the folks I interviewed for this story. There’s one important caveat I need to note about Forbes’s calculator when it comes to the cost of rent: the calculator uses the median of rent across all rental sizes, which means that it鈥檚 hard to say what square footage you鈥檒l get for your buck using the calculator. I鈥檇 like to believe that any apartment is going to have more livable square footage than a van, but at one point my now-husband and I inhabited a 400-square-foot studio apartment in Los Angeles, California, so I don鈥檛 think I can comfortably make that claim.

Without further preamble, here are a few relevant rental scenarios:

Asheville, North Carolina: $1,554 median monthly rent

Denver, Colorado: $1,899 median monthly rent

Morgantown, West Virgina: $995 median monthly rent

Portland, Maine: $2,582 median monthly rent

St. George, Utah: $1,627 median monthly rent

The Forbes calculator summarizes other relevant cost of living expenses in the pages it creates for individual cities, but it was difficult to discern overall cost with a single number using its capabilities.

That said, it鈥檚 almost definitely cheaper to live in a van if you鈥檙e conscientious about the additional lifestyle costs you鈥檒l need to consider. How will you eat? Kitchen or dining out? Where will you shower? What鈥檚 the plan for accessing water? Is your van paid off, or will you have a monthly payment? How much of a build-out do you really need?

Answer these questions, and you could be on your way. After all, as Dean told me, in a van, 鈥測ou have the added benefit of waking up in a different location every day, and having coffee in the morning overlooking some truly great landscapes. In fact, when I wake up in the morning and drive away from some location, it feels like I got away with something!鈥�

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On January 11, 1995, approximately 17,000 elk bedded down in Yellowstone National Park. When they woke up a few听hours later, a new scent was in the icy air: wolves. It had been 69 years since the last Canis lupus roamed the world鈥檚 first national park. As a result of hunting, government-sponsored eradication programs, and human expansion, wolves were all but extinct in the U.S. But on January 12, 1995, eight wolves from Canada were moved to Yellowstone in an effort to curb the exploding elk population that was destroying vegetation other animals needed to survive. It was a controversial move: area ranchers worried the new carnivores听would prey on their livestock.

Thirty years after their reintroduction in Yellowstone, wolves have proven their ecological worth, at least in the context of restoring balance in the natural ecosystem. Today, the winter elk population in Yellowstone is fewer than 4,000鈥攁 number the park can sustain. But what what economic value do wolves provide to the park and the surrounding communities? That鈥檚 a much harder question to answer. From Montana to Inner Mongolia, there鈥檚 no question that wolf tourism, much like the gray wolf population, appears to be on the rise.

What Is Wolf Tourism?

Matthew A. Wilson, Departments of Sociology and Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison describes wolf tourists as 鈥減eople who are willing to travel long distances just to be near wolves.鈥� Historically, most wolf watchers were animal advocates, easily distinguished by their wolf-adorned license plates and bumper stickers. But today, more听lay people are traveling thousands of miles鈥攁nd paying top dollar鈥攖o see these apex predators up close.

鈥淚n our first year, we had dozens of guests,鈥� says , founder of Yellowstone Wolf Tracker (YWT), based in Gardiner, Montana. Varley and his partner, Linda Thurston, were originally wildlife biologists, but in 2006 they saw a business opportunity and founded YWT, which offers half-day wolf-watching tours in the park starting at $950. Today, YWT employs around six locals who guide several thousand guests each year. 鈥淲e were among the pioneers in the business,鈥� recalls Varley. 鈥淣ow it feels saturated.鈥�

Offering a six-day winter wolf safari during mating season in January and February听(from $7,150) in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, is one of Varley鈥檚 many competitors. 鈥淚 love the adrenaline rush of being able to find wolves and show them to people; it鈥檚 very addictive, better than any drug,鈥� says General Manager Tenley Thompson. Thomson, who says she鈥檚 guided in Yellowstone since its 鈥渨ild west days,鈥� is seeing a new demographic book their wolf-based tours. In years past, most guests with wolves on their bucket list came from the East Coast and abroad. But now there鈥檚 a substantial increase in bookings from day-trippers who are more local. 鈥淭hey tend to be hunters and anglers and come from cultural backgrounds where wolves weren鈥檛 always valued,鈥� says Thomson.

Thomson credits time as the biggest factor in the shift in tourist demographics. When wolves were first reintroduced, she says she saw a lot of fearmongering, which she thinks is unwarranted. In terms of wolf attacks on livestock, she says 鈥渢he reality of wolves is quite boring.”

In 2024, the Montana Department of Livestock received 48 wolf-related livestock and guard dog depredation claims for the calendar year. Thirty-two of the animals allegedly killed by wolves were cows. It seems like a lot, until you consider Montana is home to more than 2.2 million cows. For all 2024 livestock kills鈥攂y wolves, grizzlies, and mountain lions鈥攖he Montana Department of Livestock paid out $196,254 to reimburse ranchers. That seems like a lot, too. Until you consider how much the booming wolf tourism brings in. A 2021 study found that wolf tourism alone pumped at least $82.7 million into Yellowstone鈥檚 gateway communities like Gardiner, which has a population of just 744 year-round residents. That鈥檚 a 236 percent increase from 2006 when it brought in $35.35 million.

Yellowstone鈥攄eemed 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Serengeti鈥� because of its high population of ungulates and predators that hunt them鈥攊s one of the best places in the world to see wolves in the wild. 鈥淧eople fly in from around the world, literally, for this experience,鈥� says, a professor of wildlife ecology and conservation biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and science advisor to the .听But wolf tourism also includes sanctuaries, home to rescued wolves that would not survive in the wild. At , 30 miles west of Colorado Springs, visitors pay $20 to see wolves through a game fence. Interactive experiences, such as taking selfies with wolves, range from $120 to $600 per person.

Most sanctuaries forbid听intimate encounters, citing that they can habituate wolves to humans, but the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center thinks they鈥檙e vital to the species鈥� survival. 鈥淭o run your fingers through their fur and a possible quick moment of looking in their eyes to capture the depth of their spirit and soul is something that you will never forget. Hopefully, when you walk out of that enclosure, you will have a better understanding of that animal and be a voice to help protect its future forever,鈥� reads their website. It also has this disclaimer: 鈥淲olves love to steal.鈥� For that reason, participants can鈥檛 wear jewelry, sunglasses, or even braids

Although it doesn鈥檛 offer hands-on opportunities, the package at the in South Salem, New York, has been selling out since it debuted ten years ago. CEO Leila Wetmore says this is the last year tourists have to rough it in tents ($340 per tent), and the final time it will be a听summer-only event. 鈥淥ver 2026 we鈥檙e going to be building some really cool yurt-containers,鈥� she says.听Because the center is just 55 miles north of Manhattan, Wetmore says it鈥檚 popular with international travelers. 鈥淚 was just on the phone with somebody who鈥檚 coming from Germany. Part of their annual trek is to always do a sleeping with wolves thing.鈥�

Wolf Tourism Over Seas

Technically, Europeans don鈥檛 have to cross the Atlantic to find wolves. They are making such a big comeback on the continent鈥攖he population nearly doubling in the past 20 years鈥攖hat in December the EU voted to change their status from 鈥渟trictly protected鈥� to just 鈥減rotected.鈥� Spain, Romania, and Poland have been the first to capitalize on wolf tourism. Wild Moral鈥檚 (all-inclusive from $345), in the Sierra de la Culebra mountain range near Spain鈥檚 border with Portugal, includes up to four 鈥渨olf waits鈥� where tourists post up for a few hours in areas the animals are known to frequent. Visitors use high-powered telescopes, but like most wolf watching packages in the wild, sightings are not guaranteed.

At Romania’s Transylvania Wolf, the Wolf Tales and Trails tour focuses on the animal’s place in history. Wolf-human relationships date back to Roman mythology鈥攁 she-wolf suckled babies Romulus and Remus before the founded Rome.听鈥淔olklore around wolves in particular is very rich here,鈥� says founder and guide . 鈥淭hat is an important part of the knowledge that our customers here receive while exploring truly wild areas in search of these animals.鈥�

While wolf tourism isn鈥檛 really a thing in Africa, South America, and Australia, it鈥檚 not unheard of in Asia.听Four years before Americans were talking about the Netflix documentary Tiger King, a 71-year-old businessman in China earned the title听鈥淲olf King鈥� after spending $25 million building Wild Wolf Valley, where travelers could meet his 150-member pack. , the attraction, located in Inner Mongolia, allows guests to hug wolves, feed them, and pose with pups. During the pandemic, when visiting in person wasn鈥檛 an option, cyber petting became popular.

How Tourism Affects Wolves

If anyone knows how wolf tourism has impacted wolves, it鈥檚 Doug Smith. He retired as a senior wildlife biologist in 2022 after working for 28 years in Yellowstone. He led the Yellowstone Wolf Project at the park听and played a pivotal role in the reintroduction. Although he references two instances in the park鈥檚 history when rangers had to euthanize a wolf because it had become habituated to humans, he stresses that habituation (when wolves no longer fear humans) is very rare. 鈥淭hose are wolves that walk up to you and when you put your pack down, they rip your pack apart, looking for food,鈥� he says.

Instead, wolves’ diminished fear of humans is the problem. With 4.7 million visits in 2024, Yellowstone鈥檚 second busiest year in history, the park鈥檚 nine packs are becoming more tolerant to people. They don鈥檛 run up to humans the way a habituated wolf would, but they also don鈥檛 run away. 鈥淵ou transfer that behavior outside the park, and they鈥檙e dead,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to get shot, that鈥檚 a big issue, and you could construe that as a wolf-watching issue.鈥�

In 2022, 25 wolves, or about 20 percent of the park鈥檚 population, were killed by hunters when they strayed outside park boundaries. According to Smith, many of these wolves were collared and had spent 95 percent of their time in Yellowstone.

Within the park, Smith says the increase in wolf tourism has mostly affected wolf behavior in two ways. First, they no longer den near the roads. Second, crowds often 鈥渂ump them鈥� off of听 kills they would normally eat. That said, wolf tourism hasn鈥檛 noticeably impacted survival rates or reproduction. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we call fitness. It鈥檚 the gold standard for all wildlife,鈥� Smith says. 鈥淎nd all of the people probably did not affect their fitness.鈥�

Still, tour operators are worried. 鈥淎s more people get involved in wolf tourism and have a passion鈥攚hether that be photographers or visitors鈥攊t鈥檚 going to have an inevitable impact on these packs in a negative way,鈥� says Thomson of Jackson Hole Ecotour 国产吃瓜黑料s. That鈥檚 why she goes out of her way to hire guides with research backgrounds. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e gotten into this business because they care deeply about the animals, and so our ethics are a bit different. If we can鈥檛 see an animal ethically and safely, even if we鈥檙e well within the rules, we just don鈥檛 look at that animal.鈥�

In Yellowstone, the rule is you have to stay at least 100 yards away from wolves. But there鈥檚 a big caveat: if you鈥檙e altering their natural behavior, even if you鈥檙e 250 yards away, that鈥檚 illegal. 鈥淚f a wolf has to constantly get up from its nap and look around, or its ears are constantly twitching, we鈥檙e too close,鈥� says Thomson.

The solution to the problems caused by wolf tourism, at least in Yellowstone, could be sharing the wealth. 鈥淚鈥檇 love to see it go big, beyond Yellowstone,鈥� says Varley of YWT, who hopes to see wolf tourism spring up in other places, particularly Colorado and the West Coast. He鈥檚 also heard of new opportunities to view wolves in remote regions of Canada.

Lambert is a fan of spreading the trend, too,听because wolf tourism typically results in an increase in funding for conservation. 鈥淢any people only know wolves through myths and misconceptions, experiencing them in the wild can foster a greater appreciation for their sociality and their significance in ecosystems,鈥� she says. 鈥淥n balance, wolf tourism is more beneficial than harmful. While I don鈥檛 like putting numbers on these ineffable effects, I would hazard to say perhaps ninety percent good, ten percent bad.鈥�

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The first eclipse of the year is almost upon us, and it鈥檚 well worth a few hours of skipped sleep. In the early morning hours of Friday, March 14, stargazers in North America can watch the moon slide into Earth鈥檚 shadow then turn a haunting tangerine hue.

This striking phenomenon, known as a blood moon, is the signature finale of a total lunar eclipse. It鈥檚 a spectacle stargazers haven鈥檛 witnessed since November 2022, and one the U.S. won鈥檛 see again until 2026. Even better: it鈥檚 easily visible to the naked eye鈥攅ven through light pollution. I watched the November blood moon from my backyard in Cleveland, Ohio. Weather-permitting, I plan to do the same come March 14.

Here鈥檚 how you can catch the show, too, as well as great getaways to make your eclipse-watching even more spectacular.

What鈥檚 a Total Lunar Eclipse?

During a lunar eclipse, Earth鈥檚 shadow slowly unspools across the face of the full moon. The entire duration of the event spans several hours鈥攊n this case, six. The subtle beginning phase, when the moon travels into Earth鈥檚 outer shadow, hits just before midnight ET on March 13. A partial eclipse, when the moon appears to have a noticeable bite missing, begins around 1 A.M. ET on March 14. And the moon fully enters our shadow around 2:30 A.M. ET. This brings the real showstopper, the blood moon, which glows a vivid red for roughly an hour, before transitioning back to a partial eclipse, then our regularly scheduled lunar programming.

The bright orange tine is a lesson in light and color. When sunlight passes through our atmosphere, shorter wavelengths, such as blue light, disperse. Only colors with longer wavelengths like red and orange can seep through. This light reaches the moon and paints it red.

Unlike last year鈥檚 buzzed-about total solar eclipse, this month鈥檚 lunar marvel is easier to spot. Its totality lasts for roughly an hour compared to a fleeting few minutes. And according to, a total lunar eclipse can be seen from a specific destination roughly once every 2.5 years鈥攂ut North Americans are extra lucky. The next visible total lunar eclipse occurs on March 3, 2026.

How to Watch This Year鈥檚 Total Lunar Eclipse

The moon will travel across the southern sky, toward the western horizon, throughout eclipse morning. That means you鈥檒l want clear views to the southern sky. While you鈥檙e out there, watch for Mars and Jupiter. Both will hang above the western horizon in the lead-up to the blood moon.

Overcast skies can hinder your eclipse viewing, but don鈥檛 let a few clouds deter you. In my experience, an intermittent cloud cover can actually add to a blood moon鈥檚 spookiness.

The entire lunar event spans around six hours. If you can鈥檛 stay up all night, I recommend heading out around 1:30 A.M. ET to watch Earth鈥檚 shadow take its eye-popping chomp out of the moon. Totality begins at 2:30 A.M. ET, and lasts for another hour after that.

Best Accommodations to Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse

If skipping sleep on a school night sounds daunting, consider turning your eclipse chase into a long-weekend break. I鈥檝e researched a host of U.S. accommodations to watch the blood moon, from a cozy cabin with a totality-view hot tub, a getaway with a private south-facing shoreline, or better yet, eclipse views from bed. All accommodations have eclipse availability as of publication.

Northeast

Mirror Lake Inn, Lake Placid, New York

Century-old , set across eight fir-dotted acres just beyond Lake Placid鈥檚 Main Street, offers one of the Adirondacks鈥� best eclipse lookouts. The property peers south over its namesake lake, with water-view rooms for catching the show in your pajamas, or a private waterfront to photograph the scarlet orb reflecting off the glassy water. By day, go skating at the Olympic Center or head over to Mt Van Hoevenberg to watch the IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Championship, which runs from March 6 to 16. And take advantage of Mirror Lake Inn鈥檚 onsite amenities, such as a salt-therapy room and sauna, too. Mirror Lake Inn has 124 units; all overlook the water鈥攁nd therefore, the eclipse. From $349 per night

Skyline Serenity Cabin, Pine Creek Township, Pennsylvania

Admire the blood moon from a scenic hot tub at in Pennsylvania鈥檚 Pine Creek Township. The cabin, set among the rolling Allegheny mountains, is roughly 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. In addition to a hot tub, guests can sky-watch from the private patio or fire pit. The oversized windows make it possible to eclipse watch from the couch. Give your legs a daytime shakeout along the property鈥檚 forested walking trails, or amp up the hiking at nearby nature getaways like Cook Forest and Parker Dam state parks. Both are within an hour鈥檚 drive of the cabin. From $170 per night

Midwest

Keweenaw Mountain Lodge

, a rustic resort on Michigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula, takes its stargazing seriously. In 2022, light pollution authority DarkSky International turned the woodlands surrounding the lodge into the U.P.鈥檚 first certified dark-sky park. Come for totality, then continue the lunar fun with a guided the night of March 14. The lodge鈥檚 24 cabins remain open year-round, snow or sun. And keep your eyes peeled for the northern lights; it鈥檚 one of the best places in the lower 48 states to catch the aurora. In fact, I鈥檝e caught swirls on the Keweenaw at least half a dozen times. From $250/ night with two-night minimum stay

Lookout Loft Treehouse, Valley Springs, South Dakota

Get a bird鈥檚-eye view of the blood moon at the , a hilltop abode located just outside South Dakota鈥檚 Sioux Falls. From the roost, complete with a wraparound porch, you鈥檒l enjoy unobstructed sky-watching from every angle, and its amenities only up the ante. There鈥檚 a hot tub and firepit-kitted patio, as well as windows to sky-watch from your plush bed. The treehouse rises 33 steps off the ground鈥攖he perfect cool-down after a day spent hiking through red quartzite canyons at nearby Park. From $150 per night.

Southeast

Starlight Haven at Weiss Lake, Alabama

Watch totality from a south-facing shoreline at , one of Alabama鈥檚 best astrotourism retreats. The getaway lies on Weiss Lake, with 1,500 feet of quiet waterfront and a communal fire pit area to mix and mingle while awaiting the lunar awe. Snag an A-frame cabin for two people with a private deck and hot tub with southern vistas over Weiss Lake (from $140), or a deluxe dome for up to four people with blood moon views galore (from $175). While you鈥檙e here, visit one of the country鈥檚 deepest canyons, , located 20 miles north.

Stargazer Cassiopeia, Terlingua, Texas

was tailor-made for night-sky enthusiasts, with space-view skylights that make sleep near impossible. Its location, just outside Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, is known for pristine nightscapes. Start your night watching the stars swim above the Chisos, then stay up by the fire pit to watch the moon turn a haunting red. Build in time for a stop, or several, at Big Bend National Park. The park鈥檚 west entrance is only 10 miles east of the A-frame. From $167 per night

West

Autocamp Zion, Virgin, Utah

Set between the Virgin River and Zion鈥檚 soaring red rocks, provides quite the dramatic eclipse backdrop. Its Airstreams, cabins, and canvas tents are about 13 miles from Zion National Park鈥檚 main entrance. The property also takes advantage of its surrounding crag, with tours like full-day rock climbing, canyoneering, mountain biking, and a two-hour Zion stargazing tour complete with telescopes for peering into deep space. Zion National Park is also open all night, so consider hitting the Pa鈥檙us Trail near the visitor center to watch the eclipse radiate above the the Watchman peak. From $211 per night

on

Camp V, Naturita, Colorado

welcomes campers and glampers to a remote and scrub-dotted corner of western Colorado. The 120-acre escape, located near the town of Naturita, comes with all sorts of lunar eclipse vantage points. Try the mountain-view water towers, an onsite lake with nearby camping, or a field with larger-than-life public art. For an extra splurge, book a Camp V like 鈥渟targazing and snuggles鈥� with cookies, blankets, cider, and a fire ($75). The site鈥檚 cabins, safari tents, and Airstreams are the perfect launchpad for the area鈥檚 adventure playground, with outings like canyon hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking nearby. From $165 per night for a cabin

The post How to Watch the Upcoming Total Lunar Eclipse appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 always a bummer when your vacation doesn鈥檛 go as planned. Still, a spoiled trip isn鈥檛 often cause for legal action. But for Christopher Bisaillon, a guest at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah over the holidays鈥攚here operations were disrupted as a result of the ski patrol union strike鈥攖he distance was just too great between the vacation he鈥檇 planned and the experience he had.

According to Bisaillon鈥檚 class action filed by the Jackson, Wyoming-based Spence Law Firm against Park City鈥檚 parent company, Vail Resorts, Inc.: 鈥淧laintiff spent in excess of $15,000 for his family of five to have Vail Resort鈥檚 publicized 鈥榮ki experience of a lifetime鈥� over the holidays. It turned out to be a colossal disaster with the family only being able to ski less than ten runs over the duration of their week-long, Christmas family vacation.鈥�

The suit doesn鈥檛 just apply to Bisaillon. It also includes everyone who bought lift tickets between December 27, 2024, and January 7, 2025, and asks for damages of an undetermined amount that would likely exceed $5 million. The suit alleges that Vail Resorts failed to adequately notify guests of the strike鈥檚 impact, and says the company also failed to deliver on the advertised value of the lift tickets Bisaillon and others purchased.

Ski vacations come with a notoriously steep price tag, and Park City is no exception. Over the holidays, a single-day adult lift ticket cost $289, according to the court filing. Including travel, lodging, equipment rentals, dining, and lift tickets, the lawsuit estimates that a family can spend between $10,000 and $20,000 for a week-long trip.

Bisaillon, who is based in Illinois, arrived with his family at Park City Mountain Resort on December 28, 2024, one day after the ski patrol union of their locker room to form a picket line. The family planned to ski for the week, but were confounded by hours-long lift lines and little open terrain. The lawsuit alleges just 16 percent of the mountain was accessible.

An NBC News that aired on January 6 said that only 25 of the resort鈥檚 41 lifts were operating. In the same segment, which is also quoted in the lawsuit, another skier named Peter Nystrom tells NBC, 鈥淵ou kind of had to laugh about it. Like, we鈥檙e here in one of the best mountains in the country, waiting three hours in line.鈥�

The strike was the latest development in a years-long negotiation between the patroller鈥檚 union and corporate leadership, with the patrollers asking for higher wages and better working conditions. On December 14, 2024, the patrollers鈥� union voted to authorize a strike, and on December 16 informed the National Labor Relations Board that they felt Vail Resorts was negotiating in bad faith.

Vail Resorts said the same of the union鈥檚 conduct, with Park City鈥檚 vice president Dierdre Walsh telling the Salt Lake Tribune on December 16 that they were 鈥渄eeply disappointed鈥� union leaders 鈥渞efus[ed] to negotiate in good faith or discuss mediation.鈥�

The suit claims that Vail Resorts could reasonably have been expected to know a strike was imminent and warn guests of that possibility in advance on December 16. Instead, many guests鈥攍ike Bisaillon鈥攁rrived at the resort without knowledge of the impending strike.

The patroller negotiations, and the possible walkout, were covered in local and national media outlets at the time. However, the suit says that Bisaillon and other guests weren’t alerted by Vail Resorts. It also alleges that the Park City resort鈥檚 website, where guests can buy lift tickets in advance of their visit, didn鈥檛 post an update referencing the strike鈥檚 impact on visitor experience until January 4, a week after the strike began.

Vail Resorts declined to comment to 国产吃瓜黑料 about the lawsuit for this article, and Spence Law Firm did not respond to requests for comment before publication.

鈥淚t鈥檚 business, it鈥檚 complicated. […] But at the end of the day, no visitor cares about that,鈥澨� New Yorker Greg Moonves told a Utah NPR , KPCW, on December 30. He was visiting Park City with his family for a five-day ski trip. 鈥淲e spent a lot of money to come here, as did everyone else, to have a good time skiing with our families. And at the end of the day, they鈥檙e not providing the product that they claim they鈥檙e providing.鈥�

If a Utah judge determines that the suit fits the parameters for a class action lawsuit, it will continue through the state legal system. Vail Resorts will have the opportunity to settle with the plaintiffs outside of court, or the two parties can proceed to a trial.

Meanwhile, the strike ended on January 7, when the patrol union and Vail announced that they had reached a tentative agreement that “addresses both party’s interests.” One official that the benefits secured by the union, including increased base pay, might be extended to unionized patrollers at other Vail locations.

And on Thursday, January 16, Vail Resorts that they will offer everyone who skied and snowboarded at Park City during the ski patrol strike credit towards passes for the 2025/26 season, the exact amount of which would depend on how many days they had skied.

鈥淲e deeply value the trust and loyalty of our guests, and while Park City Mountain was open during the patrol strike, it was not the experience we wanted to provide,” Vail Resort’s COO Dierdra Walsh wrote in a statement. “We are committed to rebuilding the trust and loyalty of our guests by delivering an exceptional experience at Park City Mountain this season and in the future.鈥�

The post A Skier Is Suing Vail Resorts After a Patrol Strike Disrupted Operations at Park City appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 a great year for planet-watching. In addition to this week鈥檚 stellar views of Mars, stargazers can admire multiple 鈥減lanet parades鈥濃�攖he simultaneous appearance of several planets in the night sky鈥攊n 2025. Arguably the best parade of the year commences on January 18, with Venus and Saturn appearing within 2.2 degrees, or roughly two pinky-widths, of each other. The parade will continue into mid-February, with two additional planet gatherings to follow later in 2025.

Planet parades 鈥渁ren鈥檛 super rare,鈥� according to , 鈥渂ut they don鈥檛 happen every year鈥� either.

Here鈥檚 how to make the most of 2025鈥檚 celestial shows.

How to View a Planet Parade

First, let鈥檚 talk planet-watching basics. You can generally see Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury with the naked eye. Uranus is sometimes naked-eye visible, but only under the darkest skies. Neptune is too small and dim for us to see unaided. A telescope can significantly enhance your view; if you don鈥檛 have one, check out the public stargazing nights at your .

I use the stargazing app ($12.99 for the “plus” version) to navigate the night sky. And another astro hack: You can tell the difference between a planet and a star because the former glows steadily while the latter flickers. Some planets, like Mars, even have a noticeably pale-orange tinge.

The great thing about viewing planets is you don鈥檛 have to travel far. Unlike fainter interstellar sights such as the northern lights, the brightest planets are visible even in light-polluted cities. That means you could catch this year鈥檚 planet parades by stargazing from your own backyard.

Here are dates of the year鈥檚 major planet parades, with tips on where and when to look, plus recommendations for a handful of national parks with surreal cosmic views.

The Best Times to See the Planet Parade听

Technically, this month鈥檚 planet parade is already on show. Six planets鈥擵enus, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars鈥攈ave been visible up in the sky throughout January. The parade will continue into mid-February. That said, peak observing begins this weekend, as Venus and Saturn will appear exceptionally close in the southwest sky soon after sunset on January 18, according to .

On January 21, Jupiter and Venus will become even more radiant as they climb high in the evening sky with the moon staying below the horizon until after midnight. The lack of lunar light will make it easier to spot the planets and see more stars.

Another highlight of the year鈥檚 first planet parade: after sunset on February 1, Venus and the crescent moon will appear close together in the southwest sky for several hours before plummeting beneath the western horizon.

This month鈥檚 spectacle will be visible each night, weather permitting, from mid-January to mid-February between sunset and 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time. You can use a stargazing app to determine exact timing for your location.

More 2025 Planet Parades to Watch for

Late February

January鈥檚 interstellar gathering will be the easiest to watch鈥攁nd therefore the one not to miss this year鈥攂ut a late-February parade, which will be best viewed around February 28, introduces a new twist. Mercury will join the party, creating a rare gathering of all seven of our neighboring planets in the sky at once.

But the late-February viewing will be much trickier than this week. At the end of February, all planets technically will be up at the same time at dusk, but Saturn will set soon after the sun does. It will also largely get washed out by the sun鈥檚 glow, which illuminates the western horizon for up to 90 minutes after sunset. Given its close distance to the sun, Neptune, which will hang near Saturn, will also be close to impossible to spot, even through a telescope.

To see this late-February planet parade, watch the western horizon right after sunset on February 28. That鈥檚 when Mercury is most visible, with the luminous planet Venus above it. Jupiter, Mars, and Uranus will be high in the south-southeast sky that night, too.

Mid-August

After February, we鈥檒l have a lull in major planet gatherings until mid-August, when Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, and Mercury will simultaneously parade in the pre-dawn sky. Mercury will reach its farthest distance from the sun鈥攖he period when it鈥檚 most visible鈥攆rom August 19 to 20. Look for it in the pre-dawn sky on August 20.

Mercury will rise over the east horizon, with Venus, Jupiter, and the crescent moon nearly aligned over it. Saturn and Neptune will also be close together, above the western horizon, with Uranus overhead.

Best Places to View the 2025 Planet Parades

Video of skywatching in Loreto, Mexico, on January 12 by Stephanie Vermillion. This timelapse has views of Venus, which is very bright and distinguishable, and Saturn just above it and harder to distinguish from stars. The video was taken the day before the full moon, so its bright glow is washing out most stars.听

The planets will be spread across the sky for most of 2025鈥檚 planet parades, meaning they will not be in a straight line, but appear from east to west. For best viewing, seek a wide-open vista with minimal obstructions to the horizon; a hilltop or large field would work well. Again, since the brightest planets can be seen even in cities, you don鈥檛 have to travel to see them.

If you want to take your observation to the next level, however, these five national parks offer stargazing events and wide-open viewing areas for enjoying the show. See more locations and tips on what to bring here.

SOUTH: Everglades National Park

Spot the planets from the highest viewing deck in Florida鈥檚 Everglades National Park. The park鈥檚 70-foot Shark Valley Observation Tower overlooks up to 20 miles of the Everglades, with open 360-degree vistas. The tower stays open 24 hours a day.

The safest way to visit this gator-country attraction at night is via the park鈥檚 free ranger-led , which runs January 13, 19, 21, and February 4, 5, 18, 19, 26, and 27.

SOUTHWEST: Canyonlands National Park

Grand View Point in Canyonlands National Park made our list of best scenic viewpoints for a reason. This perch looks out upon a sweeping panorama of water-carved sandstone, and, as a Dark Sky-certified park, Canyonlands remains open 24 hours a day. The lookout lies at the southern end of Island in the Sky drive, just off the road on a paved path, with a second perch a one-mile trail away. Be careful in the winter; it can get icy. from $30 per private vehicle

WEST: Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is one of the best places in the country for stargazing and planet-watching, with lookouts open 24 hours like the panoramic promising sparkly nightscapes above. Add to your astronomical awe by attending one of several night-sky events: a free on January 18 or 25, a with telescopes on January 24, or the park鈥檚 from February 21 to 23. from $15

EAST: New River Gorge National Park

In the eastern U.S., try the New River Gorge, which is also open around the clock. The recommends a handful of stargazing spots, including the New River Gorge Bridge Overlook at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, or take the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk, among other options. The main overlook at the Grandview Visitor Center is especially promising in winter, with minimal overhead foliage and expansive vistas. The park is free to enter.

MIDWEST: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

in North Dakota has all the conditions for picturesque planet-gazing: wide-open views, awestriking scenery, and minimal light pollution. The park, again open throughout the night, includes several starry-sky viewpoints. Try Riverbend Overlook to watch the constellations and planets float above the Missouri River, or hit up Painted Canyon Visitor Center to marvel at the shimmery nightscapes above the badlands. While you鈥檙e here, keep an eye to the north鈥攚hen conditions align, this is a great national park to spot the northern lights.

Stephanie Vermillion is 国产吃瓜黑料’s astrotourism columnist. Recent articles for 国产吃瓜黑料 include this account of her three top nighttime adventures, an excerpt from her new book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World鈥檚 Ultimate 国产吃瓜黑料s After Dark; the scoop on where to find the darkest skies in North America for aurora hunting and stargazing; and nine places to see the most dazzling northern lights in decades. She is based in Cleveland.

听

The post The Year鈥檚 Best Planet Parade Will Be Visible Starting January 18 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Keep your eyes on Mars in our night sky this week. Our neighboring planet鈥攖he fourth from the sun in our solar system and approximately half the size of Earth鈥攚ill look larger and brighter in our heavens than it has for the past two years, particularly Wednesday night. That鈥檚 when Earth will pass directly between Mars and the sun, putting us within 60 million miles of the Red Planet, roughly 42 percent closer than average.

Astronomers call this phenomenon opposition, and it affords prime sky-watching conditions. During opposition, a planet is closer to Earth, and we benefit from seeing the celestial body with the sun鈥檚 full glare, which makes it appear exceptionally vivid.

While we can enjoy the opposition of distant planets like Jupiter and Saturn almost every year, Mars is only in opposition once every 27 months because our orbits are closer, according to . And this week marks its long-awaited moment in the sun.

Here鈥檚 when and how to best observe Mars during opposition. It won鈥檛 be this radiant again for us until 2027.

The Best Nights to View Mars During Opposition

Mars technically reaches opposition between January 15 to 16, but even now it鈥檚 already more luminous than usual. If you go outside tonight鈥攐r any night until Wednesday鈥攖he Red Planet will look spectacular and only get brighter as we near opposition.

Here’s a video of Mars next to the moon during the 2022 opposition, as viewed via a Nikon P1000 camera:

On January 13, we鈥檒l see another interesting Martian sight: , which occurs when this month鈥檚 full Wolf Moon slides in front of Mars. According to , this will begin over the contiguous U.S. at 8:45 P.M. EST and will be visible to the naked eye above most of North America. (Exact timing and duration will vary by location.)

Throughout opposition week, if the sky is clear in your location, Mars will shine as vividly as Sirius, the night sky鈥檚 brightest star. But if you can only stay up late one night, I recommend the January 15 opposition, when the planet will be more dazzling to us on Earth than any time since December 2022.

Where to Spot Mars in the Sky During Opposition Week

Mars will rise in the east at dusk and set above the western horizon around sunrise. Seek out the planet鈥檚 tangerine tinge in the Gemini constellation (the hue will become bolder closer to opposition). Peak viewing begins around midnight, when Mars is highest in the sky.

Even in light-polluted cities, Mars is visible to the naked eye. I shot the following photo on January 7 while I was in San Diego, and visibility was still quite remarkable.

That said, a pair of binoculars鈥攐r better yet a telescope鈥攚ill show off the planet鈥檚 surface details, including a vast canyon system and Olympus Mons, a volcano three times as high as Mount Everest.

If you鈥檙e new to planet-watching, download a stargazing app to navigate the heavens and to locate other prominent nearby celestial sights, like Jupiter and Sirius.

Regional Astronomy Events Celebrating Mars That Are Worth Traveling To

Consider attending a community astronomy night, where night-sky experts will show you the stars and planets via telescope. I found a half dozen excellent stargazing events across the country that will focus on the Mars opposition this week, but it鈥檚 always worth reaching out to your to see if it鈥檚 hosting any get-togethers for planet-gazing, too. (Note: all events below are weather permitting.)

The East

Chester, Pennsylvania

The astronomy and physics faculty at Widener University, just south of Philadelphia, are running a public at its observatory starting at 7 P.M. on January 15. . As of publication, this event is at full capacity, but you can join the waitlist. Free

The South

Conway, Arkansas

At 6 P.M. on January 15, the , located north of Little Rock, will open its observatory to the public for night-sky observations through a powerful Meade 14-inch-aperture LX200R telescope. Free

The Midwest

Jeff Davis County, Texas

The McDonald Observatory, located in West Texas but part of the University of Texas at Austin, will host a star party at 7 P.M. on January 14. Come for the amphitheater tour and stay for the telescope viewing. is required. From $25

Kenosha, Wisconsin

Heide Observatory鈥檚 aligns perfectly with the Mars opposition. The January 15 event begins at 6 P.M. at the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum. Guides will lead guests through a tour of the night sky via laser pointer. $12

The West

Divide, Colorado

The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society is hosting a at Mueller State Park, 33 miles west of Colorado Springs, starting at 7 P.M on January 17. The event will take place at the park鈥檚 visitor center; no registration is required, but you will need a (from $10).

Sunriver, Oregon

The , roughly 20 miles south of Bend, is giving the public a prime view of Mars on January 15 starting at 7 P.M. The observatory has one of the largest collections of publicly accessible telescopes in the country, with staff astronomers at the ready to help visitors learn to use them. Registration is required. $28 for nonmembers; free for members

Stephanie Vermillion is 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥�s astrotourism columnist. She鈥檚 the author of the new National Geographic book, , and she plans to watch Mars鈥檚 opposition on a stargazing getaway to Loreto, Mexico.

The post You Can See Mars at Its Brightest This Week. Here鈥檚 How. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On Tuesday, January 7, President Biden announced the formation of two new national monuments in California: the Chuckwalla and S谩tt铆tla Highlands. The new monuments encompass a combined 848,000 acres of land, and cover areas that are culturally and historically significant to several Indigenous groups.

According to by the Biden administration, the two national monuments will 鈥減rotect clean water for communities, honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, and enhance access to nature.鈥�

The designation protects the land from new oil and gas drilling and other development. It also preserves outdoor recreation access and ecologically important landscapes. Both areas preserve the culturally and historically significant ancestral homelands of numerous Indigenous tribes.

“Today鈥檚 designation of Chuckwalla National Monument and S谩tt铆tla National Monument is a win for the California outdoor recreation community,鈥� Katie Hawkins, the California program director at the nonprofit Outdoor Alliance, said in a statement. 鈥淭hese monuments safeguard sites of sacred, cultural, and historic significance; protect critical biodiversity and habitat; and expand outdoor recreation access for current and future generations to these special places.鈥�

The 624,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument is situated at the convergence of the Colorado and Mojave deserts, south of Joshua Tree National Park and extending into the Coachella Valley to the west. The area, which will be overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, has been a popular destination for outdoor recreation even before receiving national monument status. It features hiking, climbing, and camping at places like the Painted Canyon and Box Canyon in Mecca Hills, Corn Springs Campground, and the Bradshaw Trail.

The new monument also extends the Mojave to Moab Conservation Corridor, a roughly 600-mile stretch of protected public land that extends from Colorado to California and is the largest protected habitat corridor in the continental U.S. According to the administration’s press release, more than 50 rare or threatened species live within the Chuckwalla monument鈥檚 borders, including the Chuckwalla lizard from which the monument draws its name. It also safeguards a stretch of the critical Colorado River watershed, which flows through the newly protected area.

鈥淭he protection of the Chuckwalla National Monument brings the Quechan people an overwhelming sense of peace and joy,鈥� the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, who have been calling on the Biden administration to designate the monument, said in to the Washington Post. 鈥淭ribes being reunited as stewards of this landscape is only the beginning of much-needed healing and restoration, and we are eager to fully rebuild our relationship to this place.鈥�

The Quechans, along with other indigenous communities advocating for a monument, have also called for a co-management structure that includes federal officials and tribal leadership, similar to the one in place at Bears Ears National Monument.

The S谩tt铆tla Highlands National Monument encompasses 224,000 acres stretching across parts of the Klamath, Modoc, Shasta-Trinity National Forests in northern California. It will be managed by the Forest Service.

North and east of Mount Shasta, the new monument encompasses the Medicine Lake Highlands, including the sacred ancestral homelands of the Pit River Tribe and Modoc peoples. It also features ample recreation opportunities, with trails for hiking, biking, camping, and mountaineering. At the heart of the monument is 7,921-foot Medicine Lake Volcano, a large dormant volcano, as well as Medicine Lake. The area is habitat for dozens of vulnerable plants and animals, and covers massive underwater aquifers that local communities rely on.

The announcement of the new monuments comes the day after the Biden administration along the Atlantic coast, part of the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast in the lower 48, and parts of the Bering Sea in Alaska. In 2024, the president designated two other national monuments in California, San Gabriel Mountains and Barryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.

Over the course of his presidency, Biden has established, expanded, or restored 15 national monuments and several , conserving a total of 670 million acres of U.S. lands and waters. The administration has consistently engaged tribal partners, prioritizing their input when selecting and managing protected areas.

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Paige McClanahan, a journalist and travel writer, is much too diplomatic to phrase it this way, so allow me to be the grump: you鈥檙e the reason locals so often dislike tourists.

鈥淭ravel has become a consumerist exercise where the goal is to get our money鈥檚 worth out of a place,鈥� McClanahan says in a phone interview from her home in France. 鈥淲e need to wake up. Paris owes you nothing.鈥�

The tourist-local tension has been around since before Marco Polo, but in her debut book, , McClanahan shows us just how bad things have gotten. Globally, travelers will log some 1.5 billion trips abroad by the end of 2024鈥攖he largest movement of people the planet has ever seen. In a handful of years, that number could reach 1.8 billion. Closer to home, Americans are on track to take almost two billion domestic leisure trips annually by 2025. Despite the buzz around mindful experiences and sustainable travel, locals from Athens to Zermatt have had enough of us. Some Hawaiians have requested that we stay home. Romans fine tourists up to $280 for clogging the Spanish Steps. In July, an annoyed mob roamed Barcelona鈥檚 boulevards dousing visitors with squirt guns.

McClanahan, who writes for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, has plugged her journalistic pen into this bursting dike with empathy, not by shaming or lecturing anyone. Nor does she ask people to stay put, which would be detrimental to conservation work, prosperity, and cultural bridge building. Instead, McClanahan uses the voices of locals adversely affected by tourism to inspire us to travel with more curiosity, humility, and appreciation for how our holiday can be hell on the climate and local residents. Above all, she wants us to know that we have the power to make travel a force for good.

This elevated mindset is the hallmark of the new tourist. Becoming one isn鈥檛 hard. It means visiting Iceland in the off-season or trading the line at the Louvre for a Paris Noir walking tour to soak up the city鈥檚 Black history. You can control your partying in Amsterdam and stay behind the fence at the Grand Canyon. You can insist on supporting local guides and locally owned hotels, restaurants, and food carts. (The Barcelona mob targeted people eating at a Taco Bell, among other spots.)

鈥淓ven if you鈥檙e a low-budget traveler, you can still be a high-value visitor,鈥� McClanahan says.

McClanahan, who left the United States at age 26 and has spent the past 17 years writing from Africa and Europe, admits that she has made plenty of old-tourist mistakes鈥攍ike posting a self-serving Instagram reel from Angkor Wat that barely showed Angkor Wat. 鈥淚 live in a glass house,鈥� she says.

McClanahan casts no aspersions on the types of trips you like but does bristle at people who consider themselves 鈥渢ravelers鈥� and not tourists. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 deny that people travel for a huge range of reasons, some higher-minded than others,鈥� she writes in The New Tourist. 鈥淪o, sure, call yourself a traveler but never forget you鈥檙e a tourist, too.鈥� What matters is that we make informed decisions on how to travel in ways that put places and the people who live there first.

鈥淥ne of the most constructive things we can do in our flickering moment of life is to embrace the chance to leave our comfort zones鈥攖hose dangerous lairs where we learn to languish,鈥� she writes. She adds to me: 鈥淣one of us can wave a magic wand and change the behavior of millions of other people, but each of us can be that change.鈥�

The post People Are Traveling More Than Ever, Driving Residents Crazy. It鈥檚 Time to Listen to the Locals. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If it weren鈥檛 for travel, Margie Goldsmith, age 80, says she would have died at least three times by now. Ten years ago, the globe-trotting author and travel writer endured a risky surgery for pancreatic cancer. Two years later, the cancer returned. A few years after that, Goldsmith was diagnosed with lung cancer. She survived it all, she is sure, because she鈥檚 been a world traveler for 50 years.

You鈥檒l be forgiven if you鈥檙e a little skeptical. After all, globetrotting isn鈥檛 often a prescription for the ill or infirm. But recent research suggests that travel and tourism could have powerful impacts on your health and even longevity.

How Travel Helps to Slow Aging

According to a this fall by Fengli Hu, a PhD candidate at Edith Cowen University in Perth, Australia, travel could be a powerful tool for slowing down the aging process. Hu鈥檚 main theory is fairly straightforward: Many of the lifestyle practices medical and mental-health experts endorse鈥攍ike social engagement, appreciating nature, walking, and learning new things鈥攁re intrinsic to travel.

But the novelty of Hu鈥檚 research is that it creates a foundation for thinking about travel in terms of entropy. Travel, she writes, is a way to maintain a 鈥渓ow-entropy state鈥濃�攊n other words, a state of optimal health and efficient bodily function. Since she published the paper, dozens of media outlets have covered her work.

In a video call with 国产吃瓜黑料, Hu says she didn鈥檛 expect so much attention, especially given that the research is only theoretical at this point. She鈥檚 just begun to set up the related experiments, which will be completed in 2025. But the interest makes sense.

She says, 鈥淢any people are looking for a way to keep young and healthy, and travel can be a cost-effective way to improve their physical and mental health and slow down the aging process.鈥� It鈥檚 cost effective, she says, because folks don鈥檛 necessarily have to travel to pricey, far-flung locations to experience the benefits.

The theory of entropy comes from physics; it refers to the natural tendency of systems to move from a state of organization and order to one of chaos and disorder. Entropy has also been used as a framework for thinking about aging and disease. When you鈥檙e young and healthy, your internal systems run smoothly. That鈥檚 order. As you age, cellular mutations and dysfunctions proliferate. That鈥檚 disorder鈥攁 high-entropy state.

Entropy almost always moves in one direction, Hu says, 鈥渂ut can be mitigated or slowed down with certain measures.鈥� Being a tourist, she says, may be one.

Travel鈥攖hat is, relaxing, leisure-focused travel鈥攈as the power to reduce stress, it encourages exercise, and it forces you to meet and socialize with new people. All of that keeps you sharp and optimizes your body鈥檚 performance and efficiency. As a result, Hu says, it could help you stave off physical and mental decline and potentially live longer.

How Travel Relieves Stress

Goldsmith started traveling when she was 32, in the wake of a nasty divorce. She needed something to pull her out of depression, and she鈥檇 always wanted to go to the Galapagos. So, she went.

鈥淭hey say you can move a muscle, change a thought,鈥� Goldsmith says. 鈥淲ell, it turns out you can also move your location and change a thought.鈥�

The change was exhilarating. Since then, Goldsmith has traveled to 149 countries. Travel has made her a more generous, compassionate person, she says. It鈥檚 also made her more resilient.

鈥淚 look at people my age, and they look like my grandmother,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e bent over with arthritis and they鈥檙e not moving. That will never be me. Travel gives you a more active life, a bigger life. It will keep you young.鈥�

So far, experimental studies seem to support both Goldsmith鈥檚 experience and Hu鈥檚 research. One of the best-known is the Helsinki Businessman Study, a 50-year experiment involving more than 1,200 Finnish participants who filled out lifestyle and habit questionnaires between the 1960s and 2010s. In a , Timo Strandberg, MD, PhD, found a strong correlation between vacation time and longevity.

Participants in the intervention group鈥�600-plus men who were given a strict health-and-nutrition regimen during the early years of the study鈥攈ad a 37 percent higher chance of dying before their mid-70s, if they took fewer than three weeks of vacation per year. Those who took more than three weeks of vacation per year lived longer. Why?

鈥淭hese men who had less vacation were more psychologically vulnerable to stress,鈥� Strandberg said in a video call with 国产吃瓜黑料. That stress included participants鈥� family and work obligations, as well as the added pressure to stick to a structured health-and-fitness regime. Taking more vacation seemed to benefit participants in the intervention group, likely by keeping their stress in check, Strandberg says.

Surprisingly, the amount of vacation time participants took seemed to have no correlation to longevity in the control group鈥攖hose who weren鈥檛 given a health and fitness routine to stick to. The upshot? Giving yourself extra rules and routines can be stressful, no matter the intention. And the more stress, obligations, and prescribed regimens you have in your life, the more critical vacations may be. (Fitness fanatics, we鈥檙e looking at you.)

The Case for More Frequent Vacations听

Stress of any kind can have cumulative negative effects.

鈥淥ne theory is that your acute stress鈥攚hich can be good and healthy and help you avoid danger and so on鈥攃an turn into chronic stress,鈥� Strandberg said. 鈥淭hen that will show up in biological terms and in different markers in the body.鈥� A vacation has the potential to act as a reset, chipping away at your total stress load and bringing it back down to healthy levels.

Strandberg adds that while the health benefits of a vacation include stress relief and lower cortisol levels, the effects are only temporary. As a result, he recommends taking several four- to five-day vacations throughout the year rather than a single three-week vacation. That way you鈥檙e continually keeping your stress in check rather than saving it all up for a single blow-out.

Kiki Keating, a travel curator and trip guide based in New Hampshire, is a firm believer in frequent travel. Keating, who identifies as 鈥渁 very young 62,鈥� just hiked 90 miles along the Portuguese coast and has a handful of other trips鈥攊ncluding an overseas tour she does every year with her 86-year-old mother鈥攐n the docket for the coming year. The travel keeps both active, and it gives them something to look forward to. That sense of purpose, she says, is key to both living long and facing setbacks with determination. She鈥檚 watched many people use an upcoming trip as a life ring to pull out of depression or weather an injury or illness.

Goldsmith is one. Her first pancreatic surgery was extremely dangerous, a six-hour operation that only 25 percent of patients survive. But she felt she would make it; she had places yet to see.

As she recovered, dreams of travel motivated her to keep moving. 鈥淎s soon as I got out of the hospital, the first thing I did was travel,鈥� she says. Likewise, when facing a knee-replacement surgery earlier this year, she booked trips to Ireland and Scottsdale to give her something to look forward to鈥攁nd motivate her to do everything she could to recover faster.

Travel Keeps Your Mind Sharp

But you don鈥檛 have to be in advanced years to benefit from frequent travel. Keating has also seen it impact how her adult children face challenges and deal with stress.

鈥淭ravel helps you to be more relaxed when you鈥檙e adapting to something new,鈥� Keating says. 鈥淲hen you go to a place with a new culture and a language you don鈥檛 speak, it can feel hard at first. Then, after a day or two you鈥檙e like, 鈥極h, I take this metro and follow this red line and go to the blue line, and I know how to say hello, and this is where I like to eat.鈥� You remind yourself you can learn new things and adapt, and that gives you confidence.鈥� Today, she says, her kids鈥攁ll of whom traveled with her when they were younger鈥攁re good at taking adversity in stride. That鈥檚 a tool they鈥檒l use for the rest of their lives to minimize stress, and it could pay big dividends in terms of wellness.

It鈥檚 not just about stress, either. A small 2018 study by Craig Anderson, a UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow, shows that experiencing awe can help . Other research, including a that followed more than 6,700 older adults, indicates that travel could also ameliorate cognitive decline. Mental stimulation鈥攊ncluding learning new languages and visiting museums鈥攈as been shown to help by up to 47 percent.

It wouldn鈥檛 be much of a stretch to say that challenging yourself to navigate a new place or learn new customs would have some of the same benefits.

鈥淭ravel is sort of like riding your mountain bike on a technical trail,鈥� says Stephanie Pearson, 54, a professional travel writer who鈥檚 been globetrotting for more than 30 years. 鈥淵ou have to be in a similar flow space to navigate foreign languages, customs, and travel logistics. So I really think it does something cognitively to your brain. It also helps you reset and focus and see the world in a different way.鈥�

Pearson adds that she鈥檚 felt a similar level of focus and challenge on trips near home as to far-flung places like Bhutan and New Zealand. As long as there鈥檚 an element of awe, discovery, and getting out of your comfort zone, she says, your mind and body stand to benefit.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to fling yourself across the world to have an awesome adventure. You can drive to a nearby park or city that you鈥檝e never visited and have a rewarding experience,鈥� Pearson says. 鈥淭he benefit lies in having that curiosity.鈥�

Corey Buhay is a freelance writer and editor based in Boulder, Colorado. She is a member of the U.S. Ice Climbing Team, which takes her to Korea, Switzerland, Czech, and Slovakia each winter. She dreams of one day being able to travel when the weather is actually warm. Her recent stories for 国产吃瓜黑料 range from mountaineering bromance, with 鈥�After 50 Years of Friendship, These Alpinists Just Bagged (Another) Unclimbed Peak,鈥� to trail-running records in 鈥�Forget Pumpkin Spice Lattes, It鈥檚 FKT Season,鈥� to loss in the mountains, with 鈥�Years After My Mentor Died in the Backcountry, I Retraced His Final Footsteps.鈥�

The post Can Travel Make You Live Longer? These Scientists Think So.听 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Storm Hits 听

I wake up at dawn on Friday, September 27, because the wind is howling around my house and trees are snapping at their trunks and being pulled out of the ground by their roots. From the window I watch the treetops sway and listen for the crack of wood. I hope I can echo-locate the snap so I know where the giant timber is going to fall. At every sound, I worry something will land on my house.

Two large white oaks, one of which is at least a hundred years old (I count the rings later) are pushed over by a massive gust and careen towards my neighbor鈥檚 house, where three little girls under the age of 10 live. As one barely misses the walls and crushes a trampoline outside, I slump in relief.

Rain is coming down in a steady stream. The power goes off a few minutes after I wake up. Water is the next to vanish, an hour later. Cell service disappears in the early afternoon. Asheville has wind gusts of 46 miles per hour.

Nobody expected a storm like this in western North Carolina. Hurricanes usually hit the state鈥檚 coastal regions, not the mountains. We knew there would be rain and flooding, but nothing at all as catastrophic as what came. My wife and I lived through Asheville鈥檚 last hurricane flood, in 2004, when the French Broad River surged into low-lying parts of town. Meteorologists called that event a one-in-100-year flood. They鈥檙e saying this storm is a one-in-1,000 year event. I don鈥檛 know a single person who evacuated, nor did I ever hear any calls from officials to do so.

When the worst of the storm abates, around noon, I walk into the street and gather with neighbors to make sure everyone is O.K. Kids are crying. People have huddled in their basements. A neighbor who鈥檚 a doctor walks up saying a woman at the bottom of our hill has a gash in her neck that won鈥檛 stop bleeding because the roof of her house fell on her in bed. Trees are down all over and there鈥檚 no clear path to get the woman to a hospital, so I run around looking for a way that a vehicle could get through the carnage. So many power lines are down, so many cars are smashed, so many trees are leaning on homes, and stunned people are standing in their yards. My neighborhood of 19 years feels foreign.

I find the safest way to walk the woman with the neck wound to a point where I think a car could meet us, and I reach a friend who鈥檚 headed into my neighborhood with a chainsaw, already out trying to cut through the madness, and have just enough service to tell him where to go before my phone dies. I walk the woman up a hill, with the doctor who鈥檚 telling her not to remove the bandage from her neck because you don鈥檛 mess with neck wounds, and the woman is crying. She鈥檚 afraid of the wind and the trees鈥攁fter the roof of her house just fell on her.

My friend with the truck and the chainsaw is there, exactly where I told him to meet us, and the woman enters the vehicle and they head towards the hospital. I don鈥檛 hear how she is for another three days because there鈥檚 no cell service, and nobody hears from anyone unless in a face-to-face conversation.

I go back to my own house to assess the damage and hug my wife and children.

By the end of the day, a crew of men in a truck I鈥檝e never seen before have chainsawed their way through half of the downed trees in the neighborhood. These aren鈥檛 city crews or electric-company employees. These are dudes in trucks doing what they can to help.

This is just day one.

The Aftermath of the Storm

Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, turning the city of Asheville, the South鈥檚 greatest outdoor-adventure town where I have lived for 20 years, and the surrounding mountain communities into a federal disaster zone. The French Broad River crested at more than 24 feet, wiping out the entire River Arts District, a collection of restaurants, breweries, hotels, and art studios a mile west of downtown. Biltmore Village, a hub of higher-end hotels and restaurants and shops, is similarly trashed, whole buildings gutted by the force of the river. Entire neighborhoods have been washed away, with houses and trailers floating downstream and piles of broken lumber everywhere.

I鈥檓 incredibly fortunate. Our basement flooded, but no trees hit our house. Nobody in my family was hurt. We live in higher terrain and not along the river corridor, where the worst flooding occurred. So many people are in far worse shape. As I write, 71 people have been confirmed dead across the county. Search and rescue helicopters and ATVs are still looking for missing people every day.

The first few days after the storm were isolating. Navigating the roads was tough because of the downed trees. Nobody had cell or internet service, so we couldn鈥檛 check the news or message anyone. I didn鈥檛 know the extent of the destruction beyond my own neighborhood. Eventually, we learned to get in the car and listen to the city鈥檚 press conferences at 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. every day to grasp the context of the storm. I worked on cleaning up my neighbors鈥� yards and some trees in the road.

I was lucky in another way, too. We have an old hot tub in our backyard that became our sole source of gray water, and remains so. I used five-gallon buckets to move water from it to our bathtub so we could flush toilets. I cooked meals on our propane grill, pulling food from the fridge before it went bad.

At some point, I learned that the Chamber of Commerce a mile up the street had power and their WiFi was radiating into the parking lot, so twice a day I walked up there to send messages and check the news. I started a fire in the wood stove in our basement to try to dry the water out. Of all the damage Hurricane Helene caused, this is as minor as it gets.

In talking with neighbors, we heard there was no gas for cars because the stations had no power, and that none of the interstates or highways were letting vehicles in or out. We heard other towns鈥擟himney Rock, Burnsville, Spruce Pine, more鈥攄eeper in the mountains fared even worse than Asheville. We learned that the city had organized points of distribution for water and food.

Besides the destruction, mostly what I saw is people taking care of each other. The guy who owns the trendy cafe on the corner a few blocks from my house cranked up his giant pizza oven and served free burgers and chicken sandwiches, feeding 1,500 people. Other neighbors chipped in, setting up stands with free stew and hot dogs.

We were all walking all over the neighborhood and town, asking people we didn’t know if they needed anything.

Almost two weeks after the storm, we still have no power, internet, or running water. I鈥檓 still moving water to flush toilets, getting drinking water from distribution points, trying to keep a fire in the basement stove. Cell service came back about six days after the storm.

Every state and federal agency is on the ground. Cops, firefighters, and search-and-rescue teams have come from Indiana, New York, Ohio. There are well-organized official disaster-relief stations and smaller stations set up by civilians. There鈥檚 a hard 7:30 P.M. curfew. I鈥檝e heard isolated events of attempted muggings, but mostly it鈥檚 peaceful.

Unable to work as a writer without internet or power, I spend my days volunteering. One day I鈥檓 cooking burgers at a community center, the next, knocking on doors around Buncombe County doing wellness checks. If you can鈥檛 reach a cousin or aunt or spouse in Asheville, you call and ask for someone to check on the person. Volunteers go out to people鈥檚 last known addresses and see if they鈥檙e OK.

Most of the people I check on are OK. I work on developing the friendliest of door knocks,听 something that says, 鈥淚鈥檓 here to help.鈥� Only one person answered the door with a gun in a holster.

I鈥檓 having a hard time putting this into words, but in the midst of all of the destruction and despair that I鈥檝e seen, I鈥檝e also been overwhelmed by a sense of hope and gratitude. Is it cheesy to say this disaster has renewed my faith in humankind? Probably. But that鈥檚 fine.

Without water and power, schools are closed, so my kids spend their days volunteering or helping friends clean up their yards. They have sleepovers and walk a mile into town together, just for some semblance of normalcy.

Grocery stores opened on a limited basis a day or so after the storm. One person in, one person out, long lines. Cash only because there was no internet. Now the stores are taking cards again, and you can get much of what you need or want. Most gas stations are open again. The two coolers on my back porch are full of food, and I am still cooking all meals on the propane grill. I鈥檒l need to find more propane soon.

Downtown is a ghost town. Asheville is a tourist draw and obviously there are no tourists right now. A lot of people have left town temporarily as well. Some businesses have boarded up, and only a few shops are open.

My hot tub is almost empty, which means I鈥檒l have to figure out another source soon for non-potable water. I saw the destruction to the reservoir system. It鈥檚 extensive; the transmission lines, which carry the water out of the reservoir, were washed out after more than 30 inches of rain fell. The bypass line, which was built as a redundancy measure, also washed out. That particular line was buried 25 feet deep, but the land eroded so much that the pipe was carried away. Crews are working on rebuilding that pipe right now.

The Outdoor Community Steps Up

The day before the storm, I went to to drop off a couple of things for resale. Second Gear is a consignment outdoor-gear shop that gives gently loved items like camp stoves and fleece and tents a second life, an effort in sustainability and in making things affordable to people who want to go outdoors and may lack good gear and equipment. It has a great location in the River Arts District, about 100 yards from the French Broad River.

The next time I saw Second Gear, it was in a video on social media, being swept away by the river. The entire building.

A number of guide services, like paddle-board rental shops and shuttle operators like French Broad Outfitters and Zen Tubing, that were located on the river suffered similar fates. Wrong Way Campground saw massive damage, the river breaching several of their cabins.

The local climbing gym, Cultivate Climbing, closed their flood doors, which would typically keep water out of the building. The river level was so high the waters crested the flood doors, poured in, and turned the building into a swimming pool.

Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are closed. There鈥檚 no telling what sort of damage those mountains have suffered, because all resources right now are still dedicated to helping people in need. I鈥檝e heard of groups of mountain bikers from the local bike club, called SORBA (for the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association), hiking into small, isolated communities and chainsawing a path for those residents to get out to the nearest fire station.

I鈥檝e heard of fly-fishing guides leading search-and-rescue efforts in the steep mountain hollers where they typically head up fishing adventures.

Several small towns, such as Barnardsville and Spruce Pine, in western North Carolina are isolated, the roads covered in mud and a tangle of pines and hardwoods. Nonprofits and small-town fire departments have been organizing groups of hikers to take supplies into people deep in the mountains who are cut off from the outside world. Volunteers with ATVs are incredibly sought after because they can get into remote places that normal vehicles can鈥檛 access.

The French Broad River Keeper, Hartwell Carson, who spearheads stewardship when he鈥檚 not assessing storm damage and reports of toxic sludge, mobilizes a crew of volunteers to cook burgers and hot dogs for various communities throughout the region. He鈥檚 lobbying for millions of dollars to be allocated to the area specifically to put out-of-work river guides on the job of cleaning up the French Broad.

Astral, an Asheville-based shoe brand that makes popular water shoes and hiking boots, is focusing on supporting remote mountain communities that saw severe hurricane damage. This week, Astral will take a van load of six generators to the tiny town of Buladean, which sits below Roan Mountain in North Carolina鈥檚 High Country.

The director of North Carolina Outdoor Economy, Amy Allison, is trying to coordinate coat donations from gear companies outside of the region. It鈥檚 warm today, but the temperatures are dropping next week. Many families here don鈥檛 have adequate winter gear, and will need coats, hats, and gloves as they navigate the new reality of going to distribution points for drinking water and moving flush water into their homes.

What鈥檚 Next for Western North Carolina听

Almost two weeks later, I still try to turn the light on when I walk into a room. According to local press conferences, we鈥檒l probably get power back some time this week, which is great. I鈥檝e heard that the city is sending trucks to take out household trash. There鈥檚 no timetable as to when water will be restored. It could be weeks.

Living without running water for a couple of months is hard to fathom, largely because our kids can鈥檛 go back to school without it. Schools must have working sprinkler systems in case of fire.

Several families we know have already moved temporarily to other cities and enrolled their kids in schools. My wife is looking into home-school scenarios.

For a couple of days right after the storm there was a constant stream of sirens and chainsaws, but that stopped. Now it鈥檚 silent at night. It鈥檚 the kind of quiet you get camping in the middle of the woods, but I live on the edge of downtown Asheville. With no lights in my neighborhood, I can see the stars at night. I don鈥檛 think any of us will begin to understand the impact of what鈥檚 happened for months, when it鈥檚 safer and the destruction and loss of lives isn鈥檛 so palpable.

In the meantime, we carry on. I have a wood stove. I鈥檝e hooked up a solar shower. I鈥檓 trying to work again. Tomorrow I鈥檓 cooking burgers for the small town of Barnardsville, 45 minutes north of Asheville. After that I鈥檒l help a friend salvage the fence on his farm, then later in the week help another friend repair his campground. I think I鈥檝e come up with a solution for water to flush my toilets, too. There鈥檚 a creek at the bottom of my neighborhood. I鈥檒l put my cold plunge tub in the back of the truck and fill it from the creek with five-gallon buckets, then drive back up to my house and put the water in the hot tub.

It feels good to have a plan.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He鈥檚 lived in Asheville for more than 20 years. If you want to help locals, lost its warehouse in the flood, and is still distributing food to those in need.

For more by this author, see:

9 Beautiful Mountain Towns in the Southeast

9 Most Underrated National Parks for Incredible Fall Foliage

The post This Is What It鈥檚 Like to Live in Asheville After Hurricane Helene appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.