FAMILY

Laurie and Andrea Kass are on a mission. The mother-daughter duo from Marquette, Michigan, aim to hike at least 100 miles on the North Country Trail this year. “When we first started hiking together a few years ago, Andrea could go maybe a half-mile—a mile, tops,” says Laurie. “Now she’s up to...

Winter can be a grind. Dark days of dodging puddles, shoveling driveways, and misplacing mittens—it’s enough to make you want to curl up under a blanket until April.

Tempting as that sounds, we think the best way to get through winter is to meet it head on. Studies show that playing...

Astronomer Joe Guzman wants to make one point clear—even if your view of the stars isn’t.

“It’s a misconception that living in the big city means the night sky isn’t available to you,” he says, and he should know. As the Chicago Park District’s resident astronomer, Guzman is all about...

Mount Katahdin marks the end of many long journeys. The 5,267-foot peak is Maine’s highest point, the summit of a formidably steep and rocky climb from the nearest trailhead. The mountain is also the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, where thru-hikers culminate months of trekking long...