Philosophy

Alice believes introducing children to the wilderness is one of parenting's great rewards, although she doesn't underestimate the challenges and effort necessary to organize even the simplest outings. She also recognizes that children's personalities and family dynamics vary greatly, which means that approaches and answers to outdoor dilemmas come in many shapes and sizes.

Background

Alice wrote Parents' Guide to Hiking & Camping: A Trailside Guide (W.W. Norton, 1997) while exploring the outdoors with her then-toddler son, now an energetic six-year-old. Since then, her family adventures have grown by leaps and bounds with the birth of twin girls in 1999. Alice's favorite activities include hiking, camping, backpacking, biking, cross-country skiing, and swimming, and she and her husband are avidly sharing these activities with their children. Alice's family originally hails from West Virginia, so mountains are in her blood. She has climbed the 48 highest peaks of New England, including New Hampshire's notorious Mt. Washington in winter while she was pregnant. Her hiking adventures have led her from the mountain tops of Norway and Italy (before children) to the Grand Canyon (with her family).

Family-Friendly Advice

Alice is also a contributing editor for Biography magazine and a book reviewer for Bookpage. She has written biographies of children's writers Jean Craighead George and Katherine Paterson for The Learning Work's"Meet the Author" series. She loves children's literature and has penned books for elementary school reading programs. Her articles and photographs have appeared in a variety of regional and national publications, including The Boston Globe, TV Guide, and USA Today.

Advice for the Outdoor Family Expert Answers Discussion Boards Buy Alice's book, Parents' Guide to Hiking & Camping: A Trailside Guide