Wild America

THE NATURALIST PHILOSOPHER HENRY DAVID THOREAU WAS THE FATHER OF THIS MOVEMENT, which helped give rise to collective environmental conscientiousness and ecological thinking. His masterpiece of American literature, Walden, explains how he voluntarily isolated himself from civilization in a pine log cabin at the edge of a pond in Massachusetts for two years, two months and two days. The ‘Hermit of Walden Pond’ inspired Gandhi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Martin Luther King and Jack Kerouac. Located in rural Pennsylvania, halfway between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, the Lodge at Glendorn features sequoia log cabins that immerse visitors in a manner similar to Thoreau’s meditative contemplation. This stylish ‘family camp,’ built in the 1920s by the gentleman philanthropist and humanist Clayton Glenville Dorn to accommodate his children and grandchildren, was passed down from generation to generation until the mining-turnedbrewer magnate Cliff Forrest purchased it in 2009. Like the epic prose of nature writing, the Allegheny National Forest offers wondrous woodlands teeming with animals such as foxes, deer, beavers and even the elusive black bear. Along Fuller Brook, three miles/five kilometers of private banks are reserved for fly fishing. Led by expert guides, visitors may continue on to the Clarion and Allegheny rivers, both designated ‘Wild and Scenic Rivers’ by the National Forest Service.

_{THE LODGE AT GLENDORN Bradford, Pennsylvania, USA}

Therapeutic character
Thousands of years ago, the aweinspiring Arizona landscape of Boynton Canyon was submerged underwater. The erosion of the canyon’s red rock into horizontal bands of gray, beige, pink and brown paints a striking visual reminiscent of ancient geological layers. The author Terry Tempest Williams, a great voice of the American West, observes the canyon’s erosion as a metaphor for societal challenges, reminding us of the delicate balance between nature and human progress. Here in Sedona, Mii amo emerges as a sanctuary with its architecture fostering a refined yet nurturing space that inspires inward exploration and connects guests to the canyon. As Henry David Thoreau insisted upon the therapeutic character of the wilderness. In addition to the almost magnetic energy of the air in this desert locale, Mii amo sets the stage for guests to embark on a path to personal discovery and deeper connection, amplified by the canyon’s power. From private stargazing to sound resonance therapy, past-life regression, energy clearing, body work and more. In Thoreau’s words, “the whole body is one sense, and imbibes delight through every pore.”

_{MII AMO Sedona, Arizona, USA} 

The depth of nature
In the Adirondack Mountains in New York, Mount Colvin pays tribute to a certain Verplanck Colvin. This adventurer and mountaineer gave up a brilliant career as a lawyer to map these peaks from 1872 to 1900. The collective explorations of the Superintendent of the Adirondack Survey led to the topographic understanding of dozens of peaks. And yet, as Colvin modestly remembered, “Few fully understand what the Adirondack wilderness really is. It is a mystery even to those who have crossed and recrossed it.” On the wooded banks of Saranac Lake, The Point is a wooden manor built about a century ago by William Avery Rockefeller II. This rustic setting was meant to teach the Rockefeller family how to ‘rough it.’ Just how rough it was is relative, considering the extraordinary comfort of this forest retreat. Snowshoes and skis are available for exploring the snowy woods, and a charming mahogany craft stands by to glide onto the quicksilver waters of the lake, a source of inspiration for David Thoreau: “A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” Another exhilarating adventure in the heart of the Adirondacks is to be found at Lake Placid Lodge. In 1946, this former family home became a great gathering place for America’s principal industrials and railroad tycoons. Visitors today feel like they are stepping into the shoes of a special guest, hosted by the master of the house from an earlier time. To savor the appeal of each season, activities are myriad here, too: skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, fishing, skating and curling on nearby Lake Placid in the winter; hiking and climbing in the summer. Truly, there are a thousand-and-one ways to explore the Adirondacks.

_{THE POINT Saranac Lake, New York, USA
LAKE PLACID LODGE Lake Placid, New York, USA}

Father of the National Parks
Let us now remember John Muir, author of Our National Parks, now popularly known as the ‘Father of the National Parks.’ After visiting Yosemite for the first time in late 1869, he wrote that he “was overwhelmed by the landscape, scrambling down steep cliff faces to get a closer look at the waterfalls, whooping and howling at the vistas, jumping tirelessly from flower to flower.” Later, on becoming a shepherd there for a season, he became concerned with deforestation and the ravages of sheep, which he saw as “walking locusts.” He wrote influential articles advocating the preservation of the landscape, to which the origin of Yosemite National Park is attributed. Some 12 miles/ 19 kilometers from the southern entrance to the park, Château du Sureau appears like a mirage from Provence. This opulent white mansion with tiled roofs offers ten romantic rooms featuring wood-burning fireplaces, canopy beds and wrought-iron balconies that open onto the abundant verdure of an Italian-style garden. Gourmet picnics are served in the middle of this natural setting, among a panorama that leads from waterfalls to granite cliffsides. The words of John Muir come to mind: “All the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh.”

_{CHÂTEAU DU SUREAU Oakhurst, California, USA}

Earthly ecstasy
Meanwhile, in North Carolina, the preservation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is owed to another nature writer, Horace Kephart, a librarian from St. Louis, Missouri who gave up life in the city to escape to the woods and write. His help in establishing the Appalachian Trail also earned him the namesake of Mont Kephart in honor of his labor, two years before his death. Founded in 1933 by the Alexander family, Cataloochee Ranch was the very first haven to welcome new pilgrims to this young national park, which was chartered in 1934 and officially dedicated in 1940. The resort–new to Relais & Châteaux– offers exhilarating contact with nature, with horseback riding, hiking and a nearby ski resort. Through “the dreamy blue haze, like that of Indian summer intensified, that ever hovers over the mountains,” as Horace Kephart so beautifully described it, you might get the chance to observe the thrilling aerial acrobatics of crows in the October sky. Here, all the alchemical elements–water, earth, and air–come together, leading to the almost earthly ecstasy of an “inward morning.” For Henry David Thoreau, this was the ultimate gift of nature, to all those who manage to distance themselves from civilization, even if just for a moment.

_{CATALOOCHEE RANCH Maggie Valley, North Carolina, USA}