Outside (July 2006)

Trust Us, Your Lawn Can Wait

It's time to take a fresh look at how to make the most of your 48 hours of weekend freedom. From high-adrenaline blasts to ultimate Zen sessions, we've created 37 custom plans to match every mood. Start packing—your adventure starts Friday.

By Kate Siber

a. Connecticut River Byway, New Hampshire and Vermont
Set your watch to Norman Rockwell time on back roads along the Connecticut River that were designated a 500-mile national scenic byway last September. Starting in Brattleboro, Vermont, two hours from Boston, trace the river north along the Vermont-New Hampshire state line while hiking in numerous state parks, fishing, and exploring historic towns. Stopping points are the Lauren, a Woodstock, Vermont, inn that opened in May, and, farther north, the 14-room Inn at Mountain View Farm, in East Burke, Vermont. GREAT ESCAPE: Paddle a section of the placid Connecticut near Lancaster, New Hampshire, that's part of the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail, inaugurated in June. DETAILS: Connecticut River Scenic Byway Council, 603-826-4800, www.ctrivertravel.net. The Lauren, doubles from $210; 802-457-1925, www.thelaureninn.com. Mountain View Farm, doubles from $155; 800-572-4509, www.innmtnview.com.

b. Red Rock Country, Utah
Ditch the Vegas neon as fast as you can jump into a rental car: It's only two and a half hours from the Strip to the iconic red-rock cliffs and canyons of Zion National Park. Make yourself at home at the stylish Desert Pearl Inn, in Springdale, and spend a day hiking the park's 120 miles of trails. Then head 90 minutes southeast to explore Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, a little-visited gem in northern Arizona, before looping back to St. George to climb Sticky Revelations, a classic three-pitch 5.10, at Prophesy Wall. GREAT ESCAPE: The Red Mountain Revitalizer—a full-body treatment—at Sagestone, Red Mountain Spa's new facility, which opened in January. DETAILS: Desert Pearl Inn, doubles from $133; 888-828-0898, www.desertpearl.com. Red Mountain Spa, doubles from $478, all-inclusive; 800-407-3002, www.redmountainspa.com.

c. The Wild Coast, Oregon
For a quick dose of rugged Pacific shoreline, drive northwest from Portland to Astoria, on the mouth of the Columbia River, and stay at the new 46-room Cannery Pier Hotel, set on 100-year-old pilings. Then round Oregon's northwest corner and hug the coast for about 200 miles on U.S. 101 to Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. En route, stop for surfing near the Columbia River and deep-sea fishing off Newport. Just south of the dunes, head east to I-5 to return to Portland. GREAT ESCAPE: Watch storms roll in from the six-room Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast, near Yachats, 172 miles south of Astoria. DETAILS: Cannery Pier Hotel, doubles, $269; 888-325-4996, www.cannerypierhotel.com. Heceta Head Lighthouse, doubles, $251, including breakfast; 866-547-3696, www.hecetalighthouse.com.

THE GROUP DYNAMIC
AMAZING PLACES FOR A HARMONIC CONVERGENCE

By Kate Siber

a. Sophia Lodge, Dolores, Colorado
It may be in the middle of nowhere, but for adventure-worthy wilderness, Sophia Lodge, an hour northwest of Durango, is as central as it gets. You're close to more than 250 miles of trails in the San Juan National Forest, Class III rafting on the San Miguel River, and fly-fishing for cutthroat on the Dolores. The seven-room main lodge, with its stunning views of the La Platas and its atrium/great room, can be combined with the eight-room Mesa House to host 50 guests. PAL BONDING: Convene at the fire pit for single-malt Scotch or shoot some stick in the pool room. DETAILS: United flies to Durango from Denver, America West from Phoenix. Doubles from $65, including breakfast; 877-246-0567, www.sophiaretreatcenter.org.

b. American River, California
Escape with up to 24 friends for a wild rendezvous on Northern California's Middle Fork of the American River. Your raft flotilla will drop 40 feet per mile for 17 miles through Class II-IV rapids and a Class V cascade down Tunnel Chute. But don't let the rapids—and your friends' giddy racket—distract you from the scenery: The remote western-Sierra landscape includes sheer canyon walls, lush mountains, and pine-and-oak forests filled with bobcats, eagles, and the occasional mountain lion. PAL BONDING: At day's end, retire to your beach campsite for steak, corn on the cob, and—what else?—Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. DETAILS: Meet in Auburn, about 40 minutes from the Sacramento airport and two hours from San Francisco. Whitewater Voyages, two-day trips, $299 per person; 800-400-7238, www.whitewatervoyages.com.

c. Crescent H Ranch, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
It doesn't take long to ease into the slow lane at Crescent H Ranch, 12 miles outside of Jackson. Perhaps it's the duvet-draped brass-and-log beds or the swing on your cabin's front porch. Or maybe it's the cushy leather sofas and big stone hearths in the main lodge, where up to 34 guests staying in 11 cabins meet for meals that add a gourmet twist to down-home cooking. (Think chicken breast stuffed with Brie and caramelized onions or roast steak with Jack Daniel's-and-wild mushroom sauce.) Spend your days fly-fishing for Snake River cutthroat in the ranch's private, spring-fed creeks and horseback-riding on 1,200 acres adjacent to the Bridger-Teton National Forest. PAL BONDING: In the late-afternoon sun, sit down with a gin-and-tonic and a plate of crab cakes with cumin remoulade on your cabin's porch, which overlooks wildflower meadows and the Gros Ventre Mountains. While you recount the day's adventures, don't be surprised if a moose ambles by. DETAILS: About 25 minutes from the Jackson Hole airport, flights on Delta, American, United, and Northwest are available from five major cities. Doubles from $260, including breakfast and daily horseback rides; 10 percent discount for groups renting the entire property; 307-732-0784, www.crescenthranch.com.

ROMANTIC HIDEOUTS
FEEL THE LOVE, WITHOUT THE HEART-SHAPED BATHTUB

By Kate Siber

a. Kamalame Cay, Andros Island, Bahamas
For high-powered lovebirds who want to elope on Friday but be back for their conference calls on Monday, the ultimate unforgettable pleasure-jaunt is east of Miami at Kamalame Cay. The collection of 19 perfect villas and rooms occupies its own 97-acre isle off the Bahamas' least populated island, Andros. Hang out on your shady veranda or stroll to the new over-water spa, with massage rooms open to sea breezes. And if you decide against casting on Andros's famed bonefish flats or diving the nearby 140-mile-long barrier reef, call it fodder for the anniversaries you'll inevitably come back for. TIME FOR TWO: Borrow a pair of snorkels and trek inland to one of the island's many blue holes. DETAILS: Twenty minutes from Nassau, which has daily flights from many East Coast cities. Doubles from $561, all-inclusive; 242-368-6281, www.kamalame.com.

b. Huelo Point Lookout, Paia, Maui
Maui and romance are practically synonymous, but take the seclusion factor up a notch at Huelo Point Lookout's Rainbow cottage, on the island's north shore. The entire first floor is encased in glass, with views out to the Pacific and gardens of coconut and papaya, and a spiral staircase leads to the loft, with its king-size bed under skylights. While holing up may be tempting, pry yourself away for a hike around 10,023-foot Haleakala or for windsurfing at Hookipa Beach, a 20-minute drive west. TIME FOR TWO: Come dusk, take to the hot tub, surrounded by heliconia, wild ginger, and night-blooming jasmine. DETAILS: Seven major airlines fly into Maui's Kahului Airport; from there, it's a 45-minute drive to Huelo Point Lookout. Rainbow cottage, from $285; 800-871-8645, www.maui-vacationrentals.com.

c. Fincastle Vineyard & Winery, Fincastle, Virginia
Heading north out of Roanoke on Route 11, lined with up-and-coming vineyards and sporting vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you'll be charmed even before you arrive at Fincastle. This white-clapboard farmhouse-turned-winery, which started commercial bottling in 2001, opened its tasting room two years later and debuted two English-country guest rooms in May. Spend the day canoeing the nearby James River, hiking the Appalachian Trail, or biking the Blue Ridge Parkway. TIME FOR TWO: Before breakfast—local free-range eggs and bacon—stroll through the vineyards, when the sun has just risen over the trees. DETAILS: Three hours from Richmond. Doubles from $125, including breakfast; 540-591-9000, www.fincastlewine.com.