Hannah Elise Schultz

Posts in Hiking

Cherry Blossoms on an Extinct Volcano: Mt. Tabor Park (Portland, Oregon)

While you might not think of Portland as a particularly volcanic area nowadays (especially compared to other western states like Wyoming), turn back time about 5 million years, and the story would be very different. In southeast Portland, nestled at the top of a quaint neighborhood is Mt. Tabor, an extinct volcanic vent and remnant of this volatile time in Oregonian history. Its cinder cone (a steep conical hill of loose pyroclastic fragments) is part of the Boring Lava Field, an extensive network of Plio-Pleistocene era cinder cones and small shield volcanoes ranging from Boring, Oregon to southwest Washington. This park was my destination for my second nature excursion in the city while visiting for the AWP 2019 Conference.

Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzApril 7, 2019portland, oregon, cherry blossoms, extinct, volcano, mt tabor, park, hike, boring lava field, reservoir, trailsComment

Flowers & Redwoods in Hoyt Arboretum (Portland, Oregon)

While most of the trip was spent attending panels about writing (shout out to the amazing environmentalism in young-adult literature and humor in YA panels I went to) and teaching writing, I did manage to explore the crazy-good food options in the city (try: Screendoor, Butterfly Belly Asian Cuisine, and Salt & Straw ice-cream). Most importantly, though, I was able to sneak away for some nature excursions. The first of these was at Washington Park, one of the oldest parks in Portland, in the heart of the city.

Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzApril 2, 2019portland, oregon, washington park, AWP, conference, PNW, pacific northwest, International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, flowers, camellias, coastal redwood, trail, hikeComment

Minnesota is Underwater: A Flooded Hike in Minneopa State Park

While these warmer spring temperatures are appreciated by everyone, myself included, the extreme temperature swing from a horrifically cold winter to an unseasonably warm (and snowless) March are undeniable effects of global climate change. Every spring hike this season will no doubt be tinged by this undercurrent of fear at the future state of the environment.

Hiking, NatureHannah SchultzMarch 26, 2019minnesota, hiking, flood, minneopa state park, minneopa falls, waterfall, floodwater, mankato, wetlandComment

A Snowy Hike in Minneopa State Park

Two weeks ago, the Midwest was plunged into the newest polar vortex. While you read about Chicago setting train tracks on fire and Lake Michigan freezing, Minnesota was dealing with 40 mph+ winds, -35 degree temperatures, and -55 degree windchills. It was so cold that perfectly functioning cars with brand new batteries weren’t starting, and MSU, Mankato cancelled classes two days in a row. The only thing that compelled me to leave our apartment was to run my car for thirty minutes to keep the battery alive.

HikingHannah SchultzFebruary 18, 2019hike, hiking, minneopa state park, snow, winter, polar vortex, minneopa falls, waterfall, frozenComment

Bray Park & Madison Lake: Hiking Minnesota's Lakes

On a beautiful last day of summer weather a few weeks ago, Kayla and I decided we wanted to take full advantage of one of Minnesota’s best features: its lakes. After the somewhat lackluster experience sitting beside Spring Lake in Mankato, I did some Googling and found that there was a park with hiking and a lakeside beach less than a half hour away in Madison Lake, MN. So we packed our bags and headed out to Bray Park.

HikingHannah SchultzOctober 16, 2018hiking, hike, bray park, madison lake, minnesota, mankato, bridge, swinging bridge, ropeComment

Minnehaha Falls & Lake Bde Maka Ska: Nature Retreats in Minneapolis

Though you might not picture Minneapolis, MN, with its metro population topping 3.6 million, to be a haven for nature-lovers, that’s one of the best aspects of Minnesota: the state embraces and celebrates its natural beauty.

Forest & Prairie: A Tranquil Walk Through Linnaeus Arboretum

Located in St. Peter, about a twenty minute drive from Mankato, MN, is Gustavus Adolphus College, home to the Linnaeus Arboretum. This botanical wonderland was founded in 1973 by a botany professor at the college, Charles Mason, and his wife, Harriet Mason. The area is unique in that it incorporates all three of the major ecosystems in Minnesota: tall grass prairie, deciduous woods, and coniferous forest, allowing you to observe a wide variety of flora and fauna. With 130 acres, the arboretum gives plenty of room for you to wander, bring a picnic, or read on a bench surrounded by cascading blooms.

Nature, HikingHannah SchultzSeptember 17, 2018deciduous forest, woods, coniferous, linnaeus, arboretum, st. peter, st peter, minnesota, gustavus aldophus college, rabbit, tallgrass prairie, wetland, preserve, pine, sugar maple, oak, meditation, orchard, borgeson cabin, rose, formal gardenComment

Canyon Falls & Gorge(ous) Views at the Grand Canyon of Michigan (ft. Kindi, the adventure pup)

Located off of US 41 just outside L'Anse, MI (about an hour away from Marquette), there's an unassuming turnoff to a parking lot filled with cars. Today, our adventure crew consists of Kari, Kayla (her sister and my friend/now roommate!), and Kari's newest addition to the family, Kindi, a precocious 4-and-a-half-month-old lab/border collie mix whose name means "squirrel" in Swahili (even though she was actually named after a gorilla at the Louisville Zoo). A battered map shows that "Canyon Falls" is located on a single, straight-shot trail about a mile away.

Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzAugust 24, 2018marquette, michigan, hike, l'anse, mi, canyon falls, grand canyon, puppy, dog, adventure, waterfall, river, forest, woodsComment

A Secluded Hike in Red River Gorge: Pinch 'Em Tight Trail

I can't believe I've been home a whole summer, and this is the first time I'm getting out to Red River Gorge! (I guess that's what happens when you work the old 8-5 Monday through Friday and spend every weekend wedding venue shopping.) Luckily, I had a day free during my last weekend in Kentucky, and what a better way to spend it than heading out to the Gorge. We decided to bring along Ryan's parent's puppy, Daisy, and try out a new trail: Pinch 'Em Tight.

HikingHannah SchultzAugust 13, 2018hiking, hike, Red River Gorge, pinch em tight, trail, pinch 'em tight trail, slade, kentucky, puppy, rhododendron, forest, rush branch creek, rough trail, Rush Ridge, miguel's pizzaComment

Mountain Views & Hidden Falls in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is named for Grand Teton, the highest peak in the Teton range. The origins of the name are peculiar, dating back to 19th-century French-speaking trappers, who are said to have called the range les trois tétons, or the three teats, due to their shape. Americans anglicized the spelling and shortened it to Tetons.

Travel With Me: Yellowstone National Park (Day Four)

This first stop isn't really in Yellowstone, but it's a strange sight for those who make the drive from Wapiti or Cody to the East Gate. For some reason it reminded me of Howl's Moving Castle, while Ryan told me it reminded him of the Weasley's house (the Burrow) from Harry Potter. One thing we could all agree on: it was a weird-looking building.

Travel With Me: Yellowstone National Park (Day Three)

We passed this turnout every day, as the route from Wapiti and the East Gate into the park took us through Sylvan Pass, which is in the Absaroka Range. This part of the park has one of the higher elevations that you drive through, at 8,524 feet above sea level, so it's naturally chillier, hence why these photos of the Sylvan Lake look like a winter wonderland even though it was in the sixties and seventies in the rest of the park. We saw a lot of cars from California stopped around here to get out and have snowball fights, but after six months of harsh Minnesota winter, I only stopped for the photo op.

Dec 31, 2023

Photography and Video, Life

A Year in Pictures: 2023

It was a year of travel to new and old places, the year I started my dissertation, the year I hiked eight miles and up volcanic sands while pregnant, the year we bought a wagon to take Argos on adventures again, and most importantly, the year that I become a mom.

Oct 21, 2023

Travel With Me: Maui & Big Island, Hawai'i (Days Eight, Nine, & Ten)

Our final day on Maui was much more relaxed (at least for me) than the previous. While Ryan went on a scuba diving excursion to the Lahaina Cathedrals (which was one of his favorite parts of the whole trip), I got a prenatal massage at the spa at the neighboring hotel to ours and read a book on the balcony. We then spent the rest of the day lounging in the pool and enjoying some farmer’s market soursop (a fruit I’ve only ever had in Hawai’i and am obsessed with).

Maui, Hawai'i (Day Seven): Road to Hana & Wai’anapanapa State Park

Oct 14, 2023

Nature, Travel

Maui, Hawai'i (Day Seven): Road to Hana & Wai’anapanapa State Park

By far one of the most famous activities to do on Maui is to drive the Road to Hana, a 64-mile stretch of highway along the coast, connecting Kahului to Hana. While the drive technically only takes three hours, what’s special about it is the number of roadside stops to see waterfalls, buy fresh banana bread, and take dips in the ocean. so plan on spending much more than a few hours on this excursion. While ideally you would stay the night in Hana to maximize your time for pit stops, it is possible to hit some of the highlights in a single day.

Adventures in
Serendipity

— Hannah Schultz (biographical name): a Kentuckian, traveler, PhD student, hiker, environmentalist, and Great Pyrenees enthusiast

Adventures inSerendipity

— Hannah Schultz (biographical name): a Kentuckian, traveler, PhD student, hiker, environmentalist, and Great Pyrenees enthusiast

Adventures in
Serendipity