TRAILBLAZER Sounding off for wild sound F
or the last eight years, lawyer Karen Treviño has run the
National Park Service’s Natural
Sounds Program. Her job: to advocate nationwide for the natural symphony too often squelched by our own noisy species. (970) 267-7204, nature
.nps.gov/naturalsounds.
Q What’s so great about natural sounds? A Sound adds a rich- ness that sight alone can’t. In some cases you only have sound. How many people have seen wolves? Not many. But everyone knows what they sound like. Q What do you hear when you cut down on human noise? A The crunching of leaves beneath your feet. The play of the wind in the trees. Rolling thunder. Birdsong. Every national park has its own soundscape— and sometimes it’s just silence. In the Yellowstone backcountry in winter, the
To Treviño, silence is golden.
total stillness will awaken all your senses. Q What are some of the quieter parks? A From our measurements so far, Olympic, Denali, Canyonlands, Arches, Glen Canyon, and Lake Mead—though with a caveat. Nature itself can be noisy at these places. Q You protect cultural sounds, too? A Right. That can mean making sure visi- tors get to hear taps on a battlefi eld or jazz in New Orleans or the reverential quiet at Washington’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Q Favorite sounds? A I’m the wrong per- son to ask—I go on and
on. I adore waterfalls, wolves howling, elk bugling, ptarmigan chirping. And whether I’m in a tent or a cabin, the sound of coyotes never fails to make me feel cozy. I don’t much like hearing rattlesnakes, although I’m thankful for their alarming sound. —chris colin
YOUR TIPS
Vacations offer an escape from routine but not from maladies. VIA’s readers suggest how to stay healthy while traveling.
“I always bring an exercise band to do strength training, even when camping,” says Kathleen Gremm of Las Vegas.
“Have a daily dose of yogurt for the probiotics,” says Daniel J. Langholtz of San Francisco.
“Be extremely diligent about hand washing,” suggests Ann Wyatt of Alamo, Calif.
“Sleeping well is key,” says Ryan West of Bend, Ore.
SOUVENIR
Big Island fun Among the many keepsakes sold at
kes sold at
Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau NationalNational Historical Park on Hawaii are handwoven pandanus-leaf fi sh (three inches, $5 each). W hula, food, canoe rides, and more fi ll a free cultural fes- tival this June 30 and July 1. (808) 328-2326,
nps.gov/puho
ii ar af fi sh
Weavings, nd s-
y 1. uho. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAEL KLEIN AAA I VIA 15
“I ask for an upper fl oor at my hotel and take the stairs,” says Cheryl Barker of San Jose.
“B wa Re
“Be sure to drink plenty of water,” says Denise Wilson of Redding, Calif.
“Remember to enjoy,” says Lee Misner of Fresno, Calif.
Mis
➤ How do you share your travel adventures? Email us at otr
otr@viamagazine.com. We’ll sen
send you $25 if we quote you.
OPPOSITE: CHUCK HANEY; TOP LEFT: COURTESY NPS; BOTTOM: KEVIN CANDLAND
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