Posts by Brian Irwin
2024 Upper Connecticut River fly fishing, Tall Timber Lodge visit
We just returned from four days in New Hampshire’s wonderful north country where we spent three nights on Back Lake at Tall Timber Lodge in a lakeside cabin. With our guide, Mickey Cunliffe, we fished the “trophy stretch” of the Upper CT River and the “no kill stretch” of that same river. These stretches string…
Read more...2024 Bolivia medicine and climbing
I’m finishing up a solo trip to Bolivia with the help of my good Peruvian friend Gilf Laurente who outfitted me through Colonia Expeditions (www.coloniaexpeditionsperu.com) There were four goals. First, to revisit a medical clinic in the impoverished village of Chunavi where I started a grassroots clinic in 2003. I wanted to go back to…
Read more...2024 Exumas, Bahamas
Our family just returned from Staniel Cay in the Exumas. We spent the week exploring the island chain on golf carts, boats and on foot. It’s a magical place where most of the 365 islands are uninhabited by humans. Rather there are pods of nurse sharks, wild boars and large Rock Iguanas to visit. A…
Read more...2023 India
We emerged from a trip to India with layover in London upon return. The thrust of our trip was to visit Dodital, a four-day trek to the lake that is the birthplace of Ganesh. That Hindu god, the elephant head god, is revered as the destroyer of obstacles to success. And the lake is full…
Read more...2023 Virgina Fly Fishing
My father used to fly fish in the rivers of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I always envied his trips with his friends but when I was of age he allowed me to join. Last week just my father and I returned to these storied waters. While we both caught fish the most warming part was…
Read more...2023 Colorado skiing
Reid and I are currently snowbound in Durango, Colorado, waylaid at our good friend’s home, the Mathers, we just finished skiing at Silverton Mountain. Silverton is a raw, simple, one lift, 26k acre powder haven complete with helicopter drops. Thereafter we went to Telluride for a great day of skiing and an opulent overnight at…
Read more...2022 Turneffe Island, Belize
Darcie and I just returned from Turneffe Atoll off the coast of Belize. One of only three atolls in this hemisphere, it was a wonderful trip chasing bonefish, permit and tarpon. While the permit would evade us, I came tight on three tarpon and landed one, plus scores of bones. The primary focus of the…
Read more...2022 Cordillera Huyahaush Trek, Peru
We just emerged from an amazing trek in Peru’s most remote mountain range, the Cordillera Huayhuash. Fifty miles, four passes up to almost 16,000 feet and sweeping views everywhere. We were supported by our outfitter, Colonia Adventures out of Huaraz. These folks not only arrange a tight, perfect itinerary, they are also old friends and…
Read more...2021 Berry Islands, Out Islands, Bahamas
We just returned from the Berry Islands. A magical time away from the world. Full of thick bonefish, which often succumbed to sharks, great company and conversation. Thanks so much to Darcie Reed, my post, and Chris Allen, our benevolent friend and charter pilot who made this all possible.
Read more...2021 Guyana expedition
I’ve just returned from five weeks deep in the Guyana jungle where I served as an expedition doctor for a National Geographic trip. The thrust of the mission was to have a team consisting of Mark Synnott, Alex Honnold, Federico Pisani and others pioneer a new trail to, and route up a big wall on…
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