Brian’s 17-year old niece, Hannah, was recently here visiting us in Colorado. I can’t do a ton of activity on my ankle yet, but we took her stand-up paddleboarding and whitewater rafting. It was important to me to get her out to experience some new things she might not have the chance to do at home. I want her to love the mountains just as much as I do. I believe role models can be a powerful force in the…
In 2013, Brian and I were visiting friends and family in Montana. One of my all-time bucket list climbs for Montana is a burly mountain called Great Northern. It stands just beyond the southern edge of Glacier National Park rises to 8,705 ft. It’s the tallest peak in the Great Bear Wilderness, so the views into Glacier from the peak are fantastic. The trail isn’t maintained, or even marked. It’s kind of a local’s secret, so is more of a…
As I sat outside, alone by the fire this evening, my dog sat with his ears perked up, staring off into the darkness. He was probably just listening to a squirrel or something, but it freaked me out that a moose was going to pop out of the bushes. When you are alone, you tend to “hear” things you wouldn’t normally. Which got me thinking back to some of the best creepy backcountry tales that friends have shared with me…
We have been living in Summit County, CO for the last 10 months. It’s been fantastic on a lot of different levels. It truly is our Mountain Happy Place. The big downer, however, has been finding a place to live. I read somewhere that only 30% of the actual population of Summit County actually lives here full-time. The rest are second homeowners and vacation rentals (mostly from Texas). When we sold our house in Portland, it went blessedly quick. Because…
A while ago, I wrote about “Wilderness Jackwads” and how crazy they make me. So I figured I should address the idea of Leave No Trace… What is Leave No Trace? Leave No Trace is an ethical code of conduct for anyone exploring the wilderness or really doing any outdoor activities. Leave No Trace is also a non-profit that was founded as part of a conservation educational program by multiple government agencies in the early 90s. Why should you care…
I remember when Brian and I switched health insurance a few years ago, looking specifically at which plan had the best emergency medical coverage. Because it turns out, playing the mountains has a little bit higher risk of injury! Of course, we always work to manage and minimize risk, but sometimes part of the fun is taking a few risks. As I write this, I’m lying here icing my foot with crutches propped up nearby. I spent three hours in…
Let’s face it: No matter how much you love backpacking or camping, sleeping on the hard ground is, well, hard. Really hard. It was way easier when I was younger and a full-time outdoor junkie. These days, I’m a 30-something, post-baby, weekend-warrior. Between a husband who snores and a 1-year-old who thinks it’s time to party at 2am, I barely sleep through the night in my own bed, much less in my tent. Add in my curvy hips, digging into…
This past weekend, I finally got back outside for a little overnight backpacking trip with Brian and Scotty dog. The last year was a little crazy for us with work, travel and moving to CO, so we haven’t been backpacking since an amazing long weekend trip in 2013. That year, we spent 4 days backpacking the southern and western slopes of Mt Adams in Washington. We didn’t see a single soul the entire trip, until the last 1/4 mile of…
I’m usually one of those people who turns up their nose at the thought of just DRIVING through a National Park. I love hiking. I love camping. I love to smell the air and feel the breeze. I want to really experience what makes an area special and DO something. I want a spectacular view and the chirping of birds and the light scent of wildflowers in the air. Mostly, I love to get away from the crowds and enjoy…
Change is the spice of life. And trying something new is the heart of adventure. Well, during my summer of (f)unemployment I am gonna try a few new things! For my first adventure, I decided to try the Stand Up Paddleboarding craze. It’s the fastest growing water sport and has been tremendously popular. I did some research and it sounded like it was easy to pick up, but I was still reluctant to go out on my own and just figure…