According to the all-knowing Urban Dictionary (which I never in a million years thought I would be citing), a “Jackwad” is defined as follows: ” A person containing the attributes of both a “Jack ass” and a “Dick wad”. Having a inept attitude or ignorance.” ” The term Jack Wad is used to describe an uneducated, moronic, ******, with absolutely no regard for any other person. This term is mostly used to describe a law breaker or other low life…
Back in March, I made a list of 10 things I had learned about living over 9000ft. Well, summer is here now, so I’ve added a few more life lessons onto the list. Here’s the original list, plus a few new additions: Hydrate!! You’ll regret it if you don’t. Follow the high altitude baking directions. If you don’t have any, make up your own. Cooking everything takes much longer (see above) and you’re 80% likely to either undercook it…
One of the biggest risks in the wilderness in the summer is one of nature’s coolest phenomenon: Lightning! I was super terrified of lightning when I was little, until I turned 4 and my dad put me on his shoulders one day and made me hang out in the garage to watch it. Now I think it’s the coolest! One of the keys to being safe on a mountain in a thunderstorm is to know how lightning works. If you…
A lot of folks asked me how I got involved in the outdoors. Most folks assume that I grew up with it like Brian did. If you’ve ever met my family, you’d know there is NO WAY I was genetically inclined. I was raised outside Washington, DC. Camping meant taking the RV for the weekend when I was growing up. Despite this, I still loved being outside. I played in the woods and built forts and campsites. I was a…
The sun is out, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming and the mud is drying. Add it all up and summer is here and it’s time to bust out those hiking boots! That means it’s time to get your gear organized, so you can grab-n-go and get out on the trail quicker! I am a follower of the Girl Scouts’ motto, “Always be prepared.” So what are some things you should hike with, so that you are prepared for…
I was an athlete for a long time. I rowed all through high school and college, with the latter being a very intense, DI program at the University of Tennessee. We trained. A lot. Amazingly, despite the fact that I graduated 13 years ago, I am still very close friends with many of my teammates. So why has that bond held on so long? I firmly believe in the power of friendship that grows out of mutual experience, especially sweating…
I had an interesting run-in over this holiday weekend. It was a great reminder of everything you SHOULDN’T do. Travel in the wilderness, especially in high-altitude mountains, requires a certain respect for mother nature. You never know when she will turn on you and you should always be prepared for her to do so! In the outdoor world, it’s known as Wilderness Risk Management. Plan for the worst. 99% of the time, you won’t have to deal with it. That…
Ok – I’m a backpacker, so I’m not super picky about my water. It doesn’t need to be cold, just wet. It doesn’t need to taste like cucumbers or lemon, as long as it doesn’t taste like it’s been in the bottle for days. I picked up the mega-sized 40 oz Hydro Flask out of curiosity after hearing they were made in one of my favorite spots: Bend, Oregon. First off – I really SHOULD have been pickier about my…
So full disclosure – I spent over 6 years working for Title Nine. Out of every piece of gear that I collected over that time (that’s a LOT of gear… my closet is stuffed!), the Double-Time V-Tee was my favorite piece. EVER. It’s the first technical shirt I’ve ever had that actually looked cute and not like I stole it out of my husband’s closet. It’s got a subtle V-neck… not enough to allow your chest to sunburn, but enough…
This is my first foray into blogging. I decided to call it “A Mountain Happy Place.” Why? Well there’s my obvious love for the mountains. My hubby and I recently packed up our whole lives and moved away from our jobs, friends and the amazing community we had around us in Portland, OR. We decided to go on an adventure and relocate to the mountains of Summit County, Colorado. Why Colorado? We had no connections here, no friends… but we DO love the mountains. Summit…