River reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park
Why would any sane, rational human being leave the comfort of their home with air conditioning and plumbing, strap 40 pounds of gear onto their back, and haul it 10 miles into the wilderness on foot to sleep on the ground, and eat dehydrated food for days? Under threat of bear activity and a “mountain...
Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories
This is a story about defeat, joy, and grief. It is full of adventure and misadventure, with a touch of prescience. Twists and turns. Bathroom humor. Summit season 2022 was unsuccessful, but mountain season was a hit. Buckle up; it's a ride. This year has been a lesson in coping with the unexpected. Every trip...
Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado
Fear has been a consistent companion in my life. At age 10, I negotiated my way out of the deep end of the pool during swim lessons at day camp. I was later than all my friends to take the training wheels off my bicycle. My lifelong friend Molly remembered me as an anxious kid...
“Humble Peak”
I'm terrified of heights. My partner asked me, "Then why do you do it?" (Hike to the top of tall mountains, he meant.) "Because I'm terrified of heights," I replied. All my life, I have lived in a mild state of fear. The fear of plummeting to my death from the edge of a cliff....
Camping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado
We have isolated for months in response to COVID-19. All our trips have are canceled. Work jaunts to cities around the country for speaking engagements tabled. Celebratory vacations for my husband’s 40th birthday and my little brother’s 30th birthday overseas – canceled. It was relatively easy for the first three months to stay isolated, consistently...
Camping & Hiking in Summit County, Colorado
This Summit County, Colorado camping and hiking trip seemed like it had all the odds stacked against it from day one. It’s been more than a year in the making with our friends Lori and Ronnie. Last year, we had to cancel when our dog fell ill. This year, our friends nearly had to cancel,...
Summer Camping at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas
My brother and I have been looking for a good excuse to use all the backpacking gear we invested in (hiking to the top of Pikes Peak was its inaugural journey), so we put a camping trip on the books for White Rock Mountain, Arkansas in the Ozark National Forest. Getting to White Rock Mountain...
My First 14er: Pikes Peak, Colorado
Growing up, I felt like my bond with my brother Cody was close. Granted, our four-year age gap meant that we were in middle school, high school and college at different times, we ran in separate friend groups, and we didn't have much in common. Regardless, I have always felt a deep loyalty to and...