Solo Hiking the John Muir Trail: Fear and Moving Forward
words and photos by Karen Looney-Patterson :: Would I be able to hear an approaching cougar? What about a coyote? A bear? Yosemite Valley is renowned for its over-eager bears. What would I do if a bear came after me? My thoughts get interrupted as the muted grey sky breaks open, and rain begins to fall. I'm hiking [...]
At My Own Pace: A Journey to Spinal Cord Recovery
words and photos by Aubrey Moore :: In a past version of myself, I was convinced of my own immortality. Other people got sick and hurt. Not me. I sustained some injuries and illnesses before, but usually I felt on top of the world. I was physically active: I ran, hiked, swam, biked to and from the grocery [...]
A Bigger Backyard: Connecting Indoor to Outdoor Privilege
words by Lynn Lieu. Photo by Kimberly Lieu Kulak Photography :: I was around 5 years old when I experienced my first stressful situation. I remember staring at the washing machine for the entire hour it ran. The hum. The rumble. The repetitive beating of the cycle. The anxiety that came with not knowing whether he would be [...]
Fear in the Outdoors: Climbing on Through Acceptance
words and photos by Roanne Van Voorst :: I was trembling. I was excited to be climbing for the first time, but there was one problem: My body wasn’t on board. This was true fear in climbing. I felt sick to my stomach and so dizzy that I could hardly see where I was going. When I safely [...]
Mountains of Mind: Balancing Mental Health Through a Love of Adventure
words by Adrienne Pastula; photo above by Dave McCollum :: Of all the mountain faces to view as ordinary, I never thought I’d count the Matterhorn among them. The Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland is objectively gorgeous. It’s tall and chiseled, continually tempting many into climbing its summit. I frequently caught myself staring at photos of it with a [...]
Home Is Where the Heart Is: A Journey Out of the Last Wilderness
words and photos by Ann Olsson :: There’s something about packing your bags and leaving a place close to your heart, knowing you’ll never live there again. This is how I felt in May of 2016 when I made the journey out of the wilderness surrounding Fairbanks, Alaska and into the relatively big city of Madison, Wisconsin. At [...]
OWA Review: Outdoor Research Women’s Hemispheres Jacket
What: Outdoor Research Women’s Hemispheres Jacket Where to buy: backcountry.com, moosejaw.com, outdoorresearch.com, rei.com, amazon.com, amazon.co.uk Perfect for: outer shell for active pursuits (working your way up the skin track, snowy or windy winter hikes) *Note: I'm part of Outdoor Research’s #ORInsightLab, a team of testers who voluntarily share their findings after testing product. The #ORInsightLab testers are not asked to publish positive [...]
Rappelling Out of Control: Learning to Let Go and Accept the Unexpected
words and photos by Sara Amish :: I wasn’t worried. I'd been rappelling before. Sure, this one was a little bigger than what I was used to, but not by much. Just last year, I did a 35-meter rappel into Lost and Found Canyon in Utah's Arches National Park, marking my introduction into the world of canyoneering. Now [...]
Creating Inclusive Outdoor Spaces as a Female Park Ranger
Andrea Willingham is a former park ranger with the U.S. National Park Service. In this piece, she reflects on what it means to be a female park ranger in the NPS and the importance it holds for women in outdoor spaces. Photo: Wesley Lucas; words + all other photos by Andrea Willingham :: “I’m now officially a park [...]
Falling is Progress: Lead climbing lessons in Patagonia’s Piedra Parada
words and photos (unless otherwise credited) by Sarah Johnson :: Javi was doing a handstand in the middle of the highway when we finally caught a ride. He, my boyfriend (Thibault), and I were hitchhiking from Bariloche, Argentina to Piedra Parada, located further down Route 40. The area, which means “Standing Stone” in English, is one of [...]
Climbing Gokyo Ri: The Pain and Joy of Himalayan Dreams
words and photos by Meg Atteberry :: The morning sun shines through the teahouse windows as my climbing partner, John, and guide, Krishna, enjoy a hard-earned breakfast. Spirits are soaring after summiting Nepal’s 17,775-foot Gokyo Ri, but my insides feel like they are being processed through a meat grinder. I poke listlessly at my food. With every passing [...]
From Sea Level to Kilimanjaro
words by Katrin Meiusi :: Our bus screams to a stop at the end of the winding dirt road lined with tin houses and littered with kids kicking dusty soccer balls. Through the fog, I can make out the gate marking the beginning of Kilimanjaro National Park. I glance back at my four sisters in the seat behind [...]
“Yes, sure?”: Committing to Experiences in a New Land
A knock on the door of the Moroccan riad woke us late at night. Along with the four other women I was with, I was sure it was the final member of our all-women’s team, finally arriving on our second night in the country. As the other guests slept, we ran across the courtyard to let her in. But [...]
The Acceptance of Failure: Misadventures in Nepal
It was 8 a.m. and my shirt was already saturated. With nowhere else to go, the sweat flowed down my back and chest, soaking the pads of my pack. I could feel my feet sliding around in the swamp of my boots, my hard-earned calluses sloughing off in the inescapable humidity. I hadn't seen my alleged "hiking partner" in an [...]
Roots Run Deep: Reclaiming the Black Outdoor Experience through Family History
The smells of honeysuckle and barbecue linger in the humid air as a spring thunderstorm lights up the sky. I was planted in these Arkansas conditions. Called the "Natural State" because of its clear water, rivers, lakes, wildlife, bayous, and mountains, Arkansas is where my roots run deep, and where my connection with nature began. There was a time when being [...]