Your trials did not come to punish you, but to awaken you. ~ Paramahansa Yogananda Stepping onto the trailhead to Grandeur Peak I had a head-full of thoughts swirling through my mind. My hiking buddy for the day was Indy, a border collie with unique red merle coloring. He belongs to a former boyfriend, so his presence also brought …
Photo escape: A second look at Many Glacier Valley
Sometimes the best images aren’t the first ones we notice. Tonight I decided to go back through my shots of Glacier National Park looking for “second round” picks. I was surprised at the great captures I hadn’t paid attention to initially. If you’re not familiar, Many Glacier Valley is on the east side of the park. While you can see …
My first taste of backcountry telemark skiing
Free the heel, free the mind… I didn’t think I would like skiing, now I dream about it. The joy of skiing wasn’t immediate when I took lessons in January. The first two days really challenged me and I wasn’t completely thrilled with being around so many people. Part of that issue had to do with the beginner slopes I …
Hiking Devil’s Garden, Arches National Park
The entrance into Arches National Park is less assuming than others I’ve visited. The signage and buildings meld into the landscape so well, I almost drove right past. After paying my fee, I drove the switchbacks up the hillside and leveled off in another world. Red dirt, stone towers and erosion-carved cliffs opened up before me and it was all …
Closing day at Brighton Ski Resort: Costumes, dummies and snowsports
As a kid, I was the wallflower sitting in the corner of the classroom. Well, for the brief period of time I wasn’t living on a boat being home schooled…. Okay, on to my point, I’m not naturally outgoing, I have to work at it. That said, few things make me more uncomfortable than dressing up in a costume. Seriously, …
Photo escape: Wet spring hiking
Snow melt swells streams as temperatures warm in the spring, especilly in steep canyons. This weekend my sister and I hiked up Mule Hollow in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside of Salt Lake City. The crossed a small stream no less than 10 times each direction…we quit counting. Laura shot this photo on our way back down the trail so we were on …
First hike of spring: Mount Wire via The Living Room, Salt Lake City
I’m not in Florida anymore. Standing atop a retired beacon tower at the summit of Mount Wire, my view spanned from the Wasatch Range across Salt Lake City west to the Oquirrh Mountains. Then the realization hit me, this is my new home. Our hike up started at a trailhead located on the east side of the University of Utah …
Photo escape: Appalachian Trail Hwy 64 to the NOC
Whenever I’m going through a tough time, I run for the hills. Literally. Most every major life decision I’ve made happened over the course of a long walk. Nearly three years ago, going through a divorce, I headed off to the Appalachian Trail feeling the need to walk off some heartache. Spring hiking in the North Carolina mountains has been …
Photo essay: Brighton Ski Resort, Utah
Utah’s Brighton Ski Resort attracts a laid-back mix of snowboarders and skiers. It was the first mountain in Utah to allow snowboarders and caters to them to this day, so no snobbery here. It also features terrain for all abilities, offers child-care for families, and night skiing is available in the park and pipe areas. I enjoyed watching all of …
Seven new outdoor products that have my attention
Outdoor recreation manufacturers converged on Salt Lake City recently for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market (ORWM). They brought their newest and best products, some never seen on store shelves, to entice retail-store buyers. They also brought killer swag, costumes, elaborate booths, food, and a number of epic after-hours parties. The Active Explorer crew attended to get a look at the …