So how do you know if your outdoor friends are good allies? And what do you do if they’re not? Here are seven reasons why they may be taxing the hell out of your emotional health.
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Creating balance in your life can be tricky. Here are some reflections on my experience creating an amazing balance in my own life—one that takes into consideration work, play, and especially rest—as well as the work it took to get there.
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When it came to winter hiking, I learned that I had to be extra prepared due to how quickly extreme weather could roll in and how easily I could unintentionally put my life in danger.
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Someone very boldly asked me “What is your story? What got you outdoors?” Having been asked that question before, I automatically launched into the short synopsis of my brief outdoor career… I continued on with this neatly packaged story of how I fell in love with the Outdoors in my mid twenties. For so long I absolutely believed this narrative to be true, but looking back I now realize that...I lied.
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We interviewed Los Angeles based mountaineer, Eric Catig, who recently hiked the High Sierra Trail along with four friends.
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At 1 a.m. the next morning they were off to an alpine start; traversing Ingraham Glacier in total darkness while avoiding deep crevasses that could swallow a roped team whole.
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I envision the perfect mountain town with cooler temperatures and easy access to all of my favorite outdoor activities. Surely, happiness is found there. But I also wonder if contentment is hidden in the beauty of my own backyard.
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When I am out at the crag or ‘living my best life’ on a nice mountaintop I feel grateful for the opportunity to experience the world in such a beautiful way—but I also feel shame.
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I cannot remember an exact moment in my life where I was taught to be afraid of white men and to keep my distance from them while playing outside or walking home from the school bus stop […] I didn't know the exact root of the fear, but it felt familiar, finely honed, and legitimate.
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I left my home country Oromia at the age of 12 and immigrated to the Pacific Northwest United States. After saving up enough money I finally went back home at the age of 21. In those years that I was away from home I dedicated my time to learning about the history, the landscape and the culture of Oromia. So when I finally purchased my plane ticket I made a list of all the places that I wanted to visit and one of the places that was on top of my list was the Sof Omar Caves.
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When I walk, climb, jump, and dive I feel like I am not only challenging myself, but paying homage to the people who have struggled so much to pave the way for my own existence, for my own success.
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From this point on things get significantly more strenuous. The down climb to saddle between peak 4 and peak 3 took half an hour and the highly exposed trek to the summit of peak 3 another forty minutes. At this point we were around 6 hours in to the traverse. The remaining 3 miles of the hike took another 11 hours of grueling routing finding and slow climbing.
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I feel like I've seen it all, candy wrappers, empty plastic water bottles, hair ties, socks, underwear, dog poop bags that are full and tied up for the poop fairy to pick up (there isn't one), and guess what else? New and used tampons and condoms! Yep, that's right!
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There’s something magic in the ocean, something calming, something magnetic. You don’t need to be an ocean swimmer or surfer to gain the benefits of that. You just need to get close and listen.
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So to tell the truth I started hiking because it felt like a vacation for me and it was what I could afford at the time. I had such an amazing time and I was able to discover such a beautiful side of the Pacific Northwest and fall in love.
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Looking through outdoor magazines, blogs, and social media I rarely see anyone who looks like me. I’m not talking about race...what I don’t see are other skydivers.
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It isn't easy buying gear when you are a student who has sold your soul to Sallie Mae or when you’re just starting at your first job. The hustle is real at times...
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Solo backpacking is life lived on your own terms. You are free to come and go at your will and dial the difficity to the level you want. You are experiencing life boiled down to its purest form, with nothing but your shoes, your wits, and your thoughts to guide you through your journey.
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Are you a Woman of Color who loves the Outdoors? Want to be featured in a video project that's all about your goals and accomplishments? Melanin Base Camp is teaming up with Brown Girls Climb on Project Diversify Outdoors to highlight the accomplishments of Women of Color in the Outdoors.
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Utah is full of epic natural beauty; there are a total of five National Parks within the state. This past Labor Day weekend, I visited Zion and Bryce Canyon.
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