A Pacific Crest Trail Journey: Part 5 By the time Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) northbound thru-hikers reach the state of Washington, they’ve hiked more than 2,100 miles and become seasoned veterans of the vagabond life. That involves hiking an average of 20 miles per day through deserts and over mountains. Stomachs growl and waistlines tighten amid constant hunger. Thunderstorms break up triple-digit heat waves. Swimming in cold ponds and lakes washes off the dirt, partly. Hitchhike to town when you finally reach a road. Gorge yourself, shower, wash your clothes, and pack more food. Then do ..read more

Paulina Peña is a photographer, model and adventurer based in Utah, and travels all over the world for projects and trips. Having worked with brands ranging from Cotopaxi, Backcountry, Title Nine and many more, and being an athlete herself, Paulina shares her wealth of experience in the outdoor industry and how it has shaped her as a person. From working in the outdoor industry as a woman and Chilean, to finding community, and battling stereotypes and self-doubt, Paulina’s story is a unique account of finding yourself and pursuing your passion. This interview is part of a collection of stories ..read more

What Life Looks Like at 18,000ft It was in the summer of 2023 when I set out to travel across the world, on my own. I had just graduated high school and I wanted to do something to push myself. Meeting complete strangers in India to go trekking through the Himalayas seemed like a good bet. After a 24 hour travel period from San Francisco to London, then to Delhi, I finally arrived at my destination in Leh, Ladakh, the northernmost region of India bordering on Nepal. The airport sits at around 11,000ft and is one of the highest in elevation around the world. This makes it challenging to acclima ..read more

Backpacking The High Sierra Trail — Sequoia National Park After approximately 12 hours of driving, we found ourselves car camping just outside of Sequoia National Forest. The summit of Mount Whitney was our goal – the highest peak in the United States, standing at 14,505 feet.  Armed with the Join Muir Laws guide book from the Lodgepole gift shop, we set out on a seven-day journey that unfolded amidst awe-inspiring scenery, unexpected wildlife encounters, and challenging terrains. Our guidebook helped us identify the new species of plants, trees, and animals we saw on our adventure, which ..read more

Finding A Community in the Outdoors Through Art Salt Lake City based artist Lizzie Wenger shares her inspiration behind colorful landscape scenes depicting wild areas across the western US. Infused with activism and adventure, her art brings wild landscapes to viewers in the form of murals and canvas paintings. Lizzie grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has always been drawn to the outdoors and creativity. Up until her later teen years, these two were separate. She’d go climbing and skiing in her free time, then focus on art in school. She didn’t find her community or connect with other women ..read more

30 Miles Through Yosemite Yosemite National Park is home to some of the most incredible climbing and hiking in the country, and getting to see it all is no small feat. Earlier this fall, I set out at 5am to accomplish this bucket list hike with a few key detours along the way. In total, this route was 30.22 miles round trip, which my partner and I accomplished in 17 hours, with 12 hours 48 minutes total moving time. We drove to the valley at 3am, our last stop after camping in the lower Sierras. It was pitch black, yet we were still able to make out the faint outline of these giant rock walls ..read more

Anastasia Allison and the art of the pee cloth Almost three quarters of the people on the planet don’t even use toilet paper, so why do Americans leave it under every rock and bush in our most treasured public lands? Former park ranger and backpacking teacher Anastasia Allison noticed this travesty and fantasized about creating a user-friendly pee cloth and spreading the word to reduce the unsightly mess. But it took a near fatal car accident before she conquered her fears and started a company called Kula Cloth. A proud proclamation Five years later, Kula Cloth produces over 100,000 anti-mi ..read more

A Pacific Crest Trail Journey: Part 3  Crater Lake fills the horizon like a giant blue sapphire. As soon as I spotted the mountain-ringed gem from Mazama Village, I gasped and widened my eyes. The deepest lake in America and the prettiest I’ve seen makes an unforgettable impression. Breakfast gave the scenic treasure a run for its money, though. Among perpetually-famished hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), every mini-mart makes hearts race and restaurants provide cause for celebration. Then there are a few next-level eating experiences that we anticipate for weeks. Crater Lake Lodge ..read more

A Pacific Crest Trail Journey: Part 2 Sugar Foot, Take Five, Bad Sherpa, Mr. Clean, Resilience, All You Can Eat … and Matt? Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers rarely use their real names with each other. Early on their way from Mexico to Canada, most adopt a trail name connected to a funny story or their personality. Trail names help build community and give hikers something to talk about when they meet. I didn’t have one when I started my “North State” (Northern California) section hike at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Because I began in July, I joined the trail halfway through its 2,650 miles ..read more

Light winter promises good hiking on the PCT After a hard day of high-elevation backpacking a dozen miles around Ebbetts Pass, I would have settled for crackers, peanut butter and water. Instead, a group of trail angels I’d never met before invited my companion and me into their roadside camp to enjoy hot cheeseburgers and cold beer. That’s the spirit of the Pacific Crest Trail: mountain-sized challenges balanced by world-class company. The 2,650-mile path between the borders of Mexico and Canada never fails to deliver both.  Some 7,000 hikers tread the path each year, including around 10 ..read more