Hiking & Outdoor Photography & Stories

Experience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico

Posted on February 19, 2024February 24, 2024By Heather

Witnessing Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the World Exploring ruins at Zona arqueológica de Coba Observing Spider Monkeys at Punta Laguna Snorkeling with stingrays and sea … Continue ReadingExperience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Photography from O’ahu, Hawaii in September

Posted on December 23, 2023December 23, 2023By Heather

Family and work travel can be unproductive for many photographers. Fast-paced itineraries and going with the flow of a group make it tougher to spend … Continue ReadingPhotography from O’ahu, Hawaii in September

Adventure Travel Dog-Friendly Domestic Hiking

Mountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

Posted on September 12, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

Something always stands between me and the goats. I haul all my stupid, heavy photography gear on my back for miles into thinning air, hoping … Continue ReadingMountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

River reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

Posted on August 23, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

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 … Continue ReadingRiver reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

Posted on January 2, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

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. … Read More >Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

Domestic Hiking

Western Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Posted on May 21, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

We daydreamed about visiting Badlands area for years. We were drawn by the mystique of its wide open spaces, curious about its strange, striated western … Continue ReadingWestern Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Domestic Hiking

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on March 20, 2022September 10, 2023By Heather

I have been setting my sights on day trip destinations near Kansas City. I’m seeking places to branch out and shoot landscape and wildlife photography. … Continue ReadingLoess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Domestic Hiking

Photography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Posted on November 20, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The Pacific Northwest continues to be one of my favorite parts of the country. On a recent work trip to Seattle, Washington, one of our … Continue ReadingPhotography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Posted on August 31, 2021August 8, 2023By Heather

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 … Continue ReadingHiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Dog-Friendly Domestic Hiking

The 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

Posted on June 26, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

I set two simple outdoor fitness goals this year – hike and summit at least one 14,000-foot peak, and segment hike a 50-miler. I tend … Continue ReadingThe 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

Domestic Hiking

The Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Posted on May 13, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The types of cactus and landscape change as we approach Arizona from New Mexico. The saguaros sparse at first, appearing only occasionally among other cactus … Continue ReadingThe Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on January 12, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

Bryce Canyon in southern Utah is the last of the four national parks I visited on this road trip. (Prior parks: Capitol Reef National Park … Continue ReadingBryce Canyon National Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Capitol Reef National Park

Posted on December 19, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

Capitol Reef National Park was the major destination on my 3-week long national parks road trip. I dedicated the whole day to slow, quiet hiking … Continue ReadingCapitol Reef National Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Perspective at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Posted on November 27, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I booked this Airbnb cottage in Montrose, Colorado because I needed to be close to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. But first, goats. … Continue ReadingPerspective at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Shiras Moose Sighting in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Posted on November 14, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

On the way into Blackhawk, Colorado, where I was staying at a beautiful little cabin in the woods as a home base for my exploration … Continue ReadingShiras Moose Sighting in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

“Humble Peak”

Posted on October 20, 2020August 8, 2023By Heather

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 … Continue Reading“Humble Peak”

Domestic Hiking

Outdoor Attractions at Colorado Springs

Posted on September 30, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I’m sitting in front of a fire in my sweats, under a red, chunky knit blanket. I’m in a drafty and strangely decorated stranger’s house … Continue ReadingOutdoor Attractions at Colorado Springs

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Camping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado

Posted on July 23, 2020August 8, 2023By Heather

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 … Continue ReadingCamping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado

Domestic Hiking

Summer Camping at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas

Posted on June 20, 2019November 20, 2021By Heather

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. … Read More >Summer Camping at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

My First 14er: Pikes Peak, Colorado

Posted on October 7, 2018August 8, 2023By Heather

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, … Continue ReadingMy First 14er: Pikes Peak, Colorado

Domestic Hiking

How to Spend a Long Weekend in San Diego

Posted on March 29, 2018August 25, 2023By Heather

I found myself back in San Diego, California for the second spring in a row for a conference. Last year, my sister-in-law and her three … Continue ReadingHow to Spend a Long Weekend in San Diego

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Desert Hiking Trip to Moab, Utah

Posted on October 10, 2017August 25, 2023By Heather

This was the second leg of my annual solo hiking trip to Utah. I spent the last few days in Salt Lake City and then hit … Continue ReadingDesert Hiking Trip to Moab, Utah

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Visiting Salt Lake City & Park City in September

Posted on September 26, 2017September 3, 2021By Heather

I try to get away every year or two for a hiking-based trip on my own. This year I escaped to spend some quality time … Continue ReadingVisiting Salt Lake City & Park City in September