My skin is very light and I dread the prospect of slathering on sunscreen and the amount I'd have to carry into the backcountry would weigh more than all my other toiletries combined. So the search for the perfect sun hoodie was an important quest for my backpacking and hiking kit. You won't believe how many sun hoodies I've tried this spring to get just the right one for hiking the JMT/Nüümü Poyo this summer! My initial requirements for the perfect sun hoodie included the fo

Outside my Big 3, which are the basics of a tent, backpack, sleeping system (bag & pad), my next heaviest collection of gear is my medical stuff—fridge, solar panel, and back-up battery. When I told my hiking buddies last summer that I was bringing my fridge for medication they all say they assumed it would look like a fridge and couldn't imagine how I would carry it, lugging a big box up the hills in the backcountry. See the fridge? It looks like a metal water bottle bottle

I've been planning to backpack the John Muir Trail, also known in Paiute as Nüümü Poyo or the "People's Trail," for three years now. But it's been elusive each time. And this year is no exception...I'm now planning for next summer! What's different this time is that it isn't my body that is not cooperating. Instead, it's my husband's. A really bad sprain and ligament tear is putting our plans on hold for this summer. Last year it was my stress fracture and the year before it

Things to see and do in the desert. There's something about Death Valley that fascinates me. Maybe because it is both one of the lowest elevation locations and one of the hottest places I've ever visited. I think it's mostly because there is just so much open space. And the combination of mountains, and flatlands, and dunes makes for a unique dessert landscape. It can be a little daunting to think about a visit for those who haven't been because it can seem so austere. But th

I've just received my instructor certification from Leave No Trace! And I'm excited to share the 7 Principles and why they matter to me. As I learned about these during the training and as I consider how I try to live them in my wilderness (and not so wilderness) experiences, I find that they are far less about following a rule and much more about being respectful and participating in outdoor activities with an ethic of care. I also find that they often translate nicely as me

Many people with OA worry that staying active will speed or cause damage to the joints, but research does not support that.

An introduction to mindful walking. I’ve been thinking about walking and wayfinding for a few years now. I wrote a book about mindful walking (Walking & Wayfinding: Create Your Own Mindful Practice, One Step at a Time ISBN #979-8990113404) and I have been contemplating what that means on most of my walks since then! What I think is great about walking mindfully, is that I don’t believe it needs to be far, for a really long time, or even has to be in nature. Mindful walking ca

Some books for you as we head into 2026. This post contains links where I am an affiliate. Clicking on the link and making a purchase means I receive a payment that supports this blog. I love to read about walking (almost) as much as I like walking itself. Here is a wide ranging list of 10 walking books for the new year—something for nearly everyone, really. If you are looking for walking books to read this year, these are some I've found that are cool, interesting, inspiring

Feel far away within a mile of Interstate 5 in California. Looking like a set out of one of the Star Wars films, Annie's Canyon is only a short hike away from the neighborhoods in Solana Beach, in Southern California in north San Diego County. One trail entrance is located just a few blocks from the interstate freeway exit, so getting there is a cinch. Slot canyons are formed by water eroding away rock, often sandstone since it is softer. You can almost imagine the water rush

The best part of my (mostly) daily walks is getting outside. When I go out for a walk I am outside of my small office, which sometimes feels confining, and into a much larger, open expanse. Clouds, a breeze, trees, and sidewalks often feel more welcoming than my desk! Without walls and a roof, my walks themselves become the containers for my experience, finite in time and infinite in possibility. I imagine them like the Mason jars my mom and gramma used to make jam...they get

Before you set out on your longer backpacking adventure, find a place to try out all your gear before you are too far out in the backcountry to change anything! Recently, I went on an overnight with a friend new to backpacking to test out her gear and see what adjustments she might want to make before she heads out with her daughter in the High Sierra. Afterwards, we enjoyed the view from the Shake Shack! On a gear test hike you are gauging a few things, but most especially h

And how I had to learn some patience. Three and a half months after my total hip replacement surgery I found myself at the General Store in Kennedy Meadows, CA, a resupply place along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the High Sierra mountain range in California. My first backpacking trip post-hip replacement surgery. While most everyone we met along the trail were headed to their next stop along the PCT, my husband I were hiking five miles and calling it a day. I was a little

Get started with a weekend get-away.

What every hiker needs on the trail! Basics vs. Essentials—what’s the difference? When you think of what’s essential for a hike you might think good shoes and a daypack. Those are some of the basics for being comfortable on the trail along with clothing and socks that wick moisture. In addition to the basics for a good experience, the essentials are meant to keep you safe in the outdoors. What in the past was a list of 10 specific items to bring along, the list of the 10

The Silver Lake stairs are known for their brightly painted steps! Step back in time as you explore the staircases that were created when streetcars took people to and from work. The stairs in Silver Lake were built to help commuters navigate the hilly neighborhood in this area northeast of the Los Angeles city center as they made their way to catch the streetcars to downtown. Many of the stairs are open to the public and are regularly maintained by neighbors, keeping their b

I hiked the dunes in Death Valley in early May 2025—what an amazing place! While I was on the sand, I couldn't help but notice the passage of time as the wind swept up the particles so that footprints faded in minutes. And across the vista was a mountain range that grew over eons, a combination of volcanic and seismic activity. Quick change. Slow change. Both were evident. I know for me and for an awful lot of people I work with in coaching conversations, we prefer the quick

I hiked the dunes in Death Valley in early May—what an amazing place! While I was on the sand, I couldn't help but notice the passage of time as the wind swept up the particles so that footprints faded in minutes. And across the vista was a mountain range that grew over eons, a combination of volcanic and seismic activity. Quick change. Slow change. Both were evident. I know for me and for an awful lot of people I work with in coaching conversations, we prefer the quick cha

One of my clients told me they heard somewhere about recognizing that when you say “no” to something, you then make room to say “yes” to...

Last year around this time, I started calling some of the fun things I was doing my "pretend spring break," partly because it made it...

This is the time of year that those of us in the outdoor industry affectionately call the shoulder season. Usually crowds are less but weather for outdoor adventures is still good—before snowfall in the High Sierra, for example. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to go out and enjoy the wonders of nature very much lately. For me this has been, and continues to be, the hip season. I got a hip replacement at the end of June. I’m so grateful I finally did that, especially now t