Hiking

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.

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

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

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 Es

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