Stories From The Mountain

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? There is a quote by  John Muir about the mountains that is so lovely but has turned into quite the cliche, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”  This to me, sums up how I feel about nature in general, that nature is calling, and I MUST go. I grew up in a small cow town with a picturesque view of Mt. Rainer out the living room window - I remember climbing onto my window sill and craning my neck to peek out of my bedroom window to get a glimpse at this majestic mass always looming in the distance, one that made me feel grounded and at home....

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hello, my name is Justin Potter, I’m a photographer currently living outside of Charlotte, NC. I grew up in Northern California mountains where my friends and I spent every free minute we could either riding our bikes on some trails or exploring the woods. We moved away from the Mountains when I was around 9, I didn’t have the mountains to play in but I still found myself always outside. So my love for the outdoors is one of those things that's always been a part of my life. When I was 21, I moved from Northern California to North Carolina for school. I never really planned on staying in...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi, my name is Morgan and I’m a part time hiker, backpacker, camper, and full time steward of the outdoors. I grew up on five acres of land in what used to be a small town outside of Sacramento and my first memories of the outdoors were made on this property. I’d put on my tall rubber boots and stampede over creek bridges, roll down grassy hills until my hair stood up straight, and pick copious amounts of pomegranates and apricots from the fruit trees that lined the fences. The 13 years spent here served as a foundation of feeling connected to land, but my love for nature really took...

Sarina Clark Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? I did not grow up hiking. I grew up in the city in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My extent getting outside as a kid was limited with more time watching TV than soaking in the sun. As I got older, I got into running outside year round and got into distance running, running 4 half-marathons. I got into hiking after moving to Washington state and experienced mountains really for the first time. I was hooked. One of the first hikes I did after moving to Washington was at Mt. Rainier. We did a loop hike and experienced summer in the alpine at it’s prime. The alpine flowers were blooming, all...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? My Name is Tom Kahler I’m a 24 year old outdoor and adventure photography from the UK. Over the last few years I’ve collected a ton of good memories from all over the world either on commercial shoots or personal adventures. Hiking has been a big part of my life as it’s often the gateway to good photos. Growing up in Sheffield next to the Peak District some of my earliest memories were scrambling over the famous rocks at Stanage Edge well known for some of the UK’s best climbing. My roots for the outdoors were definitely set in by my parents taking me out for many summers evening spent...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi, my name is Stacia Glenn and I was raised in the San Diego area! Our family didn't get outside much at home, but every summer my parents would take my sister and I on a cross-country road trip where we would camp and hike along the way.  My hiking picked up quite a bit during college and I spent many weekends and every long break hiking and backpacking in Yosemite National Park.  When I was in my 20s, I decided to quit my job and move to Washington state so I could find more balance in my life. The mountains provided that. Almost immediately, new friends took me rock...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? My name is Michael, but most people know me as Grizzly. I’m a long distance backpacker who occasionally has to work to finance my next adventure.  I was born and raised in a small town in Michigan and grew up outdoors playing sports and fishing. Hiking wasn’t a thing where I grew up, and I had never been camping until I was in my early 20s. I had always loved the outdoors and certainly never backed down from a physical challenge, but what was the point in just walking in the woods? Sure occasionally I would go on a nature walk with my mom growing up, but hike up a...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? I am Ngaa Tenji Sherpa, born in a remote village of Nurbuchaur, Makalu, Nepal, at the base of Mt. Makalu. My father and mother were simple farmers. There was a very informal learning center at our village and as a small kid I would attend classes once or twice a week, spending the rest of my time helping my parents in the fields and herding sheep. Our village is surrounded with the view of majestic mountains, which always left me captivated even as a child. On the way to Everest Base Camp   Almost at the summit of Mt. Everest Radio was the only source of entertainment and information. I...

Howard Dracup - Credits to Chris Bland Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi, My names Howard I’m 35 years old & I was born in a little village called Whitworth just outside of Lancashire in the UK. Whitworth is amongst the foothills of the Pennines so there’s lots of nice hills, fields, rivers & streams. It’s a beautiful place but there’s no real mountains here- just things we call “fells”.  A fell is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain range or moor-covered hills. So I think growing up and playing out as a child I subconsciously had a growing connection with nature. A connection I didn’t know I would have a...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Growing up in seven states, I have done my fair share of traveling and exploring. I was born in Seattle, WA, then lived in Puerto Rico, New Mexico, Minnesota, Northern Virginia, Montana, and now Utah. As a kid, I remember my parents taking us kids hiking and camping, and have always loved those memories and adventures. It wasn't until I was in college that I started adventuring on my own. I lived in Northern Virginia at the time, and there aren't many hikes in that area. However, I made the most of it, and frequently hiked at Great Falls National Park. Don’t be afraid to just go. All kinds of...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hello there! I’m Jessi, avid adventurer and lover of all things outdoors. I’m pretty sure I was born with a love for nature and outdoor exploring. I was born in a very small town in the middle of nowhere in Utah. My entire childhood is packed full of memories that all include camping, hiking, traveling to state and national parks, and sledding/snowboarding down some back-country mountains every winter. I’ve always been the type of person that has a hard time staying indoors. I honestly believe that getting outside as much as possible is the key to staying sane in this crazy world. There’s something about fresh air, solitude, and pushing...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? I’m Samantha, extreme jogger and lover of all things trails and mountains. I started hiking as a young child. My dad would take me and I HATED it! We laugh about it now but I would cry on the trails because I was so miserable. I didn’t like any kind of exposure at all. Even the smallest drop off scared me.  The hike I remember doing the most was Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. I now go back there from time to time and hike to the top of the falls and beyond and it always feels like home. I was soaked and sunburned by the end but...

Jules Cornelius Hello! Who are you and where are your riding roots? I grew up in the Phoenix AZ desert and would spend hours with my brother riding around on dirt roads near our house. I always wanted to get outside and explore, but it was not a huge part of my upbringing. I really got into the outdoors and mountain biking when I moved down to Tucson to go to college.  During my sophomore year or college, I bought a Bianchi road bike and LOVED being out on a bike. I started riding every day, joined the University of Arizona cycling team, got a job in a bike shop...and was hooked. I always wanted to be out on the...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi, my name is Lauren LaRocco and I’m a professional distance runner and avid outdoors gal. I primarily race the 5k and 10k on the track and the roads. Much of my training takes place out on trails though. I’ve had a love for nature, sunshine, and fresh air for as long as I can remember. I grew up biking along the American River in northern California, and hiking in South Lake Tahoe. I loved the extra challenge from the thin air in Tahoe, and the way my heartbeat would pick up as I traversed the switchbacks of Mt. Tallac. My parents are not athletic, but I definitely inherited a...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi! My name is Theresa. I was born and raised in Southwest Washington, but I’m currently based out of Portland, Oregon. I work as a music teacher during the week and spend my weekends and weekday mornings hitting the trails and getting into the alpine. My favorite place is the North Cascades, and my favorite mountain/second home is Mount Hood. Although I’m fairly active as a trail runner and climber nowadays, I didn’t really grow up experiencing the great outdoors. Despite living in a state brimming with natural wonders, getting outside and into the mountains wasn’t a priority in my family. It wasn’t until I moved back to the Pacific...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hey there! I’m Deirdre. I live in the San Juan Mountains in a tiny house with my husband and our dog. We live a very rural lifestyle and have become very self-reliant, getting into homesteading a bit and doing whatever we need to do in order to maintain a lifestyle that lets us live freely. I think when most people learn those things, they assume I jumped on the tiny house craze and just enjoy a good hike, when the whole story is actually a lifelong dream of very specific goals. I was raised in Minnesota by a father who was a mountaineer and photographer, and a mother who loved...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hi my name is Zach Eiten and I was raised in Highlands Ranch, CO and now call Golden, CO home. Growing up in the state of Colorado meant hiking, skiing, etc was a way of life and I am lucky to have had the opportunity to get into the outdoors since I can remember.  When I was young my family was primarily a ski family in the sense that most of our mountain activities involved skiing all winter long. My dad moved out to Colorado in the 80’s and worked at Arapahoe Basin and Keystone so we had a definite affinity to the area including Loveland and Breckenridge. Then once...

Photo credit: Jeffrey Furse Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Gee whiz, who am I? Well, I’m Ethan - long trail walker, amateur photographer, wilderness therapy guide, awkward introvert, and weirdo extraordinaire. I hale from the Atlanta suburbs where I grew up in the poor neighborhood of an affluent community. I remember feeling deeply ashamed of my humble socioeconomic roots and working as hard at being invisible among my peers as I worked at being successful in school. Not having a sense of self, I believed that I was only as valuable as what I owned and only as worthy as what I had achieved. I excelled in academics, pouring myself into books and formulas. Driven...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hey there! My name is Brayden Weeks and I am a travel, adventure, and outdoor commercial photographer based in Twin Falls, Idaho. I grew up half of my life in Salt Lake City, Utah, which was my first exposure to big mountains and the outdoors since the Wasatch Mountains were right there. Growing up I did quite a bit of outdoor activities in Boy Scouts, from small camping trips to backpacking in the backcountry. Though being the kid I was, I didn’t particularly enjoy the outdoors as much as I should have. Now, the outdoors is where I can find solitude, personal growth, spiritual growth, and true creativity. It wasn’t...

Hello! Who are you and where are your hiking roots? Hello! My name is Amy Zamora and I am a research scientist, trail ultra runner, and mountaineer from Allentown, PA (just north of Philly), currently residing in Seattle, WA. I am also a SheJumps Snowpack scholarship awardee, a Honey Stinger Ambassador, and an ambassador for Northwest Vibes (an awesome PNW supporting hat company). Interestingly enough, I did not grow up hiking. I lived in a suburban, Pennsylvania town for most of my life where my family and I didn’t really consider ourselves “outdoors people.” However, when I moved out to Seattle, I realized I had been missing out. As a 22 year old in a new city, I wanted to...