The Outdoor Life and Profound Experiences

What life experiences stand out as profound, unusual, or turning points? A great question; one that prompted me to write my book of stories about living in mountain towns.


My first hike was in 1988 when my boyfriend at the time took me on an overnight hike to Mount Lafayette in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I’ve written so many stories from many different perspectives about that first pivotal hike. It changed my life. Once I hiked that first peak, I wanted to hike every peak I saw in the distance. Those days I was running from everything, but hiking a high peak made me feel like I was accomplishing something. I knew that I would be climbing mountains for a very long time. I loved the work it took to get to the top of a mountain.

I loved the views once I got there, that maybe only a few people saw. I loved the companionship of hiking with a friend and the ensuing conversation on the way to the magnificent view. I love the flora and the fauna and the wildlife, I sometimes encountered.

The second profound moment of my life was driving out west, to Colorado; just me, my dog and the open road. I wanted to be a westerner since I was 17 and at 33, I became one. I wanted to know everything about being a westerner: the landscape, its pioneers, its natives, its artists. I fell in love with the landscape, the pioneer history, and the artists of Colorado. I love the adventurous spirit of the people who choose to make a mountain landscape their home.

There are more stories to share and to write; most of the good stories happened when I opened myself up to each experience and just let things happen. Most of them happened while outdoors, or participating in outdoor experiences like hiking, biking, running or skiing. It’s a good life; this outdoor life in the mountains.

Thoughts from a Former Peak Bagger

There are so many times during the year that I think of all the things I want to do some day. I like making lists of all the things I want to do. I haven't been getting to many of them since I'm still working on the list from last year or a decade ago. I keep thinking of all the peaks around Grand County that I still haven't done like Byers and Vasquez. Or even the 14,000 footers that I'd like to do. I've lived in Colorado for almost seven years and haven't done one.

It's about time that I get one done and that is my top goal from next summer: To hike a 14,000 footer. Over the winter I will start planning and reading and learning about hiking them. There's a story in there some where.

Vasquez Wilderness

Here's the story I wrote this year about peak bagging and why I suddenly stopped climbing the big mountains.

I haven't hiked Byers Peak, yet. As an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast living in Grand County for over three years, I'm embarrassed to admit it. The craggy peak taunts me every morning while I drive to work: Hike me, hike me.

Read the rest of the story here: