Cultivating bravery: Choosing the harder thing
My friend and I leaned hard against the tilting boat, pushing back against the fierce winds whipping the Potomac. As the boat capsized and my head went beneath the surface,…
Walking on Water
Once upon a time, actually in 2009, I celebrated my graduation with giving myself a very special present: 3 weeks in a surf camp in Bali. Ever since, my life…
Dear girl: On this Inauguration Day
Dear Girl, Today is a historic day. I wish I didn’t know that. God, wasn’t it so much easier to be 12? All I remember from that time is dirt…
“Unbound” – Steph Jagger’s skiing Blizzard of Oz
Strangers in bars and on chair lifts constantly asked Steph Jagger what was the current record for most vertical feet skied in a year. They assumed she’d know the answer…
Respect the elements
Caught again. I stand on top of a pass in slamming hail, frozen rain, wind, and we make, (yet another) mental note—another precisely timed, mid-afternoon Colorado mountain monsoon—insert: Don’t get…
Standing in a Dress on Top of the World: Jessica Ary and the High Fashion Project
The spectrum of human emotion is a complex, vast, beautiful thing. The majority of us spend our time coasting somewhere along the midline, bumping along sweet little highs and experiencing…
“The Antarctic Book of Cooking and Cleaning: A Polar Journey” – Review
At first glance, “The Antarctic Book of Cooking and Cleaning” sounds like a guidebook for those interested in heading to the continent. It’s not. Instead, the beautifully bound book is 1/3 history…
My Portuguese Hike
Breathe in deep. Feel the coolness of the air moving in slowly through your body. Exhale long and slow, relaxing every muscle. It’s going to be ok you can do this,…
Am I too old to hang?!
A friend of mine, who is currently 29, tagged me on Facebook for a girl’s getaway. It would be a weekend in Utah full of mountain biking, socializing, yoga, rock climbing…
Charlotte Austin – There must always be coffee
It’s 1 a.m. on the day of a summit attempt and Charlotte Austin can smell the cold. The thought of leaving her warm sleeping bag and putting on a freezing…