The first clue I had a problem was that, after two months, I hadn’t unpacked any boxes because I was waiting for a rainy day – not fully comprehending I had moved to a desert. Then there was the issue that I had no social life. After moving to Salt Lake City I noticed that, now that I had a …
Wildflowers overtake Alta Ski Area – photos document colorful invasion
An invasion of plant life dressed in bright uniforms of red, purple, yellow, pink and white took over the Alta Ski Area this summer. A contingent of hummingbirds and bumblebees provided additional support to the assault… Okay, I’ll stop with the silliness. “Stunning, vibrant, and off the rails,” are a few of the terms I’ve heard used to describe the …
Solo expression: Challenge Buttress
Rarely do we get to express ourselves as purely as we’d like to but when it does happen, it’s truly a thing of beauty! Recently, many things have been put into an intricate perspective for me and I am continually learning how grow with them. It seems all too often we get trapped in a negative space when others aren’t …
Christmas Ski Holidays: Top Five Festive Options
It may still be the summer but it’s scary how quickly Christmas can creep up on you and if you want this festive season to be an unforgettable one, you could consider one of the all inclusive ski holidays that are available to book online at the moment. The mountains are a perfect choice for a family holiday during the …
Photo escape: Solo climb swing
The outdoors has long been my place of solace, the place where I go to work through emotions or simply revel in gratitude. Typically, I need to be solo to reap those benefits. The Active Explorer’s new climbing contributor, Brandon Aegerter, has also expressed a need for solo time in his post Climbing: From personal challenge to a way of …
Photo escape: A smokey sunset in Millcreek Canyon
Fires near Salt Lake City have filled the valley with an unpleasant haze recently. Last night after dinner, my friend and I drove to the top of Millcreek Canyon, mostly to correct he fact that I had never been there. To our surprise, the visit was timed perfectly to catch a sunset made more dramatic by smoke in the atmosphere. …
Blogger seeks a balanced life and finds a new destination
The world can not be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey…very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be home. ~ Wendell Berry Is your life so busy it’s out of balance? Harder question, do you really want a …
Gratitude on the Triple Falls Trail, Oregon
The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. ~ Albert Einstein A self-indulgent whim hit me and I hit purchase on a flight to Portland, Oregon. Thoughts of cooler temps and a visit to Columbia Sportswear’s headquarters filled my head. I’d seen photos of hikes in the Columbia River Gorge area and it looked surreal. On …
Free to fall: The Psicobloc Masters Series climbing competition
Wearing neither a harness nor rope, the climber stretched her arm toward the distant hold using every muscle in her body to stay connected to the overhanging wall. Gravity won, pealing her off the wall to a splash landing in a pool 30-feet below. Shortly after, another climber reached the top of the 50-foot wall only to leap off voluntarily. …