Walking alone through a silent, frozen forest only to emerge at the precipice of a frigid gorge with cascading waterfalls and biting winds is all at once unsettling and entrancing to my mind. I arrived to the trailhead of Linville Falls and Gorge just at sunrise. The uncleared snowy field that was the parking lot... Continue Reading →
A Sequoia Adventure: The Captivating Forest of Dreams
Some places I wander into in nature captivate my soul in special ways, not just for their beauty and grandeur, but because they whisper into my very being and offer me something that we all need a heavy dose of from time to time, humility. Sequoia National Park was that special place that I recently... Continue Reading →
Humphrey’s Peak: A Test of the Body, Mind, and Spirit [photos]
Humphrey’s Peak has been teasing me ever since I moved to Flagstaff, AZ a couple of months ago. I knew at one point I was going to set out to climb the mighty peak, it was just a matter of when. I have fallen in love with the area since I have been here. Flagstaff... Continue Reading →
Death Valley: Getting Wondrously Lost in the Desolation [photos]
Part of the allure of discovering new places for me is putting myself in environments that are utterly strange and hostile to my normal way of life. I think putting myself in the desolation of deserts and other forms of inhospitable landscapes gives me a unique perspective into not only the diversity of our world... Continue Reading →
My Angel’s Landing Hike: Where Danger and Marvel Collide [photos]
There are moments in nature that test your courage, condense your reality into your most immediate surroundings, and ensnare you in a world of blissful wonder all at the same time. This is how I felt this past weekend hiking Angel’s Landing trail in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. Zion is a canyon oasis... Continue Reading →
Taming the Wavering Mind: Thoughts from Bryce Canyon [photos]
I recently started talking to a therapist about my anxiety and fears through an app called Talkspace. As a side note before we get into things, Talkspace is an app that will find you a licensed therapist best suited to your situation. You can communicate with them through text, audio and video clips, and even... Continue Reading →
Trip to the Grand Canyon: A World of Spectacle and Serenity [Photos]
I live in Flagstaff, AZ now so I had to make my way to the Grand Canyon at some point, being that it is only an hour away. I had heard people talking about it in the past and they always seemed to say the same thing, “It’s indescribable. It’s beyond words.” I half-heartedly took... Continue Reading →
Reverence in a Delicate and Beautiful Oasis [Photos]
Natural beauty and quiet reflection can combine in a way that opens up all the channels of our minds and allows us to take in the world for what it truly is, a delicate, fragile paradise. It is like stepping out of the cave for the first time and opening one’s eyes to the vastness,... Continue Reading →
An Adventure Through Sand: Finding Purpose in the Endlessness [Photos]
Sometimes nature takes ahold of you, embraces you, rattles you, and unexpectedly transforms your consciousness in new and profound ways. I try to share some of my nature adventures because spending more time in nature has been shown to increase happiness and overall life satisfaction and I want to encourage others to never stop exploring... Continue Reading →