Lonely Planet’s Beautiful World Photo Contest

From the colorful coral in the South Pacific to the ice carved mountains of British Columbia, we live in a beautiful, beautiful world. And right now, Lonely Planet is showing off every inch and corner with a inspiring photo contest and new photo book. Here is my entry for their “Untamed” category: Meandering with Mountains

A Snowy Hike up Granite Mountain

With the year’s first snow accumulation crunching under our feet and melting quickly in the October sun, I climbed, slipped and shimmied to the top of Granite Mountain for amazing views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Mountains with my Everest Base Camp hiking buddies. Taking advantage of the sunny weather this fall in the

Photo Tour: Retracing our Steps to Everest

After days of upward climbing, summitting Kala Pattar and reaching Everest Base Camp, my team and I finally turned around and began the three day journey back down the mountain. With 35+ miles to cover, we hiked eight hours a day to make it back to Lukla and our final goodbyes to the Himalayas.

Everest Base Camp Hike: Kala Pattar

With only 200 feet to climb over boulders and rocks, my body gave up. My legs were sore from the eight days of constant hiking, my lungs tired from 12,000 feet of elevation gain, and my body exhausted from little sleep. I couldn’t go any further. And I couldn’t think of anything else to do

Everest Base Camp

With only a couple meters of elevation left to gin, the bright colored tents started to appear admist the colorless landscape. Tucked in the clouds, mountain rubble and white-blue glacier, the tents popped with viberence like jelly beans in a sandbox. A grown-up’s playground, Everest Base Camp -and our goal – was in sight. From

Everest Base Camp Hike: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

It’s amazing how the human body can adjust to different climates, landscapes, altitudes and with such grace. A hike that the day before would have left me painfully huffing and puffing for air, this day felt difficult but manageable. Completing the trek to Everest Base Camp takes patience and a willingness to go slow. Our

Everest Base Camp Hike 1: Lukla to Namche Bazaar

“We’ll be cruising at 16,000 feet,” said the Air Canada flight attendant as we departed for Nepal and the 12 day trek to Everest Base Camp. “We are going to climb higher than that!” said Kyle, my travel partner, as he turned to me with a big grin. Flying in an Twin Otter plane high

The Joyful Shoehorn Hits the Snow

My neon green shoehorn, a Christmas gift from my sister, went on its first joyful adventure today – snowshoeing around Salt Creek Falls in Oregon. A fabulous post to come but here is a photo to tide you over!