“In The Open 2014” consists of the gear we choose, use and abuse every time we step out the door. It is the gear we love and need. The gear we’d recommend. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and we have by no means tested or tried every great piece of gear out…

In case you are not well acquainted with the term “dirt bagger” or “dirt bag climber,” here it is: 1. Dirtbag Climber A glorified bum, who spends all of his/her time begging for food, drinking PBR, and climbing. They live the traveling life, taking to the road year-round in pursuit of adventure. Often in a van….

The dust swirls around our Xterra as we negotiate the last few miles of dirt road. Hwy 191 is up ahead, marking our last leg back into Moab. The kids sit sleepily in the back, giving Chris and I time to talk: She was bored. Bored! She told me she wanted to climb and not…

It is still and dark. The clock ticks 5 a.m. and I cannot sleep. I pull out the coffee. Moving slowly, not wanting to wake my exhausted crew still breathing deeply in their beds. Even the dog is curled tightly on the pile of dirty laundry we’ve discarded in the middle of the floor. I…

It was mile 75. Dark had settled into the woods and there would be no strong moon to fight it back tonight. Chuck’s hands were numb, hardly working. Things like peeling a banana, tying shoes, removing or adding layers of clothing were increasingly difficult. Chris handed him a hand warmer. Chuck dropped it. Chris picked…

The sunlight turned orange this morning, behind hazy mountains, and navy blue clouds. The sky was a swirl of indecision. Lightening. The smell of rain. An unsteady breeze. The colors outside were alive. Somehow, the world I see everyday looked new again. The same black topped streets, the cracked sidewalks, cookie cutter houses all displayed…

It took five days. FIVE days to get my”chill” on. For good or bad, I would define my family as weekend warriors. What is a weekend warrior? Well, as a family we don’t want to squander or miss a moment of time we can be playing. Our weekends keep us recharged for the sometimes long…

I do some “risky” things. Climbing. Backpacking. Some might even say skiing. But not that risky. I am that person who sits down after a fun multi-pitch 5.7/5.8 trad climb (for you non-climbers, 5.7 is easy) to read Climbing Magazine or Backpacker Magazine. I like absorbing other people treacherous tales and the lessons they’ve learned…

Today, I want to introduce you to Dave from 14ers4kids. In case you don’t know, a 14ers is commonly know amongst mountaineers as a peak topping out at 14,000 feet above sea level. And Dave’s story inspired me because he took something he loves, summiting mountains, and is using it to help orphaned children. Last…

I promise I’ll never give you fake. Consider it a personal goal I have never to be fake. But sometimes it happens on accident, doesn’t it? Especially with bloggers. See, everything is going along fine and then wham! You get hit by something. And if you are like me, that something takes me out of…

I read a great article by my fellow blogger, Cragmama, about the benefits of letting your kids go barefoot indoors and out. I’ve heard the stats before, benefits that include: Promoting natural development Increased body awareness relative to its space Increased strength and agility in the feet, ankles and legs. I love the lifestyle bare feet…

It’s that damn pricker again. You know, the one that has left the faintest sliver of a thorn lodged somewhere in the threads of your sock. You stop. You remove your shoe and feel around on the outside of the sock.  Nothing. You take the sock off. Wipe free your foot. Put it back on….

Chris and I were at the movies last night, (the new Star Trek which I loved by the way). Ten minutes in there was some cooky preview for a Google movie, including the ever-present socially awkward young adult that was unable to do even the most simple of social tasks, like shaking hands. Of course,…

Mom, why isn’t there a kid’s day?! My son asked me innocently. I cannot blame my kids…I distinctly remember asking my parents this very same thing. And like my parents, and their parents before them, I responded by saying, Everyday is kid’s day! As a mom, I really don’t know what to think about Mother’s…

There are outdoor brands for every body shape, but rarely is there a brand that fits every body. When I got married, my husband was blown away by how difficult it was to shop for pants with me. I think we both dreaded it more than the dentist. And when we found something that worked,…

Well, I made it. Last September I decided (to try) to learn to like running. I had been running here and there, off and on, all summer. In September, I decided to chose a goal (first I thought I’d try a half marathon, then decided “go big or go home” and I entered the lottery…

The sky is still dark out. Even the moon lies to rest. And for once I am awake and rested at this earlier hour. I am not a morning person, even the prospect of waking early for a powder day or some epic climb leaves me unenthused and coiled tightly around my bed covers. But…

A few weeks ago I wrote a post that created quite a stir. You can find it here: The Battle Cry of a Stay-At-Home Mom. And since then I have received numerous emails, Facebook messages, and Twitter comments that echo the cry of my heart in that post. It has been so encouraging! But there…

I am still processing though the fact that I knocked off another huge “bucket list” item this last week. Two actually. 1. To run a half marathon. 2. To sit down with an entire bag of Oreos all to myself! Honestly, both were a little anti-climatic! How could they be? I’ve been working and running…

Step. Breath. My feet propel me on. My ever singing headphones pause for a moment. A good, quiet moment and then a sweet voice fills my heart: If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river at dawn Send me away with the…