So many of my favorite memories involve hiking. These days, it seems like the best times and most meaningful conversations often happen on hikes. It wasn’t always this way though. While I’ve lived in Colorado since 2000, I didn’t really get into hiking until 2020.

At the start of 2020, several of my friends signed up for the 52 Hike Challenge: one hike every week for a year. It piqued my interest, and I signed up together with my daughter. We started out with short, easy hikes and built up to more challenging treks as our skills and stamina improved. When COVID hit in March and everything shut down, we ramped up our hikes. Nature was the one place that never closed! In August of that year, I hiked my first 14er (14,000ft peak) on my 49th birthday. I was officially hooked!

Joining the Hiking Gals the following year, and meeting Jana and so many other amazing hiking friends, was what ultimately made hiking more than just a pastime. It became an integral part of my life. Getting out on trails several times a week with driven women has a way of pushing you to be your best, and I’ve had so many incredible hiking experiences (far beyond what I thought was possible for me) since then.

As the saying goes, “shared joy is double joy”, and I absolutely love sharing my favorite trails, custom routes, off-the-beaten-path sights and the most scenic viewpoints. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place, and I’m excited to share it with you!