Last July, in the thick of a Michigan summer, I set out (alongside my favorite hiking partner) to explore one of the most awe-inspiring slices of the Midwest: the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

I had always planned to hike the Cutler Coast Trail alone. It was October—fiery leaves, sharp air, and the kind of stillness that invites clarity. I had planned a solo trip to

There’s something unforgettable about your first summit. Back in 2009, I hiked Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, while in town for my little brother’s college graduation in Burlington. It wasn’

Standing at 17,769 feet on Thorong La Pass, the wind biting and thin, I felt both completely exhausted and entirely alive. The final push to the top was one of the hardest