Mindful in Denali While Searching for the Big Five

Continuing from last week, this post is the second in a series about my family’s recent 12-day Alaskan vacation. Included are several exercises to increase mindful awareness. I’ve blended them with musings about my journey to remain mindful in Denali while searching for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves. Mindfulness Versus Meditation This …

How to Plan a Great Alaska Vacation

My teenage daughter, husband, and I just spent twelve wonderful days exploring south-central Alaska. A friend asked, how did you plan such a great Alaska vacation? I glibly replied that it took months. Realizing that I didn’t really answer her question, I thought it might make a fun blog topic to kick off a series …

Kendall Katwalk and Four Reasons to Repeat Hikes

A year ago, I met G. on the trail to Kendall Katwalk. He was traveling at roughly my pace. We struck up a conversation and hiked several hours together before Ajax and I reached our turn-around time. On August 13, 2022, we met the same hike, same trailhead, to provide moral support. He was over …

How to Follow Doctor’s Orders: Go Hike

On Tuesday, my Naturopath told me she thought I needed to go visit my happy place, preferably with lots of greenery. I didn’t need to be told twice. It had been a month since I’d been out hiking, which is way too long for me to go without. I blamed the scorching heat in July …

How to Prevent Foot Discomfort for Hikers

A client and blog reader recently asked for tips to manage foot and ankle pain before and during hikes. Below are seven strategies to prevent foot discomfort, set against recent photographs of a hike to Olallie and Talapus Lakes. Prepare for Uneven Terrain Nothing beats physical preparation. To help prepare for the challenges of uneven …