Nikki Taylor

▪️Hi 2026 👋🏽 ▪️ Figured I’d start this year by (re)introducing myself since this is my first post of the year. I’m Nikki. Outdoor instructor. Mountain guide. Executive Director and Founder of Way Out Wild. And just a girl who feels most like herself outside. The outdoors has given me some of my hardest lessons and my most beautiful moments. It’s where I’ve cried, celebrated, doubted myself, and then surprised myself. @wayoutwild_ was born from that. I’m deeply passionate about introducing women to the outdoors in a way that feels safe, supportive, and empowering. Not intimidating. Not gatekept. Not “you have to already know everything.” I believe women deserve spaces where we can learn skills, build confidence, take up space on the trail, and feel strong in our bodies and our decisions. Safety and education matter a lot to me. So does creating real connection out there. A few fun things about me because I’m more than just mountains (believe it or not hehe). Here are my obsessions: • My ESPRESSO MACHINE. I'm on a mission to make the perfect latte. It’s getting serious. • OUTDOOR GEAR. I can talk your ear out about gear. Thats probably why I teach a class about gear lol • BEES. I will literally stop people on the trail to save a bee. • BUM. She's my bee daughter. She's goes on all my adventures. You may have spotted her while on trail 🐝 I can’t wait to hike with you, adventure with you, learn alongside you, and maybe even share a latte or save a bee together. My DMs are open. Let’s be friends and get outside this year! 😊

▪︎ I Started Calling That Girl Back ▪︎ Finding ourselves isn't just a journey; it's a revelation, a quiet revolution within. As women, we're often told who we should be, how we should act, and what we should aspire to. But the real magic happens when we tune out the noise and listen to our own voice, our own truth. It's about embracing the messy, beautiful, imperfect parts of ourselves and realizing that's where our power lies. So here's to authenticity, to owning our stories, to standing tall in our uniqueness. Because when we find ourselves, we not only inspire others to do the same, but we pave the way for a world where every woman feels free to be exactly who she is. As women, we've all experienced losing ourselves and having to find ourselves all over again. This is dedicated to all the women who are or who have been on their journey to finding their way back to their true selves 💜✨️

▪︎ Live as if this is all there is ▪︎ I know its Friday but we have to stop waiting for Friday, for Summer, for someone to fall in love with us...for life. Happiness is achieved when we stop waiting for it and make the most of the moment we are in NOW. We asked to LIVE. So go and live. "Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice Wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose without regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is" - Mary Ann Radnacher

NEW EPISODE DROP 🎙⛰🥾🌟⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🎤 Episode 109 of the @just.trek  podcast is now live and streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, + wherever you listen to podcasts. 🔗 Full episode links in bio. ⁣⁣ 🎞️ Filmed by @j_hrt ⁣⁣ 🎥 On this episode, we release the full recording from our fourth ever live podcast show. It was filmed at the Just Trek Podcast 6 Year Anniversary celebration on Sat, April 4th at the @happiercafe.la by @tadaa.coffee x @happiercamper space in Frogtown, Los Angeles. The live podcast show featured an all star panel of past podcast guests that included Rolland Tizuela of @campthropology , Nikki Taylor aka @adventure_pea of @wayoutwild_ , RJ Soria of @trvrsoutdoors , and @justroc as the moderator. It was an entertaining, educational, and impactful group conversation that left a major impression on the audience. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🗣️ We chatted about what sparked their love for the Great Outdoors, how their platforms prioritize outdoor education, wilderness + backcountry safety, balancing risk with pushing limits, and practical preparation including mapping tools, practicing with gear at home, and building inclusive communities. After this group discussion, we opened up a live Q&A to the audience so that everyone could join in on the fun and ask the guests their own questions and show them some love. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ WATCH/LISTEN ON:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ 🎙 Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google Podcast, Youtube + all major podcast platforms. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ 👁‍🗨 Search “Just Trek Podcast” ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Like the show? Consider supporting us:⁣⁣ Subscribe on Patreon - patreon.com/justtrek⁣⁣ Shop merchandise - justtrek.net/shop⁣⁣⁣

▪️Someone Has to Go First. I Chose Me▪️ This is why I keep pushing myself to do harder things. Not to prove anything. Not because it’s easy. But because I didn’t grow up seeing women like me in these spaces. No one showed me what it looked like. So I decided I would become it. Every harder hike. Every uncomfortable step. Every time I choose to show up anyway… It’s bigger than me. I want more women like us out there. In spaces we were never told we belonged in. Because sometimes all it takes is seeing one person do it… To believe you can too.

▪️You probably didn’t know this about me…▪️ When I was younger, I went so much against the grain of my conservative culture (I grew up in the Philippines 🇵🇭 if you didn't already know) that I was told by my guy friends that no one would ever marry me. Apparently I couldn’t be “tamed.” Let that sink in. Being told by your own friends that you were unworthy of love. Well, jokes on them… I’m married, and my husband doesn’t need to tame me at all. But at the time, those comments weren’t funny. They came from this idea that as a woman, you should be a certain way. More quiet. More agreeable. Less independent. But the thing is? I just wasn’t. I wanted to travel. I wanted to be out in the world. I wanted to make my own decisions. And for that, I was judged more than I was supported. So I stopped trying to fit into that version of what I was “supposed” to be. My history and my story is what eventually led me to build @wayoutwild_ . Because I knew I was not the only one who was ever made to feel like she’s too much for wanting more out of her life. And now I get to continue creating these spaces where women don’t have to shrink themselves. They can show up fully, try new things, and figure out what they’re capable of on their own terms.

▪️If you haven’t noticed…▪️ I’m a very passionate person. I started WOW because I care deeply about helping women find their courage and strength through the outdoors. I’m especially passionate about outdoor education, which is why I created curriculum after curriculum and look for opportunities to teach in every program we run. Growing up, I was taught that a woman should be demure, quiet, and graceful. That passion wasn’t really for us. We were supposed to just do our part and not take up too much space. But that never sat right with me. I know not everyone understands what we’re doing. What I'm doing. Some people think it’s unnecessary to teach things that seem “basic.” But I’ve seen what happens when women and people are actually given the chance to learn and build confidence step by step. It changes everything. So I show up fully. I teach. I share. I care deeply about this work, even if it doesn’t make sense to everyone. That’s just who I am. And if you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink yourself… don’t. Be bold. Care deeply. Take up space. Because there’s room for all of us to show up exactly as we are.

LIVE OUTDOOR PODCAST SHOW 🎙️🎥🤩⁣ ⁣ 🥳 Join us Saturday, April 4th from 2-6pm for a special live edition of the Just Trek Pod in Frogtown, Los Angeles. We’re celebrating 6 years of storytelling with some of the most memorable guests to ever grace the show. Our host @justroc will lead a dynamic panel featuring local legends, community leaders, outdoor educators, and talented creators. You don’t want to miss this one.⁣ ⁣ 📣 ✨ 2026 PANEL LINEUP 📣 ✨⁣ 🌟 ROLLAND TIZUELA (Creator of @campthropology + Outdoor Creator + @snowpeakusa ambassador) 🌟 NIKKI TAYLOR @adventure_pea (Founder of @wayoutwild_ + Outdoor Guide & Instructor) 🌟 RJ SORIA (Creator of @trvrsoutdoors + @caltopo Educational Ambassador) 🎤 Moderated by Justin “Justroc” Rimon @justroc (Host of the Just Trek Podcast + Founder of the #JustTrekCrew)⁣ ⁣ 📍@Happiercafe.la by @tadaa.coffee x @happiercamper ⁣ ⁣ 🎟️ RSVP required. Link in bio.⁣ ⁣ #52HikeChallenge #sixpackofpeaks #socalhikers #lahikes⁣

Somehow coffee is just better in the mountains ☕️

▪️Mom's First Trip to Grand Canyon▪️ There’s something really special about watching your mom see the Grand Canyon for the very first time. 🥹 We drove all the way from Los Angeles, which felt very far… but we made it ours. We turned the long drive into little adventures. Random towns. Stretch breaks. Snacks. Giggling over stories. Admiring the desert landscape. It made the car ride magical. When we finally rolled into Grand Canyon, we set up camp and made our little home for the next few days. My mom had camped before, but it wasn’t a great experience. When she said yes to trying again, it felt like such a gift. Her trust in me to give her a better experience meant everything 🥰 And you guys… she LOVED it!! She loved waking up outside. She loved walking the rim and learning how the canyon was carved over millions of years. She loved the museums, the history, the quiet mornings and the golden sunsets. She loved it so much that when we got home, she couldn’t stop talking about camping again. She’s immediately asked me when we’re going next ☺️ But the best part wasn’t the views. It was getting to share this part of my world with her. She got to see this side of my up close. The outdoor guide and teacher. The woman who builds community and creates space for others to feel brave outside. She got to see me and that meant the world. I made a new core memory ✨️

▫️ The Mornings, Nights, and Miles No One Talks About ▫️ There are so many trainings that never made it to social media. The ones where we were up before the sun, or hiking out with only headlamps lighting the way. The ones squeezed in before work… or after a long day when all I wanted was to crawl into bed. The back-to-back big mountain days that made me question why I ever thought this was a good idea. Those moments don’t look glamorous. Nobody sees the messy parts, the tired parts, the “I really don’t feel like doing this” parts. But that’s where the dedication actually lives. Because when you really want something, you find a way. You show up when it’s inconvenient. You push when you’re not motivated. You keep going even when nobody is watching. Nothing great has ever come from choosing what’s easy. Everything I’m proud of came from those early alarms, those late nights, those uncomfortable moments. And if you’re in a season where you’re chasing something big...this is your reminder that it’s okay if it doesn’t look perfect. It’s okay if it’s not cute. It’s okay if no one sees it. What matters is that you see it. You know what you’re building. You know what it’ll mean when you finally get there. Keep going. You’re closer than you think.

▪︎ Why I Do Hard Things ▪︎ I've summited a ton of peak this year. So why do I do hard things? Because they remind me of who I am. Believe it or not, I've spent a good chunk of my life being doubted...sometimes by others, but especially by myself. For too long of a time, I felt small and acted small. So now, when I take on something that scares me or stretches me, it’s not about proving anyone wrong. It’s about proving to myself that I can. When I decided I wanted to do my first thru-hike this year and summit Mt. Whitney, I knew the Six-Pack of Peaks would take me there. So I trained. I climbed. I showed up...again and again. Through early mornings, long days, tired legs, and moments of doubt, I kept going. Because every hike was preparing me for something bigger...not just a mountain, but a mindset. Hard things strip away the noise. They show you what’s underneath...the grit, the heart, the truth of who you are when no one’s watching. When I show up, I show up for me. Because I made a promise to myself. And I’m worth keeping that promise for. Even when the cost of the mountains is free. We tend to think that if something doesn’t cost money, it doesn’t cost anything. But it does. It costs early mornings, sore muscles, missed plans, and a kind of quiet commitment no one sees. It costs showing up when no one’s clapping. And yet I gladly pay it, because what I get in return is me. -- Timber Mountain w/ @rndemelo86 April 7, 2025