The @thegrandtraverse is always an adventure, but the 2026 edition was truly one for the books. This year’s race had no lack of character building conditions, but that just made the ski from Crested Butte to Aspen all the more worthwhile (especially with @gunny_garrett by my side, and way ahead of me on the ski descents)!
Huge thanks to all the volunteers out on course and @cbnordic for really working some magic to pull of this year’s event. Stoked to be part of one of the wildest, grittiest, and most adventurous ski races out there! 🎿
Photo 1: @bigbearrobbins
#grandtraverse #skimountaineering
Summiting Mexico’s high peaks was an enchanting, inspirational, and all-around soul-filling experience.
From glacier travel through bone chilling winds on the upper reaches of the third highest peak in North America, Pico de Orizaba (18,491’), to viewing the most vibrantly breathtaking sunrise I’ve ever seen on Iztaccíhuatl (17,159’), to hiking with an airport carry on duffel bag on La Malinche (14,636’) because our mountaineering gear didn’t arrive in Mexico when we did, the past week was a whirlwind of adventure and culture.
Garrett and I had talked about a Mexico mountaineering trip for years, but I was always unsure if I had the skills and fitness necessary, not to mention I was completely uncertain how my body would function at 18k+ feet in elevation. I’m so grateful to have taken the leap, and I’m already anxiously anticipating where our mountaineering travels might take us next.
Our guide @pe_trus316 was the best person we could have hoped to summit these peaks with, and experiencing this terrain with such a passionate ambassador of these mountains made the journey even better.
Exploring Mexico by method of mountaineering held abundant treasures beyond what I could’ve imagined, and I’ll forever remember and be grateful for the magic we found all throughout these hills. Ahuevo wey! 🌄 🇲🇽
A brief desert intermission before we get back to your regularly scheduled winter programming 🏜️
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Fiery Furnace is a sandstone labyrinth situated in the heart of Arches National Park. Unlike most areas of the park, there are no designated trails within the Furnace and exploring its limitless passageways and canyons is encouraged! There is a general route marked by a series of small arrows, but beyond that, hikers are able to explore the area at their leisure (minding the fragile sand dune and cryptobiotic soil environments, of course 🙂).
It can be hard to come by permits during the peak seasons, which made mid-December the perfect time to visit. The remoteness of this zone coupled with limited permit availability made us more or less feel like we had the entire area to ourselves — a welcome and special experience in a place as popular as Arches.
It’s always a treat to check off an adventure you’ve had your eye on for years, and Fiery Furnace certainly lived up to the hype!
Georgia pt. 2 — everything except Kazbek :)
It’s crazy to think we’ve been back for nearly a month, but it’s been wonderful to take this time to reflect on the time we spent abroad. The landscapes, people, food, dogs, and culture of Georgia aren’t something I’ll ever forget. While I wouldn’t necessarily consider it the easiest country for first-time international travelers to visit, I feel like it was meant to be the first country we traveled to.
To be totally honest, I was so scared the first few days we were there, and completely overwhelmed by being in a new place. I was literally counting down the days until we could return our rental car and be back on a plane to Denver. I felt so untethered to anything that felt familiar, and wondered if I had made a mistake coming here. When I look at photos from the first leg of our journey, I look exhausted, on-edge, and like I had aged about 15 years overnight 😂
It took a few days of adjusting, but after the jet lag faded and the continuous stream of new experiences felt a little less jarring, and I was able to more willingly open up to the unique opportunities that presented themselves to us on our nearly 1000 mile road trip throughout the country. We made friends, communicated in different languages (and used a lot of Google Translate and hand gestures), explored new mountains, drove on terrifying highways, consumed some of the best food, wine and honey of our lives, pet a lot of dogs, and learned a ton about what influences shaped Georgia into the country it is today. All the while, every experience we had helped me gain a new appreciation for the fact that while the world is enormous, some things override culture and geography, and we have a lot in common with our neighbors around the globe.
What a joy and privilege it was to visit such a unique, welcoming, and stunningly beautiful country with the love of my life. Exceedingly grateful for everything we experienced there, and excited to see where our future adventures take us 🤍 გმადლობთ, საქართველო! 🇬🇪
There’s so much I want to say about our travels to Georgia, but my high point of the trip (literally) and the place I want to start is our summit of Mt. Kazbek.
Neither Garrett nor I had ventured above 14k in elevation before, so attempting a 16,500’ peak was full of uncertainty, but an adventure we were totally up for.
From starting our hike in a cloud at the Gergeti Trinity Church around 7100’, to spending two nights in the rustic Bethlemi Hut, to our summit day which included crevasse crossings, single-degree temps, crossing into Russia, and, finally, arriving on the summit of Kazbek, the experience is something I’m struggling to put into words that fit within the Instagram caption limit.
To sum it up as succinctly as I can:
1. There’s nothing that compares to standing on the summit of a 5000m peak in a new country with the love of your life, and it’s an experience I’ll cherish forever.
2. We were stoked to have help and encouragement from our guide Misho. Connecting with new people in a different part of the world through a shared love of mountains is just really cool.
3. The Caucasus Range is truly in a league of its own. The panoramic views were breathtaking (literally, once we got high enough), the peaks are imposing and rugged, and the opportunities for adventure are endless. I’m beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to be challenged and inspired by this terrain.
Thank you, Mt. Kazbek! 🗻
Reflections from our wedding celebration:
1. Coming from two people who almost didn’t have a celebration for our marriage, the depth of love we felt from a day in the mountains surrounded by family and friends is something I’ll never forget. Infinitely grateful for our wonderful community of people.
2. As it turns out, all you need to keep kids entertained at a wedding is a scree field. Book your venue accordingly.
3. You’ll be standing a lot on your wedding day, so you’ll need a sensible shoe. I recommend the @lasportivana Bushido II.
4. On the note of attire, wear whatever the heck you want! I found my dream wildflower dress on Etsy 🌻
5. @katewasson_ takes the most incredible photos. I’d recommend getting married just so she can shoot your wedding!
6. I think “wife” is my favorite title I’ve ever held, all because of the man who gave it to me. Garrett continues to be the most patient, kind, gentle, adventurous, and supportive partner, and it’s an honor to call him my husband 🤍
We tied the knot on the summit of Bridal Peak (13,514’) on May 25, 2025, our nine year anniversary ❤️ Looking forward to a lifetime of adventures together!
Culebra Peak ❄️
14,053’ 🗻
March 8, 2025 ☀️
Winter 14ers come with their own set of unique challenges, but we couldn’t have lucked out with better conditions for Culebra! Stoked on an incredible day in the mountains with a great crew!
📸: Photo 1 @lovecinema
📸: Photo 4 @_iceman_dan (congrats on 57/58 14ers!)
#14ers #skimountaineering #colorado
