Photos by Peter Amend
I will always take dirt trails over concrete sidewalks and the mountains over the city. There are just some times that you can’t escape that hustle and bustle.
Hiking the original Seven Summits of San Francisco is an idea I’ve had in my pocket for a while. I mentioned the idea to my friend, Peter, and he rallied together a group to tackle hiking across San Francisco.
Estimated walking distance for hiking San Francisco? 18 miles.
I grew up in a household where it was bad to speak up. I was raised to accept things as they are. To never question authority. To never get involved. To never rock the boat. To sit down and be quiet because someone else is always right.
That mentality kind of, sort of stuck with me throughout the years. While I’ve never been fully checked out, I’ve also never dove in deeply to support a cause or an organization. I donate money from time to time. I volunteer from time to time. But I wanted something more.
After last year’s election, I wanted to do something. Now, I run social media for the Bay Area Climbers Coalition.
With the holidays dead ahead, it’s time to start thinking about gifts for family and friends. I love the process of giving presents, and thinking about things people would really adore. I’m not big on giving stuff if it’s not meaningful. I scoured the internet to find a few items that I would really love. So, I present to you, six gifts for the outdoor advocate in your life.
We went to bed in Hvanngil as it steadily rained. When Josh and I woke up, it was more of the same drizzle, dreary and grey. I was a little glad we didn’t have to spend the night in a tent. Today, we were hiking to Thorsmork to finish the Laugavegur.
The Laugavegur is Iceland’s most famous trek. It’s not hard to see why. The 55 kilometer hike from Landmannalaugar to Skógar covers some of the most unreal scenery, from lush meadows, to foreboding glaciers, to burnt orange, volcanic hills.
When we decided we were going to Iceland this summer, the Laugavegur was the first thing I started booking. We were going to hike the damn thing, come hell or high water. Our itinerary was Landmannalaugar to Hvanngil, and Hvanngil to Thorsmork.