Play It By Ear
Kyle McCrohan loves outdoor sports, and for years he chased the goals that many of us share – bigger, stronger, faster. But when he set out to make an ambitious winter ascent of an ice route on Sloan Peak, things didn’t go as planned. Since that day, Kyle has dedicated himself to finding different ways to grow in adventure that don’t involve taking bigger and bigger risks. He creates novel traverses through the Cascade Mountains that feel as artistic as they do athletic.
Learn more about Kyle’s adventures on his blog
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Scenery by Kai Engel • Ambiguous Piano by Bradley Carter • Night on the Docks by Kevin MacLeod • Sunset by Kai Engel • Freaks by Bradley Carter • Stargazing by Ken Christianson • For Kelly by Kyle McCrohan • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Year of Big Ideas 2022
After Jon-Erick Anés moved from Puerto Rico to Florida, he struggled to find direction in his life. He kept repeating unhealthy patterns and feeling stuck in his relationships. When his older brother asked him to climb Half Dome together, Jon-Erick didn’t bat an eye. In our annual celebration of New Years’ goals, we bring you a story about the power of saying yes, followed by our community goals for 2022.
Happy New Year!
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Up Early by Bradley Carter • Brothers by Cleod9 • Sonic Roads by Cleod9 • The Biddy Bong Song by Publish the Quest • Auroras by John Berry • Moon Shimmers by John Berry • Stargazing by Ken Christianson • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
Winter Vacation
While most people curled up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa, Emily Ford set out in the frigid winter to thru-hike Wisconsin’s 1200 mile Ice Age Trail. Over the course of their two and a half month winter vacation, Emily and her borrowed sled dog, Diggins, tested their endurance and found solitude, friendship, and beauty to last a lifetime.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Jaco 2 by Bradley Carter • Early Winter by Bradley Carter • Bev’s Tower byBradley Carter • 550 by John Berry • Auroras by John Berry • Behind Your Window by Kai Engel • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Best Gift Series
Consider gifts that keep giving. Marta Bills fell in love with backpacking on a sixth grade class trip to the Sierra’s. And her love of getting away for days at a time with a heavy pack in the mountains stayed with her up until she had kids. The busyness of family life coupled with complicated logistics kept her away from her favorite activity for decades. On her 60th birthday, her daughter surprised her by proposing a path to reunite Marta with her love of backpacking.
Teach them what you know, or take them somewhere special. On a three week trip to Japan, Chris Lock wanted his sons, ages 10 and 12, to connect with their Japanese heritage while creating lifelong memories. He found an off-the-beaten-path adventure on the Kumano Kodō trail complete with long day hikes and rustic lodges to sleep in. As the trip unfolded, Chris realized the gift was truly his: shared time with his sons and unparalleled memories that he will cherish forever.
Better than new. Pass along cherished gear, surprise a loved one with the gift of repair and keep a good story going. Shanon Castle received a rad bike as a gift from her parents when she was 13, but it wasn’t life changing at the time, it was just a bike she remembers riding around sometimes. Fast forward 10 years. Shanon was a concert dancer, searching for a change. Something about riding her bike to work sounded dreamy. Since couldn’t afford a bike, she asked her parents if they still had her old one.
Create and make new again. After his Great Uncle Jack passed away, Noah Manke took a pair of his Uncle’s old jeans, complete with holes, oil stains and paint, and turned them into something new. It was a way to create, share and carry on the memory of someone special in his life. Now, the spirit of Uncle Jack accompanies Noah and his friends on their climbing adventures.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Kai Engel • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Shorts–Mad Dogs And An Englishman
Susan Greenwood’s family adventures were anything but typical. Led by her father’s wild spirit, their escapades took them up snowy mountains, meandering bike rides, and alpine lakes– all without a map or a plan. When Susan began to take athletics a little too seriously as an adult, she challenged herself to reconnect with her father’s playful spirit of adventure.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Freaks by Bradley Carter • Walking Barefoot by Kai Engel • Snowmen by Kai Engel • Brooks by Kai Engel • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
