I’m what one might call a mutt of the West Coast wilderness; I never could pick a discipline. Growing up in the Santa Cruz Mountains, there were too many options at my disposal. Surfing, backpacking, snowboarding, rock climbing, overloading, tramping through the woods—from a young age, I wanted to do all of it. More specifically, I wanted to make a living doing all of it.
With little other academic talent to speak of, writing became my golden ticket. I got a journalism degree from SDSU and went to work for a kayaking magazine, then a surf magazine, then a standup paddleboard magazine. After 10 ocean-bound editorial years in Southern California, I took a detour and wound up in Yosemite, guiding wilderness backpacking tours. Three years later, I detoured again, got myself a sailboat (and yet another hobby) and moved to Seattle where I currently work as a freelance journalist and gear reviewer.
To me, life is but a story to tell, and adventure outdoors—surfing, backpacking, snowboarding, rock climbing, overloading, tramping through the woods, and now, sailing — makes it worth telling.
With the Sherpa 100PD and 100AC, Goal Zero has improved on an already dominant design. They’re faster charging, longer lasting, and more versatile than ever.
In response to record-setting fire seasons on the West Coast, campfire and camp stove bans have become commonplace in many wilderness areas during backpacking season.…
