Portfolio

Hike Up Your Skirts: How Tutus and Trails Make the Best Mother’s Day Tales   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published magazine article here and the companion blog here   Each year on Mother’s Day, something magical happens at Mount St. Helens. At almost 6 a.m. on the dot, sleepy mountaineers begin making their way up the normally imposing, often snow-covered volcano in herds. They chatter relentlessly between themselves, for once excited about sharing the trail with hundreds of other climbers. Strangers don’t exist—only potential friends. Laughter echoes from the stony parking lot to the snowy summit. As the sun comes up, it illuminates a scene unlike any other—a backcountry costume ball of sorts. Gone are the Gore-Tex jackets...

Who’s Your Buddy?   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published article here   As avid hikers—or aspiring avid hikers—we usually invest a significant amount of energy in planning our time in the outdoors. We memorize the Ten Essentials and keep our backpacks stocked with energy bars, extra socks and enough maps to outfit an invading army. We study weather forecasts and plan our hikes by season, hoping that all of our efforts will guarantee great days on the trail—fair weather, breathtaking views and successful summits. And yet, in our quest to remember everything from bandages to blister cream, many of us forget a simple truth: the only difference between a good day on trail and a great day on trail is having the right...

Hit the Stairs   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published magazine article here and the companion blog here   Seattle Stairway Walks gives hikers a fun way to stay in shape during the off-season with urban hikes that include grassroots art, picturesque views and—you guessed it—plenty of stairs. Exercising in the off-season can take a lot of discipline. After all, treadmills and exercise bikes don’t reward intense physical exertion with expansive vistas, wildflower meadows or alpine lakes. For Puget Sounders or Seattle visitors, authors Jake and Cathy Jaramillo offer a better way to stay in shape with Seattle Stairway Walks from Mountaineers Books. This recent title is crammed full of neighborhood hikes that take advantage of...

Photo: The Long Way Down   Taken for Washington Trails Magazine Visit the published photo here Photo taken at Camp Muir by Cassandra Overby

Inspiration in the Face of Tragedy   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published article here   Beyond the Bear could have been a story about a life ruined. After all, it is the firsthand account of one of the most horrific grizzly bear attacks in recent history. Instead, Dan Bigley, with the help of coauthor Debra McKinney, crafted an inspiring tale of a life reinvented in the wake of an experience that could only be called pure, unadulterated hell. As befits a nature enthusiast and experienced outdoorsman, Bigley’s narrative is captivating from the beginning. In the weeks, and even hours, leading up to the attack, Bigley was a man who had it all. Six months before the attack he landed his dream job with Alaska Children’s...

Press Release: Pure Home Introduces New Contextual Search Technology   Edited for Pure Home   Visit the published article here   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PURE HOME INTRODUCES NEW CONTEXTUAL SEARCH TECHNOLOGY TO THE HOME DECOR INDUSTRY   Pure Home has discovered a new way to measure the consumption patterns, inclinations and tastes of an entire market of consumers. New patent-pending, contextual search technology uses multi-level emotional profiling taxonomy to fuel product recommendations for home décor consumers.   January 16, 2014 (Seattle, WA) PURE HOME, a leader in the home décor industry has discovered a new way to measure the consumption patterns, inclinations and tastes of an entire market of consumers—in real time. PURE HOME’S patent...