On June 3rd, 2016, a chance meeting in Denali National Park led to a friendship that founded love. Seven years to the day later, John pulled out a mountain-engraved ring on a Lake Michigan beach and asked me to marry him. This is our story.
Category: national parks
Life in a Dry Cabin
The best part about my first two weeks back in Denali was the jaw-dropping place where I was lucky enough to stay. My friend Katie's summer sublet is a two-story log cabin nestled in the spruce trees on the edge of a bluff, where the land drops down to the Nenana River valley lined by … Continue reading Life in a Dry Cabin
Returning to Alaska
I woke with a start. I'd been dozing on and off for the past couple of hours, but this time was different. My heart was hammering in my chest, as if my body could sense where I was in the world, my internal alarm clock ringing and bouncing off of the shelf. I quickly sat … Continue reading Returning to Alaska
Growing Alongside Nature: Life as a Field Educator in Denali National Park
“Why do you care about protecting wilderness?” I pose this question to visitors every week in one of my classes. After three or four days in Denali National Park, I know that they’ve heard about as many facts and stories as their brains can hold (and that they won’t remember most of them). I reserve … Continue reading Growing Alongside Nature: Life as a Field Educator in Denali National Park
Benefits of Backpacking: Our Trip into Olympic National Park
Routine on the road comes easily. Wake up around 8am. Pack camp, eat breakfast. Boil water for tea. Drive 6-7 hours. Set up camp. Make dinner. Sleep early. Repeat. While the drive down from Alaska is one of my favorite road trips, trying to make it to the lower 48 quickly can be tiring. The … Continue reading Benefits of Backpacking: Our Trip into Olympic National Park
The Curiosity Chronicles 