6 Outdoor Inspirations: Photographers, Blogs, Music, and More
I am always on the search for inspiration. Obviously, the biggest source is nature itself - nothing is quite as recharging as spending a few days exploring outside. But when I can't get out and still need some inspo, I turn to some pretty amazing creatives.
1. BLOG: NATIONAL PARKS GIRL
Sonja, also known as The National Parks Girl, has one of my absolute favorite blogs. I've followed her on instagram for quite a while now, but I've only been following her blog for about a month. She posts the most incredible adventures, but makes them feel attainable - I never get a sense of the unreachable when I go through her stuff. She talks about the rough times on trail, the funny/scary moments (my personal favorite: her backpacking trip to Cracker Lake), and writes her blog posts like trip reports so they can be recreated. I always look forward to new posts from her! And she's an explorer for The Outbound - go check out her amazing adventures and stories here!
2. PERSON: ALEX BORSUK
Badass women are my favorite and Alex is nothing less than that. She summits mountains for sunrise and then goes to work right after, is an ultrarunning beast, and a general inspiration. I love that the pictures she posts feel so genuine - laughter and smiles and general stoke are almost palpable when scrolling through her feed. Plus, she makes me want to be a runner, and I think that's incredible in and of itself.
3. PODCAST: SHE EXPLORES
She-explores is an empowering community of women doing amazing things. Gale Straub founded it, and it has really just taken off with the podcast and everything. It's just unbelievably inspiring to listen to strong women interview other strong women. Episode 42: A Moment of Growth gave me chill bumps as I drove to and from work one day. It's definitely worth a listen!
4. FILM: FOLLOW THROUGH
It's probably obvious by now that I love watching bad ass women chase their dreams... Caroline Gleich is no exception. As a professional ski mountaineer, she set out to ski all the lines in a Wasatch ski guidebook. She finished that dream this past spring and the film that was made about it was just released. It is an insanely inspiring story, but my favorite part is that Caroline admits to it being scary and difficult. Nothing makes a person more relatable, in my opinion. If you have a half hour, definitely give this a watch.
5. MUSIC: NATHANIEL RATELIFF
Nathaniel Rateliff is just one of those artists who put a smile on my face. My boyfriend and I love to jam to his albums on the way to our adventures. He's a pretty great crossover between bluegrass and rock and roll, so he's especially good car karaoke material. And he just puts me in a great mood before I go out and hike or take pictures or do whatever, which tends to make me more creative in the moment.
6. PHOTOGRAPHER: FORREST MANKINS
Forrest Mankins takes some of my absolute favorite photos of nature and adventure. There's something about the tone of his photos that make me incredibly nostalgic for past adventures and I love it. It's hard to get better than a photographer who can do that - and Forrest does it regularly.
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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