Author Archives: Liesl Hammer

How to hike 100 miles if you’ve never done it before

Originally published on Bivy Thru-hiking is more popular than ever. It seems that everyone knows at least one person who knows someone who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or the rare Continental Divide. You can find people on YouTube who have vlogged their entire hike and even captured gorgeous aerial shots withContinue reading “How to hike 100 miles if you’ve never done it before”

2 Options to Climbing Outdoors as a Newbie

So, you’ve been climbing indoors for a while. Or at least a week. And now you want to get outside. Full disclosure: I’m not an expert at climbing. Nowhere near it. That being said, there are two options. The safer option, and the less safe option: Take a class Get a friend to take youContinue reading “2 Options to Climbing Outdoors as a Newbie”

How to get into rock climbing as a complete and total beginner

HEY, YOU. Sick of constantly dropping your baby? Are you interested in getting into rock climbing? Here’s how you get into rock climbing if you’re a total, utter beginner: 1. Go to a rock climbing gym Rock climbing gyms are an excellent place to start for beginners. They have padded floors and a staff that’sContinue reading “How to get into rock climbing as a complete and total beginner”

Exercises you can not-so-secretly do in your office

Exercising is awesome, but also, life. And by life I mean office life. And commuter life. And side gig/freelancing life. Wow, that’s a lot of sitting and a weird amount of exhaustion from all the different hats I have to wear. You are probably (most likely) in a similar situation. Here’s what you do: exerciseContinue reading “Exercises you can not-so-secretly do in your office”

Girl walks into an art studio

I meant to submit this to Man Repeller and completely spaced the deadline. Here’s my best feel-good story. So, there’s this guy. Okay, so he’s at least fifty years old. And no, nothing romantic. But he sends me emails about twice a week. They’re short, typically no more than a few sentences. But inviting, alwaysContinue reading “Girl walks into an art studio”

The greatest love song I barely heard

I wrote this back in February. I submitted it to Man Repeller’s Writers Club contest. The prompt was, “Tell me a great love story.” It didn’t get published. I’m going to publish it here now. It was Adam’s turn to sing. Adam hadn’t performed in front of us once all semester. He had severe anxietyContinue reading “The greatest love song I barely heard”

How to make the most of your mistakes

Originally published on Bivy.com Ever been on a hike where you didn’t pack enough water? What about food? Have you ever completely forgotten a tent on a backpacking trip? I’ve done the first two. My father-in-law did the last. But he and his family owned it like beasts. Here’s what happened. The initial plan wasContinue reading “How to make the most of your mistakes”

Angels Landing and my weird obsession with heights

I like heights. I’m not someone who’s going to fling myself off the first cliff I can, but I like them. They don’t scare me – they put the fear of god in me. I love heights because they are terrifying and remind me of my mortality. The terror is thrilling. And what better placeContinue reading “Angels Landing and my weird obsession with heights”

Snow Canyon: St. George’s well-kept secret

This last weekend Austin and I went down to St. George to visit some friends. While we were there, we added 4 hikes to my 52 hike challenge, one of those hikes done in Snow Canyon, a state park. Contrary to popular belief, Snow Canyon wasn’t named for sheer irony. Instead, it used to be DixieContinue reading “Snow Canyon: St. George’s well-kept secret”