Outdoors – Page 2 – Liesl Hammer

My top 5 winter hikes

Winter has technically ended and spring is here, but that doesn’t mean the snow’s gone. And everybody knows what that means…more winter hikes in the mountains! Here are my favorite winter hikes in Utah: 1. The Y, or Y mountain itself Here’s the cool thing about this hike: if you hike just the Y, youContinue reading “My top 5 winter hikes”

I tried surfing and it was…

Girl versus ocean, July 2017 Ocean: 3 Girl: 0 The last few times Austin and I have been to the beach, Austin really wants to rent a boogie board and wetsuit and just go to TOWN. So that’s what we do. But every time I get in that water, I am thoroughly THROTTLED by the ocean. IContinue reading “I tried surfing and it was…”

What snowboarding teaches me about balance

Picture this: I’m sitting on the top of a mountain, having just strapped my other boot into my snowboard. I reach over and grab the bottom of my snowboard and pull myself up. I’ve gotten better at this, but I’m still apprehensive. I nudge myself off in one direction, with my right foot going forwardContinue reading “What snowboarding teaches me about balance”

Hike to the Hollywood Sign

This last week Austin and I took a trip to California. On our last day, I wanted to hike up to the Hollywood sign. And so we drove up to the trailhead and started walking. It was slightly confusing because there were other trails, but eventually we found a sign that told us where toContinue reading “Hike to the Hollywood Sign”

Winter camping was not miserable

I was lying in 20 degrees. I’d been in colder weather, but this time, I intended to sleep in it. And I was warm. This weekend, Austin and I went winter camping – a goal I had for my 2018 bucket list. Here’s how we stayed warm: Layered ourselves up, the way we usuallyContinue reading “Winter camping was not miserable”

3 great shows for outdoor lovers

If you’re an outdoor purist, maybe you don’t watch TV. But if you have those days (or weeks, or months) where being indoors is the preferable option, here are the top three shows you should watch to get your outdoorsy fix. 1. Stranger Things I know, I know – everyone has watched this show. And forContinue reading “3 great shows for outdoor lovers”

Surviving icy runs

Last week I went on my first black diamond and killed it (relatively speaking). This week I went snowboarding and encountered an entirely new beast: Icy runs. Now, if someone from the East Coast were to see what I was snowboarding on today, they’d say “that ain’t ice lol” and they’d make a good point.Continue reading “Surviving icy runs”

My first black diamond

Okay – so Utah has had a positively DISMAL winter (some may disagree with me), with warmer temperatures and minimal snow. However, it snowed a lot in the last couple of weeks and Austin and I went snowboarding again. If you remember my last couple of posts regarding snowboarding, I am very much an amateur. I’veContinue reading “My first black diamond”

Winter hiking to Lake Blanche

So as I’ve mentioned before, I signed up for the #52hikechallenge. I love winter hiking, and what better than a challenge to get me outside even more? Austin and I hiked to Lake Blanche just the other week. The trail says it’s 6.9 miles, but my phone clocked about 7.9 miles. I think my phoneContinue reading “Winter hiking to Lake Blanche”

3 reasons why you should visit Moab in the winter

I love Arches – it has a special place in my heart; probably because I was born and raised in Utah and Delicate Arch is what you see on many Utah license plates. Austin and I hiked there last Saturday. It was a good hike. Here’s why you should visit Moab and all its surroundingContinue reading “3 reasons why you should visit Moab in the winter”