Ever wonder what it might be like to do something different with your days? Do you daydream about what it might feel like to live in another person’s shoes? If you’re inclined to wonders like these, you’re not alone. And thankfully, talented folks with fascinating lives like Gary Yost are willing to share an inside view of their days in a compelling and artistic way.
The above video comes from Yost, who is both a landscape and portrait photographer and Bay Area fire lookout. He shot the film to shed light on what a typical (peaceful) day looks like at Gardner Fire Lookout, which sits atop Mt. Tamalpais.
“I’ve been a Marin County Fire Department volunteer lookout for two years and deeply love the mountain and the peace it brings to us here in the Bay Area. Perhaps this 6-minute video will convey some of the emotions I feel when sitting (and sleeping) on her peak.”
I don’t really know anything about parenting, other than what I see from my friends and family. Besides the fact that it’s a big deal, and you know, it completely changes your life. But I have met quite a few women who loved the outdoors before they had their first child and have learned how to raise their children and not lose that connection in the process. Which I think is inspiring…
People ask me, “What’s your mom like,” and I tell them that she’s a ball of energy, running on caffeine and chocolate, kind of like…me sometimes. She’s a stubborn lady. I remember her saying one time when we were out for a four mph walk, Oh, I wish I could still run. She never makes excuses, never stopped moving because of this injury or that injury, Oh I have a bad back/bad knees/don’t have time. She just makes time.
And since this Sunday is Mother’s Day, we decided to troll the internet for a few more inspiring stories of mothers out there. They all seem to incorporate climbing, which is alright with us — and a pretty awesome metaphor as Susan E.B. Schwartz wrote in Climbing Magazine:
As I see it, motherhood is a lot like rock climbing.
Nothing truly prepares you for either: all the expert explanations, advice from well-meaning friends, instructional videos and manuals — nothing does motherhood or climbing justice. I’ve learned this firsthand after nearly a decade at the first and two decades at the second.
In the end, climbing and motherhood come down to one thing: until you’re there yourself, perched precariously, staring wide-eyed and terrified around you, you have absolutely no idea what it’s like. Combining two such powerful and all-consuming life experiences has always challenged women.
I believe that life is about living gracefully through the transitions. I have climbed the world over for the last 10 years and developed a keen sense of my body and its strengths. As a healthy expectant mother I continued to listen to the needs of my body. Staying in tune often means exploring the possibilities: changes in balance, energy needs, and the ability to move with ease. I hope you enjoy this video which means so much to me. It feels like a reflection of the adaptability of the human body and the strength of the human spirit.
Chances are, if you’re reading this blog post, you have a mom that crushes it. We hope you have an awesome climbing or backpacking trip planned with her this Sunday. Happy Mother’s Day!
Believe it or not, today is the first day of spring. Our friends at Adventure Journal kicked it off with 5 Reasons to Celebrate Spring. Just a few reasons to count your blessings and celebrate the season…
More from Kim Havell... shredding. Photo: Perpetual Weekend
Unless you’ve been living in a deep, dark cave… You may have noticed that there is a lot of cool stuff going on out there. So, we thought it was high-time we started rounding up some of our faves each week. We call it the Osprey Round Up… Happy Friday!
The season took its sweet time to come in this year, but it’s finally here. Over the last few weeks, mountains have been dusted and in many cases, pounded, with snow and waterfalls have frozen into walls of ice. We’ve got great plans for the next few days — skiing, ice climbing, cycling and hiking our way through this first weekend of February. A lot of great shots of people out enjoying the elements have come our way, so we thought it would be best to put together a quick photo gallery of our favorites to really kick the weekend off right.
Enjoy, and happy Friday!
Snowy Chicago commute. Photo: Adventure Journal
Awesome vintage shot of winter survival camp, circa 1978. Photo: Cold Splinters
Bridal Veil Falls. Photo: Osprey rep Jon Jugenheimer
More from Kim Havell… shredding. Photo: Perpetual Weekend
Osprey athlete Kim Havell tearing it up in some sweet, Utah powder. Photo: Perpetual Weekend
The Wasatch is For Rippers. Photo: Outside Magazine
