I worked for the National Park Service for a summer in Yosemite. I spent my free time wandering the mountains and waterfalls and climbing.

An oasis of serenity in the Arizona desert, Sedona is remarkably tranquil and beautiful.

Boasting some of the world's most spectacular shoreline, California's Lost Coast is a fantastic place to get lost in the wilderness.

Winter's first snowfall is always magical. In the back country, it can be transcendant.

With a group of friends from school, I summited fourteen-thousand foot Mount Shasta early on a frigid May morning.

I led a group on a winter summit attempt of California's 10,000-foot Pyramid Peak.

I skied Yosemite's Glacier Point Road on a February weekend. We reached Washburn Point and got incredible views of the valley.

The instructors of Stanford's Outdoor Education Program spent their annual retreat skiing through the Sierra Nevada back country.

I spent a week during the winter of 2008 exploring Peru's Inca ruins at Cusco and Machu Picchu.

At 11,188, Mount Silliman is a straightforward but rewarding climb in Sequoia National Park.

At 14,159', Mount Sill is one of California's highest peaks. I climbed it with some friends from college.

Watching the sunrise from the summit is the best way to hike Half Dome.