The Great Outdoors Woman

From bowhunting to fly fishing to skeet shooting, Tessa Wyatt is a great outdoorswoman. When she’s not enjoying the sweet summit city of Park City, Utah, and all the charm Main Street has to offer, she’s off exploring the surrounding nature.

“I like to hike, fish, and love to camp. If I am staying around here for a quick one or two night getaway I will go out to the Uintas or up Mirror Lake Highway. There are so many cool little hidden lakes and brooks up there. It’s beautiful and super easy to get to; very fun for short hikes in and fishing for some really neat brooks. Adventuring during the day, fire pit and cooking at night, and then sleeping in a tent. Once you get the whole process dialed in- it’s a quick pack in and pack out.” -Tessa Wyatt

Whether the weather is warm or cold, every season is bustling with activities. With winter afoot, planning for snow and freezing temperatures is crucial.

“Having the right gear is pretty key. I moved to Park City from Honolulu and literally had one pair of socks; the change in climate was a pretty big shock to my system and it took me awhile to adjust. The right shoes, good thick socks, a thick jacket, and a warm hat. Layering is really your best bet; it’s always easy to take layers off but harder to add layers on if you don’t begin prepared for the weather. I try to keep my core as warm as possible too, I can go for quite awhile with cold feet and hands but always have a hard time heating back up if I am chilled in my center. My Carhartt jacket is kind of a staple for me in the winter and at night in the summer.” -Tessa Wyatt

Rugged Flex Boot

Get a load of these Women’s Rugged Flex Work Boots. They are oil, chemical, abrasion, heat, and slip resistant. The back of the boot is outfitted with a rubber heal bumper for protection and the outsoles are made with cement construction. This is the women’s work boot you’ve been waiting for!

 

Your Rain Jacket Dream Come True

On my trip to Montana, it rained quite a bit. I practically lived in the new Carhartt Women’s Cascade Jacket. It’s much easier to enjoy the sweeping views and wide open skies when you know your rainwear will keep you dry. This Storm Defender® waterproof breathable jacket comes with articulated elbows so you can easily move around, a left-chest map pocket that’s certain to keep its contents drip-free, interior cuffs with thumbholes for those extra inches of protection, and an adjustable hem with drawcord and barrel lock adjusters. It’s basically your rain jacket dream come true.

Backpacking Hacks

Montana is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I was lucky enough to spend a few days backpacking around the area. It’s filled with geysers, natural hot springs, wildlife, and so much nature to explore. Here are a few tips I researched before I set off on an adventure:

1.) Avoid poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. (pictured above)
2.) When packing a backpack for the trip, pack the heaviest items closest to the middle of your back, lighter items on the front and bottom of the bag, and medium-weight, frequently used items on top.
3.) To gauge how much daylight is left in the day, outstretch your arm and hold your hand just under the sun. Count how many times you line up your hands in the distance between the sun and the horizon. Each finger is equivalent to 15 minutes of sun, therefore each hand is equivalent to about an hour of daylight remaining.
4.) You guys know I’m a picture-a-holic, but don’t get so camera happy that you forget to step back and appreciate the glory around you. Make sure to put down the electronics for a bit to really soak up as much wilderness as possible.

Now get out there and experience the natural beauties the world has to offer!

my adventuring gear: Carhartt Women’s Calumet Long-Sleeve V-Neck, Carhartt El Paso Shorts, Women’s Wellington Boots, Carhartt D89 Backpack, & Carhartt Water Bottle 

Park Ranger Kat Barker

 

When you think of a wilderness ranger, who do you think of? Do you picture a big burly bearded man, covered in plaid? Would it blow your mind to see a woman ranger, wearing pink, with a pickaxe in tow? If so, consider your mind blown.

Meet Kat Barker, a trails and wilderness supervisor. She and her crew head to the backcountry for 8 day long trips of 10-hour work schedules, consisting of clearing downfall, maintaining drainage structures, trail and bridge construction, etc. It takes a tremendous amount of strength and wherewithal to perform the daily tasks and move camp every night. The job may be tough, but it comes with the best office space around. Every night ends with a good meal at the campfire with friends, and rest is sweetest after collapsing into a sleeping bag, every limb aching from the typical routine.

It’s inspiring to see this role, historically dominated by men, being filled by strong, independent women. Kat’s advice for young girls who hope to follow a similar career path is that, “You can do it! If you love being in the mountains and enjoy working really, really hard and sweating a lot, there is nothing stopping you.  It can be difficult to get your foot in the door with public land management agencies, but do your applications, and call, call, call!  Making actual connections with the people in charge of trails and wilderness programs goes a long way in getting hired.  Or there are many other arenas like firefighting, range work, biology technicians, etc. that are open for newcomers as well.  Once you get hired on, even more doors will open.”

Nothing beats a barrel of determination and love for nature. Let your passions be your driving force in life.

Kat is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance Quarter-Zip & Women’s Original-Fit Crawford Canvas Dungaree 

Exploring Portland

I just got back from a lovely 9 day trip in Portland. I wore my Rockford Windbreaker almost everyday. With all of the Portland weather, it was perfect. Not too heavy but could still help me ward off the elements. Getting to know the city was a blast. There was so much to see and do. Here were a few of my favorites.

Wahkeena Falls: This waterfall and hiking spot is absolutely breathtaking. It’s on the way to the bigger attraction, Multnomah Falls. I prefered Wahkeena because it was a more intimate hike, with views that were just as lovely.

Food Trucks: Some of the best meals I had on my trip were from food trucks. Portland is a food truck mecca. You can get almost anything! A particularly delicious breakfast I had was from Alice’s Bagels.

Powell’s Books: Whether you’re a book worm or not, Powell’s bookstore is a wonderland. Floor after floor, room after room of wall to wall books… You’ve got to check it out, take a few pictures, buy a wacky book.