(20)15 Adventures

I have been severely lacking on my posts in 2015 as we find ourselves already halfway through February. I apologize.

To make up for it however, I have decided to dedicate this post to 15 things I've been up to in the new year. Everything from my travels, recipes, and new things I've embarked on to bring everyone up to speed on the happenings in my life. Sound good? Here we go. 

1. The promised return to Taos for a ski trip.

Taos Ski Valley

The moment I was back in New Mexico I knew I had missed it more than I ever thought possible. The sunshine, chiles, and colors of the Southwest were just what I needed to start the new year off right. I may or may not have drank a stein of beer at the Bavarian (go there) that convinced me to try the only trick I know off of a jump under the chairlift. Cheers to beer giving you the liquid courage you need to land a 180 disappointing all of the people who wanted to laugh at you. 

2. Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash.

Personally, I love using spaghetti squash instead of pasta mainly because I love vegetables, it's healthier, and honestly just as easy to make as pasta. You can't beat making your own thai peanut sauce either. Give it a shot, found here

 
3. Backcountry Tour to White and Pink Pines, Little Cottonwood Canyon

As I've mentioned before, this is my first winter skiing in the backcountry. I've only been able to get out touring a couple times this season from plans and weather but every time I've gone it's been a new, great, challenging, and rewarding experience. As a beginner, I have been really grateful to be able to tag along with roommates and friends into the backcountry. This tour was my first double lap tour on two different ridges. Do you want legs of steel? Start alpine touring right now. 

My roommate, Matt, split boarding a ridge in the Pink Pines area

4. Avalanche Courses Continued (It never ends)

Since moving to Utah, I've been able to see what an incredible backcountry community resides in the Wasatch and the value resources we have available. A couple weeks ago I took my first partner rescue class up at Brighton put on by the Utah Avalanche Center. Admitting to the fact that I had been out in the backcountry without having taken a course like this is a little embarrassing and I am very thankful to now have the necessary knowledge of partner rescue. It's the skill you hope you never have to use but wouldn't you want the peace of mind knowing that your ski partners know how to save you in the event that it was needed? I am grateful to work with the UAC in my job and have the resources they provide in my personal life. Be responsible and know before you go folks. 

5. Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Long story short: This will be my go-to banana bread recipe from here on out. 
So. Damn. Good. I doubled the cinnamon to cut down on the sweetness. Perfection. Find it here.  

6. Missoula Gals Reunite

It hasn't been too long since I've moved to SLC, but no time is better than now to see your close friends. Lindsey, Jory, and Raechel made their way to Utah from all directions for a weekend of sunshine and laughs in the Beehive State. The beer didn't match up to Kettlehouse (as nothing will) but it's as if we were never apart. Until next time with these lovely gals...

7. Rollerblading in February

I love rollerblading. I was overly excited to see all of the fellow bladers that recreate at the park near my house. With all the tropical weather we have been having I have been trying to get out and blade when I can after work. I never thought I would be able to blade in January and February. I've put on many miles in the last 6 months and I'm thinking it may be time to get some new wheels if you know what I mean...

8. Exploring Utah resorts. 

Winter has been on a bit of a hiatus this season but I made my goal to check out many Utah resorts this year and I needed to get a move on. I had the opportunity to ski at Park City so I figured I should take it. It's a much different place than Snowbird. I don't think I've skied a mountain that I could compare it to and definitely not when all the Sundancers were out. Nonetheless, I've checked another resort out. Onto the next. 

9. Back to Big Sky Country

In January I made my first trip back to Montana to join some friends at Big Sky for a long weekend of skiing and debauchery. The monumental moment of the GNAR drinking game being invented happened during this trip. It was amazing to be with friends, on the mountain, in a ski town, and back in Montana. Apparently the vodka slushy machine is only active in the summer months (tragic) so a tequila slushy at The Wrap Shack had to suffice. Big Sky, you are lovely.

10. Snowshoeing for the first time. 

During the winter you can typically find me with skis strapped to my feet. Given the mediocre ski climate, I decided to give these spiked flippers a shot and they were awesome. This event leads me to my next adventure.

11. Winter Hiking

I think about hiking often during the winter. I start planning my spring, summer, and fall hikes but never find myself considering them until winter is over usually because I'm too busy skiing. The weeks of 50-60 degree weather in Salt Lake has my mind working though. This past weekend I did some research and found that one of the spring hikes I had planned is also a popular winter snowshoe trail. Bingo! We headed to Big Cottonwood Canyon to start the hike. Twenty minutes later, our shirts were off and the sunscreen was applied. It was warm, too warm for February. Nonetheless, it was a great hike with a beautiful very that had me more excited than ever to start hiking around this beautiful state. 

Frozen Lake Blanche and Sundial Peak

 12. Hozier - my Irish love.

I am beyond stoked that I was able to see Hozier on his first US tour in Salt Lake. The Depot is a pretty intimate venue with all GA seating (which I love) and cheap tickets. The show was incredible and one of the better concerts I've ever been to. Thinking about it makes me swoon. Okay- I'll stop. But really if you ever have the opportunity to see him, do it. Also, if you are turned off because the only song you've ever heard is Take Me to Church, I dare you to listen to the rest of his album and see that it's very different, which I love.  

13. Creamy Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers

I have made stuffed peppers before and honestly they weren't my favorite and I was disappointed. I wanted to give it another shot. These chicken enchilada peppers were a great success. I used dairy free cream cheese and quinoa instead of rice and they were delicious. Try them here.
 

Delish

14. Spring Skiing....in February

Instead of griping and crying about the weather, last weekend we decided to get out and spend our Saturday party skiing in the nearly spring conditions. The skiing was actually pretty great, the sun was out, and laughs were had. Go skiing with your friends. 

Ridge on top of The Cirque

15. Embracing the "Spring" Weather

So conditions a week later weren't the best on the mountain, but we gave it a go. My roommate led me to a few technical spots (including a Baldy hike) that will be awesome once it starts snowing again which was great. After the coffee high wore off, we threw in the towel and did the honorable thing: host a BBQ and act like it's summer. 

Bring out the driveway pong.

This concludes the (20)15 adventures update. I promise I won't wait this long for another post. No matter what the weather is like, find a way to enjoy it. Hike, travel, ski, and eat like there's no tomorrow. 

k. 

Powder and Pizza

With ski season finally ramping up all over the country now that we've passed the first of December, I can't help fight that familiar itch that begins. It starts with the first couple times on the mountain. You're happy to get turns in no matter how many rocks you hit or times you catch an edge and wipe out. But slowly the the itch builds. You find yourself starting to check the forecast daily (hourly) lusting to see the snowflake in the upcoming days. Momentary elevation of your mood heightens when new areas of the mountain start to open or you go on a tour to mix things up...but again the itch continues. Finally let's add in the horror of the internet that allows you to look at the snowfall that's occurring everywhere else but not where you are.

That's when you (or at least I) snap. Where. Is. The. POWDER ?!

Some have to bring me down to Earth and remind me that it is still early, there is still snow to be had, it needs to cover up the rocks, etc etc. It's hard to remain calm. Salt Lake had highs of 55-60 degrees for the last two weeks which I really couldn't complain about, but I'm ready for winter. Thankfully this past weekend a storm came through and graced Little Cottonwood Canyon with almost 10 inches and the itch was fixed...for the time being.

On top of the ridge on my first backcountry tour in the Wasatch

While waiting for the snow to fall I decided to take on a new recipe in the kitchen, homemade pizza. It absolutely boggles my mind that I have never made fully homemade pizza given that it's one of my favorite foods. The dough was extremely easy to make and the pizza was perfect for a football Sunday.

I am a huge fan of thin crust and used the crust recipe from The Kitchn. The only advice I would give further is that you really need to roll the dough out. I thought I was borderline too thin but in reality it raised much more than I thought. If you like a little thicker crust then you don't have to roll it out as much.

I'm getting ready to head home this week for Christmas and needed to clear out the fridge in preparation to be gone. Alas, the Mediterranean Kitchen Sink Pizza was born. Here's what I topped my pizza with:
-Herbed goat cheese
-Diced pepperoni
-Caramelized onions/shallots
-Sweet peppers
-Artichoke hearts
-Roasted Garlic
 Topped with a balsamic glaze

I am looking forward to more days like these in the future. Powder followed by pizza. 


Safe travels to everyone during the holidays. If you have a connection at DIA, I wish you luck. If you need any recommendations about where to find the strongest drink or how to win an arm wrestling match for the nearest outlet to your gate - contact me. I've spent so many hours in that airport during the holidays I should list the skills I acquired on my resume but I digress.

Happy Holidays and cheers. Santa, please bring snow.

k

misSOULa

The time has finally come to bid farewell to this unique and wonderful place I have been able to call home for the last six years. Missoula is a special place. Anyone who has ever lived or visited here knows that. It's the place that makes 'casual' stylish, where one identifies by their favorite brewery, and where local always supports local. It may not be for some, but damn I love this town.

To the countless hikes up Sentinel

In the last week I've made it my personal mission to enjoy every bit that I love about Missoula. Let's be honest, I could eat Tagliare every day and I am already looking forward to my next New Edition. I ask myself, what will I ever do without Kettlehouse in my life? (Serious question) I even drove across the Higgins Street bridge coming into downtown to enjoy my favorite view of the city one last time. But the time has come to move on.

The colorful Clark Fork

In preparation for my trek to SLC, I have stocked my Subaru (of course) with all of my favorite Montana beers because....priorities. I will miss the town filled with a mutual love of Subarus and craft beer.

The best part about living in Missoula and now leaving it, is that I have experienced everything there is here. One should never live in a place that offers so many amazing things and not explore and experience what it has to offer. I don't understand the people who start panicking when they are moving away from a place scrambling to do all the things they "never had time to do". Maybe you had other priorities like a date with Netflix while your friends went to the free Lil Smokies show or you never had 20 minutes to spare on a warm summer evening to stand in line at Big Dipper when Coldsmoke ice cream was back on the menu. For those folks...you're missing out.

Fall outside of the best apartment I'll have

Norman Maclean once said, "The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana."

Well touche Norman, and here's to you Missoula. 

Until next time, looks like this Northwesterner is heading south. 

k 

Celebrating Fall

October, welcome.

Things I love about October:
1. It's officially fall
2. Oktoberfest
3. Sweater weather

The weather has been absolutely perfect in Missoula which is great timing given it's officially my last month in town. As for my hiking goal of 60 miles by October 1, I exceeded it with getting 64 miles of hiking under my belt in just over a month. I can't wait to start hiking in Utah and exploring a new set of mountains and terrain.

My friend and I made what will most likely be our last (for now) ascent to the top of Mount Sentinel. The view truly never gets old. While we were at the top a paraglider was setting up to take off. We were able to see him take his approach and fly off the mountain. Definitely something I had never been able to witness before, pretty amazing.

Looking east from the summit

For my last long hike in Montana I decided to make my second attempt at Upper Holland Lake which I had tried to hike to a year ago but had been misguided. The Seeley/Swan area northeast of Missoula is one of my favorite areas in western Montana. We made it a few weeks too early to see the larch turning in full swing (which is absolutely incredible) but nonetheless still beautiful.

View from above the main Holland Lake

Upper Holland

I'll miss these colorful river rocks

The weather is cooling off which can only mean one thing for my kitchen: crock pot time. 

In light of me needing to dwindle the items in my refrigerator and pantry before my move, I decided to go with Honey Soy Chicken by The Recipe Critic. Instead of using soba noodles, I made a batch of quinoa with mushrooms to top with the chicken. I also mixed in a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter to each serving. Enjoy!

This past weekend was Oktoberfest, a celebration I had been counting down for from a year ago. The six hour drive to the mountain town of Leavenworth, Washington was worth every mile, carb, and bruise from the weekend. For those of you who are not familiar with Leavenworth, the entire town has a theme of Bavaria. The shops and signs are all in English and German and it is amazing. I highly recommend making the trip there along with planning some hiking in the Enchantments which I unfortunately wasn't able to do (this time). Our group was rowdy and festive -- I love lederhosen. 

October may be my new favorite month, two weeks left in October and two weeks left in Missoula.
Time flies doesn't it?

k

Time Flies.

The last month has been a bit of a hiatus between driving back to Missoula, going out on a fire assignment, and traveling around catching up on all the summer hiking in Montana that I missed. How is it already the second week in September? This month marks my sixth year in Missoula and I seriously don't know where the time has gone. Over the years I have been able to explore and experience so many great things in the area, but there's always room for more.

To all my fellow day-hikers, I highly recommend checking out your local REI or Barnes and Noble for any hiking book by Robert Stone. If you're in the Missoula area, I recommend "Day Hikes Around Missoula". I always had thought I was pretty knowledgeable about day hikes around Missoula and had been on many. After buying this book I realized how many I didn't know about and how over the years I had clearly found my favorites and put myself on repeat.

I tried to diversify my first hikes back with all new routes. Some were simple, some were long, but they were all beautiful. It feels great to be back in the forests. I finally visited the largest Western Larch in the country last weekend which is right outside of the town of Seeley Lake.  Over Labor Day weekend my dad and I made a rainy and cold (48 degress) 10 mile trek in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Ravine Trail - Grant Creek/Rattlesnake Wilderness

Morrell Falls - Lolo National Forest

Bass Lake - Selway Bitterroot Wilderness 

The snow hasn't started to fall quite yet. There is still plenty of time to check a few more off of the list and still be able to hike a few of my favorites. My goal is to get 60 miles in (since I've been back to Montana) by the end of September. Currently I'm at 37 miles, game on.

If I haven't mentioned before, I love fall. The weather is great, ski season is almost here, and it's football season. GO CHIEFS. Fortunately I missed the game yesterday because I was hiking as they lost terribly to the Titans. The thing about being a fan of a team that is hit or miss every year is that you finally accept the "no expectations, no disappointments" attitude and find that you will be much more happy. Especially when they pull through with a win.

Cooking during the fall/football season is also one of my favorite seasons to explore in the kitchen. Time to dust off the crockpot. Bring on the baked goods and beer-cheese dip.

I hope to have an update on my mileage goal and will have a new recipe next time, I promise.

Go explore.

k.

Recipe for Endurance

The last couple of weeks have absolutely flown by. Summer is just around the corner and it's time to play. Last weekend a couple of girlfriends and I headed to Quinn's Hot Springs for a much needed pool soak. Between the tequila sunrises, good company, and an entertaining bridal party, our overnight adventure to Plains was a perfect getaway. Endurance recipe #1: Surround yourself with the people that make you a better person and you can make it through anything. Adding vodka also helps.

Hiking is my favorite form of exercise. The snow is melting off the mountains and the trails will be clear to roam. The excitement is killing me. My dad and I headed up the Bitterroot Valley to Lake Como, a beautiful lake north of Darby. Having only lived 6 miles from the lake for several years, we couldn't believe that we had never hiked to the lakes inlet up the canyon.The Como Peaks are one of my favorite views in the Bitterroot. Endurance recipe #2: Keep life exciting. Explore new places and things will never get old.

Moving on to the BEST kitchen "hack" I have learned to date thanks to my coworker. Maybe I'm the last person to know this-- but I still feel the need to share it for any of you out there that aren't aware. I make smoothies just about every morning for breakfast. I love my blender, but cleaning it daily for one smoothie can get old. I make kombucha so I have a ton of mason jars around the house. It just so happens that most blenders fit the mouth of standard mason jars. You know where I'm going with this, and YES you can use a mason jar instead of the blender pitcher to make your smoothies! Endurance recipe #3: Try the best you can to get along with your coworkers. I know I'm thankful for this one.

 Last but not least, the final (and actual) recipe. I'm a huge fan of crackers. They are a weakness of mine. I have gone through countless boxes of Cheezits, Wheat Thins, Goldfish, and Ritz Bits Sandwiches with Cheese. These are all so delicious and so terrible for you. Last summer my friend Jory brought a bag of homemade crackers on a camping trip in Glacier. I don't think I will ever buy crackers again. They are so simple, tasty, and actually healthy. I give you Endurance recipe #4: Endurance Crackers by Oh She Glows

Endurance Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chia seeds*
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pepita seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup water
• Spices of your choice to mix in with the seeds or sprinkle on top. I have used chili powder, garlic powder, curry powder, and salt.

1. Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix the seeds together. Pour the water mixture onto the seeds and stir until thick and combined. Season with spices at this time if you wish.

3. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet with the back of a spoon until it’s less than 1/4 inch thick. Not to worry if a couple parts become too thin, you can just patch them up. Try the best you can to get to this thickness as you don't want the inside of the crackers to not fully cook. 

4. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, slice into crackers, carefully flip onto other side with a spatula. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, watching closely after about 25 minutes. I typically take mine out around this time. Allow to cool completely on the pan. Store in a container or plastic baggy.

Endure and enjoy! Until next time explorers..

Spring Begins - First Sunburn of the Year

The Northwest has seen some serious swings in weather in the last two weeks. One Friday, the entire city of Missoula shuts down due to a blizzard, a week later, the snow is basically gone, the sun is shining, and the Chacos emerge from the closet. In a last minute decision to go skiing Saturday, I decided to bring out my shell instead of my mid-winter jacket. Risky decision.

However, within minutes of sitting on the chairlift. We had our gloves off, arm and leg vents open, and our beers were starting to warm up. I was nervous that the heat wave was going to ruin all of the snow on the steep back side of Discovery. I was pleasantly surprised. My friend Lindsey and I were able to find fresh snow for the first half of the day that hadn't turned to ice or mashed potatoes. Success.

At lunch we headed to the car to shed some layers. You would have thought it was May by the way everyone was hanging out, grilling in the parking lot, and wearing t-shirts.

The second half of the day we had to work a little harder to complete turns. Given we had a time constraint, we decided to head home a little early to visit the Philipsburg Brewing Company which neither of us had been to. After a Rye Ale and a Double Red (which were both great) we made our way back to Missoula. Spring is upon us.

Sunday morning I decided to have a gathering at my house with some girlfriends for breakfast. I'm heading out of town this week and there's no better way to decrease the food in the fridge and catch up with your friends. Besides, I had a Costco sized bottle of champagne that wasn't going to drink itself.

Sometimes the easiest thing to make when you have a kitchen sink of ingredients is a quiche. My dad always gives me homemade breakfast sausage that I have trouble using up given that I live alone, but it's so flavorful and lean that this was a perfect opportunity to use it. So here you have it:

Crustless Sausage Quiche:
Ingredients:
1 cup sausage cooked and crumbled (any type, give or take 1 cup)
1 cup red peppers (roasted)
1 clove roasted, minced garlic (optional)
5 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used sharp white cheddar and some herbed goat cheese)
1 tsp basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to season
Cooking spray

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
Grease deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs of choice. Layer the sausage, cheese, red pepper, and garlic in the pie pan and pour the milk and egg mixture on top. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the center is firm. Remove from the oven and let the quiche set for 5 minutes. There may be some residual liquid from the peppers in the bottom of the dish, don't worry. Drain the best you can and serve.

Overall it was a great weekend with great people, all of which made the "spring ahead" loss of an hour all the more tolerable.

Love Your Local Mountain

Happy Sunday to all of you powder hounds out there.
After an amazing day out on the mountain yesterday, I realized I needed to dedicate this post to one place that has influenced my life for the last 15 years.

Lost Trail Ski Area is celebrating its 75th season this year. I moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 1999 and my family took up Lost Trail as our home mountain. Weekend after weekend my dad and I made the trek to the mountain for ski school, two-man chairlifts, and cheese fries. I can honestly say that there was no better way to spend my weekends in the winter.

Today I ski at the same mountain I know and love. Even though Lost Trail has expanded, thinned, and changed, I believe it's for the better. Change is a good thing...as long as they keep the cheese fries. It still brings the same snow, terrain, and local feel that makes anyone feel at home.

Here's to the mountain that brings me great memories, snow, and views that never cease to amazing me.

Celebrating Winter

Winter Carnival in Whitefish, Montana is one of my favorite celebrations. For the past couple of years I've made it a long weekend of skiing, beer drinking, and general celebration of all the things I love about Montana and winter. I have been lucky enough to ski at Big Mountain (I just can't call it Whitefish Mountain Resort) frequently for the past few years. The terrain, scenery, and snow are some of the best in the state, in my opinion.

If you've ever skied Big, you know that there is commonly a serious inversion of fog that can make it nearly impossible to see on some days. All the days of inversion and fog are worth it when you get a bluebird day on the mountain which happened on Saturday. So. Extremely. Happy.

Glacier National Park is one of my favorite places in the world to begin with, but seeing it from the top of Big Mountain covered in snow was just amazing. Friday and Saturday were both a balmy -5 degrees which was manageable with this view and several pit stops to drink a PBR with the group of Yeti's and Team Canada.

The only let down this year was that the beer barter was cancelled. Typically the event is a talent show after the parade with beer provided and sold by Great Northern Brewing Company. I was pretty bummed to see this event cancelled. Fingers crossed for next year. To those who haven't been before or went this year and didn't get to experience the beer barter, here is a photo from last year where we were watching from the roof of Great Northern Brewing Company:

During my three day getaway I was able to visit several eateries and bars to enjoy some of my old and new favorite items.

My go-to's:
1) Bacon cheeseburger and fries - The Bulldog Saloon. You can't beat watching the Winter Olympics and eating burgers with a pitcher of PBR after a cold day on the mountain. 
2) Green smoothies and Americanos - Cowgirl Coffee. 
3) Breakfast Burritos- Alpine Village Market

New favorites:
1) Bluebird Double IPA- Great Northern Brewing Company
2) The Vespa- Latitude 48. Gin and champagne in the same drink, yes please.
3) Chubbie Yuppie scramble - Loula's

Overall it was a successful long weekend to Whitefish for Winter Carnival full of great friends, good beer, and mountains. Until next time.

February, You're Already Looking Good.

"I'm really happy I didn't go skiing today" - Said no one ever, usually.
Luckily, I can say that I did head to the mountain today, after highly considering not going. It's amazing how easily swayed I can be with several inches of powder, great terrain, and cheese fries. All of which Discovery Ski Area had today.

One of my favorite things about Western Montana is the smaller, family owned and operated mountains. We are lucky to have so many inexpensive mountains that have great terrain, snow, and are under 2 hours away in all directions.

As I mentioned earlier, cheese fries. My FAVORITE ski food. Disco does cheese fries best. Doesn't hurt that their cookies are delicious and most often still warm out of the oven. Healthy lunches tend to occur while skiing.

Processed cheese aside, the 6 inches of snow and turns that were made today made them worth it.

The view of Georgetown Lake and the Pintler Range isn't too bad either. Happy Saturday everyone!

The Northwest Gypsy

Hello all!

I'm Kayla. 

When you meet someone new one of the first questions asked is: "Where are you from?" After growing up moving around every couple of years, I haven't really been able to determine a place that I'm actually from. Born in Washington, moved to Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, and back to Montana for college. Finally, I came up with what I am: a northwest gypsy. 

So ta-da! Here I am. 

Things to know:

I love cooking.

Mountains. 

Traveling is my passion.

Embrace change.

Skiing keeps me in love with winter. 

So here we go. I'll be writing about my life and the things I love. Enjoy