Editor's Note

Summertime Stories

Summer brings out some of the best stories of the year. It's the only time of year that the roads are clear enough to get to the higher and more remote trails. But that's not the only reason. Ever since we were kids, with summer breaks from school, we've been conditioned to view summer as something special — as a time of year when we are supposed to play. And more often than not, in the hot months of summer, that play was outside.

The theme for this issue is purpose, something many of us search for, and find a sense of, in the wilderness. When we're outside, we're able to tune into ourselves and put the world into perspective. We're reminded of how little we are in the grand scheme of things, yet how important we are too.

In this issue of Mountaineer magazine, Sam Ortiz shares her story of overcoming fears of not fitting in outside. She recognizes that the outdoor industry is historically white, male, and lean. Equipped with a camera and an adventurous spirit, she's here to challenge that status quo and document it along the way.

Another article that celebrates the success of female Mountaineers is Women on Top - Ups and Downs in the Himalayas about an all-women climbing trip to Nepal taken on by Mountaineers climb leader, Ida Vincent, and her team, the Mountain Mahilas. They used this expedition to empower a local female Sherpa who needed more summits to compete with the male guides that dominate the industry.

Our third feature is about Jasmine Harrick, an up-and-coming actress, and her family who have been featured in The Mountaineers Kitsap Forest Theater for the past six years. She's starred as the lead in three of the performances and isn't even in high school yet.

This issue also has many of our wonderful regular columns, highlighting Mountaineers members, youth, history, conservation, and fitness. As always, we close with our Last Word column, and in this issue, Steve Scher reflects on what purpose means to him.

As we search for our sense of purpose, in the mountains and in our minds, one of the most important things we can do is share our experiences. It's how we connect and strengthen our community.

As the magazine editor, part of my job is to curate stories, but I can't do it alone. So this is my call out: if you know anyone who has a story to tell (and we all do!), especially of overcoming struggles with the help of the outdoors, I would love to hear from you. I am particularly interested in stories about mental health and wellbeing. Often the hardest struggles to overcome are internal.

Thank you for reading the magazine and happy adventuring,

Suzanne Gerber, Creative Manager