Outdoor Minded Contributors

Lauren Rains

Lauren Rains is the editor at large of Outdoor Minded Mag. She is struck by wanderlust, and spends most waking hours of her life either exploring the outdoors around the globe or working on various passion projects be it film to microadventures to cooking chili. You can read about her adventures in life, biz and travel on her blog TheMadToLive.com, and catch up with her on Twitter at @LaurRAINS.

Mitch Lex

Mitch grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona where he fell in love with kayaking, backpacking and just about everything else there is to do outside. Since moving to the Midwest, Mitch has continued to explore trails and rivers throughout the country. His greatest adventures include roaming with grizzlies and caribou on a NOLS course in Canada's Yukon Territory, swimming with dolphins while studying abroad in New Zealand, and guiding backpacking trips in southwestern Colorado and Utah. He sees the outdoors as a place where you can discover what is truly important in life while exploring a little bit about oneself along the way. Contrary to popular demand, he enjoys dried pineapple and Reese's pieces over M&M's and raisins in his trail mix any day of the week. Sorry GORP.

Brianne MacRunnel

Hi, I'm Bri, the photographer. I am in love with the ocean and the mountain. I don't like days that begin with an alarm and end in TV. For me photography is a way to express more than what is said with words. It is my freedom. I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II and a GoPro. Lenses I used for these photos are 24-70 and 50mm.

Alexis Wagnon

Alexis Wagnon is a snowboarder, long distance runner, and crazy about all things mountain. Her love for the outdoors and exploration never grows old. She has lived and traveled in Europe and the Caribbean. She is also an avid promoter of sustainability and has always had a passion for protecting the environment. “Not all those who wander are lost.”

Anthony Manrique

Hi, I´m Anthony. I am homeless now, by choice. I am currently walking the Camino de Santiago, with my partner, Emma. Then we´re off to South America. We have decided to live our lives as an example. We've spent so long dreaming and thinking and now it's time to do, to act. I believe that we should treat each other well and strive to make each other happy. If you want to follow our progress our blog is here: http://anthonyandemma.blogspot.com/ and you can find me on Twitter @Anthony_Animal

Dan Zubrzycki

The Dos Equis guy â?? but with drastically better taste in beer, Dan Zubrzycki makes his living writing and editing. An avid believer fantasy worlds, and a zealot for real life experience, Dan believes that stories have the power to bind people together in common experience, the only thing that affirms existence. Shit that got deep fast. Contact Dan at DMZubrzycki@gmail.com for assistance editing, writing, concept consulting, or to hear more about his nascent business Sapere Aude Studios. You can also follow his tales on twitter at @DMZubrzycki.

Justin Savige

You'll find Justin and Christine Lukasavige in the outdoors by themselves, with each other, or their three girls, depending on the question that was posed. They're online at Backcountry Treks reviewing and giving away as much gear as they can.

Max Kudisch

Max is an adventurer and digital artist based out of Boulder, CO. When he's not bouldering, skiing, mountain biking, kiteboarding, or photographing/filming one of the above, he's usually editing that footage, making graphic designs, or building websites. You can check out some of his short films at his Vimeo page.

whitney orban

Whitney Orban is based in Golden, Colorado. She moved to Colorado from Florida in 2007 and immediately fell in love with the mountains. She graduated from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in 2009. Follow her adventures on www.bradleysadventures.wordpress.com or @Whitneyio.

Rich Barter

Rich Barter is a Brit who lives with his wife and young son in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is a web developer for Nature Shop based out of the beautiful Mount Maunganui, a UEFA-qualified football coach working in football development and has a passion for photography and adventure. Contact him at richb6@gmail.com or view his photos on Flickr.

Kyle Vines

Kyle is an enthusiastic explorer of land and space. His cravings for new experiences and his obsession with outdoor travel pushed him to go cave diving in the Yucatan Peninsula, bouldering in Joe’s Valley, Utah, and cycling across Western Europe. After many willing steps into the jaws of peril, he came to a life-changing realization: it’s not worth crossing off your bucket list unless you’re also puking in the bucket. Kyle relocated to Denver, where adventure is often closer than the convenience store. Follow @Kyle_Vines on Twitter for action and drama.

Katie Boué

Katie Boué is a New York born, Miami raised travel writer who recently departed from living in Denver to pursue fulltime climbing and outdoor trips. She chronicles her explorations on her website, themorningfresh.com. A member of Columbia Sportswear’s inaugural OmniTen team, and host of the weekly #ATQA adventure chat, Katie has a true passion for outdoor travel.

Raam Dev

Raam Dev is an explorer who seeks the adventure and wisdom of experience. He shares knowledge and ideas with great respect for individual potential and holds high regard for the legacy of humanity. Raam travels the world as a nomad and lives with what fits on his back. You may catch him crafting words in a cafe, hiking barefoot in a forest, or lost deep in thought pondering what it all means, but you can always find his latest work on RaamDev.com.

Jenny Kalmbach

Jenny was born and raised in Costa Rica. After graduating high school in San Jose, she moved to Vancouver, Canada to attend the University of British Columbia. In 2005, after graduating with a degree in psychology, Jenny moved to Kona, Hawaii. It was in Hawaii that she first learned to stand up paddle and she soon fell in love with the sport. In 2011, Jenny was honored with SUP Awards Female Paddler of the Year. Paddling now for six years, she has established herself as one of the sport's most high profile and recognizable racers. The evolution of the sport and her abilities has Jenny looking into the future for the next greatest adventure.

Hilary Billings

Hilary is Las Vegas local and world traveler. When sheâ??s not at home working on productions or taming lions, you can find her boarding down volcanoes and living in villages. Follow her unusual tale at www.NomadGrad.com or Facebook.com/TheNomadGrad

Ryan Ellis

I grew up in Zambia, a hot, wet, tropical piece of Africa. There I raced motocross, swam in lots of lakes and fell in love with mountain bikes, because they could take me anywhere I wanted to go. When I was sixteen I left home and school to become a professional mountain biker, which worked great for about three years. Then I realized that I was better at writing about my races than I was at actually winning them. So I hopped on a plane to Colorado, which is where I am now, writing, riding, and studying when I feel like it and searching for my next adventure.

Lydia Tanner

Lydia Tanner is a recovering mountain bike racer and peanut butter aficionado. She loves sleeping in the the desert, swinging ice tools, and skiing in beautiful places. Follow her adventures in the great outdoors at http://lydiatanner.wordpress.com or catch up with her on twitter at @lydlovesmud7

David Sandel

Dave Sandel is the creator of DudesWithTents.com and only likes to be serious when the situation calls for it. He has been an outdoor enthusiast since childhood in rural WI and is currently an electrical engineer but trying to make the switch to the Outdoor Industry, preferably using his skills as a writer (and in magic) in some capacity. If you find this story to be ridiculously hilarious, make your way over to his blog, follow him on Twitter (@DudesWithTents) , or give him a job! (Written by me, Dave Sandel, in the 3rd person.) Also, he likes to climb on rocks. A lot.

Emily Buchanan

Emily Buchanan is a writer and editor living in Norwich with a passion for pine forest forts. Follow her on Twitter.

Emily Kinskey

Emily is the Marketing Manager for sustainable development company Amble Resorts (developer of the Panama resort at Isla Palenque), but her favorite part of the job isn't listed in her job description. Running through the jungle, climbing volcanic bluffs, swimming in the Pacific and bonfire-building on the beach are the ways she does her "product research," and it makes every minute stuck in front of the computer worth it. You can find more of her island (mis)adventures on The Ambler, or chat with her and the other adventurous folks at Amble Resorts on Twitter (@AmbleResorts, @EmilyKinskey) or Facebook about discovering and preserving the wilderness of Central America.

Tim Moss

Tim Moss has organised expeditions on all seven continents and a couple in his back yard too. He believes strongly that adventure should be available to everyone. His first book was published in April 2012: How to Get to the North Pole: and Other Iconic Adventures

Jordan Mitchell

Jordan Mitchell-Love is health and wellness consultant, author, martial artist, and entertainer. A certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and Reiki Master, his fitness and health goals lead him to study everything from physics to language studies and white water rafting. For more information, you can follow him on his twitter @soularity, his Facebook page, or his blog soularityforyou.wordpress.com

Max Seigal

Inspired by his love for the outdoors and all things wild, nature photographer Max Seigal has set out to capture the beauty of the natural world. With degrees in biology and environmental science, Max has travelled extensively across the globe, working on numerous conservation ecology projects. These trips often lead him to some of the most remote and spectacular locations on the planet, providing wonderful opportunities for him to pursue his photography. His critically acclaimed images have been featured in numerous magazines and publications around the world such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa Magazine. His pictures have won several awards, including a selected highly honored photo in Natures Best Photography, one of the most prestigious awards offered in wildlife photography.

David Leaning

My first experiences in the snow came when I was a member of the British junior x-country ski team, representing the UK at several international competitions up until the age of 14. Later on came service in the Royal Marines with a deployment to the Arctic north of Norway. After leaving the military in 08' I missed the challenge of having a mission to complete in difficult circumstances, of moving from A to B in a harsh environment where we, as human beings were not designed to go. So I conceived of the idea for my first major expedition: a 2,600 km solo ski-trek from the far south to the far north of Norway. After completion I set my sights on a desert trek and walked across Australia from south to north coasts. My final major expedition was in 2010 when I led a team on an unsupported journey to ski 600 km across the Arctic island of Svalbard. Since then I have been involved in a number of other outdoor businesses to bringing experiences like these to others. I now divide my time between writing and marketing for travel related companies.

Jeline Guiles

Jeline Guiles is the editor-in-chief of Climb On, Sister! – a blog dedicated to igniting a passion for climbing amongst girls and women. She is sponsored by Primo Chalk and Climb On! To find out more, visit www.climbonsister.com or follow on www.facebook.com/climbonsister or Twitter @climbonsister.

David Fajula

David Fajula Jufre is a Northern-Catalonia based Photojournalist. His images have been published in notorious European and Asiatic newspapers, such as; Vladivostok Times, Norrkopings Tidningar, Dnevni Avaz or El Periodic d'Andorra. Nowadays he is working in a socio-geographic documentary about the Triglav National Park, the one and on National Park in Slovenia. David's Links: Photography website http://stock.davidfajula.com/ Main personal website http://www.davidfajula.com/

Lauren Smith

Lauren spends most of her time traveling, writing, reading, rock climbing, birding, lusting after mountains, and sometimes working as a field biologist and naturalist (though she’s keen to try her hand at this whole writing business). She hasn't lived in any one place for more than 6 months in quite a long time, but now that she’s landed in Boulder, CO she thinks she might just stay a while. When not holed up with her laptop in a coffee shop, she’s probably doing something fun outside. She blogs here: TalesFromAWanderingAlbatross.wordpress.com

Jenn Winiarski

Jenn's coaching, mediation and conflict resolution training began in the late eighties with training from the Justice Institute of British Columbia & other facilitator training organisations. She began as a parenting coach in her local community. Since then she has used her training to help not just parents but a diverse group of individuals throughout Canada and the USA achieve their goals. Inspiring, Motivating and Supporting others as they discover their true potential is something that Jenn is not just passionate about, she excels at it. When she is not out there backpacking the world with her teenage son you can find her taking on some pretty tough challenges. Jenn has spent the past ten years as an endurance athlete running ultra marathons, competing in and finishing some of the toughest adventure races on the planet. Always looking for new ways to push herself and her limits, her latest challenge by choice is mountaineering. The life lessons learned from these endeavours has prepared her to literally deal with anything - to handle any situation and any chaos with calm assurance. They have also strengthened and deepened her understanding of what it takes to support personal growth, behaviour modification, and goal setting. Jenn is the one you want in your foxhole.

Sidni Giordano

Sidni Giordano is a free-spirited writer with an insatiable curiosity and a low threshold for boredom. She lives for compelling stories, worthy causes and anything that involves being outside. At 21, she left the country under the premise of “finding herself,” which was unsuccessful. Instead, she spent money she didn’t have, had sex in dirty hostels and learned that the destination is irrelevant – movement is the key. You have to be moving to understand life. After cycling across the U.S. in the summer of 2012, she moved to Boulder because she loves climbing, craft beer and white boys from California. Her goal in life is to meet this generation's Kerouac and travel around the world together having near death experiences. When she's not writing or getting lost in the mountains, you can usually find her talking to homeless people on Pearl Street. Tweet her fun things @SidniGiordano

Shane Little

In November 2011, Shane Little sold everything he owned, left his home, girlfriend and Job to explore Africa by bicycle for 2 years.

Rob Kalmbach

I am an active Editorial & Commercial Art Photographer based in LA and NYC creating content as a director of photography in both motion and still media. I shoot every single day. Most importantly, you can trust me. I am fun to work with, and I sincerely enjoy the work I create.

Ted Nelson

Ted Nelson is the editor of Traveling Ted and Wisconsin Outside. He has been hiking, canoeing, skiing, and photographing the outdoors for over 30 years, starting when he was 10 years old. His favorite places include the Great Smoky Mountains, Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, the Everglades in Florida, and any good cross-country ski trail. He can be followed on twitter and Facebook.

Lauren Rains

Brandon Figliolino

AEager

Carole Badgains

Carole is a New Jersey outdoor enthusiast and hiker. When she's not out on her tree stand, you'll find her roaming around the trails of the northeast and kayaking the Delaware River.