Catoctin Mountain Park

Growing up in Thurmont, MD near the Catoctin Mountain National Parks, I was always considered an outdoor kid. My parents got me interested in hunting & fishing and hunting became my true passion since my first hunting experience at the age of 9. I started to trap shoot at the age of 13 and have grown to be a nationally-ranked competitive trap shooter and a shooting ambassador. I have begun to work with my shooting club to understand the working of a sporting clay and trap club, how competitions are organized and the preparation and work needed before, during and after the shoot and how the club runs these events. My competitions have enabled me to travel to several different states to compete. Competing in different states has allowed to me…

“By endurance we conquer.” - Ernest Shackleton. Polar expeditions are some of the most dangerous expeditions out there and are very demanding. Planning the trip, animals, living conditions, food and each crew member struggling to help each other out and keep their sanity are just some of the hurdles in these treacherous expeditions. You might already have a clue about how hard these expeditions are because well, everyone knows how harsh Antarctica is being known as a “frozen desert”, but in this…

people I shared the chairlift with would tell me how lucky I was, but I would just smile politely and nod, unaware of my fortune. I had grown up in mountains and didn’t know anything different. As I have gotten older and been fortunate enough to have traveled outside of my familiar mountain range, I have realized how intensely beautiful mountains are. Now that I have become so attached to my activities and lifestyle in Vail, I can’t imagine growing up anywhere else. The beautiful mountains that…

uncommon except their willingness to climb the highest peak, came together and make it happen despite of many problems, in May 29. 1953 they were able to reach on the top of Mount Everest. Edmund Hillary was an adventurous person from New Zealand. He was born on July 20, 1919.Edmund Hillary, discovered his love towards snow in the age of 16 when he was taken to Mount Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park as a school trip. After the completion of high school, he continued his interest by climbing…

Climbing a mountain is a high-risk pursuit that is likely to be very difficult, but is also likely to be very rewarding. The stories, The Devil’s Thumb by Jon Krakauer and Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weihenmayer, both detail the authors’ exploits to climb the treacherous mountains, The Devil’s Thumb and Mount Everest, respectively. There are many similarities between the experiences of each climber as they went through their ascents. These similarities also are reflected in the writing of…

climbing to the tip-top of a high mountain and you’re looking for a larger, more enticing feat? Look no further! Welcome to Hilltop Anonymous, a well-organized and highly skilled guide group who will take you on an exhilarating trek up Mount Everest! This once in a lifetime deal will supply you with the safest and most reliable trip to the summit of the largest mountain in the world. Mount Everest is a beautiful mountain that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. The…

We’ve packed our bags and were ready to go climb Mount Everest! Wait… What? There are a plethora of safety precautions that inexperienced climbers don’t think about before going to go climb this magnificent mountain. But wait, aren’t there helicopters to come rescue you if something should happen? Think again. Helicopter pilots should not have to risk their lives for people who put themselves in danger. No Experience I don’t know why, and I don’t know how, but I am going to climb…

Colorado in '74 or '75," Gross said. "I was single, and I just picked up and left." He planned to get a job in Boulder, Colo. But then a friend of a friend invited him to visit Telluride. "I was there for four years," Gross said of the town near Telluride where he lived. It was there, in the downhill skiing mecca, that Gross was introduced to cross country skiing. "Believe it or not, you downhill ski so much (in Colorado), you get tired of it," Gross said. He loved hiking and getting into…

Vermont The cool breeze in the summer, the frozen snowflakes in the winter. The vast portrait of colors in the leaves in the fall, and the bloomings of new plant life in the spring. These are all attributes to The Green Mountain State, also known as Vermont. The 4 seasons vary greatly, but each have their own unique qualities to them which makes each season great in its own way. The cold, brisk winter. Snow covering every square inch of land for as far as the eye can see, the…

“Look, I’m sorry that I made fun of you, but can I please sit with my friends?” “SIT DOWN!!!” He shouted and then gave me a death stare that sent chills down my spine. There was no way out of it. I sat at the seat right in front of him, filled with all the negative human emotions. What I heard next made me want to quit school already. Laughter. Not towards the teacher, but to me. Why is Porky sitting there? How did Willy already get in trouble? At least I am not as bad as Porky over here.…