Trailheads

Growing up in Northern California, one of my favorite parts of our family trips to Mammoth Lakes was the ritual stop at a local gear shop, usually Kittredge Sports. While my dad grabbed our fishing licenses and extra bait at the counter, I wandered off getting lost in the racks of jackets, rows of backpacks, and stacks of canoes until he found me fiddling with the delicate little flies. 

That’s where my love for specialty outdoor retailers began, even if I didn’t realize it at the time. I was just excited to go fishing—and maybe get a new T-shirt. Many years later, in 2018, I got my first job in the outdoor industry as an assistant editor at SNEWS, and those childhood memories came full circle. Many of you might remember the days when the newsletter was printed on orange paper and arrived in the mail. In its final era, we worked hard to preserve the irreverent spirit alongside the hard-hitting reporting. On the eve of my first day, I wrote a breaking news story that spiked our web traffic—a sign I was in the right place. Over the next two years, I built the newsletter, reported stories, and attended trade shows, interviewing shop owners, learning the nuances of different brands, and forming relationships that have lasted to this day. 

The outdoor industry is my community and has come to feel like home—right alongside my family’s cabin in the Sierra. Now as an independent journalist, I cover gear and adventure travel, as well as the more complex systems behind them, from supply chains to materials innovation. I’ve written about cargo ships stuck at ports and the ever-evolving tariff troubles. I’m currently working on a series of stories about wool, the magical fiber, including where and how garments are made. And in joining Trailheads as an editor this month, I’m especially interested in how independent retailers are shaping not just what we buy, but how we experience the outdoors.  

While my early shop visits and my time at SNEWS are a big part of why I still care so much about independent retail, I recognize how much the industry has shifted drastically in recent years. The pandemic, the rise of tech-driven retail, and broader economic and political pressures have changed how shops operate and connect with their communities. I’m interested in telling the stories behind that—how you’ve adapted, what’s working, and what continues to matter.  

If anything has endured, it’s our collective love of getting outside and helping others experience the magic of catching a fish at daybreak, reaching the summit, and spending nights under the stars.