Insights from the Field

Every time I head into the field, I’m reminded how much I still don’t know. The weather turns, the outcrop isn’t what the map promised, a trail washes out, or something wanders into camp. Things rarely go to plan, and I’ve learned more from adapting to those moments than from almost anything I’ve read.

What keeps pulling me back is how much the field keeps teaching me. Sometimes it’s a lesson about how an ecosystem fits together or how life hangs on in tough conditions. Sometimes it’s a lesson about myself, like how I handle being tired, wet, and behind schedule. And sometimes it’s just the quiet of sitting with a rock face and really looking.

So I wanted to share a few of the things fieldwork has taught me. Some of them are about geology, and some of them are about everything else.

Field Apps Part 1: Garmin inReach, Avenza Maps, and Clino

After my last post on getting out and hammering, a few people asked what I actually carry on my phone and in my pack. So this is the start of a short series on the apps and tools I use in the field. First up is the three I use every single field day: a Garmin inReach, Avenza Maps, and the FieldMove Clino app. Why these two work well together They do different jobs, and that is exactly why I use them as a pair. Garmin inReach is my safety and communication line. It connects to

Choosing Your Scale: Lessons From the Field

There are many skills that can be learned by reading, but being a field scientist is learned almost exclusively by doing. Reading and coursework give us a strong foundation and help develop the associative pathways that connect what we’ve learned to what’s in front of us. But they don’t prepare us for all the uncertainty and messiness of real-world situations. I remember my first field course. I had read all the textbooks twice over, and I was an outdoor enthusiast. In the va

The map above highlights some of the incredible locations where I’ve had the privilege to conduct fieldwork, summit mountains, or climb. For many reasons, I once thought such opportunities might be out of reach, which makes me all the more grateful for the chance to explore these remarkable places. Each journey has been a gift, and I hope to continue discovering the world while learning from the vibrant communities and diverse cultures that make it so extraordinary.

Though our time and experiences in life are finite, the stories and perspectives of others allow us to transcend those boundaries. By listening to and learning from the journeys of people around the world, we can broaden our understanding, connect across cultures, and, in a way, live countless lives within our own. It’s this shared exchange that makes exploration and storytelling so deeply enriching and transformative.