Congratulations, Hil!

Meet the Spring “Live Your Big” Awardee

This month, Hil was awarded $500 through our “Live Your Big” scholarship program. She will be taking a once-in-a-lifetime women’s trip to Yosemite in California!

In her words:
"I wasn’t able to fly after my brain injury for almost 11 years, but in October 2025, I was cleared to fly. It feels like my world is open again. I have made good friends from some brain injury groups, and now to have the opportunity to join an incredible women's group—but this time it isn’t defined by my injury.

I’ve been feeling like I’ve transitioned from brain injury girl to mountain woman, from a journey of recovery to a journey of discovery, and this trip just feels right. Right time. Right group. Right experience."

Hil’s trip will take place in August 2026, and she will report back about her experience then!

Learn more about our “Live Your Big” scholarship program by clicking the button below!

Immersive Healing in the North Woods: A Scholarship Trip

Jamie was a recipient of our “Live Your Big” scholarship program in 2025!

Jamie used her award to take a family trip to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. Below are Jamie’s post-adventure reflections.

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It's hard not to fixate on the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of a traumatic brain injury, or in my case, a craniotomy to remove a rare pituitary brain tumor—one that notoriously slips through the cracks of benign and malignant, with permanent, life-altering impacts. As an outdoor lover, my abilities now are very different from what they were pre-brain trauma. Discovering a new way to connect to the outdoors that sustains me while actively grieving and healing from the loss of my former self is challenging at best. However, the good news is that when my life as a ‘survivor,’ a mom, a partner, a friend, and an employee feels overwhelming and unsteady, nature is my constant, and I trust it. 

In early fall of this year, with the support of Outdoor Mindset, I put my healing journey into practice on a road trip north through Wisconsin to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands, accompanied by my husband, Travis, and our three-year-old son, Farren. 

On our way, we drove through rolling hills, large metros and picturesque farmlands with bright red barns and old silos, along the eastern edge of the driftless region, and deep into the woods of the northern forest—until we came to a vast clearing; crisp, cool air filling our lungs and a feeling of humility and awe—the powerful Lake Superior.

Exploring the Shoreline

We arrived at our cabin for the weekend in Cornucopia, or “Corny” as the locals call it, a little town northwest of Bayfield, which is the launching point for Apostle Islands adventures. When we arrived, it was just shy of sunset on a drizzly, foggy evening. We were eager to stretch our legs, so we quickly unloaded the car, put on our rain boots, jackets, grabbed a flashlight, and set out for a nature hike down to the shoreline. 

We passed by other cabins on the way down this community trail through a mixed-species forest. We came across an apple tree and picked a couple of apples for a trail snack, and investigated big, spongy mushrooms (aka Farren poking them with sticks).

The sound of the waves crashing grew louder, and when we arrived at the shore, each of us was overcome by the endless lake surrounding us, peaceful and turbulent at the same time. Farren’s excitement, stomping in the puddles left behind by the waves, and Travis’s hunt for good skipping stones immediately put me at ease. We were all craving this uncomplicated joy. I ended up with plenty of water in my boots, but I didn’t mind. This was my new version of ‘Type 2’ fun that I didn’t realize I needed, and it made me laugh out loud. 

We continued wandering along the beach toward a small fish shack restaurant for dinner, where everything on the menu was caught that day. Along the way, we came across an artesian well, and we took turns drinking from it…so fresh, pure, and icy cold. We saw historic fishing boats wedged into the sand, and arrived at a large, dock-like platform over the bay, where sailboats and active fishing boats were tied up. We reached the restaurant and huddled inside for a well-earned, super-fresh meal of white fish sandwiches and stew.

Sea Caves and a Giant Waterslide

The next day, it was time to divide and conquer. This area of northern Wisconsin is well-known for its harrowing, majestic sea caves, which can be explored via kayak and canoe in the summer, and as an ice-climbing area in the winter. With a small kiddo in tow, I knew we would not pull off a full-on sea cave adventure. But I was determined that at least one of us would get a good look at them. Travis is an avid runner; that is his way of sustenance, and I had heard about a great five-mile out-and-back trail that ends with cliffside views of the sea caves. I knew this would be our collective chance to get a glimpse, and I’ve become quite skilled at living vicariously through others, so I insisted he go.

Meanwhile, Farren and I took a shorter route, equally as breathtaking, to Siskiwit Falls, which flows north and empties into Siskiwit Bay in Lake Superior. We had been told that in the summer, locals and tourists alike would bring their inner tubes and floaties and slide down these low-angle falls, as if it were a giant waterslide. With plenty of snack breaks along the way, Farren and I clambered down there and confirmed it was the coolest natural water park we had ever seen.

Madeline Island

Another of my favorite adventures on this trip was a visit to Madeline Island by Ferry, where I spent time out on the vast lake, watching the ships and sailboats go by, and exploring Big Bay State Park. While Madeline Island is walkable and bikeable near the port, it was well worth driving to Big Bay (we drove our car on board the ferry with us) to explore the boardwalk trails, along rocky beaches, and through a bog, lagoon, and a coniferous swamp. It was a truly unique experience, nearly all our own, with just a couple of others we saw on this hike - pure joy and peace, running and playing hide and seek in the trees, with my boys.

An Unexpected Gem

One final adventure worth noting was our time spent at Copper Falls State Park. We wanted to experience as much as we could (within reason) on this trip, including a detour on the road home to this very special place, just south of the Bad River Reservation. 

We knew there were waterfalls and a family-friendly trail to see some highlights, but we had no idea how profound these features would be. It was the perfect final stop to stretch our legs and immerse ourselves in the senses, through a mixed conifer and deciduous forest, to see the deep gorges and waterfalls, and wander over bridges that traverse the complex river-landscape system. And it was no surprise that Farren totally rocked it, hiking the whole way up and down the spectacular loop trail.

Alive

The experiences of this trip gave me a familiar feeling of freedom I hadn’t realized I was missing. Since my surgery, and really, before that in my post-partum bubble, I had been quite risk-averse (for good reason). Getting out of my comfort zone was something I sought out like I used to. I had forgotten the feeling: something new, not knowing what was ahead (in a good way), letting myself feel small amidst mountains, oceans, endless landscapes, and wild climates. This adventure brought me home to myself, and in many moments since, I've sought out my new low-key version of ‘Type 2’ fun - mini adventures that are just enough to challenge me and make me laugh, helping me heal and feel whole again.

-Jamie McDevitt-Galles

Wonder + Wildlife: A Scholarship Trip to the Mountains

Daniel was a recipient of our “Live Your Big” scholarship program in 2025!

Daniel used his award to take his first trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. Below are Daniel’s post-adventure reflections.

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“The gift shop’s out this way, yeah?” an older, rugged-looking man asked me as we walked past one another, at the very top of Trail Ridge Road, around Marmot Point. “Yeah, right up that-a-ways a bit, if you see the donut shop, you’ve gone too far!” I responded, garnering a chuckle from my new mountain friend. Walking back to the car, I took a moment to stop and take in my surroundings.

This was one of many instances where I did such a thing to truly understand, examine, analyze, and appreciate the absolute beauty before me. Throughout the entirety of the trip, these moments became important for me to recall because I knew that this was going to be a trip to remember, and it certainly was.

Staying not far from Rocky Mountain National Park in Grand Lake, Colorado, I was able to get an excellent idea of the topography of the area, seeing the differences between my lakeside retreat and the intimidating, yet strangely beautiful mountain landscapes that millions have been privileged enough to see, myself now included in those numbers. Most fondly, I will always remember this trip because of all of the wildlife I was able to see. 

A female moose, meandering through the treeline at the base of the Rocky Mountains, elk freely eating tasty green leaves from bushes and trees right off the main street in Estes Park, and of course, the group of longhorn sheep that I befriended while trying to take a picture from a distance, only to be surprised at how quickly those sheep ran from me, not wanting to be photographed! That’s okay, plenty of time to make friends some other time. Well, their loss! From Sky Pond, the Ute Trail, the Timber Creek campground, Coyote Valley Trail, Colorado River Trailhead, among many other places within the park, there is so much to talk about.

I was, and continue to be, grateful, gracious, and eternally thankful to the folks at Outdoor Mindset, who helped put all of this together for me, and allowed someone such as myself the opportunity to really get to explore one of the most spectacular National Parks that the United States of America has to offer. Perhaps what I loved most about the trip to Rocky Mountain National Park was the fact that, even though I was able to get a long list of activities and spots checked off and explored, there is still so much more of that park to return to see.

I believe that Outdoor Mindset knows this about Rocky Mountain National Park, and they intentionally get you to go to these amazing places of natural wonder and beauty, only to get you addicted to how awesome nature is, how important green, open spaces are—not only to cognitively challenged individuals like myself, but for everyone, making you dependent and hopelessly addicted to nature, and to those America the Beautiful Park Passes. I’m onto you, Outdoor Mindset! Lovely trip, amazing experience, 11/10, would do it again.

This is a reminder to never underestimate the importance of getting outside, making ever increasing strides to increase your outdoor time, understand that the world is your oyster, and that you, ultimately, are in charge of how you feel each and every day—so why not let the wondrous beauty of Colorado’s magnificent outdoor landscape take you to new places, experiences and show you what you’ve been missing? I love each and every single one of you at Outdoor Mindset—thank you so much for markedly improving my life with this opportunity, and please, let’s do that again!

Sincerely,
T. Daniel Guzio

Super Woman Sally

Sally is an old friend and colleague of many of us at Outdoor Mindset. A few years ago, she scared us all senseless when she was in a serious backcountry skiing accident in Jackson, WY. We, along with her 8 billion other friends and admirers, have had the pleasure of rallying around her and watching her come-back from this accident. 

She is a true inspiration and rock star, and it's an honor to have her be a part of the Outdoor Mindset family.

Raised in Colorado, I started skiing at age three. (But I went in my dad’s backpack in the backcountry at six months old!) My family has a cabin in Leadville, so when I was young, I skied at Ski Cooper. Once my brother and I “graduated” from Ski Cooper, at about age 12, I went over to Copper Mountain. I skied there for most of my younger years, and at age 15, I started the Junior Ski Patrol program. While I was in college, and for a few years after, I was a volunteer patroller, with skills as an EMT.

After college, I worked many ski-related jobs in Boulder, including being the online editor for SKI Magazine. I worked there for a couple years, considering it my “dream job.” I skied in places like Canada, New Zealand and Chile, and trips like these were fully paid for- but I was laid off from that job. That was a Wednesday, and by Friday, I had another offer on the table.

I accepted that job, and within two week, I packed everything I needed in my car, and headed to Jackson, Wyoming. I absolutely loved it there: the PR company I got a job with,

Denny, ink.

, had major ski industry clients like Arc’teryx, Dynafit and Nordica, so I went skiing for part of the day and it was considered “work.”

Skiing with three of my Jackson friends one Saturday, we rode the tram up at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and hiked to where we wanted to ski. We were going to ski “Once is Enough,” but we had to ski another, narrower run to get there. When we got to the top of our run, we clicked in, and my friend went first. He gave me two thumbs up, telling me it was safe to go. I started downhill, took a few turns, and then my ski fell off. I crashed, and slid downhill for 550 feet. I came to a stop by bashing my head on a rock. I was unconscious, but everything else was fine. My one friend who went first hiked up to me, and my other two friends skied down.

Once I got off the slope (which took a really long time), I was airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, where I was placed in an induced coma. Even though I was only in Jackson for a short time, a lot of friends I had came to visit me. I stayed there for three weeks, and then was okay to fly back home, to Colorado.

I had multiple injuries—a broken back, neck, and ankle, and I had to have back surgery to fix that break. I wore a neck collar for a long time in the hospital so that my neck would heal. And I still have foot problems from the break. I wasn’t eating at that time, so I have a belly scar from where they put in the feeding tube. I lost a ton of weight- 30 pounds- so they gave me a smoothie with stuff that made me gain weight.  I remember when I first got to eat by myself, and I forgot how great that was.

A few months after I lived at home, I got to go back to Jackson and thank all the people I knew there. Since the PR company I worked for had some clients in the ski industry, a lot of ski stuff was donated, which gave people another reason to come.

There were a lot of things I had to go through to recover- physical, occupational, and speech therapy. And even though I was 25 (and I turned 26), I lived at home. Living in Colorado Springs wasn’t great, because most of my friends were in Denver or Boulder. But I needed that time to still recover- I wasn’t able to live on my own.

Now that I live in Boulder in a condo that my parents helped me buy, I’m in a much better spot- I can see friends more often, and since I don’t drive, I can take the bus everywhere. Getting back to the life I used to have will never happen, so I struggle with loneliness. My friends from before my accident are finding new jobs, getting promoted, and/or having kids, but I feel like I’m stuck in the same place. I used to have a great job, and was doing really well at it, so this injury has stopped that. I just have to find a new way to gain happiness, beyond my job. I haven’t gotten there yet, but I’m still working on it.

I am so glad that I have come this far, when I was so very close to death during my accident. But the way my friends acted during my accident saved my life, and luckily, worse things didn’t happen with the bones I broke. My life will never be the same as it used to be, but I’m lucky to be alive so I can adapt to the changes.

Post accident, there are a lot of things that are important to me now, that I never used to consider important. Balance is one of them- I still have trouble walking. I don’t ski like I used to, and that was so important to me that even my job revolved around that. Riding bikes is a problem- I never realized how balance plays into that. My parents have kept their tandem, though, so I can still get my biking “fix.”

Yes, things aren’t how they used to be, but I’m learning new ways to do them and find other things that make me happy. I’ve now realized that the sports I used to do were the main source of my happiness. Now that I can’t do them the same way, I’m trying to learn other things that make me happy.

Outdoor Mindset

has really shown me that there are more people who struggle with the same things I do, so it’s good to know that I’m not alone. It’s the simple things like having coffee with another

Outdoor Mindset

 member that matter the most. I find pleasure in the simple things now, because I’ve realized how important they are. Before my accident, I thought bigger things were more important—like traveling, being a bridesmaid in someone’s wedding, or having success at work. Now, it’s the little things that matter the most to me, and Outdoor Mindset helps with that.

Starting the Year Off Right

Happy 2013 OM'ers!

Well, in keeping with the spirit of the New Year, I must start things off on the right foot by being truthful in admitting defeat in the 2012

Outdoor Mindset

Chili Cook-off that was at the end of October 2012. Yes... it's true... Kyle's Two-Step Texas Chili took first place this year, bringing in lots of votes (aka Texas money brought up to CO by the Martins!) As promised, here is the winning chili recipe. I could've re-typed it, but I thought the pictures and comments in the original recipe print-out were too good not to share! (Don't forget to add more beef!!!)

The 3rd Annual Chili Cook-off was a great success, raising over $8,000 for our programs and members. I huge thank you goes out to everyone who attended, donated, or participated in our silent auction which had some amazing items this year. The chili was good, the beer was good, and the auction was great, but the people who come are always the best part!

That same weekend, amidst the chili cooking and preparations, we even held a mini Board Retreat, where the OM Board of Directors did some planning for 2013. To say the least, we are extremely excited for the upcoming year and the future of Outdoor Mindset. We have some great ideas for enhancements to our programs to further serve our Members and get everyone outdoors. So stay tuned! 

2012 was a great year for Outdoor Mindset, as well, with just under 200 Members who are affected by a neurological challenge and have a passion for the outdoors.  Our

Meet-Up Groups

launched this year, with great momentum in both

Boulder, CO

and

Hanover, NH

. We've also made some amazing 1:1 connections through our

Guide Program

, where Members provide great support and inspiration through their relationships. Our Members continue to amaze us with their stories and spirit!

We have so much to be thankful for this past year, and moving forward for 2013 but we can not say it enough: Thank you so much for your support and for tuning in for updates! Now get outside. :)

Back to resolutions, football, and winter fun,

Jill 

SPRING MADNESS!!

What season do you think is most productive for new ideas, adventures, and stepping out of the box? Is it Fall/Winter when leaves start to turn red/brown and then it gets to be -30* outside? Or is it Spring when flowers start to bloom, the grass turns from brown to green, and the sun is constantly shining outside? I’ll let you take a guess which season I’m leaning towards for my final answer. At Outdoor Mindset, we have a history of Living Big in the Spring. Way back when, when Outdoor Mindset first got started, a great majority of the Board took a trip to New Zealand in April of 2010. For two weeks we explored the South island, and backpacked, beach-camped and bungee jumped through that amazing country. You can check out our full adventure here. And while that seems like so long ago, and just like yesterday all at the same time, the Spring tradition continued last year, when we launched our first ‘March Madness’ fundraising campaign to help raise funds for our Guide/Traveler Program. This included activities including 5ks, huge Adventure Races, and even mustache growing to help spread to OM spirit.

So now here we are, Spring 2012, and how are we going to top ourselves this Sping? Well, there is LOTS going on at Outdoor Mindset, and that’s an understatement. We have two Board Members traveling the world for a year (and skyping in for Board Meetings from beautiful places like Thailand! Checkout their blog here) two Board Members about to take a 4 month adventure to Costa Rica, two moving out to Bozeman, MT (and taking OM with them!), two with new babies this year, Med school domination on the East Coast, and much much more. PLUS, we just hired our first part-time staff member (Welcome Patti!) to help expand and develop our membership programs, which is huge for us! AND, like that’s not enough, we just launched our new fundraising campaign, appropriately titled ‘Spring Madness’ to get people outside, trying new things, and join in on the fun that Outdoor Mindset likes to explore during the Spring Season, while raising funds for our Meet-Up Groups.

Check out our Crowdrise Page to see all the amazing things we’re doing for this Spring Madness campaign, and get involved in a project, or just flat out donate! Like I said, our focus for this campaign is to raise funds for our biggest 2012 initiative - Outdoor Meetup Groups within our membership program- to strengthen connections and inspire members to get outside. What a better way to build a connected Outdoor Mindset membership than to get outside together? Since many expenses go along with managing this program; such as the technology platform to manage events, labor costs associated with managing the program, outreach materials, food & beverage costs, rental expenses, etc., we’ve set at $10k goal for Spring Madness and need your help to reach that numbers. So come get involved, join in on the fun and start your own pattern of Living Big in the Spring… we wouldn’t have it any other way!

And just in case I wasn’t clear –

GO TO THIS LINK NOW

to join in on our Crowdrise Spring Madness event, donate, or for no other reason, just to see how cool we are. :)

Hope you're all having a great week - and Happy Spring!

Jill