Outbound Collective logo

How I Turned from Couch Potato to Adventurer in Just a Few Months

Nothing happens until something moves.

By: Sabrina Weng + Save to a List

If you told me four months ago that I'd be writing a post about hiking/the outdoors, I'd probably say you were nuts. Back then, I considered traveling from my couch to my fridge a hike. Fast forward to last Friday night, my friend and I drove from Seattle to Canada after work because we were planning on hiking Panorama Ridge. If you haven't heard of that one, it's a 22 mile hike (RT) in Squamish with a breathtaking/jaw-dropping view at the top. Craziest part about it all was that we planned on finishing the entire thing in one day. You know what happened? We did it. The whole thing took about 9 hours but every step and every second, was worth it.

(Excuse my basic "I MADE IT" pose) 

I honestly never would have imagined myself becoming an outdoorsy person. In fact, I used say people who enjoyed hiking were crazy (my bad), but when you come across views like the ones below, you kind of just ... fall in love. 

White River Falls, OR


North Cascades, WA


Hidden Lake, WA


Heather Lake, WA

You maybe be wondering what triggered this random love for nature. It started with a picture of Lake Twenty-Two on my Instagram feed. That led to me telling my best friend that I wanted go on a hike and her asking me if I was broken (rude). Anyways - 2 weekends and a 2.2 mile hike later, I was awestruck. Everything about the moment seemed perfect. It was quiet, peaceful, the lake was perfectly still so you could see the reflection of the snowy mountain tops in the water, and best of all - I was able to share the moment with my friend who had been there for me through thick and thin. After that, hiking didn't seem so bad. 


Ever since that day, I haven't been able to get enough of the outdoors. 4 months and 101 miles worth of hikes later, my bucket list of adventures continues to grow. That my friends, is how a couch potato like me turned into an active-nature loving adventurer. 

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Do you love the outdoors?

Yep, us too. That's why we send you the best local adventures, stories, and expert advice, right to your inbox.

Related

A golden happy hour on the California coast

Hannah Sibley

Lake Tahoe's trifecta: 3 Days of adventure at Zephyr Cove

Ranz Navarro

10 Ways to make camping in Yosemite National Park even better

Meghan White

Review: Danner Mountain Light boots in Yosemite National Park

Hannah Sibley

Meet TINCUP Whiskey ambassadors Renan Ozturk and Taylor Rees

The Outbound Collective