Mountains were a core part of my life growing up in an adventurous Colorado family. As an Eagle Scout from Troop 613 in Golden, I've done my fair share of exploring Colorado's wild lands. Despite this, I took the Rocky Mountains for granted until I moved to North Dakota in 2013. I daydreamed every day of a majestic purple mountain vista out my window in the cold white North.

After ten years out of state, I can finally call Colorado home again, and I get to wake up to the sun shining on Pikes Peak out my window every morning.