November Images by Melissa

Melissa was born and raised in the Northwest and grew up hiking in the Cascades and exploring the wild beaches of the San Juan Islands. Her first backpacking trip was a 10 day trek across the Olympic Mountains, following the Quinault River. During college she spent four months abroad in New Zealand studying writing and backpacking throughout the North and South islands. An avid hiker and outdoorswoman, Melissa is inspired by her outdoor adventures, whether they are bouldering, backpacking, hiking, trail running, scrambling, or simply setting up her hammock in the sun. After graduating from the University of Puget Sound in May 2010 Melissa has begun a career as a freelance writer and juggles painting, poetry, and writing a novel in her spare time.