Yesterday was Modern Hiker’s 7th Anniversary, which a). is pretty cool and b). makes this web site ANCIENT in internet years.

Right now, I’m a bit light on the updates but for a good reason – I’m going through ALL of my hike write ups and updating everything – adding more photos, clearer directions, and lots of other good stuff that will debut when the site’s new design goes live. The end is in sight and I’m burning some midnight oil to try to get the new site up and running as soon as possible … but before it does go live, I’ve got some good news for you!

For the past few months, I’ve been writing essays for the Sierra Trading Post‘s Social Hub as part of #TeamSierra. I’m writing with some really excellent folks, including a few old friends from the inagural Columbia OmniTen group. The pieces run the gamut from exercise tips to adventure tales to how to snowshoe with dogs and I will say I’m pretty proud to be in such good company. They’re also letting me write a bit more philosophically than I usually do for this site with entries about hiking in silence and rejecting the consumerism of Black Friday in favor of backpacking. That’s all of our beautiful faces down below:

Team-Sierra-Crew-660

Now, in honor of this site’s seven amazing years on Planet Internet, Sierra Trading Post will give one lucky person a $100 gift certificate to use before December 17th at midnight!

All you have to do is leave me a comment here answering this question: What’s the moment you first fell in love with L.A.’s great outdoors? Was it a hike you read about here, a great view that made it all “make sense,” your first view of the snowy San Gabriels, or maybe a chance encounter with some wildlife?

Leave your entry in the comments below (and be sure to use your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win!). I’ll pick my winner by 5PM Pacific this Sunday and email the $100 code to you.

And while you’re waiting,the Post is also offering a 30%-off discount to Modern Hiker readers from now through midnight on December 17th! All you have to do is head over to the Sierra Trading Post from here and use the code SHUBTS0513 at checkout. Super easy!

Thanks again to everyone who’s read, shared, commented, and hiked with me over the past 7 years. Here’s to the next 7!