Kate Pitts

In the clarity of mountain air, Kate found that her love of exploring the wilderness was intensified by how wild places inspire inward reflection. Nature is her inspiration for awakening to life now and empowering others to spend more moments connected. Kate worked and played in natural temples for a decade as a Park Ranger and Search & Rescue professional for the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Haleakalā National Park. In her previous service on the Crisis Incident Stress Management Team for the Department of the Interior, she orchestrated responses for individuals and communities nationwide during crisis incidents. She is passionate about advocating for the mental health of first responders in our parks. In her previous role as a backcountry ranger at Grand Canyon, Kate was most proud of collaborating with representatives from the Havasupai Nation during the name change of the corridor campground from "Indian Gardens" to "Havasupai Gardens," reflecting the tribal nation's enduring connection to their homeland. Kate is grateful for the diverse and vibrant First Nations peoples who call public lands home and still care for these sacred spaces today. Kate is now a hiking and wilderness backpacking guide in the Rocky Mountains and desert southwest.

A passionate Ashtanga yogi and yoga teacher of yin and yoga nidra, Kate is currently apprenticing in yoga therapy. She began teaching yoga outdoors by offering the first ranger-led yoga programs to backcountry hikers at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. When Kate is not saluting the sun on her mat, you will likely find her canyoneering, jumping in an alpine tarn, scuba-diving, thru-hiking, or writing poetry in her sleeping bag. Kate values how wilderness nourishes feeling vibrantly alive, at home in body and mind. For her readers, she offers, "May your gear keep you safe, bring you joy, and enliven you for your next adventure!"