Welcome fellow explorers!

My name is Kati, and as a PNW native, I've spent the past 27 years building up local tips and tricks to make the most out of our beautiful corner of the country.

I want to share my knowledge with YOU! A few years ago, a friend was traveling to my other city of Ironwood, Michigan, and I wrote him a travel itinerary based on my experiences there. I realized that I keep all this knowledge in my head, where it can't benefit anyone else, and I'm dying to share it with everyone! It is my honor and privilege to help you see this beautiful country, and enjoy it as much as I do.

I have lots of ideas spinning around in my head for this page, and I hope you can follow along on this new creative endeavor.

One of my favorite recent photos of me - I had just bushwhacked through blackberries to find this secret stream while avoiding trespassing on a privately owned road

But first, here's 5 fun facts about Kati Explores:

1. I have been to 45 states and 28 National Parks (this is my go-to humblebrag when I need to break the ice)

   
   

2. I lived 23 years in the PNW, moved to Pennsylvania briefly, then to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, then back to Pennsylvania, and then back to Portland Oregon (all in the span of 1 year). I spent the next 3 years splitting time between Portland and Bozeman, Montana, where I fell in love with Yellowstone. I now own a house in the Upper Peninsula and will be splitting my time between 3 cities!

   
   

3. My favorite foods are Flamin' Hot Cheetos and instant Ramen.

   
   

4. I ran a marathon for my 26th year of life, but my biggest passion is cycling. I run for both fun and health reasons (mainly to work off those Cheetos and ramen), but cycling is what truly brings me joy.

   
   

5. I am getting married to my wonderful fiancé this June. We both love the outdoors, but have weirdly opposite passions. He is a mountaineer, hardcore skier, and backpacker who has summitted Mt. Hood many times. He thrives on type 2 fun and prefers winter and icy mountain terrain. I am a glamping queen, who likes sunshine, meadows, wildflowers, and swimming in lakes. Sometimes we split up for the day to pursue our unique adventures, then meet back up in the evening to enjoy a meal in nature together. He has pushed me to learn to ski and overcome my fear of heights, and I have taken him to National Parks he'd otherwise never visit.

Myself, my fiancé, and his dog Stitch. Shortly after this was taken, Stitch got loose and wreaked havoc on the Timberline skiers.

Thanks for reading! I look forward to building a community of like-minded outdoor explorers. Let me know if you have any ideas for me!