You might have a voice in the back of your mind saying you could be doing or trying more out there. And Kanoa is all the inspiration you need to start listening to it. She was working a fast-paced career in New York City when she lost vision in her right eye that never fully recovered.

Rather than accept a new limit, she took it as a loud call that life is short – propelling her to quit her job and go try everything she’d ever dreamed of doing in the outdoors.

From her first hike in her native Hawaii, she’s embraced the idea of being a passion-fueled newcomer to any sport. She’s gone on to hike, and bike, and camp, and sail, and surf on (or off) any continent, all while inspiring a community of like-minded people to do the same.

If you want to call Gabaccia and Roberto long-haul backpackers, that fits. They’ll disappear for weeks at a time on the trail, most recently hiking the Continental Divide Trail. 

Trout-obsessed fly fishers? That too. They’ve chased the next catch from Montana to Texas, Oregon to Maine.

But dedicated outdoor enthusiasts and advocates, now that hits the mark. Through their work with conservation nonprofits and outdoor initiatives, they spend all their time spreading the love of – and promoting access to – the immense variety of public lands that every last one of us can get out and explore. 

Somewhere on a trail in Colorado, on a foothill that leaned a bit too close to vertical, fellow hikers Jason Swann and Marisa Jarae hit on an idea: an awful lot of misunderstanding could be averted, and understanding gained, if everyone got together more. Out here.

Where a good worked-up sweat cuts through the need for small talk and icebreakers. Where exertion leads to honesty, and a good dose of jointly felt trail ache leads to empathy.

It’s the insight that led to their founding of Rising Routes. The organization fosters community in the outdoors in a way that cuts through race, experience level and physical ability – and uses those stories to promote fair access to the wonderful, untamed wild.