Seattle, WA

Laura Bogar, Mount Rainier Ambassador, Conservation Leadership Corps member

The mountain never really leaves you.

I’m three days back from a fifteen-day stint on Mt. Rainier, and the dirt is still working its way out of my pores. But I treasure it. Though showers are nice, nothing compares with the joy of being on a crew. Getting really intimate with the land turns a little dust in the pasta from a mistake into a seasoning. Bug bites become battle scars. And acquaintances turn into friendships stronger than the rock bars they’re forged with.