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, and Grand Canyon 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. As a backcountry ranger at Grand Canyon, Kate is 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 nation peoples that call public
lands home and still care for these sacred spaces today.

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!"