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Melanin Base Camp

@melaninbasecamp

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People of Color in outdoor recreation & environmental justice. Tag #melaninbasecamp ® & #diversifyoutdoors ®

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Hey y’all, Melanin Base Camp: Real-Life Adventurers Building a More Inclusive Outdoors is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold. It features several amazing adventurous People of Color who have long been members of this online community. It also features photography from @pedalhomie along with many, many others.If you’re new to MBC or if you’ve been here for a long time, I hope this book is a reminder that we can literally do anything we put our minds to. And even more importantly, we do it on our terms—keeping community, family and friendship at the center of our outdoor pursuits—while discarding harmful language and outdated concepts that are rooted in white supremacy. It will be in bookstores on March 21! Pick up a copy and let me know what you think. Link in bio. Much love,—Danielle @skynoire ♥️♥️♥️ by @melaninbasecamp

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3 years ago

Liberty bell via Becky route - back to sustained rock for the first time since my accident Recovery can be tough, sometimes the body recovers quicker than the mind. This climb was all about that! 4 years ago a rock let go and I almost died. 4 years later I come back to rock again with two broken legs to battle my confidence and demons!!A few weeks ago, after climbing Dragontail and Colchuck, I drove over to Blue lake trailhead to climb Liberty bell with Mariam, Ashish and Shubhank. We drove in while it was raining and it was drizzling all nightWe woke up to chill temperatures and we still chose to hike up. The standard route takes us to the gulley with loose rock. We make it up to the first of the four pitches. Layered up, and started climbing. First pitch was mostly 5th class scramble with a nice chimney move to get up to the next belay stationThe second pitch had a chimney move with exposure which required some technique. Technique which I had forgotten in years 🫠. So I struggled and Yanked myself up, with all the gear dangling in my harness (a water bottle, approach shoes and a down jacket). Sheesh. Finally made it past that, after which it was more jugged climbingThe third pitch was a slab move which my best friend, Ashish made it a crack move and again stuck. Thankfully Mariam came to the rescue and helped me past that section. The fourth pitch was more slabs but much easier to navigate. We took some pictures and made two rappels to get all the way down and hike out Thanks to these wonderful climbers for helping me get back into rock climbing and getting a classic out in a safe environment! by @melaninbasecamp

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2 days ago

Sunday morning link up with @shishoots talking about grants and land for the community....it's possible too #WildHorseCanyon #DeerCreek#hike #HikeNevada The best area to avoid the heat with water just a short hike in. by @melaninbasecamp

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6 days ago

Colchuk - Pandoras box - Dragontail via Colchuck col (12h C2C)Last Thursday, I was supposed to climb Forbidden peak, but due to rain in the forecast, I opted to do Colchuck and Dragontail in a day. Drove to the trailhead at 10pm on Wednesday, started at 4.30am on Thursday at first light, made quick time to Colchuck lake by 6.15am. walked around the lake to the cut off to Colchuck glacier, took a nice break, watched trouts jump in the lake and glacial silt drown into the lakeHeaded up on climbers right instead of going directly into the glacier to get more consistent snow. Put crampons on, ice axes out at 6300 feet. Stayed to the right side on the glacier while steep it was much safer and away from the rock fall zone. Made it to Banshee pass around 9.15am. dropped crampons and ice axe here. The last hundred feet was steep but nothing too dangerous. Great cramponing snow. Up and down Colchuck peak was uneventful and took about 45 mins up and 30 mins down. With a nice long lunch break. Back to banshee pass by 10.30 and made it up to Banshee pass by 11.15 and dropped down the steep snow finger. While I carried crampons, I was lazy to put them back on. It would have been easier. But high daggered down to the traversing snow and made the long traverse to Dragontail by 12.00Spend a good break and down to Asgard pass by 1.30. the snow on the backside of Dragontail was packed and had good coverage. I opted not to glissade and side hilled back..Down Asgard is a knee buster as always and made it down by 3. Back to the cars by 4.25pmA long day - but happy to do both of them and be back at the cats in less than 12 hours. Did see so many people coming up with rain in the forecast, also an annoying family with multiple dogs on the trail (even though no dogs allowed in the area) by @melaninbasecamp

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19 days ago

✨ 8.8 mile hike1,493 feet of elevation Powerline Trail to Carpenter Peak Trail Roxborough State Park littleton, Colorado such a beautiful trail near denver! get your bestie, wake up super early, hike a beautiful trail, scream into the void, then stop in denver for some yummy veggie pho before heading back home…. that sounds like the perfect day to meee! this is a great hike to plan for a day trip! get out there and lmk how much you enjoyed it. 😊🧚🏽 by @melaninbasecamp

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a month ago

✨ i shocked MYSELF with the amount of air I got on that jump.. but you know what.. hell yeah!! and shout out to a good hair day even after a long hike.. On this day, I hiked 7 1/2 miles through Shinglemill 725 & Morrison Creek 724 loop. it was a strange mix of alien rocks and dead trees but it was a beautiful and interesting hike! by @melaninbasecamp

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a month ago

✨ some people really don’t feel pure awe and reverence when they’re in nature and sometimes i have to remind myself that the world is full of so many different people. and some humans really dislike hanging out in nature. brain. does not. compute.✌🏼i liveeeee for the sunrise and the sunset in the middle of nowhere…. i long for it. 🌍 by @melaninbasecamp

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a month ago

Thank you Daryl and Jade of @gatewayparkcalifornia. The largest Black land trust organization has an awesome project on the horizon. Hundreds of acres to help Black youth and families connect with nature. And, yes, that’s a 33 acre lake at the beginning. Excited to work with this group of Black California conservationists. by @melaninbasecamp

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a month ago

Excerpts of an article I wrote for @melaninbasecamp tying together themes of Nawroz folklore, rock climbing, and the reality of being Kurdish during times of war. 🔗Link in bioPhotos by the incredibly talented @grittypics by @melaninbasecamp

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2 months ago

Mount Whitney 14,505 ft (or 14,501ft) The much-awaited climb finally happened 🏔️Took on the Mountaineer’s Route on — the tallest mountain in the Lower 48 — with , and it absolutely delivered.Day 1: Whitney Portal → Upper Boy Scout LakeStarted at 9:30 AM with 40–45 lb packs and warm temps. The creek crossings were swollen but manageable, though we did briefly wander into some lovely slide alder before finding the correct line to the E-Ledges. Above Lower Boy Scout Lake, the snow became inconsistent with running water underneath, so we stayed on thicker snow and grippy slabs near the creek to safely make our way up. Ended the day at an incredible protected campsite just below Upper Boy Scout Lake with running water nearby and mountain views in every direction.Day 2: Camp → Summit → TrailheadStarted at 5:45 AM under firm morning snow with crampons and double axes. Coverage stayed mostly continuous to ~13,700 ft with a short rocky stretch near Iceberg Lake. The couloir was relentlessly steep with blown-out steps, loose rock near the notch, and avalanche debris from the previous week still visible below.The final 400 ft to the summit was the real mental game — exposed scrambling, steep packed snow, and every step needing double or triple kicks to feel secure. Double axes absolutely earned their place here.Summited at 11:15 AM after one of the most physically demanding climbs I’ve done. Downclimbing somehow felt even harder — calf-burning front-pointing and carefully testing every step in a no-fall zone.Back to camp by 3:15 PM. Back to the car by 6:15 PM. Completely smoked, incredibly happy.Used: • Double ice axes• Crampons• Helmet• Stove + overnight gearCarried but never used: • Rope, pickets, harness, rappel gear, anchors by @melaninbasecamp

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2 months ago

English:A small preview of the amazing pics taken by @grittypics for an article I wrote for @melaninbasecamp. Can’t wait to post the climbing pics✨Thanks to @rojeenk for dress alterations & @glenn_frank for being our photo assistant.کوردی:پێشەکی وێنە جوانەکانی @grittypics گرتبووی لۆ وتارەکەم لەگەر @melaninbasecamp . بە پەرۆشم لەو زووانە ڕسمە بەردەوانیەکانتان پیشان دەم ✨سوپاس لۆ @rojeenk لۆ گۆڕانکاری کراسەکەم لۆ پەتی بەردەوانی، و سوپاس لۆ @glenn_frank لۆ یارمەتی لە ڕۆژی ڕسم گرتن by @melaninbasecamp

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2 months ago

Skywalking with @jetflix702. #hikenevada #mtcharleston by @melaninbasecamp

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2 months ago