Ned Friedman

Park City, UT

There is an image that comes to my mind whenever I think of my time spent in the outdoors. It comes from a backpacking trip taken through Teton Valley Ranch Camp (located in Wyoming - not far from Give’r HQ!). Hiking through a high alpine meadow in the early hours of the morning, we came to a stop and looked up, we had ventured to a point where we could look to the south and see the entire Teton range stretched out in front of us. The sun was rising and cast the most beautiful light on the mountains. There I stood surrounded by wildflowers, alone in the wild with some of my best friends in the world, staring at an image that one might expect to appear in the next issue of National Geographic.

It is experiences like this that keep me coming back to the wild. It can be hard to find time to enjoy nature. As an 18 year old high school senior, I have other things that require much of my attention, like grades and extracurriculars. Whenever I can, I drop my books, grab a bike or a pair of running shoes and head out the door. I am lucky to live in Park City, Utah, where trails are everywhere. I can walk out my back door and be on a trial in 30 seconds.

With all of this activity in my life, I try to keep one thing constant, staying true to the Give’r way of life in everything I do. I bring a high level of passion and commitment to every activity, and I don't give up just because something is hard or uncomfortable. Living the Give’r way of life keeps me going...and I know that each experience and challenge will have me better equipped to continue Given’r in the days to come!