Jessica Floyd

Jessica has always been a mountain woman at heart, but didn’t truly find her place until she worked a summer camp job in Washington State during her college years. She has been in love with and exploring the wild places of the Pacific Northwest ever since, and currently lives in Bellingham, Washington with her husband Ben, 2 kids – Micah (4) and Lydia (2), and adventure dog Yeti (5). Her family is at their happiest outside – enjoying the local pump tracks, hiking trails, lakes, ski hills, and forest service campgrounds. She is a firm believer in the value of the outdoors to teach, heal, nurture, and foster creativity in kids and adults alike and has survived the transition to being a stay-at-home mom by spending as much time as possible outdoors. In her rare moments of free time you can find her running, writing, reading, taking photos, and watching re-runs of Parks and Rec on Netflix.

Women’s Backpacking Gear

woman wearing a backpack standing on a trail

There’s something about a backpacking experience that is, quite simply put, magical. Especially for outdoor-loving, nature-oriented families, it’s hard to match the kind of fun and wonder and memory-making that happens when you make your home out in the wilderness for a few days. And it is also a lot of work. Conventional wisdom from … Read more

Gear for Hiking in the Rain

Once we can motivate ourselves to get out the door, we never regret taking a hike in the rain. Whether it’s to get some shoulder season wiggles out or just a desperate attempt to breathe fresh air in the middle of a rainy Pacific Northwest winter, hiking in the rain is something we have learned … Read more

MSR Habiscape 6 Person Tent Review

MSR Habiscape 6 Person Tent Review When we first introduced our kids to family camping as babies and toddlers, we wanted the experience to be as comfortable and positive for them as possible. Even though part of the allure of camping for us as adults is “roughing it,” we know that the littlest littles can’t … Read more

Winter Beach Activities

We’ve all been there. It’s January (or November or February or whatever month brings the most drearies to your neck of the woods). It’s cold and wet and cloudy, the kids are restless, and everyone is struggling to find motivation to get out the door. If you’ve been around the Tales of a Mountain Mama … Read more

Singletrack for All: Cosmic Dirt Review

Singletrack for All: Cosmic Dirt Creates Outdoor Apparel for All Kinds of Bodies As a forty-year-old woman whose body has carried and birthed a couple of small humans, I’ve had my fair share of fitting room frustrations. Maybe you can relate? I just got into mountain biking a little over a year ago with the … Read more

Best Adventure Dress

Best Adventure Dress for All Seasons As an active mom with active kids, there’s one quality I value immensely in my clothing: versatility. A lot of the time I’m squeezing in a walk or a hike in between meetings or kid pickups. I’m taking the dog for a walk and then heading straight into a … Read more