Exposed

Outside Magazine

A picture is worth a thousand words

Sometimes the most powerful stories emerge from unplanned moments. What began as a casual trail-scouting mission in the Teton region transformed into a ten-hour epic—one that would eventually capture the attention of Outside Magazine and showcase the raw beauty of backcountry exploration.

I was an ambassador for Rocky Mountain Bicycles for over six years. During that time, I regularly dragged friends out on rides to explore new zones—bringing a camera along to capture a few moments and help stoke the brand. The raw beauty of these places is hard to describe; it simply takes a little effort to reach them. These outings were almost always longer than expected, and we quickly learned to pack extra snacks.

On this particular day, autumn colors painted the mountains in vibrant hues, while fresh snow added dramatic contrast to the landscape. It wasn't hard to convince my friend and photographer, Alex Pashley, to join. Always down for anything, he was in—no questions asked.

I think the conversation went something like this:

"Pash, want to go on a ride? Should make for some good photos. Not sure how long it is, but it looks good on the map."

"Sure. What time?"

Nate riding a bike through the Tetons — The autumn colors were in full effect, painting the landscape with vibrant hues of red, orange, and yellow. A dusting of snow covered the ground, creating even more contrast to the kaleidoscope of colors. 📸 Alex Pashley

Fallen leaves on the ground — The changing of seasons always brings a sense of reflection and rebirth. Change is inevitable — everything is continuously in motion, and I sometimes need to remind myself to stop and appreciate that moment, because that moment it will never happen again. 📸 Alex Pashley

About four hours in, we realized the day was going to be longer than expected. Freeze-thaw cycles had left the shaded terrain greasy, turning already steep sections into something sportier than planned. We opted for the path less traveled, thinking an exposed ridge would be better than a slick, rutted trail. I still stand by our assessment of the conditions—but I underestimated the extra time required to navigate a lesser-used route, along with the added climbing needed to reach the descent.

As I get older, I've realized that while it's important to ride with people who are competent in this terrain, what matters even more is their attitude toward adversity. Sure, it can hurt, and moments like this can get a little sucky. But when you step back and remember that you're mountain biking through a landscape most people only read about, perspective shifts. You take a breath, relax, and laugh. Sometimes, that's all you can do—and that day, we laughed a lot.

Nate topping out on a big hike-a-bike — You can't call it a backcountry ride without a little hike-a-bike! Looking back, this photo represents such a special time and place, with an amazing human-being. This will be a day I always will remember. 📸 Alex Pashley

Nate looking out at the mountainscape — The more time you spend out in the mountains, you begin to realize how small you really are. 📸 Alex Pashley

The project ultimately became a reflection on changing seasons—a reminder of impermanence.