Adventure is the guiding force in the life of outdoors writer and photographer Mike Matson. Whether he’s sweating his way up a sandstone tower in the southern Utah desert or pursuing a new line in the backcountry on his skis, you can expect to find Mike in Utah’s outdoor playground year-round. Mike finds Utah’s natural diversity astounding—from the snowcapped Wasatch Mountains above Salt Lake City to the twisted, barren rock landscape of the Colorado Plateau, the state offers a lifetime of adventure. Mike’s favorite ways to enjoy Utah include camping, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, river running, canyoneering, skiing, and snowboarding.

Mike’s views and recommendations are formed from decades of experience working as a backcountry forest ranger, a whitewater river guide, and a professional writer/photographer. His writing and photography have been published in magazines, catalogs, calendars, and online. His work has appeared in Backpacker, Canoe and Kayak, National Geographic, Northwest Travel, and Washington Trails magazines. Mike lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Sonja.