Jessica Nave-Blodgett
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​Bio:  A Maryland native, I moved to Las Vegas in 2013 to pursue a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at UNLV. Part of what attracted me to Vegas in the first place was the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities outside the city itself. When I moved here, I drove around the scenic loop at Red Rock National Conservation Area and wondered to myself - "has anybody ever stood up on top of those mountains?" I wasn't sure that I would ever be able to do that - well, I've certainly proved myself wrong! I am only in Vegas while I'm in graduate school, and I'll be moving on after I graduate. It's sad, but I'm determined to make the most of my time while I'm here - and the 52 Peak Club has certainly helped a lot with that!

Age:  29  
  
Why did you join the 52 Peak Club:  I have always loved the outdoors: camping, hiking, cycling, and doing nature photography. In early 2015, I realized that I had been living in Las Vegas for a year and a half and had barely set foot outside the city limits of Las Vegas, and that all of my friends were other graduate students. I knew I liked hiking, so I searched for "hiking groups in Las Vegas" and found Hiking Las Vegas and the 52 Peak Club. I watched some videos from 53'er celebrations and was struck by the common theme in all of the videos - everyone talked about how the challenge of doing all 52 peaks not only improved their lives physically, it also brought them strong friendships and incredible shared experiences. Seeing that sold me on it - and I'm pleased to report that the same happened for me! I've made many friends and have had incredible adventures in this journey, and I've improved my physical fitness, my self-confidence, and now am seeking even more adventures that I never before thought I was capable of! 
 
Date Completed all 52 Peaks:  11/20/2016
 
Toughest Peak:  Mentally? One of my first 10 cards was Fortification Hill, and at that point I wasn't yet in good physical shape. I kept falling behind the group and felt really discouraged. However, I persisted! First Creek Peak was an extremely long hike because of a detour we had to take on the way back, making it far more challenging in distance and elevation changes than normal. In terms of technical difficulty, Rainbow with the Ledges was a very long and draining hike - but amazing (especially because of the group of hikers)!
 
Favorite Hike:  Hard to pick just one, as I had so many fantastic hikes! Pine Creak Peak was an amazing scrambling experience. Mt. Wilson via Cleaver Crack was a bit scary, but also an incredible hike. Holiday Peak with the ropes and slots was really cool! Bridge Mountain from the back was beautiful. 
 
How did you feel once you became a 53er:  Relieved and excited, and ready to tackle my next adventure! It wasn't the end - maybe a chapter in my story has ended, but the journey and the story continues! I was (and am) incredibly grateful and thankful for all of the wonderful friends I have made, the experiences I've had, and the changes that the 52 Peak Challenge has brought to my life. I'm physically, mentally, and emotionally stronger, I have more self confidence, and I regularly do things (hikes, runs, rock climbing) that I never even thought of, much less thought were possible for me. My world has expanded, to say the least - in the best way possible! 
 
Advice for new hikers:  Get good shoes with stealth rubber. Make sure they fit. Ask someone (or learn how to do it from the internet) how to lace your shoes with room in the toe box but that will lock your heels in for hiking downhill. Trust your shoes! Trust yourself. Your body is an amazing thing, and you are capable of incredible things if you can relax, believe in yourself, and just do things. Watch your feet as you hike - if you are going to look around, stop for a second (otherwise you could end up tripping and seriously injuring yourself - we're often hiking on uneven ground with lots of obstacles. Speaking from experience here...!) Take pictures. Talk to people. Remember that this is a journey, and you only have moments to live. These moments while hiking can be some of the best in your life, so be fully present for them. Learn from your fellow hikers. Be open to new people, new ideas, and new friendships. Don't overdo it, and don't take unnecessary risks - the mountains will still be there. You want to make sure that you will still be there too. Listen to your body - learn to understand what it's telling you. Most importantly, though - HAVE FUN!