Katie Cooney

A few friends of mine have started mountain biking this year, and I’ve been reminded of how difficult it can be to start a new sport. What do I wear? What do I bring? Learning from what friends bring along is a great place to start – so consider me that friend! Here’s what I bring along for a short to medium length mountain bike ride. Anything you bring that I missed? Tell me what activity to illustrate next in the comments! Clockwise from Snack: •Backup snack! •Multitool •Sunscreen •Water (1-2 bottles, I also have a bottle cage on my bike) •Hand Pump or CO2 canister + inflator •Spare Tube (or patch kit for tubeless) •Quick Links for Chain Repair •Tire Levers •Zip Ties •Phone or PLD (Personal Locator Device) •Bear Spray (if you’ve got bears) •Spare Shifter Cable •Small first aid kit (bandaids, aspirin, Benadryl, potable water tablets, duct tape)   Hi! I’m bringing artwork back to this account! Don’t worry, adventure photos are staying too! You get the full ktcooney experience in one place now! Great! Cool! Thanks for sticking around! I appreciate you! ___________________________ #gouachepainting #sheexplores #gouache #wildernessbabes #womenwhohike #outdoorwomen #alpinebabes #sheisnotlost #choosemountains #andshesdopetoo #mountaingirls #mountrainier #liveyouradventure #goatworthy #mountainartist #bestmountainartists #happyartistmovement #shepaints #idahoartist #trailkitthursday #artistsoninstagram #dailyart #artdaily #contemporaryart #contemporaryartist #themountainhive #mountainbikeart #climateartist #climatechangeart #whatsinmypack

If you need me, I'll be rolling around (gently and on-trail) in fields of wildflowers. That's all, have a wonderful weekend, and I hope you find yourself some sunshine. ☀️ __________________________ #sheexplores #womenwhohike #outdoorwomen #radgirlslife #girlsvsglobe #alpinebabes #sheisnotlost #andshesdopetoo #mountaingirls #idahogram #wildflowers #choosemountains #mountainwomen #goatworthy #idaho #rei1440project #optoutside #theoutbound #getoutstayout #keepitwild #getoutside #pnwonderland #campvibes #womenmountainbikers #mountainbike #mountainbiking #outdooradventures #hiheyhellomagazine #bikingadventures @rei

Make yourself some friends who have as much fun on a bike as @kayleelitle. I promise you won't regret it. ⁠⠀ 🚲⁠⠀ Golden hour shot in Fruita, CO for @ride.force 🤩⁠⠀ _________________________⁠⠀ #rideforce #allbodiesonbikes #fromwhereiride #coloradolife #mtb #cyclinglife #cyclingphotos #mtblife #mountainbike #outdoorwomen #ridelikeagirl #mountainbiking #womenscycling #mtbgirl #cyclingshots #andshesdopetoo #roadslikethese #cyclelikeagirl #optoutside #ferdagirls #hiheyhellomagazine #ladyshred #sheexplores #jacksonholephotographer #adventurephotographer #liveyouradventure #rei1440project #ridebikesbehappy #themountainhive

It’s World Bike Day. Bikes f*ckin rule. Bikes are empowering. Bikes are liberating. Bikes are fun. Bikes are good for physical and mental health. Bikes are good for the planet. Need I say more? I can’t get back in the saddle just yet while my collarbone heals — so go ride your bike on my behalf today if ya can! _____________________ #allbodiesonbikes #fromwhereiride #outsideisfree #mtb #cyclinglife #cyclingphotos #mtblife #mountainbike #outdoorwomen #mountainbiking #worldbikeday #cyclingshots #optoutside #jacksonholephotographer #adventurephotographer #liveyouradventure #rei1440project #ridebikesbehappy #womenadventurephotographers #femaleadventurephotographer #tetonvalleyphotographer #outdooradventures #bikingadventures @visitidaho #visittetonvalley #visitidaho @visitsouthernidaho

Feeling more and more like summer every day around here – which has me scheming about how me and my broken bone can get ourselves up into the high alpine for a night or two this summer.... so far my best idea is helping my friends get stronger by carrying some of my stuff 😅

If you buy one new bike jersey this summer, make it a @ride.force jersey. SERIOUSLY. Ride Force launches today, and was created with a mission to inspire women of all shapes and sizes to push their limits on bikes while feeling confident in the way they look — because the last thing you should have to think about while you’re conquering a new trail is whether or not you feel good in your jersey. 🏔 This wonderful new company is spearheaded by my friend @theshadowboxcreative — if you ask her about what this brand means to her, she’ll tell you something like this: “I hate the idea I need to be ‘cute.’ I want to look like a hardcore BMX downhiller, even though I’m pretty new to this and I got my first-ever full-suspension mountain bike just last fall. And I want people like me who maybe aren’t a size small or in peak physical condition to look at Ride Force and think, ‘I can wear that. I can ride that. I can do that.'” 🏔 This is my favorite jersey I’ve ever owned — it breathes well, fits well, doesn’t stink after repeated wear, won’t melt you in the sun, and might even keep your collar bone inside if you crash 😉 Go check them out, scoop one up, and come party with us at @highpointcider tonight if you’re in the Tetons! _________________________ #rideforce #allbodiesonbikes #fromwhereiride #coloradolife #mtb #cyclinglife #cyclingphotos #mtblife #mountainbike #outdoorwomen #ridelikeagirl #mountainbiking #womenscycling #mtbgirl #cyclingshots #andshesdopetoo #roadslikethese #cyclelikeagirl #optoutside #ferdagirls #hiheyhellomagazine #ladyshred #sheexplores #jacksonholephotographer #adventurephotographer #liveyouradventure #rei1440project #ridebikesbehappy

After clambering over a couple of avalanche debris piles, @kyliemohr and I had the Jenny Lake trail to ourselves on this gorgeous day last spring. We lounged on the boat dock, just the two of us, giggling at a very intrepid marmot who thought we looked like suckers that might give him a snack. The Jenny Lake trail is one of the most popular trails in Grand Teton National Park (with good reason), so having it nearly to ourselves for a few hours felt like an extra special treat. 🏃‍♀️⁠⠀ _________________________⁠⠀ #optoutside #findyourpark #mountains #nationalparks #nationalparkgeek #trailrunning #mountainrunning #runonemotion #adventure #explorewyoming #visitwyoming #wildernessculture #wanderlust #thatswy #neverstopexploring #rei1440project #sheexplores #mountaingirls #jacksonhole #grandtetons #grandtetonnationalpark #tetons #mygtnp #jennylake #mygrandteton #hiheyhellomagazine #visitjacksonhole #adventurephotographer #jacksonholephotographer

If you’re going to crash your mountain bike while you’re on vacation and break your collar bone and spend five days in the same shirt, I’d highly recommend a jersey from @ride.force, my friend Taylor-Ann’s new size-inclusive MTB apparel brand. These. Jerseys. Kick. Ass. I sweat my ass off in this thing, scraped it along the ground, bled in it, cried in it, sweat in it some more, hung out in the ER, and then proceeded to spend 4 more days living and sleeping in this thing. It didn’t tear, didn’t fray, and it did not ever start to smell. I’m happily wearing a badge of honor as the first person to seriously injure themselves wearing a Ride Force Jersey. 😅 If one of the only weekends I spend on a mountain bike this summer was to shoot this launch campaign in Fruita, it was a darn good one – filled with new friends, female camaraderie, belly laughs, and lots of pizza. The fit is relaxed and looks damn good on every body I’ve seen it on, from size small to XL. It breathes. Even the dark colors won’t make you melt in the sun – but if you’re a desert gal, the sage color will be your best friend. Ride Force’s official launch is this Friday, both in person and online. I’m so proud to share this shoot and this company with you – keep an eye out this week, I’m STOKED to share more! Give @ride.force a follow and stay tuned 🤘🚴🏼‍♀️🍕 _________________________ #rideforce #allbodiesonbikes #fromwhereiride #outsideisfree #mtb #cyclinglife #cyclingphotos #mtblife #mountainbike #outdoorwomen #ridelikeagirl #mountainbiking #womenscycling #mtbgirl #cyclingshots #andshesdopetoo #roadslikethese #cyclelikeagirl #optoutside #ferdagirls #smithwomen #ladyshred #sheexplores #jacksonholephotographer #adventurephotographer #liveyouradventure #rei1440project #ridebikesbehappy

TL;DR: I broke myself good and I’m bummed but grateful for my people. Here’s me in Utah a few days earlier blissfully unaware of my immediate future. On a gorgeous spring afternoon in San Diego last Tuesday, I went over the bars on my mountain bike on a steep wash with loose dirt. My shoulder bore the brunt of the impact, and I fractured my collar bone in two places. In the first few moments after a big crash, everything seems to hurt. I was totally stunned when I sat up, and immediately felt a strange numbness in my shoulder. I reached up and felt the bone sticking up — it was definitely broken, and I definitely needed help. I started screaming for help, yelling Nick’s name, hoping anyone would hear me. When Nick made it back to me, we got a sling on my arm and quickly went through our options — walk, helicopter, or call a ranger for a four wheeler. One of those was a definite no and another sounded incredibly painful, so walking out it was. With Nick’s help, I coached myself through the 2.5 mile walk back to the trailhead with plenty of “ow”s, curse words, and telling myself that “I’m a fucking rockstar” over and over again. After a very long ER visit and a very painful road trip home with a broken bone, I had surgery on Monday and am on the road to recovery. I’ve had a great lesson in losing your independence, humility, and vulnerability in the last ten days. I’m still piecing my life back together and getting on my feet — with my pain finally under control and bones back in place, the light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter by the day. (cont. rambling gratitude in the comments)

A simple spring skiing recipe: 2 skins, 32oz sunscreen, abundant sunshine, and plenty o’ snacks. ☀️

Wholesome family fun with @visit_pinedale last winter — these kiddos were troopers, up and at ‘em at 5:45 for the sunrise part of this shoot. Check out little guy on the right’s face for a sweet surprise 😎

Springtime can get a pretty bad rap around here, easily written off as "mud season" and left at that. Locals tend to flee to the desert, the PNW, or... basically anywhere but here. Can't quite mountain bike, the skiing isn't great, already finished house projects... so what else is there to do? Plenty, as I learned last year! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Last spring's silver lining was a lesson in slowing down and being present in my current surroundings. It invited me to find new ways to enjoy spring in the Tetons, something I hadn't made a very concerted effort to do in years past – just trying to get through to bike season. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Aimless road rides, fly fishing, spring tours at the resort after it closed, lots of walks, some "flat skins," and some ridiculous multi-sport days got us through to bike season.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I'll be in the desert and on the road a couple of times for work this spring, and after last year, I find myself wishing I were going to be home just a little bit more to enjoy spring around here. 🌼

Fun in the sun at Turpin Meadow Ranch last winter! On the drive to this shoot, @erica_aarons and I were intently watching the temperature in the car, hoping beyond hope that it would rise to somewhere above 0º. I think it hovered between a balmy 2º and 8º over the course of the day 😅⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ When I'm shooting in this kind of cold, warmth and comfort of everyone involved needs to be the #1 priority. Nobody's going to have fun on a shoot if they can't feel their fingers! Layers, breaks inside to warm up, staying fueled (warm beverages, H20, snacks), extra dry socks, and movement are essential components of a cold shoot day.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ That said... I'm always interested in new solutions for keeping fingers warm in extremely cold weather! Most camera bodies and lenses have some metal elements, and I swear you can feel them sucking the warmth out of your fingers. These days, I like the following to keep my fingers and toes warm:⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ❄️ Keep handwarmers in my pockets or gloves⁠⠀ ❄️ Extra, dry mittens in my backpack⁠⠀ ❄️ Wool socks – cotton is your enemy in the cold!⁠⠀ ❄️ Winter boots that insulate my feet from the cold (warmth > fashion!)⁠⠀ ❄️ Bonus: heated socks – an investment, but they make a huge difference over the course of hours outside! ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Shot for @visitjacksonhole, Winter 2020⁠⠀ ⁣___________________________⁣⁠ ⁣#outdoorwomen #fatbiking #mountaingirls #choosemountains #powderskiing #jhdreaming #radgirlslife #getoutstayout #sheexplores #optoutside #rei1440project #goatworthy #keepitwild #adventureculture #liveyouradventure #tetons #visitjacksonhole #buckmountain #grandteton #grandtetons #thegreatoutdoors #theoutbound #freshairandfreedom #wyoming #bestmountainartists #stayandwander #briskoutdoors #jacksonholephotographer⁠⠀

Started this tour in Grand Teton National Park last month with frozen eyelashes (-14º, it was fine), ended it with thigh vents wide open and sleeves rolled up. The sun isn't shy about UV rays at 9,975'. 🙃 Fueled by sunscreen, snacks, and smiles for miles. My kind of day. On a different note, I want to say just how much I appreciate the conversations taking place in my IG community about avalanche risks, awareness, education, and safety. We’re better together, learning from one another, taking care of one another. Thank you. ⁣___________________________⁣⁠⠀⁠⠀ ⁣#outdoorwomen #backcountryskiing #mountaingirls #choosemountains #powderskiing #jhdreaming #radgirlslife #getoutstayout #sheexplores #optoutside #rei1440project #goatworthy #keepitwild #adventureculture #liveyouradventure #tetons #visitjacksonhole #buckmountain #grandteton #grandtetons #thegreatoutdoors #theoutbound #freshairandfreedom #wyoming #bestmountainartists #stayandwander #briskoutdoors #jacksonholephotographer⁠⠀

The last 7 days have been the deadliest week for avalanche fatalities since 1910. Amidst a pandemic. Let’s talk about it. ⁠⠀ I shared something on my story about this and figured I'd open this space up for a conversation, if anyone wants it. I'm not shy about the fact that I make pretty conservative choices when it comes to backcountry skiing. My parents have already lost one child, and they can't get that call again.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I've had a lot of mixed feelings about backcountry skiing during a pandemic. The consequences. The impact. The Search and Rescue volunteers that have to put their lives at risk to come help you if something goes wrong. The strain on the medical community. The fact that they have to assume that you have COVID and rescue logistics become unduly more complicated. I can't get that out of my head.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I don't have all of the answers, and I'm not perfect. I'll admit that despite these feelings, I have still gone into the backcountry this winter. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ What I do know is that locally, I've seen a lot of "Well we're just going to go ski something safe on the pass." on days that the avalanche danger has been designated high.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ What does "safe" mean, particularly during a pandemic? What about slopes that multiple parties have already disturbed? Slopes that are less than 30º? Do you actually know the angle of the slope you're skiing? How do we factor in "human error" and forces of nature? Do you REALLY think about all of that every time you venture into the backcountry?⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ The feeling I come away with is that I am truly amazed by the lack of consideration, disregard for consequences, and selfishness that comes with skiing on high avalanche danger days during a pandemic. I don't like feeling that way about people that I know, but I can't shake it. Let's all live to ski another day, yeah? Call your friends out when they're making dumb choices. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ This might not be a popular opinion, but it's one that I wish was talked about more openly. I don't want to lose a friend this winter. Or any winter.