Away Team Bio

Kaitlyn McLachlan

Kaitlyn grew up in Ontario, Canada but moved out west to British Columbia after falling in love with the outdoors. She is a bit of a Jill-of-all-trades (and master of none!), doing everything from hiking to trail running to ski touring—any activity that supports the pursuit of outdoor adventures year-round. She’s a passionate landscape and adventure photographer, and enjoys documenting her adventures in the mountains.

Essential Gear

  • Evo Ascent Snowshoes—they’re great to keep you exploring throughout winter. I especially like that these are a more simple, single-piece-of-plastic design that can take a beating, and I don’t have to worry about them giving up on me. Another bonus—especially living on the west coast of Canada—is the detachable tails which can give more or less float depending on the snowpack conditions.

A first trip in the great outdoors—any mishaps, successes, a-ha moments?

One of my first memorable outdoor moments was hiking to Delicate Arch in Utah for some sunset photography. It was hotter than I was used to, and a bit farther than I would usually venture with my photography gear. It was a great evening with other photographers, mostly staying quiet and enjoying the beautiful scenery. I didn’t want to leave, but it was getting dark and I wasn’t comfortable staying out in the dark alone. Thankfully, it just so happened that there was a small photo workshop going on. They intended to stay well into the night and welcomed me to stay with them. As the light faded, the magic happened. I couldn’t see a single light source in any direction yet the sky was beaming with light—I don’t think I had ever seen quite so many stars before! They brought a powerful light and “light painted” the arch, and it was one of the first times I photographed in darkness—seeing this beautifully illuminated natural arch with an endless sky of stars had me in awe and grinning from ear to ear!