Doing scary things helps you grow. The magic happens outside your comfort zone!
Hello, I’m Christy!
I’m Christy Rosander (trail name Rockin’). Thank you for stopping by. I am fortunate to live in Tehachapi, California, the gateway to the Sierra Nevada Mountains with my husband, Dan. I’ve been married for 36 years and have three married children and three grandchildren.
The Southern Sierra Mountain Range is my backyard playground and where my trail name Rockin’ originated – a testament to my enthusiasm for climbing big rocks and peaks. As an elementary school teacher for 20 years, I took advantage of my breaks to hike extensively with family and friends or on my own.
My Hiking Experience
I have over 35 years of experience climbing peaks including nearly all of California’s fourteen thousand foot peaks and backpacking countless trails and routes.
Hiking and climbing in remote and wild places is my love. In addition to successfully completing many established trails and routes, I have a passion for creating my own week long, off-trail routes that often include a couple of peak climbs along the way.
My most notable trips include:
- Long-distance trails like the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Great Divide, John Muir (6x), Theodore Solomons, Arizona, Wonderland and Tahoe Rim Trails;
- Off-trail adventures like the Kings Canyon High Basin Route, Yosemite High Route (4x), Sierra High Route (4x), Lowest to Highest, Scotland’s Great Outdoor Challenge, Wind River High Route, Sky Island Traverse, Northern New Mexico Loop, and Southern Sierra High Route, plus many DIY itineraries in the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Sierras, southern Utah and Death Valley;
- Big peaks like Rainier, Shasta, Whitney (via the Mountaineers Route, 6x), Russell, Williamson, Tyndall, Sahale, Mount Brewer, Banner, and Ritter.
What's Lady on a Rock?
Lady on a Rock aims to inspire ALL ages to get active outside. My hope is to motivate you with tools, resources, and ideas. Whether it be through finding a trail you have always wanted to hike, create that ultalight backpacking kit, climb a peak, or take on that off trail route.
The inspiration to create ladyonarock.com started in 2009 by a chance meeting with a fellow lady hiker.
I am not “Lady on a Rock”, she is a woman I met briefly while hiking over Muir Pass in California’s Sierras. The lady hiker was resting on a rock. I stopped to talk with her a bit. She told me she was a retired stewardess from Chicago and had been hiking the Pacific Crest Trail a section at a time for a few years to complete the entire trail and she was SOLO.
In just a few minutes of conversation, THIS Lady on a Rock (read complete story here) gave me the courage and inspiration that I too could hike solo. The project of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail one section at a time and this website was born.
Andrew Skurka Adventures Backcountry Guide
2025 will be my 6th year guiding with Andrew Skurka Adventures. Skurka trips are educational off-trail adventures, focusing on map and compass navigation and offer itineraries for a variety of experience levels.
My guiding experience includes: Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, Escalante Utah, San Juans Colorado, Olympic National Park Washington, and my beloved Sierra in California.
This summer I will be guiding in Utah’s Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and the High Sierra, California.
Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador
I am always on a quest for lighter, safer, and more efficient gear motivated by a desire to stay healthy and active for many years to come. Gossamer Gear is a lightweight backpacking company specializing in lightweight backpacking gear. As a Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador since 2013, it enables me to try new gear and pass on gear discounts to fellow hikers. But most of all, a trail ambassador’s focus is to share the outdoors, skills, and lightweight gear with others.
Fun Facts About Rockin'
- #67goingon50
- Gossamer Gear Ambassador since 2013
- Started guiding for Andrew Skurka Adventures after retiring from elementary teaching in 2020
- I love to snow ski and hope to complete for a second season the #skiyouragechallenge
- Huge fan of historical romantic novels. Best ever 'The Outlander' series
- Special spot - A small tarn along the John Muir Trail
- I am gluten, grain, nightshade (tomatoes and potatoes), and sugar free
- My Enneagram number is 5. Just give me something to research and some alone time.
- I am an introvert
Hiking Plans for 2025
Hikes that are peaking my interest for 2025: Trinity Alps High Route, the Teton Crest Trail, and climb more peaks and off trail routes in the Sierra. I will continue to work on climbing all 100 peaks on the Sierra Sampler List. As of the summer of 2024, I have climbed 45 peaks on the list. This summer I hope to climb: Mount Lamarck, Mount Thompson, Mount Stanford, Silver Peak, Independence Peak, Mount Hale, and Young.
JOIN MY MAILING LIST
Socials
Instagram is where I share where I am and what I am doing in real time. You can also find me on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr (photo galleries of my trips), and Pinterest.
Whether you have a question or just wanting to say hi, I would love to hear from you!