Photographer | Ambassador | SoloExplorer

I was super excited for another great referral from Ranz. This is one of his Kuhl(est) recommendations yet, super happy we were able to connect! Her joy for the outdoors and holding conservation in high esteem made me so happy when I browsed through Royce’s fantastic content. Enough from me, go ahead Royce…the floor is all yours!

Hi, my name is Royce Fonseca. I’m an outdoor enthusiast, photographer and lover of National Parks. I reside in Northern California, where I’ve been most of my life and travel frequently to other states to explore the sites. I am a car and hammock camper – I don’t mind roughing it to get the shots or have the experience. I have a passion for nature and sharing my experiences with other’s in hopes to promote conservation and education of our public lands. I currently partner with various outdoor companies in this venture and have big plans coming soon to explore more! Follow me on Instagram: @casunshine0508

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Art is too important not to share. . . I love finding random things in random places. To some this may be inappropriate tagging but to me it’s a treasure. Finding a piece of art someone took the time to imagine, create and share with others is awesome. 🙌🏻 . . . Salt Flats, Utah. @canonusa #teamcanon . . . #utah #utahunique #utahexplored #visitutah #southwestlife #grandtrunk #kuhl #photographer #photography #landscapephotographer #wanderlust #wanderer #explorer #exploremore #optoutside #reflection #athlete #photographer #ocr #traveler #gameoftones #welivetoexplore #saltflats #borninthemountains #canon #mycanonstory #art #create #creativeminds

A post shared by Royce Fonseca (@casunshine0508) on Jul 2, 2019 at 1:02pm PDT

What do you do for a living, how did you end up in that field? 

I’m a Photographer for various Outdoor Companies. I dabbled in photography for some time and then ended up getting connected in the industry and it took off from there.

When did you first start enjoying the outdoors?

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, ever since I was a little girl. I spent many summers at the beach in California and grew up in the mountains. It’s forever been a part of my life.

What is your favorite place to explore? 

Yosemite is my favorite National Park and favorite place to be. I absolutely love it there.

How many of the 50 United States have you visited? Favorite?

I’ve been to 15 states, and it’s hard to choose my favorite. I would say California is my first choice because we have so much here in the outdoors, and Utah is my second. Utah is just a whole different place that amazes me.

How many countries, where? 

Only one so far, the Azores. I have plans to visit Asia later this year.

Best hike you have ever had? 

That would be in Bishop, California. I hiked with 20+ lbs of camera gear to about 12,000 feet to see some incredible lakes. A storm rolled in and snowed on us the entire way back…it was awesome.

Essential items for summer hikes/winter hikes in your opinion.

Winter hiking essentials – gloves, beanie and face mask. Base layers might be necessary depending on conditions but most of the time you get too hot hiking in base layers.

Summer hiking essentials – water! Hydrate a lot. I also take high protein snacks with me, a small first aide kit, a knife and bear spray. All things you should have on you.

Most comical hike/adventure story? 

All hikes are fun and funny haha! Laughter is part of the experience.

Scariest hike/adventure story?

This would be Angels Landing for me, and mostly because it was in winter and iced over. I wore my yaktrax but still had all my camera gear and being fearful of heights it just maybe me nervous. Getting to the top was incredible but all the ice made it very sketchy to navigate around. Well worth the trip though!

Upcoming trips planned?

Channel Islands is on my list and will be my 25th National Park! And now Asia is on the list as well.

Favorite outdoors gear/lifestyle companies? Any local? 

Favorite outdoor clothing company – KUHL! Their gear is durable, warm, cool, and just rad. It’s the only hiking gear I wear. Favorite outdoor gear – GrandTrunk Hammocks and Outdoor Products bags. Both companies have supplied me with some really reliable products, I sleep in my hammock all the time and it’s so easy to pack. Outdoor Products bags are just the best.

What does conservation mean to you? 

It’s highly important to me. If we don’t do something now and educate our youth then these gorgeous places we have accessible to us will be gone. I’m trying to do my part to educate others in hopes it will make a difference.

What can we do to make sure our parks and wild lands stay clean and pure forever? 

Educate and share the experiences with other’s so they see the importance of it all.

Royce, thank you so much for sharing your awesome content and perspective on the outdoors and how to keep our wild lands clean for years to come. Education is key as you pointed out, incredible mindset. Keep exploring and I hope to meet up for a hike some day, stay in touch!

Follow My Tracks: @Gtcarden