Aaron Stokes, RN, decided when he was in nursing school that he wanted a mobile career. The avid surfer thought he'd take assignments wherever the waves pounded the shore. But that notion changed after a weeklong trip to Colorado gave him a newfound passion for rock climbing.

Stokes, a critical care nurse traveler with Dallas, TX–based Platinum Select Staffing, had worked out on a climbing wall at a gym for ages. Eventually, a friend convinced him that it was time for real rocks.

The first time

You're never fully ready for your first outdoor climb, according to Stokes. "My first experience lead climbing—where I was tied into a harness and built protection points as I ascended—was scary," he admitted, "but I made it to the top. Once I got there, my friend David suggested I clean the anchors. I had to untie my rope, take out the clips and carabiners, and then tie myself back in and move to the next one. I was 100 feet in the air, and if I made one mistake, I could have ended up on the ground!"

Stokes realized that, like nursing and healthcare travel, climbing requires dedication, patience, and focus. "Climbing is a confidence booster. It translates well into how I work with my critical care patients."

An ideal arrangement

Currently, Stokes is on assignment at The Medical Center of Aurora, an acute care hospital in Aurora, CO. That's 15 miles from Denver, the city he considers his new home base.

"I love taking contracts in and around Denver," he said. "The facilities I work with are flexible. I usually take a week or two off every month. I let my managers know ahead of time, so I'm able to schedule additional hours to make up the time."

The 'Fourteeners'

Colorado is blessed with 54 peaks that each exceed 14,000 feet in elevation. For a climber, it's a source of pride to say that he or she has scaled each "Fourteener."

"I remember climbing the twin peaks, Grays and Torreys," Stokes said. He awoke early that particular day and ascended Grays Peak first. "It took about three hours," he recalled. "It was what skiers would call a 'bluebird day'—not a cloud in the sky—and the sunrise from the trail was just spectacular."

After scaling Grays, Stokes tackled Torreys. "It's a popular peak, so there's usually a line to the summit," he said, "but I hit it just right and got to spend an hour there by myself. As I looked around I thought, 'This view! That's what I do this for.' I know I'd never experience half the adventures I enjoy if I weren't a traveler."

JULIE ANNE EASON is a freelance writer based in China, ME. This article originally appeared in Healthcare Traveler, a sister publication. For subscription information, call (877) 922-2022 or visit http://www.healthcaretraveler.com/.