Don't let the name fool you. This otherworldly confluence of desert and mountains is nowhere near the southern state that shares its name—and "hills" hardly conveys its magnitude. Situated on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, the Alabama Hills are a geological marvel. Thousands of potato-shaped boulders are strewn about foothills that rest beneath the staggering peaks of the Sierra. Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, maintains a commanding presence to the west as you make your way through miles of dirt roads that weave throughout the landscape.

It's not easy to capture an image that will do this place justice, but our crew did just that. So, what goes into getting the shot? Stop number one on our road trip landed us in this unique stretch of desert where we met up with Ted Hesser and Brody Leven to find out. Brody is a pro skier specializing in human-powered pursuits. Ted is an adventure photographer and van-lifer. Both love to climb. Over the course of the weekend we explored the Alabama Hills, climbed the iconic "Shark's Fin," and got a behind-the-scenes look at adventure photography in action.

This year, Goal Zero turns 10. To mark this milestone, we took a road trip across the American West. Every stop brought a unique adventure—from climbing in the Alabama Hills to solar installations in Monument Valley to zipping around the Utah desert on electric-powered bikes, and more. Follow along each week as we release a new episode showcasing a different facet of our brand and telling the stories of those we met along the way.