the blog

Some places in the world just seem better than we could come up with in all of our imagination.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of short shorts. Photo by @gregbalkin

When the hand jams are solid and the views go on for miles.

October 2015: I didn’t really know what The Bugaboos were back in 2015, I just happened to be in the area and wanted to go for a little solo walk up a steep hill, put up a tent, then… sit.

Find those people in life that will always push you to be more than you thought you could, then hold on for the ride.

Taking to the mountains has continuously provided my mind the space to be a better person when I’m at more reasonable elevations, so I will continue to spend time up here.

When the snow is deep, and the days are short.

Remember to slow down. Life’s fast enough as it is. All things happen in due time, like rivers through stone.

We have an impact everywhere we go, and while I believe that most van lifers and mobile warriors do their best to “leave it better than we found it”, sometimes places need a little more help. My friends @dometic and @conservationalliance have teamed up to donate $25,000 towards a restoration project to improve the places we play. Check out my story to read more about the project and see how we can make a difference each time we head out.

This technique is one we call “riding the bull” and is attempted by only the most core van lifers. @daniel_maggiora here shows us how it’s done.

Not much brings friends together better than a little pool in a big field filled with naturally fed hot water. One of the things I have been trying to focus on is my presence in the current moment, not always planning the next trip. When we allow ourselves to be here, we realize how little we really need to be happy, and surrounding myself with like minded people always reinforces those feelings. #ownlessdomore
@nomadixco #partner

Remember that we are, in fact, quite small in the grand scheme of things.

So how is it, then, that we manage the desire to stay with the urge to go?

3,2,1 dropping. Watch out for sharks. Seeing everyone getting out into the backcountry as the start of the ski season is fully underway has been awesome and got me thinking about a great trip I took with @backcountry to the Uintas last year. Sled access and no one around for miles, the Uintas are a special place that I hope to visit again this season. Till then I’ll be seeing what the PNW snow has to offer.
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As always, stay safe and stay healthy. Check out @backcountry to get yourself dialed in for ski season, and you can use code WILL15 for 15% off your first purchase at backcountry.com! (exclusions apply) #findyourbackcountry

@matt_berry will you take me ice climbing again please?

The snow is beginning to fall and my mind is going back to early mornings with long uphill walks. The quiet on the trail is one of my favorite parts of skiing, a time to reflect and look inward.

“Nobody wins afraid of losing.”

You know what’s amazing? That we are here, on this earth, experiencing life. That we have this opportunity to love each other and be good. That we can push ourselves mentally and physically at our craft, and that we can continue to learn and grow.

Social media has this funny way of making us (me) feel like there’s more important things we (I) could be doing, or more success or happiness or fun or anything, just more. It’s tricky, because allowing those feelings takes away from the awesome, incredible, now that we are in every moment of every day. If you’re reading this, you’re alive. That’s awesome. I hope to see you soon.