Winter Camping Can Really Suck Or It Can Be Epic

I think the wilderness, in general, has the ability to simplify life and then if you factor in the conditions that happen in winter, everything gets reduced to its most simple state. You're not thinking about all of the other things in your day-to-day life it goes down to what is the most elemental thing necessary? And these are the tasks that you need to focus on. It can be painful, it can be uncomfortably cold. You get so reduced to that need to feel the warmth and then to actually build a fire and use safe tent heaters for camping, move through you. It is a deeply moving experience.

There's this greater sense of appreciation, of everything. Most people don't want to experience discomfort. But cold camping experience is priceless. It does feel like the landscape is resting, the earth is in a different state of being. It's very quiet, you don't almost hear any birds or hear any wildlife or almost hear anything other than the sound of maybe the wind or the river. You get to participate in that sense of stillness and peace and tranquility. Wildness is such a visceral experience and it taps into our most core selves, the extremes of winter help even drive that further. It doesn't have to be packed in 15 miles, what makes it great is simply just being outside. When you're leaving the wilderness and you ' re about to come back, you bring something with you. I think ultimately why I do these things and push myself is to find the best version of myself.