Mountains. This is a mentality shift for us when we step off grid. We dabble in the endurance realm to challenge ourselves and grow our chosen fitness desires. The mountains are unforgiving. Disappear back in there unprepared and you can pay a steep price. Predators. Climate. Remote lands. All of these have the potential to take your life. This is another reason why we feel pretty passionate about preparing ourselves to handle a lot. Harder to kill. This is also something that is missing a lot in everyday life. It is a humbling experience to step into remote wilderness and feel that weight on your shoulders. You figure out a lot about yourself when its dark in remote wilderness and you are alone. Or when you are almost 14,000 feet above sea level climbing a mountain on a bouldering problem and get stuck. Of course there is our favorite of being physically/mentally able to handle making a kill in the wild and having the fitness base to pack that meat out. We can have anything we want to delivered to our door. We can be as lazy as we want. But why? Why live a life of comfort. Yes you need to relax at times, but chose discomfort often and earn your comfortability. It feels that much better. Go for a long hike, then sit on the couch and watch netflix. It is better.
Gear. What are you navigating with? Have backups. You never know. Especially at night. Losing a trail at night can be easy. 40 miles into a multiple peak challenge we would have been lost if it wasn’t for this. A map and compass is a skill that many are losing with todays GPS and applications. Layers. You need to have a system that allows you to heat up and cool down relatively easily. Footwear is huge, chose for the environment. Food/Nutrition. This differs from our ultra running experience. We tend to choose different food sources like oat made protein balls, beef jerky, trail mix, or maybe a mountain house. Something more wholesome than Gu’s or gels. Think about your duration of adventure. Plan your daily nutrition. Procuring it along the way? Such as fishing, not guaranteed but can be a bonus. Do not count on it. Bring what you need. Fire starter, and multiple backups. Water source, filtering or carrying? Been some of the freshest water we have had 10,000 feet in the bear tooth mountains of Montana out of a stream with a filter. Again, guaranteed or rather be safe and pack what you need. Self defense? Pistols if needed. Bear spray. Knife. Tomahawk. What tools do you need to handle a dangerous situation. And do you know how to use it? Have you practiced using it? The answer should be yes. Pack should be fitted and tested. Wrong fitting packs can rub skin off. We know. Test your gear. Just like in our endurance blog post having things to care for your feet is necessary for the long haul.
Just an intro. More to follow…
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