I don't feel like my family and I should be pushing our limits with hard climbing all of the time. We had previously done a video about learning to find satisfaction with some of the less demanding forms of adventure so that our risk profiles aren't always high. Well, exposing the boys to backpacking was one of those experiences we wanted them to try and see if they enjoy. We made a short film about it.

My twin (now) 8-year-olds beat up their gear when they are camping, hiking, and attempting summits, but we've managed to keep them in an Outdoor Research Kids' Helios sun hat for about two years. The hats are still going strong, but like any piece of gear, they aren't perfect. Here's a long term review of these handy, comfortable, and durable adventure hats.

A climbing partner from Denali (seven years ago) put together a trip for the Skillet Glacier route on Mount Moran (12,605') in Grand Teton National Park. She and I embraced hiking the long approach, bushwhack off trail, and 6000 feet of elevation gain to get our fill of summer snow climbing on a direct and impressive line.

Spring time in the Rocky Mountains means snow couloir season for climbers, and this year, we figured out how to get technical crampons to work on the boys' small feet. So, the boys and I took a short camping trip that culminated in their first real alpine snow climb, including a few small snow fields before a 500 vertical foot gully. They learned the mental and physical persistence that direct snow lines can demand, and I was admittedly in awe at their incredible capabilities while being so young.

The boys wanted to go on a "mini" expedition, complete with backpacking, camping, moving camps, and a mildly technical climb to a summit. But as the trip started, I received notice that one of my climbing friends and mentors was succumbing to cancer. As My trip ended, I received notice that she was gone. It struck me as fitting that, while all of this was happening, the lessons she taught me were being passed on to my boys. I dedicate this short film to Deb as a testament to a life well lived, full of impact which will carry on.

Well, we've been in the COVID-19 "lifestyle" for about a year, now, and it's been trying on all of us... to deal with the work uncertainty, homeschooling, being on top of one another for so long... But it's also been a time of immense joy and profound connection with the family. When we start getting in our own way, my family heads into nature to rediscover ourselves and a sense of hopefulness. Come along with me and my twin, six-year-old boys as we take a winter camping trip to slow down, get some father-son time, and let go of some of the day-to-day stresses of life during these crazy times.

After taking the Spring and Summer to figure out the basics during the COVID-19, the family got out for four days of camping in the backcountry wilderness. We did some hiking and some climbing... and remembered that the simple things can and do bring us together.