There are so many nice bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and photographers on the market creating wonderful outside content material each day.
Not solely did I wish to personally get to know them higher, however I additionally needed to discover their outside influences and fervour for nature.
Thus, we’ve launched the I Love The Outdoors Interview Series.
If you have an interest in collaborating within the sequence, please contact us and tell us!
Justin Hikes
- Tell us slightly about your self.
Hi, I’m Justin Hikes.
I’m 50 and I’m married with two youngsters in school.
I’m initially from New Jersey however I’ve lived in Colorado for the final 10 years.
2. What is your favourite outside exercise?
My favourite outside exercise is climbing.
I like day climbing and backpacking in nature.
I additionally simply love strolling wherever. It’s the place I get my considering executed! I attempt to stroll 5 miles day-after-day.
Often that’s only a stroll round my metropolis. In 2021, I walked each avenue in Longmont, Colorado. All 1,100 streets. It was a enjoyable problem.
Here’s a hyperlink to a newspaper story on my Longmont walks: Longmont resident walks 97 days, 586 miles and each avenue within the metropolis.
3. Where is your favourite path?
It’s inconceivable to choose a single favourite. When issues are going nicely, no matter path I’m climbing is my present favourite.
However, a few of my high trails have been:
- The northern Washington part of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Canadian border to Stehekin.
- The rim-to-rim of the Arizona path by way of the Grand Canyon.
- The Appalachian Trail in Autumn within the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
Note: I haven’t thru-hiked everything of the PCT, Arizona Trail, and Appalachian Trail talked about above however I’ve accomplished part hikes of no less than 100 miles on every of them.
4. Where is your favourite tenting spot?
Another robust one!
For me the perfect tenting spots weren’t essentially the spots with the perfect views. It’s the folks I’m with that make them so memorable.
My spouse and I did a giant highway journey by way of British Columbia within the late 90’s. We had so many nice campsites on that journey.
In specific, I keep in mind tenting in Jasper National Park surrounded by unbelievable mountains and elk calmly strolling by way of our web site. That was one among my favourite tenting spots.
Another favourite tenting spot was on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon once I was part climbing the Arizona Trail.
My buddy and I had the place to ourselves and the setting solar lit up the Grand Canyon in a means I’ll always remember.
5. What was your first outside reminiscence as a child?
I had an aunt who would take me climbing within the mountains of northern New Jersey.
Many folks aren’t conscious that New Jersey actually has a number of nice climbing!
We would hike to a lookout and browse kids’s books. I should have been in elementary college on the time.
6. Who was your largest outside affect?
I had a university professor named Howard Horowitz. In the summer time he led a 5-week program the place we traveled all through the American West studying about geography.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime studying expertise.
Howard had spent a few years touring the American West earlier than changing into a university professor.
He introduced us to many less-traveled areas that I might in any other case by no means have been conscious of. This was earlier than the web.
That form of data and expertise was hard-earned again then. ????
In some ways, Howard was an enormous affect on my appreciation of the outside. A couple of years in the past, I used to be fortunate to run into him at an airport.
We talked for some time and I launched him to my household. I used to be in a position to inform him how influential he was in my life.
7. What was your all-time finest tenting or climbing expertise?
In the Autumn of 2020, I hiked round 200 miles southbound on the Arizona Trail from the Utah border to Flagstaff. It was a difficult hike.
Arizona remains to be sizzling at the moment of 12 months. It was over 100 levels on the backside of the Grand Canyon.
We needed to plan our water entry rigorously and ended up carrying as much as a gallon at occasions. It was a blast!
8. Who is your favourite particular person to camp or hike with?
My spouse. I believe she loves the outside much more than I do!
9. What is your favourite piece of substances and why?
I’ve gear that I’ve used for a very long time however I wouldn’t say something is a selected favourite. I’ve a ULA Circuit backpack that has served me rather well on many trails.
Instead of a favourite, how about I let you know the “luxury item” I take when backpacking? It’s my PJ bottoms.
It won’t sound like a luxurious merchandise however I believe a number of long-distance backpackers, notably those that attempt to be ultra-lite, would skip packing pajama bottoms.
Hey, I sleep higher with them so into the pack they go!
10. What do you’re keen on concerning the open air?
There’s a lot to like concerning the open air. Firstly, time spent open air is sweet for each my bodily and psychological well being.
Second, longer hikes is usually a problem and may push me each bodily and mentally.
They usually are not at all times enjoyable within the second, however I’m at all times glad I did them by the point I get residence.
And lastly, there’s simply one thing particular about being within the wilderness that’s exhausting to elucidate however everybody who loves it understands.
11. What outside locations are in your bucket listing?
I’d like to complete the Arizona Trail.
I’d additionally wish to hike within the Alps and New Zealand.
12. What is your purpose as an outside content material creator? How can we assist you and the place can we discover your content material?
My major purpose is that sharing my outside adventures will in some small means assist encourage of us to get out in nature and spend extra time strolling.
The bodily and psychological advantages are profound.
My secondary purpose is to share attention-grabbing historical past and geographical details about the locations I go to.
It offers me motive to analysis and study locations slightly than solely stroll by way of them.
Lately, I’ve targeted totally on short-form movies which are 60 seconds or much less. This time constraint really helps my creativity.
Telling a narrative about a spot in lower than a minute forces me to give attention to what’s essential.
If you’re inclined, please examine me out on the socials under. And please give me a shout when you discovered me from the Wilderness Times.
Justin Hikes thanks for the nice interview and for collaborating within the I Love The Outdoors Interview Series!
If you have an interest in collaborating and sharing your story, please contact us and tell us!