Dear Hemingway, Every day you do something that makes me pause and think, Dang, how did he figure that out? But what you managed to accomplish on May 12th blows my mind! At not quite five years old, you successfully finished your first hike to the summit of a mountain, …
Octavia’s first snowshoe trip
–Photographs by Mike Hincks and Kim Leong Dear Octavia, You’re a natural outdoorswoman! It was back on December 16th, 2017 that we finally got you out on your first snowshoe trip. I hosted a family/beginner snowshoe trip with the Island Mountain Ramblers as a way to get the whole family …
Octavia’s First Multi Day Kayak Trip: A Splash of Adventure
This letter was a long time coming; it’s been well over a year already since this trip! I suppose it’s a symptom of how we live our lives. Between raising you kids and my club adventures, I’ve been busy living and not stuck at a keyboard typing. Still, it’s good …
Our first failure at winter camping
Dear Hemingway, We just finished our first father-and-son camping trip, or at least our first attempt. You’re only three and a half years old, and we’ve already done a lot of overnight backcountry trips, but never one in snow, and never just the two of us. I was excited, and …
Snowshoe to Boston Falls Lookout: A Sunny Day below Mount Becher’s Summit
When I’m stuck inside, it sometimes feels like I won’t ever break free and get outside! If you’re passionate like I am, you probably feel the same. Now that I’ve added two kids to the equation, it’s even more difficult to balance the time between my family obligations and my …
Kayaking the Gulf Islands with my Toddler: “We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat”
My wife Kim thinks I’m crazy. My friends think I’m crazy. I’m sure my son Hemingway thinks I’m crazy. A colleague even accused me of being a Viking, after I described Hemingway’s first kayak trip at nine months old. I am probably the only one who believes in my sanity. I don’t make the decision …
I rebuilt a pulk sled, pulk 2.0
Over the past two months, I have been working to build a pulk sled. I’m motivated by my dream of backpack-free winter camping (as I could haul my gear behind me on my snowshoe and backcountry ski tours), and by the weight of my son (as he just won’t stop …
Family Day Weekend, Beginner Snowshoe
Family Day Weekend has come and gone, and I’m happy to say that I made the most of it. I planned three trips, including an overnight camp at a familiar trailhead in Seward. Don’t fret: I spent at least one of those days with my family! The first day was …
Simple Snowshoe around Lake Helen Mackenzie
Another beautiful day in the low alpine. On Saturday, January 30th, I led a small group of Island Mountain Ramblers, along with a special guest, on a trip through Paradise Meadows to Lake Helen Mackenzie and back. We had fine weather: a little sunshine, some light snow, and a clear …
Building a pulk sled
I have big dreams. Dreams of multi-day alpine tours, and snowshoe trips through Strathcona and other places on Vancouver Island. I also want to head out with my family on great winter adventures. Both of these scenarios are aided by the use of a sled. mommy and Hemingway, arriving at …