So many of us with a love for the outdoors and adventure love the challenges and at the same time the peace that this lifestyle brings. What's your reasons you yearn for doing your recreating or lifestyle in the outdoors---Alaska or wherever you live?
For me life spent in the mountains or on some sort of outdoor adventure is therapeutic. I don't say this in the cliche kind of way to sound hip and trendy, but truly it is like therapy for my soul.
Baggage from the Past
There was a time when I felt guilty for spending too much time out hiking, camping, hunting, or traveling to do those things. I felt judgment from others (or perceived judgment) about how I spent my time and money. So much of my baggage in this area came in the form of religious oppression with all sorts of rules and emphasis on fitting in with approval.
Now this is not a religious post, but it is a spiritual one. Here's what I mean... One day it finally hit me. I feel the most alive when outdoors on some adventure... and usually for me when in the mountains. One summer while out hiking with my family and friends, I gazed all around us at the rugged snow capped mountains and the glacier-blue lakes and a huge smiled came across my face. At that moment I realized it---everything I cared for most deeply was right there and life made more sense. I make the best memories with my boys in the wilderness, the best genuine conversations happen with my wife and/or friends out there, my thoughts really connect and I feel at deep peace when out exploring someplace.
Makes More Sense Out There
Life's losses, challenges, and those parts of life that absolutely suck just have a way of making more sense out there. Tackling a mountain physically and reaching a summit or ridgeline brings a view and feeling truly like no other. Spiritually speaking, I've heard the deepest things up there and made some of the hardest decisions of my life. Facing betrayal, resentments, and my own mistakes all seem to untangle in a way that makes more sense out there. I don't know if it's the altitude and a new perspective or what, but these are the reasons why life outdoors adventuring is like therapy for me.
And so, we named the brand "Looking for Summits" in this very spirit. We all face mountains. They exist for a reason. And those mountains don't define us. BUT it's what we do with them that define us. It's my hope that over time, the LFS brand will become apparel and adventures that challenge and inspire this depth of peace and freedom in the outdoors, Alaska and beyond.
- Derek
Looking for Summits Owner