Never in a million years did I think I'd find myself backpacking alone with a handful of chicks, but that's exactly what happened this past May when four of my friends wives were the only ones to roger up for an overnighter on Mount St. Helens.  Whatever guy tendencies I had going into this trip would need to be checked at the door because I was outnumbered 4 to 1 and I figured that maybe this was a good opportunity to see the outdoors through the eyes of the opposite sex.  As it turns out, it was a trip I'll never soon forget.

Compared to my 2015 Loowit Hike, 2016 was pretty much the opposite.  Instead of low hanging clouds and cool temps, I was met with clear blue skies and 80-90 degree heat.  No matter what the conditions, the Mount St. Helens never disappoints and I think I might be even more infatuated with her now that I have two Loowit Trail hikes under my belt.

Nearly all of my outdoor knowledge comes from trial and error.  With this in mind, I'm going to begin writing a reoccurring post called "Backcountry Blunders" where I tell you all about how I've screwed up and what I now do to avoid making the same mistakes.  First up, "water crossings."

I didn't know it at the time, but I wasn't getting what I needed out of shooting a compound bow.  No matter how much I would shoot, nothing seemed to excite me about it until I got it in my head that maybe I needed to change it up and try a traditional bow.  Just a handful of arrows later and I was hooked.  

Up until a just a couple of years ago, I never once questioned whether hunting was an ethical thing to do or not.  Though I'd continue to obsess over the coming seasons and the adventures that await, I would begin to ask myself if it was really that necessary to make such an effort to kill a wild animal when I could very well just go to the store for meat.  This is my story of redefining what it means to hunt and why I continue to do it year after year.

2010 was a year I'll never forget.  I not only harvested my first mature Blacktail, but I learned that my energy in the forest may actually play a much larger role than I ever before realized.

While hiking over 30 miles in the fog isn't what most people call ideal fun, I've learned to love my experience on the Loowit Trail and wouldn't trade it for the world.

The wise words of an old elk hunter, an inopportune misfire, and last day success, sum up my 2014 hunting season.  I'd learn more about myself in one season than I could have ever anticipated.

Looking back on my 2015 experiences, I can't help but think of how many lessons I came away with.  Narrowing them down to 5 is going to be tough, but I'll do my best.  

When things don't go as planned, remaining positive for the benefit of yourself and others around you is more powerful than you think.