I think we can all agree that a successful adventure does not include helicopters and body bags. Preferably, no hospital involvement either. So how do you avoid that disaster scenario? Even better, how do you have a trip that isn’t just “not a disaster” but absolutely amazing? There are a zillion considerations in adventure planning, such as gear, budget, food, etc. Those are important, but take a step back, zoom out. 

These six elements of adventure planning encourage you to plan the big picture before narrowing in on decisions like whether or not to cut the handle off your toothbrush or eat nothing but cold bean paste out of a Talenti jar. 

They are:

1️⃣ Mental/Emotional wellness and group dynamics

2️⃣ Camp Craft

3️⃣ Technical Skills

4️⃣ Location and Navigation

5️⃣ Fitness 

6️⃣ First Aid and Evacuation Plans

You can read all about them on the article I wrote for Garage Grown Gear:

Planning the Big Picture: 6 Critical Considerations for Every Adventure

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This kind of planning also makes it way more likely that you’ll have fun and not die on your summer adventures.

I used to be consumed by “What if…” worries. Planning for camping, being in the tent, hiking… I’d be trying to problem solve for every possible scenario.  

Will, who was the veteran professional outdoor educator and WFR (Wilderness First Responder) always replied “We’ll stay or we’ll go, either fast or slow.” Which felt infuriatingly simplistic and did nothing to ease my worries. 

It wasn’t until I spent a week getting my WFR certification that I had my light bulb moment 💡and it finally made sense! I was able to put all possible scenarios into that simple framework of “Stay or go, fast or slow.” I felt way more empowered and way less worried.  Which made room for so much more fun. 

You don’t have to get special certifications to understand how to make better decisions with the skills you already have. I can help you put all of your “What ifs” into three different categories of response. Less worry, more fun. 

Register for my online class Have Fun. Don’t Die! Through Kula Cloth!