Risks
The Environment
While these landscapes are incredibly beautiful, there are reasons why people don’t flock to live here in mass. The best word to describe the land and environment out here is “extreme”. Mountains, cliffs, and canyons are unforgiving to those who don’t take them seriously. Summer temperatures in the desert often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, without trees to shield you from the unrelenting sun. Dehydration is a very real possibility.
Navigation
Believe it or not there are some places where trails don’t exist. Out here, with limited sight lines blocked by mountains, cliffs, or forests it can be quite daunting if you realize you don’t know where you’re going. Not only do I have experience in the area and navigation skills, I also have the emergency equipment to help us find our way or call for help if something unimaginable were to happen.
Wildlife
The wildernesses of the west aren’t a live action zoo. These are real wild animals, not trained or accustomed specimens. It’s important to know how to behave around a bear, coyote, bison, or wolf if you encounter them in the wild, or if they stumble into camp. We will not be seeking these creatures out and I do everything in my power to avoid confrontations, but there is always a slim chance we come face to face with a wild animal.
Recovery
Many people think that a modified 4x4 vehicle is the key to off-the-beaten-path adventuring. They definitely help, but an inexperienced driver can easily get any vehicle stuck just about anywhere. Even those of us who consider ourselves experts make mistakes and have to get out and see how bad it is every now and again. I have experience recovering vehicles professionally. On top of all of the fancy recovery gear I have, I also know valuable techniques for getting out of tricky situations. Getting a vehicle stuck 20 miles from pavement without cell service is one of the worst feelings. Trust me, I’ve been there.