Humble Beginnings

Peterson grew up in Newberry, Ohio, somewhere southwest of Cleveland that doesn’t have any fast-food restaurants—not even a Starbucks.

Peterson’s love of animals started early. He and his sister spent much of their childhood running around in the woods catching snakes, turtles, and frogs. They’d disappear into the wilderness behind the house, getting into swamps, ponds, creeks, and rivers and catching things like bullfrogs, painted turtles, water snakes. The most dangerous thing in their neck of the woods was a common snapping turtle. 

Coyote’s family would camp across the U.S. together, which encouraged his love for outdoor adventure. His animal knowledge is completely self-taught from reading books, working with experts, and leaning on his semi-photographic memory.

“I developed a skill for being very good at being able to submerge myself into the environment without being noticed, which allowed me to get close to animals,” he said. “And then I developed the skill for being very quick at hand-eye coordination—to be able to catch things.”

Coyote eventually moved on from the animals in his backyard to some more dangerous ones—including snakes, as well as lizards and the creepy-crawlies of the world. He learned how to interact with these animals without making them feel threatened. He says there’s something to the idea of having a “touch” with animals; it is all about hand-eye coordination and being fast, while also being gentle at the same time.

The College Years

By the time Coyote got to college, he admits he was more into sports cars and girls than animals—the “typical teenage-type things”—but it was in these foundational years that Coyote’s love for storytelling really began to blossom.

“I became very interested in how an individual who watches a film ends up feeling internally,” he said. “And I was like, ‘why are these movies making me feel a certain way?’ I wanted to learn how to make other people feel like that.”

Coyote decided he wanted a career in screenwriting, producing, and directing, but Ohio State University did not have a film program. He didn’t give up, though, convincing his guidance counselors to allow him to create a personalized study program. He took different classes from separate departments in the university to create his own major, essentially piecing together a degree in cinema.

“I wanted to learn the business of the ‘street,’” he said. “I wanted to learn the legalities of the industry. I wanted to learn how to write. I wanted to learn how to build teams. I wanted to learn how to produce. I never had interest in ever being in front of a camera.”

Behind the camera, Coyote was good. He won a screenwriting competition and ended up directing the first feature film at Ohio State in over 25 years. 

Inspired by the likes of adventurers Steve Irwin and Bear Grylls, Coyote loved the fast-paced editing and in-your-face cinematography of shows like Man vs. Wild, and his own take on the genre eventually became Brave Wilderness, but the road to success was a long one. 

The Origins of Brave Wilderness

Coyote and his business partner, Mark, came up with the idea for Brave Wilderness when they both had day jobs. Coyote was working 9-5 for a printer-ink company and not making enough to support himself. 

“Everybody told us no,” Coyote said after countless pitch meetings and feigned interest that never led to a signed contract. He worried that 10 years down the line he’d be $100,000 in debt with a day job that wasn’t fulfilling his passion for storytelling.

One day, Coyote’s boss asked about his movie projects and then invested a small amount of money to help Coyote and Mark get started. They used the money to establish their first LLC and get an entertainment attorney to help them protect their intellectual property—the most valuable thing at the end of the day.

“We could put together pitch packages and the test footage, but made sure we were doing it the right way and we weren’t getting taken advantage of or giving up the rights to ownership of our likeness and image of the footage,” he said.

The pair continued to develop their concept for over five years and had cast a friend as the wildlife presenter on camera, while Coyote was directing and filming.

“When the cameras really weren’t rolling I would be catching a snapping turtle, and then I would bring it into the scene for the host to hold,” Coyote said. “He would have his lines memorized.”

While pitching that concept, big wigs at different production houses would watch the footage and ask where the animals came from. Coyote showed them behind the scenes, and they said, “Well, that’s the show.” And just like that, Coyote became the star. 

From Behind the Camera to in Front of It

Coyote says it’s funny that he ended up being in front of the camera. In the end, it was his Ohio roots and his special “touch” with animals that was the ticket to eventual success.

Success wasn’t won quite yet, though. On the verge of giving up, Coyote and his team launched a channel on YouTube and in 2014, they launched Brave Wilderness.

“We recognized that YouTube was our opportunity to get our foot in the door and get people watching our content,” Coyote said. “And if people started watching and they liked it, we knew that we would get some momentum, which is exactly what we did.”

YouTube was a miracle for them as a distribution platform.

“We are not reliant on anybody in Hollywood. I have no greater executive or parent company. We are 100% in control of our own existence,” Coyote said. “It goes back to knowing your intellectual property rights and having the right legal assistance to guide you with the business choices you make.”

Coyote had graduated from Ohio State in 2005, but it was a solid nine years before he began to see the fruits of his labor, spending at least five years on the development of Brave Wildness and losing a multi-million-dollar opportunity that fell through at age 26. He says they “didn’t make a dime” off Youtube until 2016, when they finally started making a consistent revenue.

“[It was] a solid decade of non-stop hustling, getting paid zero dollars—zero income from my glorified hobby,” Coyote said. “We were dumping all of our vacation time, all of our extra financial resources to keep the machine going. But we knew in the back of our minds that this was primed to happen.”

Coyote believes practice will never make perfect, it will just make you better. All of those learning curves along the way drove him and his team harder to figure it out. He believed they had all of the right skill sets to make something amazing—and they did.

Coyote concludes: “If you truly believe that you can accomplish something, you just keep pushing and keep trying. It takes resilience. Don’t be afraid to take risks.”

The post Coyote Peterson on His Wild Career (That Almost Didn’t Happen) appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about your outlook on life.

Jade Darmawangsa: I think, when I was growing up, I was told that you can only be one thing. Like you can either be smart, but you can’t be fun. You can be an entrepreneur. But you can’t have a balanced social life, you have to keep grinding. I think that’s part of why I love surfing. What I do is find the balance between both. When people think of an entrepreneur, they don’t think of someone who’s in the ocean most of the day, but I am, and I find balance between working and being outside. 

Outdoors.com: What are three things about you that would surprise us?

Jade Darmawangsa: I think people might not know that I’m very emotional and very sensitive. Obviously on social media I have this outdoorsy adrenaline like entrepreneur vibe, but I’m honestly very emotional. I would say gentle is a good word. I’m very in tune with emotions and other people’s emotions.

Outdoors.com: Why do you love surfing?

Jade Darmawangsa: I think surfing is the first real sport/thing I experienced where you feel like you’re completely in the zone, like time almost stops and you’re just in the water. It’s my form of meditation. I live a very stressful life and I’ve had a very stressful life, starting my businesses and being my own boss. So surfing is the only thing that really gets me into a flow state and present with whatever I’m doing. There’s no phones while you’re surfing, there’s nothing. It’s beautiful.

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Outdoors.com: What is your most memorable surf competition and why?

Jade Darmawangsa: I actually competed at Red Bull Foam Wreckers about it a week ago. I got second place in my heat, and I made it to the semi-finals. That’s my first competition. And I think I did pretty good for my first comp. I was very surprised that I even placed. And I trained a lot for it. I only learned how to surf three years ago. It was on my bucket list to do a surf competition. I just was so nervous that I wasn’t good enough. Then like this year, I was like, f*** it. I want to enter the competition and I want to try something even though . . . I know I’m gonna suck. And actually, I didn’t suck. If you just put yourself out there and try your best, like, you’ll be surprised. The problem that most people run into is letting people’s thoughts about them stop them. That’s what I was afraid of, I was afraid people were gonna think I was stupid, but actually, they didn’t.

Outdoors.com: What is your greatest fear?

Jade Darmawangsa: Fear of the unknown, fear of failing. Fear of the unknown because I’m working on a bunch of stuff, and I don’t know if it’s all going to work out. I mean, it’s a recession. So, it’s pretty tough out here. I think that I used to have a fear of failing more. I realized failing is not a real thing, because failing implies that you start and stop. But failing also can be learning. Just because you didn’t do something or hit your goal, doesn’t mean you’re failing, right? That just means that you learn a lesson and you have to keep going. 

Outdoors.com: What things do you think contributed to your business success?

Jade Darmawangsa: I really try to face my fear as much as I can, in the most extreme possible way. When I first learned how to surf, I didn’t know how to swim. I was afraid of the ocean, so I thought surfing was a great opportunity to face my fear. It’s my motto. My mom has always said if you’re scared of something, what can you do that will fully expose you to that fear? You don’t want to do something that’s actually fully debilitating for your mental health, but the surf competition was a good example because I wanted to do it, and at the same time I was scared out of my mind. I think in business it’s similar. I‘ve started so many companies in the past and stopped many companies. I was worried that if I stopped people were going to look down on me. Some people did but I don’t give a f*** because I’m so used to doing things even if there’s resistance . . . because usually it’s worth it. 

Outdoors.com: Tell me about the mental strategies that you use in business.

Jade Darmawangsa: Usually, when there’s discomfort, it’s a thing you should do. Obviously, there’s examples that are extreme, like if you’re doing something illegal or harmful, don’t do it. But if there’s a gut feeling you should do this but it’s uncomfortable, you’ve got to do it. That discomfort means you’re growing, and if you’re growing, it means you are getting better as a person. Leveling up. A lot of business strategy is mental. [Also,] getting a therapist, because a lot of the problems I had actually in business related to my childhood. If I was scared of what people thought about me and I related it to my fear as a child when I was growing up.

Outdoors.com: What is your craziest story?
Jade Darmawangsa: How I got started surfing. I picked up surfing three years ago when I didn’t know how to swim. I found this random surf instructor in Huntington Beach. I didn’t tell him I didn’t know how to swim and then he taught me to surf. And then later I told him, he’s like, what the f***. I fell in love with surfing at that moment. I’m scared of falling off my surfboard because I don’t know how to swim, but the whole point of it is staying on your board. 

The post Surfer and YouTuber Jade Darmawangsa on Doing Things You Fear appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

People are fascinated by wolves. Viral videos online get thousands of shares as the “villain” of childhood stories now has a sustainable population in 10 U.S. states. Plus, a handful of other states have recently reported wolf sightings. 

The Voyageurs Wolf Project

In a recent Instagram post, the Voyageurs Wolf Project shared footage of wolves hunting deer. The video from northern Minnesota would be nearly silent if it weren’t for the slight crunch of the snow as paws hurry through the wilderness. A short time later, a wolf remerges with blood on its face after successfully taking down the deer.

These trail-camera videos are an integral part of the research being done by the Voyageurs Wolf Project. The organization is working to learn more about the animals in the summer around Voyageurs National Park. The work aims to understand more about wolves while pushing more educational outreach to the masses.

Most research in places like northern Minnesota has occurred during wintertime, because it’s relatively easy to do, according to Thomas Gable, the project lead for the organization. “You can get up in an airplane, and you can find a wolf if it’s wearing a radio caller, and you can actually observe it from the air,” he says. “Summertime is a lot more difficult because it’s really densely forested.”

The research focuses heavily on how wolves hunt in the summer and pup rearing. The wolves stay busy feeding themselves and the new pups, eventually teaching the babies to hunt before the following winter.

Gable says trail cameras play an integral part in their work. It’s allowed them to have “a bunch of eyes in the woods,” as he puts it. The organization has captured videos of wolves foraging for items like berries and catching freshwater fish. Being able to document these with cameras makes their research easily backed by visual proof.

Voyageurs Keeps Calling the Wolves Home

The project’s research is unraveling mysteries about an animal that has called the area home for centuries. In fact, Voyageurs National Park is the only national park in the lower 48 states that never lost its wolf population. As debates about the reintroduction of wolves rage on in places like Colorado and California, the subspecies of timberwolves in Minnesota has always been there.

“Wolves were eradicated through most of the contiguous U.S., except basically a small sliver in northern Minnesota that includes Voyageurs National Park and a chunk of the Boundary Waters. That’s because they border Ontario and the Hudson Bay, which is a big source of the population of wolves in the area,” explains Gable. “So when people tried to eradicate wolves from the Voyageurs area, they might kill some, but then there was this sort of steady flow of wolves to come in and fill those spots.”

However, this doesn’t stop some people from trying to get rid of the wolves. Billboards have appeared in Minnesota claiming that wolves “devour over 54,000 fawns a year” in the state. The billboard is from a state hunting association.

The Fight to Protect Wolves Through Education

Signs like this are what Gable and his team at the Voyageurs Wolf Project are trying to avoid. They hope educating the public about the wolves and their essential role in the ecosystem will encourage people to leave the wolfpacks alone.

The project has taken a scientific approach in its response, determining whether or not hunting wolves will make a difference in the number of fawns in Minnesota and if the number of fawns killed is even a problem for the state’s ecosystem.

In a social media post, the organization offered this response:

“The evidence indicates that killing wolves will almost certainly have no impact on the number of surviving deer fawns. Fawns die from multiple causes, and the causes of mortality can compensate for one another . . . Put another way, if wolves and hunters don’t get them, then coyotes and bears will, and the same number of fawns will survive either way.”

This response is just part of the organization’s attempt to educate the masses. Rather than argue, they’re focusing on facts to determine whether wolf management is necessary in the state.

Wolf Anxieties While Hiking

Besides concerns for wildlife, the other anxiety usually boils down to human safety. Are hikers safe on trails in a place with wolves?

In the last 50 years, there has been only one fatal wolf attack in the U.S. Reports say a teacher on a jog in Alaska was killed by wolves. The exact details are unknown.

With this exception, human-wolf interactions are extremely rare, even as the animal’s territory grows into new states. 

Gable says, for the most part, the animals try to stay away. However, he often hears from people who are worried about meeting a wolfpack face-to-face in the wilderness.

“If you see a wolf, enjoy it. It’s super rare to see one, and wolves are just not going to bother you at all,” says Gable. “We’ve had our whole field crew of eight who every day are in the field in the summer. We’ve never had an encounter that was even remotely bordering on something concerning.”

Staying Safe Around Wolves

With growing wolf populations in places like Yosemite, the National Park Service had these tips to keep wolves and people safe while enjoying the park:

• Never feed a wolf or any other wildlife. Do not leave food or garbage outside unattended. 
• Treat wolves with the same respect you give any other wild animal. If you see a wolf, do not approach it.
• Never leave small children unattended.
• If you have a dog, keep it leashed.
• If you are concerned about a wolf—it’s too close or is not showing sufficient fear of humans—do not run. Stop, stand tall, and watch what the wolf does. If it approaches, wave your arms, yell, flare your jacket. If it continues, throw something at it or use bear pepper spray. Group up with other people, and continue waving and yelling.
• Report the presence of wolves near developed areas or any wolf behaving strangely.

Here’s how Bear Grylls handles wolves.

The post Are Wolves Villains? The Voyageurs Wolf Project Uses Science to Break Biases appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Here is an exclusive look at Bear’s list of 18 things every scout should do in life, including things like climb a mountain, go on a long journey, and cook a three-course dinner in the outdoors.

1. SLEEP OUT UNDER THE STARS

Find a patch of grass and stare up at the Milky Way. Feeling the cold night air on your skin is a great way to find your place in the universe. A bivvy bag is ideal for this: a waterproof covering that you and your sleeping bag will fit snugly inside, while leaving your face exposed. Count comets and shooting stars until you drop off.

2. GO TO A WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE (OR AT LEAST AN INTERNATIONAL CAMP)

World Scout Jamborees happen every four years, and in a different country each time. Tens of  thousands of Scouts attend from all over the Scouting world for a festival of peace and friendship. They’ve been happening since the first one in London in 1920 and there’s really nothing like them on earth. It’s where you’ll learn how to say your promise in Spanish, how to cook a Hungarian goulash and swap badges with a New Zealander. And if you don’t manage to get a place at a World Scout Jamboree, then don’t worry. There are plenty of international camps that happen all over the world. Find one near you. You’ll never forget it.

3. PASS ON A SKILL TO ANOTHER SCOUT

You’ve only truly mastered a skill when you know it well enough to teach someone else. If you feel like you can tie the highwayman’s hitch (see page 231) with your eyes closed, then now’s the time to pass that skill on.

4. VOLUNTEER (AND GIVE YOURSELF A CHEER)

Becoming a volunteer will make you shine brighter. Helping other people does great things for your soul and brings out the best in you. Whether you do some shopping for an elderly neighbour or help run the Cub pack, this’ll help you be the best version of you. Because when we give, we always receive.

5. TIE SOMEONE’S FRIENDSHIP KNOT

You know you’ve truly made a friend in Scouts when they ask you to tie a friendship knot in their neckerchief (see page 268). In fact, if you can tie a friendship knot, you’ll find you have lots of friends. This skill is in high demand.

6. TAKE PART IN A CAMPFIRE

Campfires are not just for keeping warm. They’re places for Scouts to get together, sing badly and glug hot chocolate. Be brave and lead your fellow Scouts in a song or a sketch. Show them a magic trick or tell a tall tale. Don’t worry about making a fool of yourself – that’s the whole point! People will love you all the more for your sense of adventure and fun.

7. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Remember, you only start learning when you reach the edge of your comfort zone, so don’t be afraid to stick a toe over the edge. Talk to someone new, get onto that stage or put that scuba diving mask on and go diving! You won’t look back.

8. REMAKE YOUR PROMISE IN AN UNUSUAL PLACE

Whether it’s in a kayak in the middle of a lake, standing at the top of a hill at dawn or on the end of a surfboard, remind yourself of how important the Scout promise is by making it again in a place you’ll never forget.

9. CLIMB A MOUNTAIN

Whether it’s a real mountain or a metaphorical mountain, go attempt the impossible. Fail and try again. Push yourself. Aim big. Never give up. I got to be part of a military team to climb Mount Everest, the highest peak on earth, when I was twenty-three – and it changed my life. It reminded me that all of life is a challenge. And the bigger we dare to dream, the bigger the adventures ahead will be. There are all sorts of different ‘mountains’ we can climb. It could just as easily be a particular challenge you’ve been thinking about for a long time, like writing a book, learning a new skill, making a new friend, or breaking a negative habit. Remember, growing as a person doesn’t happen by chance. It happens with change. And change always starts with a decision. And climbing our own ‘Everest’ starts with that first small step . . .

10.  GO ON A LONG JOURNEY

People once travelled great distances to discover new lands and meet new friends. Without cars or planes, these journeys once took weeks, months or even years (Marco Polo once travelled for

nearly twenty-five years before returning home). Pick a spot on a map and travel the slow way – by bike or on foot. As they say: life is the journey, not the destination.

11.  MAKE THE WORLD’S BEST HOT CHOCOLATE

Every now and again, treat yourself. You deserve it. Pile the mini-marshmallows high. Squirt on the cream until it looks like Mount Everest. Stick in some crumbly chocolate flakes. Now savour every moment. Go on, you’ve earned it.

12.  BE A LEADER

You might not know it, but you’re already a leader. If you have any influence on others, it means you’re already leading. That might simply be in your family, or sports team, or your Scout group. If people watch what you do, in any way, then you’re a leader. So be a good one. Be proud of how you behave, and lead with kindness and integrity. Then people will follow you anywhere.

Next time you see a chance to step up, why not take it? When all eyes are on you, you’ll be surprised at what you can do. It’s your time to shine. Go for it!

13.  COOK A THREE-COURSE DINNER IN THE OUTDOORS

The greatest dinner parties are those held in 5-billion-star hotels. That’s right: the ones that have no roofs, just the night sky above. So get the fire going, wrap up your potatoes in tin foil and prepare for a feast. Everything tastes better outdoors!

14.  EARN YOUR TOP AWARD

Whether it’s becoming a King’s Scout, an Eagle Scout or getting the Chief Scout’s Silver Award, there’ll be an award that’s the highest possible for you and your friends. Plan how you’ll achieve it, then go for it. Don’t stop until you’ve tied off the last stitch as you sew it onto your shirt.

15.  GO ON A NIGHT HIKE

Watch the moonlight as it peeps through the trees, listen for the hoot of an owl or wave your torch around like a lightsaber. These are just a few of the rituals of the night hike. Remember to stay safe on roads, wear hi-vis jackets and pack spare batteries for your torch – especially if you’re doing impressions of Luke Skywalker. Tasty snacks are compulsory.

16.  BE A FRIEND (WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS YOU MOST)

Everyone goes through a rough patch, but not everyone tells you about it. Watch out for people who are quieter than usual, or who are on their own or looking sad. You could be the friend that makes all the difference. A friend in need is a friend indeed. And a true friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out.

17.  PLANT A TREE

One of the most hopeful things you can do is plant a tree. It’ll help keep our air clean and our earth green. And it could still be growing after we are long gone. I’ve come across some truly amazing trees in my life. Some of them over 1,000 years old. (And I thought Scouting was ancient!)

18.  MAKE YOURSELF PROUD

This could be doing some little act of kindness: holding open a door, giving someone a smile or giving up your place in a queue. Whatever you do, make yourself proud by making someone else’s day.

Do Your Best: How to be a Scout will be released September 28, 2023 in the U.K., Ireland, and Australia/New Zealand, and it will be published in April 2024 in the U.S. Buy it here.

The post 18 Things Every Scout Should Do, An Exclusive Excerpt From Bear Grylls’s New Book appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

At the age of 28, the 5′ 9″ surfer spends little time outside of the water. He now lives in San Clemente, California and catches waves on Sharp Eye Surfboards. He recently captured his second world title at Lower Trestles on September 9, 2023. The competitors surfed 5-8-foot wave faces from hurricane swells, and Filipe faced Australian surfer Ethan Ewing in the finals. He won two out of three heats to secure his second world title.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about your outlook on life.

Filipe Toledo: To be honest, I’ve learned a lot, and right now I’m in a position in life where I’m appreciating all the little stuff so much more. I had the opportunity to go in another direction. I mean like going on big TV shows and being kind of like a pop star. I was trying to run away from that and be with my family, enjoy my beach days with my family and friends, and be home and play with my kids. 

I feel like all these little moments that we have with the people that we love, it gives me the fire to go out and surf and compete for them, because I know when I’m back home I’m gonna have such a good time and I’m gonna enjoy this. You know, one day my professional career will end. One day I’m gonna have to stop, and then, am I just gonna start enjoying the little things once I’m done with surfing, or can I find a balance and do both at the same time?

It’s been incredible for me the last few years to really put that in the balance and enjoy time with my family and enjoy the process of being a professional surfer, which is crazy. It’s a lot of work, and a lot of sacrifice, but it’s been so natural. It’s been super fun. I feel like whenever everybody’s connected and in the same vibe or in the same momentum, and everyone’s happy, everything goes perfectly. And that’s what I’m looking for in life right now. I don’t want any stress. I just want to do what I love to do, which is surfing professionally, with respect. And being humble all the time and understanding that there are things that I have to do for my career as well. So I’m just enjoying this whole process and it’s been incredible for me. Life has been amazing so far.

Outdoors.com: Why do you love surfing?

Filipe Toledo: I feel like the connection I feel—the lifestyle that I have with surfing. Where surfing took me, the position that I am [in] right now, that’s the reason I love surfing. It’s funny, I love surfing so much that it’s like, okay, I don’t have any contests right now, I’m in the off-season, what am I going to do to have fun? I’m going to go surf. Surfing on the longboard, the shortboard. I’m always in the water. There’s always a surfboard involved, and there’s always the beach day involving the family. There’s nothing more special.

Outdoors.com: What are three things about you that would surprise us?

Filipe Toledo: I’m actually a good cook. I love just cooking with my wife and the kids and just learning something. It’s pretty special. I always like to wax my boards myself. I don’t let people do it for me. Even if I bring two boards to the beach to try and my dad waxes one of them while I’m surfing and then I come out to change boards and go try a new one, I still have to wax right after him so I’m sure it’s good to go. I don’t know why, but I always have to do that. When I’m competing in a place where I can wear board shorts and not wetsuits, if I make the first heat with really good points and a good high score, I’ll wear the same board shorts the whole event.

Outdoors.com: What is your most memorable competition and why?

Filipe Toledo: That’s a hard one. I have a lot of incredible moments. Of course, the World Title is one of them. Last year at Trestles, with my family, it was my first World Title after 10 years. That was definitely one of the most incredible, unforgettable, and exciting moments I’ve had as a professional surfer.

Outdoors.com: What is your greatest fear?

Filipe Toledo: To be honest, I don’t know. If I was a single man, I would fear not having a family, but I already do have a family. I have my kids, but I fear losing my family. And I’m not saying in a way where we die, not like that, but in a way that I just hate being away from my family. That’s it. I feel that a lot.

Outdoors.com: What things do you think contributed to winning the world title in 2022?

Filipe Toledo: Having fun. Enjoying and understanding the process and really having fun while doing it. I feel like it was the year that I had the most fun. I enjoyed it so much. I was always happy and not putting pressure on anything in my life, and everyone back home was happy. When I was away I was happy and even happier when I was back home. It was just a year of joy, and it’s been kind of similar this year.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about the mental strategies that you use in your surfing.

Filipe Toledo: I don’t use any strategies. I mean, sometimes I have to, but it’s not really my strategy to be like I’m gonna block him here and there, it’s more of a strategy that I’m strong enough in my mind that I can do anything that I want. It gets to a point that I’m so confident that I don’t think about anything else or see that it’s a contest and there are people watching or the guy that I’m surfing against. I’m just focusing like, this is what I’m gonna do, this is what my waves will look like, and this is the score I’m gonna get—and then it gets to a point where I just go. I feel like I prepare my mind a lot to be strong and be ready for anything and to adapt well. I feel like I’m really good at coming out with the positives from everything.

Outdoors.com: Who is your biggest rival and why? 

Filipe Toledo: My biggest rival? That’s me, to be honest. I mean, with all respect, everyone on tour has amazing talent, and every single surfer that’s there, it’s because they deserve to be there, and they do have the talent, and they’re really hard to beat, so I’m never counting anybody out. 

I’m always like I have to be at work because I always have to understand who’s my opponent. So I’m always paying attention to them and making sure I’m ready and not like oh, this is an easy one. It’s never really an easy one. 

Outdoors.com: What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?

Filipe Toledo: It was not really directed to my face, but it was to a friend of mine and the guy didn’t know that he was my friend. A guy said that if I qualified for the tour before him he would quit surfing. So I’m still waiting for him to quit [chuckles]. 

Outdoors.com: Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Filipe Toledo: I don’t know, there are so many idols and incredible people that I [could] invite. But a guy that I wish I knew a little better, and I actually had the opportunity to have conversations with, but really quickly, when I was just a little kid, is Andy Irons. So I feel like it would be pretty insane to have dinner and listen to all the stories and the contests and all the crazy stuff that he went through. He would be a pretty insane guest.

Outdoors.com: Who inspires you and why?

Filipe Toledo: Professionally, Mick Fanning. Of course, he is retired now, but he’s enjoying his time with his family, which is incredible. But when he was in his prime on tour, he was just all in. You know, full-on training and dedication and sacrifice. To block feelings and to go and surf, being away from home for months, I feel like he was one of the guys that inspired me the most to be a professional surfer.

Outdoors.com: What is your craziest surfing story?

Filipe Toledo: I had to sleep underneath one of the event sites one time in France. It was back in the day, I think in the years we did not have Airbnb or anything like that. It was more like a guy that knows somebody that lives there that has a house we can rent. It was difficult, it was not that easy, so we got to France, and the town was packed. Everything was full, and it was just me and my dad, and the whole day we were walking around the town looking for a place to stay. Even the camping was full. And then right behind the event site there was a surf shop, and when we got there we asked the guy he was like, I don’t know, and by night time he goes, I have two sleeping bags that I can get for you guys. Then, worst-case scenario, at least you guys have it and can just go somewhere, even the event site. Then we left our bags inside the surf shop, and he locked it up for us. We only had our personal stuff, like a backpack. So, we went underneath, kind of protected from rain and all that. So, me and my dad, on the first night, slept on the beach in two sleeping bags. But I ended up winning the event, so no regrets on that. That was pretty fun.

Outdoors.com: How long do you think it took until you felt you were really great at surfing?

Filipe Toledo: 10 years. I mean, it’s not like that because I won my World Title, but I feel like when I start winning events here and there, like two events in a year and then three events, that’s when I was like, okay, I’m getting to the level of the guys that I love watching, you know, my idols. When I qualified, Mick was still chasing more titles, Kelly was chasing more titles, Owen was going for a title, so it was pretty hard. It was pretty gnarly. When I got to a point where I was winning events against these guys I was like, okay, now I made it.

Outdoors.com: What advice would you give someone trying to improve their surfing?

Filipe Toledo: Dedication. A lot of training, because surfing is going to get you hurt. It’s not a lie. A lot of sacrifice too, hours in the water and challenging yourself all the time. The beautiful thing about surfing is tomorrow you’re gonna come back and it’s gonna be something totally different. If you already surf and you can stand on a board and just go on a wave, you’re doing amazing already because surfing is really, really hard. Challenging yourself, understanding how the ocean works and where to surf, and being respectful to the ocean, I feel like these are key for someone who wants to improve.

Outdoors.com: What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 

Filipe Toledo: Being humble. I come from a family that, since I was a little kid, my kids’ age, they were always teaching me to be humble and respectful. I always try to treat everybody the same way, the most influential executive to a little kid that comes from the favela in Brazil that just got into surfing, I have the same feeling for both of them. So, being humble and treating people with respect. But of course, I know my place. I know when I can say no or I can be a little hard, but being humble and respectful, it’s being true, being real. It’s what makes sense for me in life.

The post 2x Surfing World Champion Filipe Toledo on World Titles and How Far He’s Come appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Though more often than not these “girls” are young women, the creation of “girl” content can feel like a safe space. Going to the gym can feel intimidating, but going on a hot girl walk with your favorite playlist or podcast seems like more fun. Sometimes, after a long day of classes or work, you don’t want to make a full meal, but a quick little “girl dinner” doesn’t seem that bad. These trends are by women for women, and they are generally a fun way to interact with other young women trying to figure out life, especially around the college and post-college years.

So what about camping?

We may have made up the term “girl camping” here at Outdoors.com, but who knows, maybe it’ll become the next big internet trend encouraging young women to go for it. If camping sounds intimidating, but “girl camping” sounds exciting, here are some great women in the outdoor world paving the way for more women to get out there and go “girl camping.”

RVA Hiker Girl, Jacqueline (@rvahikergirl)

Jacqueline, also known as RVAHikerGirl on Instagram and YouTube, is a backpacker, hiker, and camper who documents her experiences, particularly for other women. Creating content about solo hiking trips, gear, and showing off the stunning views from her trips and stays, you’ll definitely find yourself running to your computer to book a camping trip to one of these beautiful locations. And really, who can blame you?

The PTO Nomad, Sharinda Williams (@theptonomad)

Her TikTok bio describes her best—Sharinda Williams is a content creator helping black and brown women “boldly” travel. The PTO Nomad explores the world during her paid time off and and announces special opportunities like sales on flights. She also provides other information for those interested in creating luxury travel experiences without blowing their entire budget on their stay and airfare. 

Kristyynmaire, Kristy (@Kristyynmarie)

Hailing from Arizona, Kristy is a travel content creator who posts inspiration and travel tips, all with stunning imagery that will make you want to book that flight ASAP. One look through her Instagram and you’ll be dying to get to the desert, forest, or beach with your closest friends for an adventure.

Abbyjoselyn, Abby (@Abbyjoselyn)

This van-life influencer has been documenting her travels throughout the United States in her van, nicknamed Juniper. She began this adventure after graduating college when she realized that she did not enjoy her chosen career path. If you’ve been feeling a little lost, let Abby give you a bit of inspiration—you don’t have to stay somewhere that you aren’t happy. And if you’re looking to try van life, now might be the time.

The.Wandering.Wilson, Danielle Wilson (@the.wandering.wilson)

Danielle Wilson is another van-life content creator who is currently on her way to Switzerland, according to her Instagram bio. Wilson often travels on her own and empowers other women to take on solo travel opportunities as well (though she knows the importance of sharing some moments with your loved ones). 

The.skoolie.teacher, Deyana (@the.skoolie.teacher)

Though similar to those partaking in van life, Deyana has gained a following by taking part in “girl camping” via her bus life, living in a converted school bus and teaching from it around the world. Though she is currently in the process of building her brand-new van (she sold her school bus a few weeks ago), her nomadic lifestyle will continue to inspire no matter what vehicle she’s based out of.

The post Is ‘Girl Camping’ the Next Internet Trend? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

What the passengers got instead was a real-life version of the terrors outlined in the waiver they’d signed before stepping foot on the submarine. After a frantic five-day search, the U.S. Coast Guard determined that the Titan had in fact imploded, killing everyone on board. The vessel couldn’t stand up to the pressures of the deep.

The debacle raises questions about this type of extreme tourism—the kind in which ordinary people (often ordinary rich people) do extraordinary things, like summiting Everest, going up into space, and diving into the deep sea. Is this ethical? Is it fair? Is it reckless?

Outdoors.com sought perspectives from three people who have interest in and experience with these areas of extreme tourism: high-altitude trekking and mountaineering, space flight, and deep-sea dives. Here’s what they had to say.

Everest, A Playground for the Rich

It was a deadly spring climbing season on Mount Everest, which boasts the highest peak on Planet Earth. Reports suggest 17 people have died on these icy slopes in 2023. Already a sort of frozen graveyard, where doomed mountaineers like “Sleeping Beauty” and “Green Boots” serve as trail markers and somber warnings to those who shuffle past, Everest is certainly not for most. 

In recent years, though, it’s become more accessible to anyone who fancies themselves worthy of this hallowed peak—as long as they can pay the price, which can, in some cases, exceed $100,000. Nepal’s government issued a record number of permits in 2023 to people keen to summit. Is this exclusive adventure becoming a bit too accessible? 

Gelje Sherpa knows a thing or two about Everest and high-altitude trekking. He was the sherpa who, in May, helped rescue a Malaysian climber from Mount Everest’s “death zone.” Since he began his high-altitude career in 2017, 30-year-old Gelje has summited 13 of the 8,000-meter peaks and remains the youngest person to summit K2 in winter. He’s also led more than 25 successful expeditions to 8,000-meter peaks, including Everest, and he’s participated in more than 50 rescues across several peaks and trekking expeditions. 

Gelje makes his living guiding gung-ho climbers to the highest places in the world, but he’s also seen how humbling these expeditions can be, even to those who arrive prepared. So what does he think about Everest’s growing popularity and accessibility?

“The world of high-altitude mountaineering has exploded in the past years, and as [a] guide I have seen firsthand the impacts this has had,” Gelje said in an interview with Outdoors.com. “More and more people are embracing this concept of ‘nothing is impossible,’ mostly because of documentaries that have been released. This, to some people, means turning up to an 8,000-meter peak with no training and no idea of the skills involved. This is deadly. More and more people are involved in accidents because they just don’t know how to look after themselves.”

He suggests that not every person with deep pockets should be able to show up and get a permit to climb Everest—that’s a recipe for disaster. If the number of permits continues to increase every year, it’s possible the number of deaths will increase, too (although, it’s worth noting that most people blame climate change for the high death toll this year).  

Another problem is that as demand increases, companies raise their prices, essentially making the trek too expensive for many who are qualified to attempt the climb.

“[The] way it’s looking, yes, it’s just becoming a playground for the rich,” Gelje said. “Everest for sure is getting more and more expensive each year and limiting to people who have had this dream to climb it but could never afford it. [. . .] It’s a huge shame because Everest is such a stunning mountain to climb, but it’s just too overcrowded now, it takes away the beauty of it all.” 

“We also have to control how we move forward, potentially being more selective with clients who can receive a permit to climb an 8,000-meter peak,” he added. “This could mean making sure they have already summited a 6,000er before or [passing] a basic test to see their knowledge, et cetera.”

Another way to keep the danger factor in check, Gelje said, would be to limit permits. He doesn’t think this solution would go over very well, though.

“I think the only way to do it is by restricting permits to people who have the proper experience before coming to an 8,000er,” he explained. “However, this is highly unlikely, as it would probably half the number of people coming to Everest, and both the companies and the government would probably not back that idea.”

Gelje believes it’s also important to keep the sport open to newcomers who deserve the opportunity to try to make their dreams come true. In fact, asked whether “ordinary” people should be climbing Everest, Gelje is all for it, as long as they have the right experience. 

“Adri, my climbing partner, was an ‘ordinary’ person five years ago, but she trained hard and it was obvious, and now she is a mountaineer,” Gelje said.

Gelje and Adriana Brownlee “Adri” own AGA Adventures, and they help people grow in the mountaineering space and prepare for their dream quests, whether that’s trekking Annapurna Circuit or climbing Everest itself. Between the two of them, Adri and Gelje have three Guinness World Records, 30+ 8,000-meter peak summits, and 40+ mountaineering expeditions under their belts.

Space, the Final Frontier, Conquered?

Earlier this summer, a Blue Origin rocket engine exploded during testing at a facility in Texas—a harsh reminder that spaceflight is a dangerous undertaking. Blue Origin is Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos’s private space company that has successfully taken paying customers up into space aboard the New Shepard rocket, which is named after American astronaut Alan Shepard. 

Dylan Taylor was aboard the New Shepard on December 11, 2021, when he became one of the relatively few humans who have traveled to space—and one of even fewer humans to have traveled to space as a commercial astronaut. 

Taylor is a business leader and philanthropist. He is the chairman and CEO of Voyager Space and founder of the nonprofit Space for Humanity. As a cherry on top, he’s also one of the very few who have descended into the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench—the deepest known place on Earth. 

As an extreme tourist himself, Taylor is a believer in democratizing the world’s most exclusive adventures. 

“I’m in the camp that says space is the next big thing for humanity, that it’s sort of the blank canvas that we have the ability to sort of reimagine what’s possible, treat each other better, have a better civilization, those kinds of concepts,” he said in an exclusive interview with Outdoors.com. 

For Taylor, going to space was nothing short of life-changing.

“It is a very profound and transformative experience to see the earth from space, [and] it is very apparent when you’re up there that this is really a miracle that we have here on Earth,” he explained. “The rest of the universe is not like this. So far as we know, it’s cold and dark and hostile, and we have this sort of amazing, beautiful paradise here on Earth that sometimes I think we take for granted. It is very apparent when you’re up there how fragile the ecosystem is.”

Taylor paid a lot of money for this experience (he couldn’t share just how much, because he signed an NDA saying he wouldn’t), but he wants more people to be able to experience what he experienced, and this is something Space for Humanity is actively doing. He believes those who go to space come back with a new perspective on Planet Earth—and a renewed drive to protect it.

“There’s this notion that going to space has this transformative power—the overview effect, if you will—and that’s really a gift that should be shared widely,” Taylor said. “It shouldn’t be just professional astronauts or very wealthy people that benefit from that.” 

Space for Humanity’s Citizen Astronaut program fields thousands of applications each year from people who want to become citizen astronauts. They apply in part by outlining how their trip will empower them to be a force for good here on Earth. The program sponsors a new citizen astronaut each year, with the caveat that he or she will work on the projects or initiatives outlined in his or her application upon return.

While Space for Humanity is working to democratize space travel, for the most part, it’s still the realm of billionaires. Is space travel, then, becoming a prestigious feather in a very rich person’s cap?

“I think people have different motivations,” Taylor said. “Some, I think, are legitimately trying to check boxes and go down the list of all the different things you can do. Other people are just, like, in my case, just being super passionate about a lifelong dream.”

“But I think that desire to look [at] what’s over the hill and explore and do things that are unique and challenging, I think that’s sort of been embedded in humanity since the beginning of time.”

While humans’ desire to explore and push themselves to the limits is not new, the technology to take them to new heights—or depths—is relatively new, and, as OceanGate recently proved, technology can fail. Asked whether it’s reckless to take regular people to space, Taylor says no.

“I think it’s risky, and it’s really important that people who do those trips really understand the risks involved,” he explained. “But I don’t think it’s reckless.”

In the case of space, Taylor says regulations have kept it a tier or more above, say, OceanGate, but for-profit companies in this realm, in his view, should be investing profits back into making these extreme journeys safer and more accessible.

“Are there operators who are taking undue risk for monetary gain? I’ll leave that to others to decide, [but] in the case of space flight, it’s very tightly regulated, so it’s pretty difficult to do a money grab without crossing some boundaries that regulators would not allow you to,” he explained. 

“But I think a lot of these experiences are for-profit, [and] as long as those profits are reinvested back into perfecting the technology and making it more accessible, that’s probably a good thing. I think where it’s not a good thing is if people take undue risks for financial benefit and they don’t disclose what those risks are,” Taylor added. “I think that’s where it crosses the line in my view.”

Into the Abyss

Whether you book a ticket to space, participate in extreme sports like skydiving or big-wave surfing, hike in a national park, or drive to the grocery store down the street, safety is never guaranteed. However, when talking about the extremes of high-altitude climbs, being rocketed into space, and descending to the depths of the ocean, danger is more front and center in the conversation because a lot can go wrong, and, if it does, help may not be available. 

For the passengers of OceanGate’s Titan this past June, the chance to see the Titanic with their own eyes was worth the expense and the risk. If the demand is there, can we fault the companies that deliver the supply to meet the demand? Is an occasional disaster just part of human exploration?

Joe Dituri is a deep-sea diver who spent 28 years in the Navy, serving part of that time as a Navy Diving Saturation Officer. He also has a PhD in biomedical engineering and is known as “Dr. Deep Sea.” In June, Dr. Dituri surfaced after a 100-day jaunt living underwater. Dituri was his own test subject in Project NEPTUNE, in which he lived in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge, an underwater habitat in Key Largo, Florida, for 100 days straight, conducting daily experiments in human physiology.

Dituri is a huge proponent of pushing the envelope for human exploration. 

“My personal investment in this whole thing stems around the advancement of the human race,” he said in a video call with Outdoors.com from his Undersea Oxygen Clinic in Tampa, Florida. “So, we are advancing humans, we’re going down the road to that next thing that we’re doing. Once we solve this, we cure that. Once we do this, what’s left? Exploration of our galaxy, exploration of other galaxies. Exploration of all the world, right, to find everything that there is to be found. It’s the whole Star Trek thing. It’s to ‘boldly go where no man has gone before.’ But what is this about? It really is about exploration. It’s the only thing that will be left in the end.”

Dituri has traveled nearly 2,000 feet deep in the ocean, but not as a tourist. It was part of his training as a deep-sea emergency rescue unit in the U.S. military. Even still, he says democratizing adventure and exploration is critical, and it’s only reckless if participants aren’t trained and prepared.

“It is important to push the boundaries; nay, it is required to push the boundaries. We go boldly. This is what we do. This is, as a society, what we need to do,” Dituri said. “But, we need to perform risk mitigation. [. . .] When I jump out of an airplane, I have two parachutes on my back. It’s not just one. I always have a backup, and I’m well trained in what could go wrong. So . . . that’s the overall goal. You mitigate the risk down to an acceptable level, with training and education, and that’s what we’re looking to do. That’s the only way to pursue and go forward and basically make meaningful contributions.”

Therefore, Dituri does not see the democratization of deep-sea exploration as a money grab. 

“The quote from President Kennedy comes up,” he added. “We choose to do these things. We choose to go to the moon and these other things in this century. Not because they’re easy, but because they’re hard.” 

“This is the whole spirit of exploration,” Dituri concludes. “We need to gain and gather that knowledge and information . . . so that we can give it to the rest of humanity.”

If viewed through a glass-half-full lens, then, every implosion and explosion equates to some massive lessons learned—it’s one small step for man, one giant leap for humankind, so to speak. Not all extreme adventures that end badly offer up some consolation prize of knowledge or experience, though. Some just rip away a person’s life. Whether that person signed a waiver, handed over a fat check, or simply lived for the thrill, it nonetheless begs the question: Is there such a thing as an adventure too extreme, or are today’s most extreme adventures the proving ground for the next era in human exploration?

The post Extreme Tourism Is a Booming Industry for the Rich, But Is It Ethical? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Tommy’s been a photographer since he was 12, and his expertise lies in fashion and editorial photography. As he captured photos of the filthy hikers around him, tired backpackers transformed into supermodels. They modeled their sleeping bags and their headlamps. They caressed their sporks, eyes full of smolder. He started putting the photos up on Instagram and called it “Hiker Trash Vogue.”

It blew up. People were drawn en masse to Tommy’s personal style as it integrated with this grand adventure on the PCT. Most hadn’t seen the reality of outdoor living framed in this way, full of beauty through grime. Tommy’s portraits are beautiful, yes, but they’re also a little playful. He transmits his own sarcasm and wit throughout.

The New Project

Four years later, in 2022, Tommy embarked on another thru-hike–the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) this time, perhaps an even more daunting task. As he hiked, though, something was nagging at him. A seed had been planted. He had an idea for a project.

The idea was this: A book of 100 photo essays capturing 100 people and the way they connect to the outdoors. It was born in part from the distinct lack of diversity on the PCT and the CDT, an urge to show the outdoors as it is—full of different folks engaging in a myriad of different ways.

The idea took root, and after 800 miles on the CDT, Tommy knew he had to leave so he could pursue the book. He knew he had to do it because it scared him. He was more scared of taking on this photo project than he was beginning either of his thru-hikes, because this project was bigger, more wrapped up in his real life. In the end, he found that the scariest option was not to try.

Intention

How do you represent a person in the way they want to be seen? For Tommy, the natural choice is to approach his work from a deeply personal place. There may be a book as a final product, but the more important result is the empathy and understanding between himself, his subjects, and his audience. Celebrating a person, any one of his 100 subjects, in the way they want to be celebrated, is no small thing.

Tommy notes that these days, at least in terms of outdoor brands and their advertising, there are plenty of attempts toward showcasing diversity, but there is also still a lot of disingenuous inclusion. A company, at the end of the day, is working to make money. They need to do things in a widely palatable way, and may even catch backlash from certain communities for being “too inclusive.” The result is often a performance.

Tommy nearly had funding for this project, but it didn’t come through, which caused his original publisher to pull out. It was like breaking an ankle at the beginning of the PCT, but it was also a blessing in disguise. He turned to his community, and was picked back up through a GoFundMe. Mountaineers Books scouted him and offered publishing. The project started off rocky and stressful, but he found himself able to operate independently. He found himself able to tell stories with “no holds barred,” he said. “Here’s the people, here’s their experiences, and we’re just gonna be upfront about these issues that we’re talking about.”

Finding the Subjects

On a flight from Denver to New York City, Tommy was talking about the project to two women he’d met. They told him about their friend Geoff, an avid outdoorsman who experienced a life-changing stroke. Geoff’s journey getting back outside led to him starting an adaptive wheelchair company called AdvenChair, selling and renting extremely capable wheelchairs that can help the disabled community get off the beaten path. Tommy called Geoff right when he got off the flight and found they were both living in Bend, Oregon at the time. He got to go and visit Geoff, meet his wife, and include him in the project.

Two of Tommy’s friends introduced him to Asante Sefa-Boakye, who promotes knowledge and love for aquatics through the sport of Water Polo. Asante played Water Polo for over 15 years, and was proud to found Ghana’s first team. He likens his connection with water to the feeling of home that he gets visiting Ghana, and his non-profit organization “Black Star Polo” is a living extension of his efforts. 

Besides these organic connections, Tommy put out a request on social media as well, asking his community to connect him with subjects—people with all sorts of intersecting identities who are engaging with the outdoors. This led, of course, to a huge number of candidates. Tommy held about 200 zoom interviews with strangers, often several a day. This gave him a chance to hear their stories and imagine how they’d fit into the book.

Meeting the Strangers

After deciding on his 100 subjects, Tommy had to approach the logistics of traveling around the country and meeting them all for their photoshoots. Crowdfunding continued to be present throughout this whole process, and he often found himself waiting for more support in order to go out and shoot the next leg.

Tommy meets his subjects where they are. He photographs them in the places they already recreate. Sometimes, they’ll spend a couple days camping together, shooting intermittently and hanging out in the meantime. One such person was Channing Cash. Channing grew up in Laos, and when she was three years old, she was run over by a bull on her family’s farm. Now, she has a built-out rig that allows her to camp by herself while living in a wheelchair. She has a whole system for getting out of her truck and into her wheelchair, then back into the rear of her truck to sleep. She’s made it very accessible, though that’s not to say it’s easy. 

He finds himself continually surprised by the way he’s able to connect with his subjects. “People are putting a lot of trust in me,” he said, “and not just having me stay at their house, but putting a lot of trust in me to take their photos, to tell their story, to make sure my intentions are right with what I’m doing.” 

The people he photographs manage to pull him back into presence when he gets wrapped up in the process. It’s as simple as Tommy planning to leave after a shoot, and one of his subjects saying, “So what are you doing after this? Want to hang out?” Kristen Wickert, a pathologist and Tommy’s long-time social media pal, is one example of a photo-shoot subject who became a fast real-life friend. After the shoot, the two grabbed dinner, saw a beaver, and hit a bar.

Getting the Shots

To get the shots he wants, Tommy must stay flexible. He may show up with a shot list, plans for certain props or certain scenery, but he needs to stay adaptive so he can focus on connecting with the person in front of him. Each one of his 100 people is so different, and vitally, they’re all outdoorsy, which means they might not be all that comfortable in front of a camera. 

To capture them beyond that initial discomfort, Tommy stays completely present with them. He watches how they move, the details of who they are. He takes a lot of joy in sending his photos back to his subjects, saying, “Look how cool you look; look how cool [that] we made this photo together.” He gets to show these folks how he sees them, as authentically themselves as possible.

When photographing Jordan Newton, a fellow thru-hiker and a paraglider, Tommy gave paragliding a shot. Despite being scared of heights, he challenged himself alongside Jordan. They spoke about Jordan’s journey leaving Mormonism, coming out as gay to his religious family, and how nature helped him find new community and new spirituality.

What’s Weird About You?

Some of the stories that Tommy is telling in this book are quite heavy, but he noted that the most difficult stories aren’t necessarily the photos that most stand out or vice-versa. The book will balance hardship and joy, challenges and their overcoming. He also remarked that while all of his subjects are engaging with the outdoors in some remarkable way, that isn’t necessarily their story as he sees it. He wants to talk about the weird part of them.

Take Jack Jones for example—or, as he’s known on trail, Quadzilla. Quadzilla completed the Calendar Year Triple Crown, hiking 7,400+ miles in a single year. This is an amazing feat, and Tommy will talk about it in the book, but that’s not his whole story. When Quadzilla was eight, he was adopted from China and came to the United States. As a child, he thought that his teachers, his principal, the adults in his life before his move were all the same people even after he was in America. Even though those people were Chinese and these new people were white, to survive the trauma of this move, his brain insisted there was a same-ness there.

When Tommy shared Quadzilla’s story on Instagram, there was a big response from fellow adoptees. People talked about their own experience with adoption, feeling a distinct loneliness, and connecting to the outdoors in order to find a sense of home.

This is the bigger meaning behind what we do outdoors. Quadzilla’s story means something to adoptees just as Channing’s story means something to the disabled community and to women who want to recreate solo in nature. Tommy’s work asks the question: What’s our bigger story, beyond just going outside?

Who Is Tommy?

Tommy’s forthcoming book of photo essays is a creative project that is also community-building. It’s not a one-man show, he emphasized, it’s a collaboration with each one of his 100 subjects. Hundreds of people have donated money, he’s driven across the country and then some, and the story of this book’s creation just keeps growing. 

There was a moment of fear, for Tommy, when he photographed his 50th person. He was scared, suddenly, that this would be taken from him. It’s become a part of his identity, a reflection of who he is. He’s most of the way done now, and he’s beginning to emotionally prepare for the end, when he doesn’t get to work on this anymore.

Tommy told me a bit of his own story. He was kind of effeminate when he was younger, closeted at the time, only hanging out with girls. Kids were mean as kids are apt to be. It was when he went out into the woods with his dad and his brothers—fishing, hiking, backpacking—that he felt safe. He could be himself and not think about it. 

That background is what inspired him to get into this work. “Everyone should be able to have those feelings in the outdoors,” he told me. “Everyone should be able to feel safe or feel like they can just be themselves, disabled or not, black or white, gay or straight, wherever, whoever you are, everyone should be able to access these places and not have to feel uncomfortable about it.”

The post Tommy Corey’s Portraiture Reshapes Outdoor Culture’s Narrative appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

We caught up with the world champion for a Q&A, and here’s what she had to say.

Outdoors.com: Why do you love surfing?

Caroline Marks: No one can tell you what to do on the wave, and you just have this open canvas to do whatever you want. And everyone’s got such a unique style and such a unique way to approach the wave, and I think that’s what’s so special about surfing, you can just do whatever you want. It’s such a free feeling, and there’s just nothing like it. I don’t really know how to explain it. It’s just such a beautiful feeling to ride a wave and ride it until it stops, breaking into oblivion. It’s pretty cool.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about your outlook on life.

Caroline Marks: Look, I’m still trying to figure out life. I’m 21, and I think I’m still learning every day. I forever will be. The thing I try to do every day is just have a positive outlook on life and surround myself with good people, and I think that is really important. I just try to look through everything with a good lens, and I think that’s definitely a better way than looking at it through a negative lens. So, I just try to look at everything in a positive way. I also believe things do happen for a reason, so be a good person, be honest, all that good stuff.

Outdoors.com: What are three things about you that would surprise us?

Caroline Marks: I used to be a horseback rider. I feel like a lot of people don’t know that. I’m one of six. So, I’ve got a big family. And I was born on Valentine’s Day.

Outdoors.com: What is your most memorable competition and why?

Caroline Marks: Wow. I feel like I have a couple of different ones. My first-ever contest was really special. It was in this wave I grew up surfing called Melbourne Beach, and it was put on by my neighbor. It was an open division, so I surfed against boys and girls. Just surfing against my brothers, I remember that being such a cool feeling. I was like, wow, this is my first contest, and I surf out here every day but now if you make the final you get a trophy, and I thought that was so cool. Another one that really sticks out was the Gold Coast in 2019. My first CT [Championship Tour] win and the first event with equal pay, which was really special. So those two events really stick out to me.

Outdoors.com: What is your greatest fear?

Caroline Marks: My greatest fear is probably losing somebody I love.

Outdoors.com: What things do you think contributed to you becoming an Olympian in 2020?

Caroline Marks: I think, obviously, a lot of hard work, the right people around me, and just my love for surfing is a huge one. And just tons of hours in the water. Also my family. They’ve been just my rock. I was pretty young when I made the Olympics, so I think just having their support, being super young on tour, it was just so helpful. So yeah, my family, a lot of hard work, and my love for surfing got me there.

Outdoors.com: What trait do you most love in yourself?

Caroline Marks: I think I’m pretty funny. I don’t know if a lot of people really know that, just my inner circle, kind of, but I do think I’m pretty funny. I keep things pretty light-hearted, which I’m sure people like, hopefully.

Outdoors.com: Who is your biggest rival and why? 

Caroline Marks: I just feel like there’s a bunch of new girls on tour, and I think we’ll probably all be battling for a long time and that’s really fun. When I first qualified on the tour, the age gap between me and the next person was pretty significant, so I think now it’s really cool to have girls that are younger than me and girls that are my age. We still have Carissa, Stephanie, and Tyler who have been dominating for so long, so I feel like within the next few years there’s gonna be some really good battles between me, the younger girls, and the girls my age. I think it’s gonna be really fun.

Outdoors.com: What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?

Caroline Marks: There’s been some cruel things out there, that’s for sure. I honestly don’t really read the comments that much anymore. I think that was a big mistake I made in my first couple of years on tour. I would read everything, and I am a people pleaser. I do care about what people think, so I’ve just learned it’s pretty impossible to please everybody and that’s okay. And there’s gonna be some keyboard warriors out there that don’t say the nicest thing about you, but I feel like when people say mean things it’s most likely their own insecurity, and you just have to remember that. No matter how strong-minded you are, it definitely affects you. It definitely affects me, so I don’t really read the comments that much anymore.

Outdoors.com: What is your craziest surfing story?

Caroline Marks: I’ve definitely had some shark encounters in Florida. Growing up in Florida, I think it’s one of the shark-bite capitals of the world. I remember I was surfing in this local event, and two people got bit by a shark, and they continued to run the event. That’s just Florida for you. There are just a lot of sharks. They’re not the biggest, but they bite a lot, so that’s a pretty crazy surfing story. The bites weren’t too bad, but still, that’s pretty gnarly.

Outdoors.com: What advice would you give someone trying to improve their surfing?

Caroline Marks: I’d say spend a lot of time in the water. Obviously, in surfing there’s never the same wave, and it’s just a constantly moving environment. Sometimes, it can be a little discouraging if the waves are bad or it’s crowded and you don’t get many waves that session. All of that’s gonna happen. I think just spending more and more time in the water and just being consistent is key. And just having a love for it, I think, is the most important thing. If you love it, you just kind of keep going, no matter how bad of a session you had.

Outdoors.com: What is the most important piece of advice you give to young girls like those in Rising Tides?

Caroline Marks: It’s been really cool to have Rising Tides at every different event this year. It’s been really special. You see new faces, you see familiar faces, and a lot of the girls are ripping. It’s crazy. I’m like, dang you guys don’t need our help. I tell younger girls the reason why I’m continuing to surf is because I just love it, so do what you love, do what makes you happy. Go grab a buddy, go grab a friend. To me, surfing with my brothers is the most special thing ever. It’s the people you love, and you’re doing what you love. So, find what you love and dream big, because it’s pretty amazing when you put your mind to it, what you can accomplish.

Outdoors.com: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Caroline Marks: I mean, there are things that I’m learning every day. I’m still 21. I definitely do not have it figured out at all. I do think, especially growing up, always competing my whole life, whether it’s in horseback riding or now surfing, I always was basing my happiness off results, and I think you can’t do that. You have to realize there’s more to life than just that and enjoy the people around you. Don’t let results define your happiness. Obviously, when you win, it’s the best feeling ever, but don’t let that define your happiness. And also, good things come to good people, so just be a good person, be honest, and be nice to everyone. People remember how you make them feel, so I think that’s been a really important thing. No matter how cool you are or what you’ve accomplished, people are going to remember how you make them feel. Be you, because no one’s you. That’s what’s really cool, there’s only one of you, so just be yourself.

Outdoors.com: Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Caroline Marks: Billie Eilish, for sure. I would love to have dinner with Billie Eilish and just pick her brain. She’s super inspiring to me, and I think it’s really cool how she’s done a lot of work with her brother, because I’m really close to my brothers. I got into surfing because of my brothers. She seems like a legend.

Outdoors.com: Who inspires you and why?

Caroline Marks: I feel like my family has just been so inspirational to me. Everyone’s just got such a great work ethic and a good outlook on life, and we all really support one another. But we also want to be better than one another. It’s pretty cool. It’s a little competitive, but we also really want to see everyone in our family doing really well. I feel like my whole family is just inspiring. My parents and how they brought us up and the lifestyle they gave us is just so rad. 

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