“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
-Milton Berle
Sometimes the doors of opportunities are there for you to find them, and other times you have to work for them. Typically, adventurous people have a never-ending list of opportunities of adventures they want to do, so trying to figure out the next one isn’t that much of a challenge. But what if you are new to the adventure game? Or what if you are going on a trip and need to find the local spots? Well, read on to learn about how to fill up your adventure to-do list full of exciting and memorable experiences.
What is an Adventure?
I use the word adventure very loosely here because I want it to mean whatever you want it to mean. For me, an adventure is usually some sort of outdoor physical activity or travelling. But swap out the word adventure for whatever you may be looking for in your life. If you are not sure what that is, then read our previous newsletter post here about figuring out what sets your soul on fire.
Once you know what sort of adventure you want, then you need to plan it out. I’m going to use some examples based on the adventures I partake in, specifically hiking, because, well, you write what you know. I’ll throw in ideas for how you can find your next adventure based on non-hiking activities though.
Where to Find that Adventure:
When it comes to hiking and outdoor adventures these are my favorite ways to find my next one:
- Good ol’ fashion book:
- The online world is amazing but sometimes it has too much information and it can get overwhelming. So I go to the tried and true resource of a book. And I personally like a real book, not a virtual one, so that you can check it off as you complete the hikes and make notes for future reference.
- When I moved to McCall six years ago the first thing I did was buy my beloved hiking book, The Hiker’s Guide to McCall & Cascade by Scott Marchant, pictured above. This book is so well loved I had to take it in to get it spiralbound because pages were falling out.
- Nerd alert ;)- I even turned this beloved book into a spreadsheet and I’m not much of a spreadsheet person. I did this though so I could quickly find the right hike. Now I can search for hikes that will take five hours or less, or which hikes are the best in July, etc.
- Want a copy of my spreadsheet? Click HERE.
- Nerd alert ;)- I even turned this beloved book into a spreadsheet and I’m not much of a spreadsheet person. I did this though so I could quickly find the right hike. Now I can search for hikes that will take five hours or less, or which hikes are the best in July, etc.
- I will even buy the local guide book when I’m on a trip if I plan to do more than one or two hikes. I figure I’ll have it for the future if I come back and it goes towards a good cause.
- Blog Posts
- If you finish off your guide book and/or there isn’t one to begin with, try searching for blogs for your area/adventure. I stumbled upon two amazing online blogs full of detailed notes on so many hikes in my area.
- Social Media
- Search hashtags for your area or adventures or both. With this search you should find specific posts to learn from and/or accounts you can follow for more ideas.
- Example hashtags I’ve used
- #hikingmccall
- #hikingidaho
- #mccalloutdoors
- #mccall
- #visitmccall
- Example hashtags I’ve used
- Search hashtags for your area or adventures or both. With this search you should find specific posts to learn from and/or accounts you can follow for more ideas.
- Strava
- Wow! The world of Strava has enlightened me in the past two years. I always thought it was a tool to show off how fast you are at running or biking or whatever it may be. And yes, it is a tool to do that but now I LOVE Strava and pay money each year for it for two main reasons:
- I can see what other people are doing in my area to know when trails are rideable/hikeable or skiable. And the Strava community is really helpful. I simply reach out to the person and ask them what trail conditions were like and most of the time they’re happy to help.
- I learn new routes. So many people are out pushing the boundaries and exploring new areas. It inspires me to try new trails and explore mountain tops or backcountry lakes I never knew were accessible.
- I’ve also been on many type-two adventures this way and gotten in over my head (safely survived but oof it was a long day).
- With a paid Strava subscription you can download other people’s routes to then have when you’re out on that hike as a guide.
- Wow! The world of Strava has enlightened me in the past two years. I always thought it was a tool to show off how fast you are at running or biking or whatever it may be. And yes, it is a tool to do that but now I LOVE Strava and pay money each year for it for two main reasons:
- AllTrails
- This has been my favorite go-to resource when travelling. It has so many great hikes and most importantly it has recent reviews from people who have done the hikes. So it lets me know the condition of the trails before getting out there, which is important because you may not know what time of year certain trails are accessible in new areas, or if there are closures, etc.
- Facebook and/or Meet-Up Groups
- Before I went to Yosemite I joined a few Facebook groups about hiking Yosemite and it helped me narrow down which were the best hikes to do on my limited time there.
- These various groups will have trail updates too that can help you with planning when to go.
- This is also a great way to meet other people to adventure with.
- Call the Professionals
- Local outdoor shops, the forest service, and even guiding services have been super helpful for my own planning. So don’t be afraid to reach out to the people that are professionals in your field of interest, I’m sure they are eager and happy to help!
**Outdoor activities might not be your adventure but is there an app for the adventures you do love? If your adventure is trying a new home cooked meal each week, can you find a cool recipe app? If it’s remodeling homes, I guarantee there are apps for that! Just google it.
Plan Out the Adventure:
Once you find the adventure you then need to plan out how to make it happen!
- Block out time to get out on these adventures! Choose your top five ones and then timeblock them into your calendar for the next six months to ensure they happen! I get 1/2 a day most weeks throughout the summer to tackle my hiking adventure checklist and I plan it out before summer arrives so I know which hikes I’m doing and when.
- Micro-adventures to the win:
- What’s a micro-adventure? It’s just what it sounds like, a mini adventure that you plug into an already hectic and busy schedule. Sound like you?!?
- **Disclaimer*** Exhaustion may follow micro-adventures!
- You are already tired with your hectic schedule so how can you imagine adding more to it? Well, truth be told, you may become more tired after a micro adventure BUT I guarantee you’ll also be more fulfilled! You may go to bed later than planned, or have a granola bar for dinner instead of a home-cooked meal BUT you’ll have a smile on your face when your head hits the pillow with the fact you snuck in a rad experience on a Tuesday night.
- To make micro-adventures work you MUST have your bags packed and a plan ahead of time so when the time comes you just have to get out the door and get going! Every minute counts for micro-adventures. 🙂
- Coordinate with WHO you want to adventure with!
- Finding out where to go is key but so is finding out who to go with. So figure out your besties that you want to make these activities with and get on their calendar ASAP!
- On vacation, it’s also important to plan out when you’ll take these adventures, especially if you are going on a trip with other people as they’ll be coming with their own agendas. But if it’s really important for you to get out on a specific hike or go to that cool class, restaurant, whatever it may be, make sure you have all the details before your trip so you can quickly share how much time you’ll need, when is the ideal time to make it happen, etc.
What is YOUR Adventure?
The mountains call to me. But I would love to know what you have on your “bucket-list”. Is it hiking and biking like me? Or what fills your cup these days? I always love to know what my readers are into! So what are the five things you put on your summer to do list? Or your top activity for your family vacation this year?
Also, if you ever want to chat about outdoor activities in the McCall area, please let me know! I’m always happy to be a resource for the best bike rides or most amazing hikes. 🙂
I hope this Elevate Livin’ Life Newsletter has helped give ideas of where to find your next adventure so you can create your amazing adventure-to-do-list AND an amazing life worth living!
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