Column: I'm no expert

Ten thousand hours does not necessarily make you an expert.

It just means you’ve spent a lot of time doing something. While I read a lot of outdoor writers in an attempt to improve my writing skills even after writing a column since 2008, I have given up on being an outdoor expert. In addition to the dangerous arrogance of believing I have Nature mastered, there is always recent evidence that suggests I should just focus on enjoying the experiences, and making sure I’ve packed what I need.

On a backpacking trip into a lake in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness of Colorado in 2018, I forgot the flies in the car - five miles and 2,000 feet of elevation back down the trail. It was the first date with my girlfriend.

I forgot the release for my bow on a deer hunt last October. I’ve been three miles from the truck at a perfect spot to set up a game camera, only to dig through my pack and find I had two bottles of water and 0 cameras.

See full column HERE