My dad was my greatest Hero. He inspired me to lead a life of adventure. He climbed mountains, flew bush planes, jumped out of planes to fight forest fires and generally did all the things a little boy growing up in Alaska and SoCal would think was awesome.

Some of my earliest memories are of the awe-inspiring beauty of the Alaskan wilderness—hiking with a backpack, paddling in a canoe, landing in a bush plane, and coexisting with grizzly bears. Those experiences instilled in me a deep sense of comfort and connection to the wilderness, a feeling that has stayed with me ever since.

Whether it’s summiting in a whiteout or canoe portaging through a downpour, the challenge is what makes the experience so rewarding.

I spent much of my time as kid as free range grom on the beaches of SoCal. Surfing on body and boards, free diving and swimming. I moved to the Pacific Northwest for my career and built other interests away from the ocean. I recently rekindled my love affair with the ocean and am getting back into body surfing and free diving.