Often in life we set out on new adventures and we quickly answer the “where” and “when”. We ask ourselves the “what” and “how” questions. However, amongst all the checklists and itineraries, the menus and the reservations, we somehow fail to answer the most essential question of all…why.

Our Why

So, why do we do the things we do? Why do we strap on a backpack and walk 2, 20, or 2,000 miles across an unknown landscape? Why do we leave behind the comforts of our homes and head out to explore an unknown landscape? Why are we willing to abandon our warm winter beds to wake up to the chill of the cold mountain air? Why do we prefer the glow of the campfire to the glow of the tv? Why are we willing to trade the buzz of cellphones ringing in our ears with the buzz of mosquitos and no-see-ums? Why are we pulled so strongly away from the roar of traffic toward the roar of the river?  Why?

Whether we recognize it or not, it is the why that drives us. It is the why that makes the hair stand up on the back of our necks. We do all these things because in doing so we discover parts of ourselves that are hidden under layers of social constraints, automation, mass production and hyper-connectivity. In that world we are a cog in a machine, a rat in a race. In that world we run without getting anywhere, we move from one moment to the next and fail to see the little joys in the world that can be found all around us. We scream on the inside, LET ME OUT. But out there…it’s different. We are free. We are constrained only by our skill set and out willingness to move outside our comfort zone. We disconnect from our electronic tethers and connect with our families, our friends and the world around us. All of the little joys seem much more noticeable. We can get shivers down our spine just from hearing wind rustle through the forest trees, or watching a caterpillar make its way across the trail floor. We fall back into the rhythm of nature, the rhythm of the sea, OUR natural rhythm, and we find peace where there was only chaos. The wilderness is a place where we make memories, relax without distraction, and push ourselves beyond points which we thought we could. The complexity of modern life is boiled down to the bare essentials and, through that process, we come to understand how simple it is to be truly happy.

This is why we created Hiawatha Outdoor Co.. Whether you are a seasoned woodsman or have never spent a single night in the woods, but want to, our goal is to inspire you to disconnect, to provide the tools you need to enhance your experiences. We want to help you on your adventure and together, we can find our wilderness.