Raising a Family with Intention in the Outdoors

She Who Wanders

Mar 22

A Convo with Kristin from Raising Hikers

Meet Kristin. A wife and mom of 2, currently living in beautiful Colorado, who loves camping, hiking, backpacking, paddle-boarding and anything that involves adventure and the outdoors. She is on a mission to raise kids who love and appreciate the earth and who are passionate about taking care of it. Pushing herself to new limits, she is leading the way in helping other women find their own love for outdoor adventure and have the tools, resources and confidence to take their families along too. By choosing intentionality for her family and the way they spend their time, she finds vibrance and passion in life and shows others that they can too.

Tell us a little about you and your family like where you’re from, where you live now, how old are your kids and anything interesting or unique you’d like people to know.

I live just south of Denver, Colorado with my husband, Bryce, our 2 kids Emerson (8) and Walker (7). We have a goofy labradoodle, Jasper, and we lovingly consider our vintage trailer, Rusty the Boler, a part of our family as well!

If I had to narrow it down, we love hiking and traveling. We travel to hike. And now that the kids are older, we try to throw in some fun towns and kid-friendly adventures along with our hiking travels. We also enjoy camping, backpacking, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, biking, and rollerblading. In the winter, we ski, snowshoe, and wild ice skate. I used to snowboard and have just made the switch to skiing so I am a newbie and my kids can ski laps around me, but I'm learning. One of my favorite things about parenting is being given the opportunity to learn new things alongside our kids. It's humbling and amazing.

My kids are rad. They do hard things and impress me constantly. Emerson (girl) is bold and Walker is hilarious. He never stops talking–which keeps us entertained on long hikes. They could sit by moving water (preferably with sand or rocks) for hours.

I'm originally from San Diego area, but moved to Seattle after college and "became an adult" in the PNW. That's where I got married, had my kids, started a business, etc. All the adulting. After 13 years, we decided to move to Denver (3 years ago) and have LOVED it. I miss the moody PNW at times, but the CO sunshine treats us well.

It’s not only important to get our kids outdoors and our families to the trail, but to also intentionally foster a life-long love and appreciation in them for nature and spending time outside, so it’s something they will continue once they’re independent and making their own decisions. How are you intentionally fostering that connection in them?

We are intentional about the time that we spend outside by planning our family time in the evenings, on the weekends, and during school breaks centered around outside activities. Because our kids go to traditional school, in some ways it makes it easier to be intentional because we know how important it is to spend the “out of school time” in nature. We are intentional in creating outdoor experiences that the kids enjoy, so that it fosters a love of the outdoors as opposed to a tolerance. We include them in our plans and give them options (we can go for a family bike ride or go find a waterfall).

The Great Wanderlust is all about women stepping outside of the box and diving deeper in both travel and in life! The mission is to inspire moms + families to feel fully alive through adventure and exploration! What is your great wanderlust? What most makes you come to life?? Take us back to a moment when you felt that.

I wasn’t raised “outdoorsy” and didn’t have the means to travel when I was young. Prior to college, I had rarely been out of the state. In college I allowed myself to spread my wings and found that I had an untapped sense of wanderlust that I couldn’t wait to explore! I was a part of an international group trip to Papua New Guinea for a summer, and then studied abroad in Spain and traveled Europe for a semester. That solidified my love of learning new cultures, pushing myself out of my sheltered comfort zone, and exploring the world. I was attracted to that same love of travel in my husband and we prioritized travel (coupled with a newfound love of hiking and backpacking) in our early years as a couple. When we got pregnant, we vowed that we would continue prioritizing adventure as a family.

We know getting outdoors and hiking is important, but for some it can feel inaccessible. What would you say to parents who see the value for themself and their family, but don’t feel capable due to challenges like money (for the proper gear etc.), location or time?

Getting outdoors doesn’t have to be a grand adventure. It can be as simple as going to the park or riding your bikes together in your neighborhood. I recommend joining hiking groups in your area that can help expose new hikers to beginner trails. Those groups are also great ways to get connected for gear trades and hand me downs. Gear can feel intimidating and sometimes it’s really important (like in winter). But other times of the year, the gear should not keep you from getting on a trail. Specific hiking clothes or hiking boots are not necessary. Tennis shoes and comfy clothes will work in most seasons. Keep the outings short, close to home, and hit up familiar trails as you are starting out.

We’ve all had that moment when exploring with our kids outdoors - whether at the city playground or hiking a mountain - where they want to try something that feels risky. It can be hard as moms to support them in trying risky or adventurous activities without wanting to interfere/stop them in order to keep them “safe” and also calm our own fears and anxieties. Do you experience this? How do you manage these fears/feelings and why is it important to let our kids test their own limits?

It really is about learning how to control our responses. Our natural instinct (or habit) as parents is to say “be careful.” We don’t want our kids to get hurt and oftentimes we think we know better. But I have found that when I let them learn for themselves, they are actually safer. They get the opportunity to test their boundaries and when they are allowed, I have found that they make really smart and calculated choices.

Assessing risk is a skill that we want them to have, so we must let them practice in real life situations. I have spent a lot of my life being afraid (and still something I am working on). Some of this stems from parenting extremes of being pushed into things I wasn’t ready for and not being allowed to try risky things that I was capable of. So it’s something I try to be very aware of in my own parenting style. And yes, as someone who leans toward being scared, I still struggle with not saying be careful. It helps by practicing alternate responses like “what’s your plan?” “is that rock slippery?” or “do you feel stable?” But usually the best response is nothing at all and just watch the magic happen.

Getting outside + going hiking in the spring, summer and fall is most people’s vision of a good time outdoors. But when it comes to winter, many are more inclined to stay inside and hibernate :) What are some tips for making the most of the cold and snowy season, and how can we still enjoy these outdoors activities and all the benefits of spending time outside when the weather is less than ideal?

Winter has become one of my favorite seasons to explore! My biggest piece of advice is to try it! Start with the gear you have, start small, and learn what works and doesn’t. Small, local hikes are more magical in the winter so there is no reason to “go big” even if you are a confident hiker in the summer. Winter driving conditions can be sketchy, so staying local makes me feel much more comfortable. Same for avalanches. I love summits and backcountry in the summer, but I switch gears to flatter trails closer to home in the winter. I recommend investing in a bigger backpack in the winter so you can bring plenty of extras – extra socks and gloves, extra layers, extra snacks, emergency blanket, warm drinks, hand warmers, microspikes, and anything you think you may need. It’s okay if the backpack is heavy because the idea is not to go far, it’s just to be outside!

How does getting out of your comfort zone and going on outdoor adventures make you a better person and a better mom? Take us back to a time when getting outdoors or doing something new to you changed you for the better.
Being outside makes me happier, which in turn makes a more patient mom. It allows me to have a stronger connection with my kids because I am unplugged from my phone (except for when taking pictures) and they know that my attention is solely on them. When we are on a trail, kids can be wild and loud and messy. And I don’t feel the need to control our environment, quiet or calm them. I also think that it’s important to continue having hobbies as a parent and that it’s healthy to model that to our kids. I love sharing my interests with them and as they become their own people with their own interests, I hope they will want to share them with me too!

Why is it so important to you to “raise hikers”? What values drive that vision for you and what qualities do you hope it will foster in your kids?

I hope that in raising hikers, I am fostering a lifelong love of the natural world and an appreciation for its beauty. The more that our kids love nature, the more passionate they will be in protecting it. Hiking encourages empathy, connection, creativity, boredom, a sense of wonder, and physical activity.

Where are you off to next and what are you most looking forward to about it?

We are headed to Arches National Park for Spring Break! It’s a park we have been to many times due to the proximity and warmth when we need to escape the winter weather in Colorado. I am most looking forward to sharing the week with some family friends. We will be camping in a group site and I look forward to watching the kids explore, play games, and strengthen their friendships while the adults get to do the same.

Who inspires you to dig deeper in travel and life?

I get such inspiration from Brooke Froelich, Amanda from @nationalparkcapable, and Ashley from @born_explorers!