Michael Hubbard Interview

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How old were you when you first went hiking and who took you? How did it turn out?

I grew up in the San Bernadino mountains in Southern California so I've been hiking since I was a kid. The first real hiking trip I went on was with a church group for a camping/hiking/outdoors event when I was 7. It was amazing and I think that's when I first fell in love with the outdoors.

What draws you to hiking and the greater outdoors in general?

My love and deep respect for trees. The ancient druids believed that trees were sacred and that we should respect the nature around them. I think it's great that you can walk through a grove of trees and feel like you're in a different world.

To date, what is the hardest outdoor adventure you've had to tackle, and why?

The most difficult trip I've ever done was a 5-day, 34 mile hiking/camping trip through the White Mountains in New Hampshire. This was about 15 years ago and I was inexperienced. My pack weighed more than 70 pounds and I underestimated the number of miles we could hike in a single day. My buddy and I toughed it out and it ended up being an awesome trip. Bathing [no soap] in a pristine river, and foraging for wild blueberries to add to our pancakes one morning made it all worthwhile!

What outdoor tip would you give to members?

Always bring an emergency first aid kit with you, no matter how easy the trip might be.

What is your favorite trail snack?

Basic homemade GORP [good old fashioned raisins and peanuts].

What is your favorite national park or forest, and why?

Currently it's the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. I've only been once [I can't believe I've lived here for six years and haven't gone before], but it's an awesome place. Truly pristine lakes and rivers [protected from motorized water vehicles] and completely off the grid. About two days into my trip this last August I realized that I had no way of getting hold of anyone I know, and they had no way of getting hold of me...even if something serious happened [without trekking/canoeing back to the entry point].

What is your favorite outdoor retail shop and why?

Locally I shop at Midwest Mountaineering. They have a great selection of outdoor gear, have great sales [love the employee 'garage sale'!] and put on some pretty cool outdoor/adventure events throughout the year.

Which of these do you use to navigate: compass, GPS, topo map, trail map?

It depends on the trip, but you can always guarantee that I have my Garmin Rino with me on all my trips. Most of the times I use topo and trail maps, and pull out the Garmin if I want to see my tracks or mark waypoints.

What outdoor activities do you like besides hiking?

Camping, snow shoeing, trail running and ice hockey [on the pond!]

Which piece of outdoor gear/clothing have you most recently bought?

For some reason I collect tents. My friends love it because I usually supply most of the gear on trips. I recently picked up an REI Base Camp 6 tent in REI's member only scratch and dent section [it was nearly 50% off retail]. It's a fantastic tent that's actually 6'2" tall in the center, I can actually stand when getting dressed!