During the drive to our trailhead, Mayflower Gulch, Jason speaks at length about his love of the outdoors and his decision to leave a cushy job to move west and focus on what’s important. At the ripe age of 25, Jason found himself in a cubicle farm of a Michigan-based defense company, pondering his future. Feeling like he was 25-going-on-50, he didn’t see a way out, or even a way to enjoy life more, on that trajectory. All it took was a little savings and an open invite from a friend in Denver to provoke Jason to make the leap, and soon he found himself on a Boulder, Colorado couch.
With a density of people who love the outdoors and his proximity to all kinds of adventure, the area was perfect for him. Jason spent his first few months learning about sports he didn’t have access to before, such as climbing, downhill mountain biking and, of course, backcountry skiing. All these activities can have some sort of barrier to entry, and in the case of climbing or backcountry skiing, require specific knowledge and a partner. With a few initial connections, he found himself immersed in a community of people who not only loved the outdoors, but also leveraged every season to get the most out of it. In no time, Jason was at home in his new world and the quality of life that it encouraged.