Growing up, Tristan Hamm loved trips to his grandfather’s cabin or days out in the woods with his uncle.
As he struggled with his difficult childhood, he recognised the power that nature could have.
So when he reached adulthood, he wanted to help others by encouraging them to get outside.
In 2016, he set up his company Revived Outdoors, offering adventure, entrepreneurship and wellness trips, successfully turning his passion for travel and exploration into a career.
And when the pandemic hit, he recognised the impact being unable to see loved ones would have on mental health, so he has spent the past 12 months devoting his time and resources to create safe, socially-distanced excursions across the North American continent.
In the past month alone, Tristan has donated multiple all-inclusive domestic trip packages and adventure equipment totalling over $100,000 (£72,000) to help people wanting to go outdoors.
Tristan also shares his own experiences with a community of over 1 million followers across social media, including over 250,000 on his personal Instagram account @Tristan.Hamm.
‘I’ve always had a love for adventure,’ Tristan said.
‘It’s in my bloodline.
‘Having a pretty rough childhood growing up, it was those little weekend escapes to my grandfather’s cabin or getting out into the woods with my uncles that made me feel like, for a brief moment, nothing else mattered in the world.
‘Those lessons as a young kid manifested into who I have become today.
‘Everyone is dealing with something internally. That’s why I do this for people.
‘In my personal opinion and experience, getting some fresh air and appreciating what Mother Nature gave us is the best cure for any struggle.’
When the pandemic started he decided to leave his own life in LA behind and hit the road – always strictly adhering to restrictions wherever he is.
He even adopted a new furry friend called Aspen, a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy, to ride along on every outing.
Together, the pair have gone mountaineering, rock-climbing, kayaking and backpacking across the US, with the goal of getting away from the office every single weekend to remote destinations.
He is currently working five days a week from his new office in Arizona, managing his teams back in Los Angeles.
He said: ‘Just like the many people struggling out there, if I keep myself locked up in a room for too long, I start losing my own mind.
‘Our entire civilisation was built off human-to-human interaction.
‘The beautiful thing is we can still have that interaction, remotely, in the outdoors. A place where the walls just can’t close in on you. A place you can breathe.
‘My entire life here in the United States has been devoted to working hard to share my perspective of life with as many lives as I can.’
He believes people can still get close to nature during the pandemic and getting outside can really help.
He said: ‘There is a safe way to still go about travelling during this time.
‘There are many places and methods you can take that don’t require you to be in close contact with at-risk individuals while travelling domestically.
‘I am by no means encouraging anyone to cross the line with precautions to this virus. It’s out there, it’s real and I’ve had individuals really close to me majorly affected.
‘But it’s never been more important than now for everyone’s mental health to go explore what’s in your own backyard. If you can, get outside. Social distance in the outdoors.’
Some of those who have taken part in his trips say they have really helped to change their mindset.
One example is Whitney Cordray, who had been battling an addiction for the past decade.
She said: ‘I was in a bad way when I met Tristan and was going through a huge transition in my life.
‘I was in the process of trying to rid myself of an addiction that I had been battling for 10 years.
‘I didn’t know how to make a change and expel this darkness out of my life, but going on these trips – I’ve been on multiple – helped me focus on other things, rather than what I was battling and kept my mind off of it.
‘It allowed me to get my life back and in reality, start a new one.
‘I was able to see the real beauty in life and the outdoors, and it gave me the strength and motivations to want to continue down this new path.
‘It gave me purpose again and, when I think about it, these trips actually saved my life.’
Meanwhile, Eugene Leicht, a respected financial consultant with a large company based in Germany, was suffering from a negative work-life balance.
He describes a trip to California as one of the ‘most important’ experiences in his life – which in turn helped his business in dramatic ways.
Eugene said: ‘Tristan showed me how to get out into nature and what I have implemented into my business is to go out into nature with problems and come back with new ideas and solutions.
‘The result two or three months later was that I had about 20% less work but about 30% more positive cash flow.
‘The ideas I had from going out into nature and meditating gave me better results.
‘My sister Dinah (Mrs Germany Plus Size) was also with me and she was so inspired by the trip that she wrote her own book.’
Tristian added: ‘This quarantine has shown me how easy it truly is to work on the road – but also how essential it is to connect with the mountains for your own mental ease.
‘The backcountry is so incredible, so rewarding. Our planet is at your disposal to fulfil you in every way imaginable.
‘Are you taking advantage of it? It’s never too late.’
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