Leatherman Backcountry Adventure
All photos captured on this adventure are taken by Chase White
Parents House, California, May 2018
My father is old-school and stubborn, and with any stuck-in-his-way type of man, he couldn't fathom why his only daughter would choose to take up hunting. He likes to remind me we escaped the jungle; why would I go back.
And yet, over many phone calls, talking about my gear, he couldn't hide the unmistakable interest in his voice. He questioned everything from my binocular's origins and the weight of my rifle. But as the days inched closer to my first hunt, chasing after caribou, I could sense we shared the same apprehensions.
On my annual visit to my parent's place in the Bay Area, California, I sat on the couch, savoring the air-conditioned living room. I heard the sound of metal drawers opening and closing echoing in the garage. My father emerged and said, "You'll need this," and let a small but weighty item drop into my lap. I opened the black nylon sheath and pulled out a Leatherman WAVE®+. The gift left me grinning because I knew he was coming around to the idea of hunting. He answered my smile with a deadpan face and said, "Don't die out there," before walking away.
Gripping the tool, my mind wandered off to my fondest childhood memories. When I was digging for fool's gold, building mud forts, and fearlessly catching bees for the class toad. My childhood hero was Tarzan, and when prompted with the age-old question, "What do you want to be when you grow up," I always said, Laura Croft. I wanted to be a fearless explorer and adventurer.
Caribou Hunt, British Columbia, September 2018
Fast forward a few months, the 10-day fly-in caribou hunt was a success, and I am still enjoying my bounty with family and friends. The knowledge and skills I acquired out in the backcountry impacted my well-being. I was moved to start sharing my adventures, with cooking and storytelling as my mediums.
Leatherman Backcountry Adventure, British Columbia - Present Day
My foray into hunting had come full circle as I kneel in the sand over a bed of hot coals flipping caribou kofta meatballs. I was cooking for the Leatherman CEO, Ben Rivera, Design Engineer Adam Lazenby, and their guests on a 3-day backcountry adventure in Squamish, British Columbia. We were camped alongside a robust glacier-fed river. Equipped with roof-tent clad Jeep Wranglers, an itinerary for fly fishing, and wild game cooking.
As stacked as the agenda was, it all came down to the good company over good food at the end of the day. The most memorable moments of the trip were spent around the campfire, telling stories of delight, despair, and victory between mouthfuls of meat.
It was overwhelming to be cooking caribou for the men that designed the very tool my father gifted me for my caribou hunt. I felt the tears whelming in my eyes, but my hands were covered in grease, so I couldn't wipe them away. Instead, I kept my eyes down as I worked.
The coals were reaching their peak temperature, and I wasn't flipping the caribou meat fast enough. I reached into my apron's front pocket for the Leatherman with one swift motion of my right hand. I flipped open the pliers to adjust the grate to get the meatballs off the direct heat. Leaving my left hand free to balance the plate of cooked meatballs.
As a lover of puns and a believer of fate, I couldn't help but chuckle past the tears. Life knew where I was going before I got there, and it gave me all the tools I needed to succeed.
After three days in the bush with a collective of folks that care about their craft, I came home with a refreshed, insatiable appetite for life. I continued chipping away at my eagerness to share the stories and lessons I've learned from interesting individuals that hunt, gather, and protect our wildlands. Celebrating all adventures in unexpected places, including this one.
As Tim Leatherman demonstrated, a life chasing your passions won't always be comfortable; he took 8 years to develop the iconic tool. But when you are doing something you love, opportunities will come.
My father recently asked where all these crazy excursions would take me? And I am delighted to have answered, right to the very man that designed the tool you gave me to take along on all my crazy adventures.
Thank you!
A huge thank you to a fantastic community that has helped me pull this outdoor feast together:
Connor Gabbot @taluscreative
Chris @chris.pryn
Kyle @kyleburritt_
Danielle @wildandwhole
David @honestbutcher
Brian @jukefriedchicken
Derek @row_fourteen
Produce & drinks sourced from:
Fadi @jamjarfolk
Kevin and Anne Marie @KlippersOrganics
David @UntangledCider
Devin @PostmarkBrewing
Lydia @SteamworksBeer
Andrea Harrison @CedarCreekEstateWinery
It was such a joy to learn so much from everyone. I now know there are:
Endless Kebabs variations
Cider can be fermented like wine
Cucumber varieties that look like lemons and yams
This was my first bush cooking gig, and I enjoyed the pressure it brings, the stories, and the friendships formed. I hope this inspires you to try something new and take the first step with me.
Happy Chasing Curiositities!
Jenny Ly
