Introducing 'Run the Mountain'
When selecting a project's worthiness in my life, I try and run it thru these criteria: if this was the only thing I did, could I be satisfied? Is this a project that I'm so passionate about that, in late hours and early mornings and at the expense of family time, I would still do? And when it comes to creating content on any subject, how knowledgable or passionate am I in covering it, compared to someone else?
Camping, more than just about anything, is near and dear to my heart. My parents took me on my first camping trip was when I was just four weeks old, so it's not just an activity for me, but a part of who I am.
Aside from extreme barefoot-running mountain men, I'm a guy who camps more than just about anyone. My wife and I spend collectively about three months out of the year car camping (and yes, my wife likes it as much as I do; I really picked the right person). The rest of the year, all I can daydream about is camping and the gear I want to have for next time.
For instance, long before Goal Zero came around, I had my own goal: to have completely self-sustained power while out in the middle of nowhere. On our last two camping trips (both of which over three weeks) we were able to piece together our own MacGyver-esque solar powered system, and make our own battery housing box, to make our trips fully 'off the grid'. Being able to figure out how to DIY a kit and get it working just the way you want it is a pretty rewarding feeling, and that's the kind of thing I want to share on our website.
Run the Mountain's website keeps in mind the credo 'take only pictures, leave only footprints'. We want a kid a hundred years from now, in his hover car, to be able to look at the same sights and see the same glaciers and gaze upon the majesty of natural landmarks as we see them today.
If you love camping, want to discover the coolest outdoor tech, or learn about the latest trends in solar or off-road vehicle accessories, this site is built for you. If you like what you find here, please share it! We're not doing this to make a ton of money (I actually make no money on the site whatsoever), but because we have the passion for all things outdoors, and want to share and get to know the people who feel as we do. Please share your stories and pictures, eventually the site will be very user-friendly.
One other thing (if you read this far I appreciate it) This site is in its infancy. Like any of my projects, it's gonna be much more robust as time goes on, so I appreciate you noticing the flaws or being a little sad there's not enough content. That'll come. If you're reading this, you are a pioneer, a charter customer, an early adopter. You're our favorite kind of person, so I'd like to personally welcome you. My name is Jett Dunlap, and I want to help you run the mountain