MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Winter / Spring 2018

28 MLCM WINTER/SPRING 2018 UP FRONT words :: Kanami Anderson Freedom has a rhythm that doesn’t follow convention. It doesn’t care about popular opinion, social expectations or the structure of the calendar or clock. Freedom ebbs and flows with the cycle of seasons and knocks of opportunities. And for over a decade, so have I. My entire life fits into two suitcases, my biggest annual expenses are plane tickets, and I don’t plan further ahead than season by season. I am a seasonal nomad and what I lack in possessions I make up for in experiences—overhead powder in Japan, whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon, rock concerts in Paris, or van-living along the Baja coast in search of secret surf spots. I never intended for my life to turn out this way. Growing up, I always knew the 9-to-5 life was not for me, but it wasn’t until I discovered the whitewater rafting world at the age of 21 that I learned to move with the seasons. Working as an outdoor guide turned the whole world into my playground. I’d line up opposing seasons and adapt my plans to fit weather cycles happening on the other side of CONFESSIONS OF A SEASONAL NOMAD SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA GO... AND THEN GO AGAIN the planet. The unusual schedule of a seasonal nomad can push you to work straight through a whole season, and just as suddenly, provide unexpected time off to accept last minute adventures as they pop up. The most valuable asset of a seasonal nomad may be freedom, but with it comes a darker side that is easily covered up by happy-looking social media photos. Meaningful relationships take time to grow roots, and moving every season can make this difficult. Finding a long-term companion who follows the same transient lifestyle is complicated. With freedom comes the price of periods of isolation and loneliness. It can wear you down. With the right attitude, however, this can be an opportunity to dig deep and challenge yourself. Alone time pushes you to come face-to-face with, and befriend, your one constant companion – yourself. It also gives you the time to reflect on who you really are and what you want to do with your life. And it gives one a greater appreciation for awesome people when they do come into your life. Sometimes I daydream of what my life would have been like if I had stayed in one place and never heard the calling of the seasons. I imagine all the details of what my house would look like, how many kids I’d have, which job I’d be working, what kind of dog I’d have and car I’d be driving. So why did I go the total opposite direction? I don’t really know. This lifestyle just chose me and took me for a long ride around the globe. It may not be for everyone, but maybe everyone should give it a try. Answer that knock of opportunity, throw out your calendar and clock, and move with the rhythm of change. Even if only for one year. Keep in mind though, once you go, you just might keep going. Here are the five most important things I would never have learned without spending the last decade wandering, wondering, and hitching a ride with the cycle of seasons: CLOCKWISE, STARTING TOP LEFT Moiwa, Japan. CHAD CLARK. Powder Yoga Studio, Japan. RAN AKUTSU. Grand Canyon, USA. DARRYN HAWES. Niseko, Japan. ECHOWIDMER. Kern River, California. NINA PURCELL. Kernville, California. SHELBIE EBERT.