adventure-couple-spotlight

Finding Love in the Outdoors: A Tale of Three Couples

Do you partake in outdoor activities with your significant other? It’s not for everyone, but consider yourself lucky if you and your special someone can climb, ski, bike, hike, raft, or camp together AND have a great time. This Valentine’s Day we’re celebrating three couples that not only love each other, but love to adventure together in the great outdoors.

Roxy and Ben

How did you two meet?

I wish we had a more exciting adventure meeting story to share. We met through a mutual friend who we are still really close with 7 years later!

Which activities do you like to do together? Are there any activities you do solo?

Our activities change with the seasons. We are currently into cross country skiing with our 7 month old, backcountry splitboarding, and stroller racing. In the summer we go backpacking often, fly fishing, and mountain biking. There are certainly times when we venture off alone, especially because now we have a tiny human to look after. One goes on an adventure the little one can’t join for while the other relaxes with the baby. We spend much of our time in our van exploring and that is an activity in itself with a small child. 

What’s your number one piece of advice for couples who adventure outdoors together?

Communication! Say when you’re burnt out, say when you need a break, say when you’re feeling adventurous, say when you feel like the schedule needs to be amended.

If you aren’t communicating effectively, the adventure could take a turn for the worse at any moment.

Is there anything your partner has helped you learn?

My partner can go, go, go. It’s so exhausting, but also such a motivator. He has cheered me up numerous 14ers and pushed for that third or fourth lap in the backcountry. My partner has taught me how to squeeze the best out of every day. 


Shiv and Amanda

How did you two meet?

Via tinder, we met up in Downtown Portland and hit it off right away. 

Which activities do you like to do together? Are there any activities you do solo?

Climb (rock and ice), ski (he) and snowboard (she), yoga, vanlife/travel, and ski touring.

He: Watches Marvel movies, drawing

She: Thrift shopping

What’s your number one piece of advice for couples who adventure outdoors together?

Communication is key on-off the mountain, especially when personal (relationship) life is intermingled with your adventure partner

Is there anything your partner has helped you learn or a goal you wanted to achieve?

Our friend recently told us of a quote “if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together”. This rung very accurate with ambitious goals. We have climbed some ambitious climbs over the years, and the biggest reason was because we have learned to honestly talk through our fears, nervousness, personal life issues. When going with a partner or a team, talk through everyone’s objectives and be aligned, meaning meet halfway and be willing to make adjustments, makes for a fun time all around.


Zach and Emma

How did you two meet?

We met through mutual friends on a hike of the 14er La Plata Peak.

Which activities do you like to do together? Are there any activities you do solo?

We love to ski, rock climb, and ice climb together (although Emma may reluctantly agree about the ice climbing part haha). We don’t do much solo since most of our activities require partners for safety.

What’s your number one piece of advice for couples who adventure outdoors together?

My word of advice would be to work hard to be strong mentally and emotionally for the other in the outdoors.

We will all have times when we are upset, stressed, what have you but as long as your partner postures with the opposite reaction you will be able to push through the rough times quicker and also safer. For example, if Emma is breaking down then I need to do my best to bury those feelings myself and present a strong and confident front as she will do for me in the reverse situation. 

Is there anything your partner has helped you learn?

Emma has taught me many things, but I would say her willingness to adventure has allowed us to go on and complete some pretty wild goals and adventures so far. The first thing that comes to mind is her just telling me “let’s do this” to a 10 day climbing trip on the Wind Rivers and Tetons this past summer. 


These three couples hit the jackpot with their partners! Do you adventure with your significant other? Comment below and tell us how you two met!

About the Gear Tester

Outdoor Prolink Pro

Kelly Knauf leads the marketing team at Outdoor Prolink. She is a mountain lover, outdoor enthusiast, and professional snack packer. By day she answers emails and writes content, by night she's plotting her next camping trip or snowboarding adventure.

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