Explorer Spotlight: Jason Horstman

Name: Jason Horstman | Age: 27 | Location: Seattle, WA

​What’s your day job?
I'm a materials coordinator for a company that manufactures construction equipment.

What are your favorite things to do outside?
I enjoy hiking, trail running, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, camping, backpacking, photography, and a good cold beer on a hot summer day.

What first drew you to the outdoors?
Growing up in the Midwest, I didn't have mountains or hiking for the most part, so when I moved to the PNW I was immediately mesmerized by everything around me and felt the urge to go check it all out. Since my first hike, I was instantly hooked, and couldn't get enough ever since.

What’s your favorite hometown adventure? ...and, almost as important, where’s your favorite spot to get a beer after?
My favorite hometown adventure consisted of riding the bike trails through the city and checking out new places to eat and drink, which was usually followed by a trip to JL Beers, a local beer joint with over 40 beers on tap.

What’s your essential gear that never gets left at home?
I never leave home without the 10 essentials, my phone, and camera.

What’s your favorite trail snack?
My favorite trail snack would have to be a combination of a PB & honey sandwich and trail mix.

Any go-to soundtracks when you’re hitting the road?
A couple of my favorite artists right now are Ben Howard and Lord Huron. I'm a huge supporter of new bands and almost always have new music playing in my car.

What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened while you were adventuring? And/or, the funniest?
The scariest thing that's ever happened has to be a winter hike/scramble I did recently to the summit of Denny Peak in Snoqualmie Pass. There were several steep snow chutes we had to cross which were not easy and definitely got the adrenaline pumping. One missed step could've sent you tumbling 40-50 feet. I've never felt so happy to see a parking lot and enjoy a post hike dinner and beer.

Who’s your number one adventure partner-in-crime? Who inspires you?
I wouldn't necessarily say I have a partner-in-crime. I'm always looking for new people to meet and go on adventures with, especially through the small community of Instagrammers here in Washington. Instagram is definitely where I draw most of my inspiration from, from all adventure photographers and hikers alike.

What are your top destinations for adventure travel?
I definitely recommend Belize as a tropical destination with a lot of adventurous activities. The top of my to-do list right now includes Iceland, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Norway.

What’s on the top of your must-do adventure list right now?
I'm currently working on planning a trip to Iceland to do some hiking and exploring.

Show us your most memorable photo, and tell us about it!
The photo above is from a recent hike in the snow up to Gothic Basin. Up until this winter, I hadn't really done a whole lot of hiking in the snow. After going on this hike as well as others and seeing how much the scenery changes when its covered in snow and ice, I really got the itch to do more winter hiking and have really grown to love it.

And last but not least…What’s your personal motto?
My personal motto is pretty simple - do more of what you love, experience as much as you can, and take a minute to look at the big picture.

Check out more of Jason's adventures here.