Offroading with Tristan Hamm: Escaping the Stress

The freeway finally opens up. You feel the weight of your responsibilities fade away for a brief moment. You finally did it. You are on your way to that adventure that you have been craving all week, month or maybe even year! There’s really nothing like it. The relief from pre-trip anxiety settles as you check the final box in your mind. “Yes, I did turn the stove off before I left!” You realize that, for the next few days, you have no responsibilities but filling your heart with all the great things you want to do!

Passing beautiful landscapes, you weave through the vibrant mountains, wild elk, and saguaro cacti. You finally feel free and engulfed in nature, on your way to that spot you had saved on social media months ago that looked oh so pretty. You finally arrive in Sedona, your home away from home. You settle in and fade into a dream of the next day’s adventures.

With the morning sun rising, you take that first deep breath of mountain air as you overlook the incredible red rocks of Sedona, Arizona from your balcony. You did it! You are here. Another deep breath and you imagine what it would be like to move to such a beautiful location one day.

You rally the crew, pack up and head out for the first hike of the day. As you near your destination, you see a trail of tail lights… This should pass right? You quickly realize that you are not the only one getting away this weekend.

You locate the trailhead right away—not by the photo you so carefully studied days prior, but by the mob of excited visitors donning backpacks, screaming children, and spray sunscreen smell that lingers in the air. Did you stumble upon an amusement park? This ‘secluded’ hike you found on social media also happens to be a bucket list item for 200 other visitors this Saturday morning. You decide to gather your things, and try a new spot, only to hit another line of eager hikers.

You slowly realize that this peaceful place you’ve been dreaming of online seems more like a circus than a peaceful getaway. You can’t help but ask yourself “Where can I find REAL adventure in nature, and does it even still exist?”

So, What's the Secret?

What if I could tell you there is a hack? Sedona is packed with ruins, rock features, wildlife, surreal cliff sides, and some of the world’s best sunsets. What if you could have an entire mountain to yourself? A way to avoid the lines and find the peaceful seclusion you are looking for away from all the crowds. What if it means that the entire journey is an exciting adventure in its own? How can you find such an experience?

The answer is simple. Polaris Adventures!

To me, adventure is about exploring, finding new places, finding myself in new situations, and working as a team to navigate them. My personal go-to adventure in Arizona is a weekend of exploration with Polaris Adventures. Load up the cooler full of ice, lemonade, and water, grab your trusty first-aid kit, load a few pins with the awesome staff at each Outfitter location, and hit the road. Immediately exiting the city, you will feel that release of anxiety and stress as you say goodbye to the traffic and crowds for the rest of your weekend! Polaris Adventures redefines the saying “get lost”!

Explore Don’t Exploit

First things first, the most important way to enjoy secluded areas is to keep them secluded. I started my movement “Explore don’t Exploit” back in 2014 when I personally made the mistake of geotagging on social media, only to find hundreds of people at my favorite “secret” spot the following year. My entire adventure career has been revolving around inspiring people to get out for their own mental health, but with the rise of social media and the cravings for “likes”, a lot of that has been lost. Sure, we want to share these beautiful locations with our friends and families, but our human footprint on these areas is causing a lot of damage. Sedona is one of my favorite places but is now trampled by over-tourism in many places. It is each of our duties to diversify, find our own unique places, keep them off the radar, and enjoy what each individual place has to offer. I challenge you to be your own explorer! Conquer your own territory, respectfully. And with Polaris adventures, your reach can be so much further! The fun part here is the journey, not the destination.

I could tell you WHAT to do all day, but I wanted to show you HOW, so I headed out with Sedona ATV and Polaris Adventures to share with you how you can have your own adventure!

How To Do It Right!

My trip started out with a team meeting of seven friends gathered around the welcoming team at Sedona ATV. This is where we decide on pins on the provided GPS maps (locals and guides gave us some recommendations), cheers a lemonade, and send off on the adventure with a group hug!

A quick two-minute drive around the corner of the rental shop gets you on a dirt trail. Remember when you were a kid driving a go-cart on a tight track? This is like that, but you have an entire mountain range of freedom to go wherever you wish on your time. The beautiful thing about riding in a Polaris RZR is the freedom of exploration. There are very few limitations to where you can explore. The safety of the units has become so advanced that it is very similar to driving a car, but you have long travel suspension and can climb over almost any obstacle on designated trails! However, if you ever find yourself in need, your recovery/safety crew is just a phone call away.

After a day of exploring, our first stop was base camp! When I’m looking for accommodation, I try as hard as I can to avoid hotels. Nothing beats camping under the stars and waking up to the sunrise and crisp desert air in the morning. That evening was full of life. We shared stories as friends and bonded as a team. There wasn’t a thought about social media likes.

The next morning, we gathered a few final things at camp and set off towards the mountains. But this is where I sign off! Why would I stop right at the good part? Where did I go?

I went off into the mountains to have my own adventure. Now you should be ready to have yours! Just put your key in the machine and head to the mountains. You will be absolutely blown away at what you will find. To me, that is what it is all about.

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