Immersion in the outdoors forces one to exist in the present. With no service for texting, checking e-mail or mindlessly scrolling through social media, the Earth reminds us to slow down, take a step back and enjoy where we are and who we are with.
For Colorado College’s Andrew Farny, the nature of the American West offers an escape into this much needed slower pace. Beyond that, the outdoors have played an integral role in shaping Farny and some of his greatest memories.
Growing up on a ranch in Telluride, Colo., Farny and his older brother spent their childhood hiking around the property’s 300 acres. Depending on the seasons, they built bike trails and treehouses, went horseback riding, went skiing and skating or went swimming and kayaking.
“It was a really cool way to grow up,” Farny told Pucks and Recreation. “It was always more fun to be outside than inside.”
Farny’s love for the outdoors was encouraged by his parents, Mike and Sheila, who dedicated their time and money to amazing outdoor family adventures. From riding through the Grand Canyon to skiing down volcanoes in Mexico to trekking through Nepal, the Farny family spent their fair share of time in gorgeous, isolated places—places that changed the junior defenseman’s perspective on life.
For Farny, activities like biking, skiing, and kayaking offer a type of meditation that is similar, yet different, to that which he draws on ice. With all of his attention focused on the task at hand, the everyday stresses in his life dissipate.
“(Outdoor activities) relax me and reset me,” Farny said, “even though it’s often in a stressful environment.”
Farny learned a great deal about the magic of the outdoors from the late adventurer Kenton Grua. One of Grua’s most compelling adventures was captured in The Emerald Mile, Farny’s favorite book to date.
Grua, a professional river guide, set the speed record for rowing through the Grand Canyon in 1983. He was also the first person in recorded history to hike through the canyon’s entire length.
Grua died in the summer of 2002 while mountain biking. But 15 years after his premature passing, his example still holds sway on Farny.
“It would be fun to (talk to Grua) and hear about how crazy the experience actually was for him,” Farny said. “Flows in the Grand Canyon are unbelievable. Plus, he was the first guy to walk the whole Grand Canyon, and that would be awesome to talk to him about as well. Like, ‘How did you do that completely self-supported?’”
What made The Emerald Mile especially significant to Farny was that he and his family had rode through the Arizona landmark just months before.
(Photo by Casey B. Gibson)
“It was really amazing how I could relate to (The Emerald Mile) so easily,” he said. “It’s a river that changes through time. When Kenton Grua ran it way back when, it was totally different than it is today. But still, being in the same environment, even with the water at different levels than it once was, you can feel the magic.”
Adding to the intrigue, Grua rode the same type of boat Farny’s father attempted to ride during his first trip down the Grand Canyon. A dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, usually about 20 feet in length. In Farny’s words, they are “kind of a dated thing,” which is why they are so interesting.
However, Grua’s experience with dories was far more successful than Farny’s father’s experience.
“In the first rapid, my dad smashed his dory and there were boards floating everywhere,” Farny said. “It was completely trashed.
“Dories are so rare to see now, and in the book it says how unbelievable they are to ride because of the way they behave in waves and everything.”
Another outdoor adventure that made a lasting impression on Farny was after his freshman year at CC. That was when he joined his parents and brother on a trek through Nepal. Days of movement and elevation gain brought the family to 19,000 miles with breathtaking views.
“It was a lot of family time,” Farny said. “That’s what’s cool about the outdoors—you get away from technology and everything else thats going and you get to be present with the people you’re with.”
Farny explained why the outdoors are so integral to his happiness. “It might sound cliche, but a lot of people say when they step on the ice, everything else dissipates,” he said. “And that’s what (being outdoors) is like for me”.
Farny emphasized the importance of getting off the grid when your day to day life is scheduled and somewhat public. “Being on a team in general that is a public team,” he said, “you’re in a position where everybody is watching what you’re doing, judging who you are and you always have to be connected, whether its a team message or meetings that might get postponed or rescheduled. So it’s nice to be outside and be stress-free for whatever period of time that is.”
Whether it’s an intense bike ride, a day skiing with the family, or a weekend kayak trip with his older brother, outdoor activities bring Farny a sense of peace, belonging and tranquility. And while playing professional hockey has always been a dream for Farny, the idea of working as ski patrol, a raft guide or even as a safety boater brings him excitement.
Perhaps we could all learn something from Farny, get off the grid more often and immerse ourselves in the magic of the outdoors.
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