I am taking the month of June to focus on creating Volume 003 of our print-magazine and to put the finishing touches on a couple big projects that I will be announcing in July. Exciting things lie ahead.

For today, I have decided to share an incredible story about risk, adventure, and a mountain rescue in the Alps of Austria. Cheers y’all! See you next week.

A Dreamy European Adventure… Or So I Thought:

By Adrienne Perron — Revelry Collection’s Managing Editor

Like many other young adventurers, I have always had a “that could never happen to me” sort of attitude when it comes to backcountry rescues. Over the last 10 years, I’ve taken numerous Wilderness First Aid courses, practiced using a beacon, shovel, and probe while skiing, and participated in mock rescue exercises in various backpacking classes --- but I’d never been in a situation where these skills needed to be used. I always knew that I should have this knowledge and these skills just in case, but that they’d only be needed in emergencies: rare, mythical things that only happened to other people, I thought. Never to me.

To be clear, I’m not an idiot! This attitude has been cultivated by a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts: my hubris has made me believe that nothing bad would happen to me or my companions in the outdoors, and nothing ever had. I am always aware of the risks of outdoor recreation and I do everything I can to prepare for unexpected turbulence within my adventures. But very honestly, the concept of a backcountry emergency has always felt like just a theory: it’s something that could happen, not something that would happen. Especially not to risk-averse me, who rarely recreates in high-angle terrain, who studies trail maps and water sources religiously, who tends to stick to the road most traveled. I know emergency protocol because I know that I have to, that I should, but not because I have anticipated ever having to use it.

Likely unsurprising to more adroit adventurers, it turns out that bad things can and will happen to even the safest of travelers and the best of people. This winter, I participated in the emergency rescue of my friend while on a ski trip in Austria -- an exercise of both critical rescue skills and, most importantly, humility in the outdoors.

The day of the rescue started out feeling like it might be the best day of my life (it wasn’t!). I had arrived the previous day in Austria with four friends who had all traveled from Colorado for a week-long resort skiing adventure. We would start at Ischgl, ski there for three days, and then travel to Italy to ski at Val Gardena for four days. Our plan was to ski for a few hours each day and then take advantage of the area’s renowned Apres-Ski culture in the afternoons and evenings.

On this first day in Ischgl, on January 3, the snow pack was low -- it turns out that the winter had started off on a similarly tough note to the winter we were experiencing in Colorado. We had loaded onto a gondola that took us to the top of a peak with beautiful views of the Silvretta, Samnaun, and Verwall mountain ranges. Our fellow gondola riders were all young, hip Europeans -- someone had a Bluetooth speaker that began blasting “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield during our ride up, and the dozen of us riding the lift sang every word together in unison as we ascended up to 9,000 feet. It felt like a movie: this was the start of a dreamy European adventure, I thought.

We took a couple of runs on icy snow before we spotted an open, off-piste run under the lift we were riding before taking our fourth run of the day. The snow looked softer and untouched, unlike the groomers. As tree skiing enthusiasts from the western U.S., we couldn’t resist checking it out. It looked dreamy -- why had no one skied it yet that day? we wondered.

One of our friends skied ahead, saying that she would film us shredding down the slope while she stood at the bottom. She flew down ahead of us, looking graceful and flowy as she went. When she gave us the go ahead to start skiing down, another friend took off toward her, tearing up the snow with the confidence of a Warren Miller film star as my two other friends and I followed a bit further behind. Then, all of a sudden, we saw her take a somersault-like tumble and come to a full stop on the side of the slope.

“NOOOOO!” I shouted toward her with mock distress. She had looked so good, and now her fall would be captured on camera. It was a funny moment, I thought. Nothing more. We skied over to check up on her, just in case. She didn’t get up.

When we reached her side, we realized she was breathing heavily and crying softly, one ski still attached to her right boot, the other one having slid a few feet down the mountain. She seemed to be recovering from the shock of the fall. “My leg…” she said. She told us she didn’t know what had exactly happened -- she remembered hitting something hard, like a rock, and then tumbling, her right ski refusing to pop off.

“Take your time and wait to get up, we’ll be right here with you,” we reassured her. She just needed to let the initial shock and pain wear off, and then we could ski down to the lodge below to take a break. But after five minutes, the pain seemed to just be getting worse. “I don’t think I can ski down,” she said.

This is not the end of the story. Part 2 of this Austrian Alps adventure comes out next Sunday.

If you want to hear more stories like this, Volume 002 of our print-magazine is available now for $35. Get your copy here while supplies last.

Stay Sunny, Bentley Zylstra (Founder & Editor)

Welcome to a very special edition of the Revelry Collection newsletter!

I can hardly believe that the second issue of the magazine is out. Seeing people reading and enjoying Volume 002 out in the wild has been so surreal. To everyone who has picked up a copy, thank you so much. This magazine does not happen without you.

Being a college student and running a magazine can be challenging at times, but seeing it in your hands makes it all worth it.

If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, I hope you’ll consider supporting the Revelry Collection Magazine. Every purchase fuels the future of this publication and keeps the vision alive.

Now, as a special thank you, I’m giving you an exclusive first look at the Editor’s Letter from Volume 002 of the magazine. Let’s dive in!

Editors Letter: Volume 002

Welcome to Volume 002 of Revelry Collection. The theme of this issue is one that I’ve always dreamed of exploring: the spirit of the “Wild West.” Wherever you are in the world, whether you’re in an apartment in Manhattan or a remote cabin in Alaska, these stories are for you.

The Wild West isn’t just a geographical area, it’s a feeling. From the wild Montana rodeo, to finding a new community in Nova Scotia, to ice fishing in Colorado, and even skiing in the powder paradise of Whistler, the spirit of the Wild West lives in everyone who has witnessed its grandeur. Whoever you are, and wherever you choose to explore, I am stoked you picked up this magazine and I cannot wait for you to dive into its stories.

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time I experienced the real Wild West. The long highways, soaring peaks, and old mining towns that this landscape is know for. It was a year of finding freedom in wild places. I got to witness places that could hold all my dreams. Places that felt raw and wild. Places that didn’t need to be tamed. That is the spirit of the Wild West I want to share with you through this issue of Revelry Collection.

Recently, I went on an adventure that was just as scary and risky as starting a print magazine in the 21st century. An unexpectedly cold storm arrived in Washington in October, and the dry, cool air of the eastern plains and the precipitation of the west mixed at just the right time for snowflakes to fly at Snoqualmie Pass. I was coming back to Washington for the weekend, and once I heard that this storm had delivered snow, I called my buddy and told him about my plan to go score some early-season skiing.

On our drive the next morning, my friend and I exchanged nervous looks as we stared up at the snow above tree-line — there wasn’t much of it. It was the final day of October, after all. What else were we expecting? After reaching our destination and fumbling around with our gear for a solid thirty minutes, we took to the trailhead. Our objective was to hike up the slope at a nearby resort, which was then closed. As we hiked, the snow finally started to get deeper, just as our hopes of the first turns of the season heightened. Walking up a mountain with skis strapped to your back is an experience of grit and passion. With too little snow on the ground for a proper skin track and the lifts not running, it was our only option.

Halfway up the mountain, we took a much-needed break to regroup. We were exhausted. Would we stop here? Or did we want to keep going and see if the snow got deeper on the other side of the ridge? We ultimately succumbed to our thirst for adventure and continued higher, and our bet paid off as we reached the summit. Five inches of fresh October powder lay ahead of us. We clipped into our bindings and, with hoots and hollers, made our way down the mountain.

Some people may ask, “Why would anyone want to walk up a snowy mountain for a couple turns down some crappy snow?” After going on this adventure with my friend, I finally realized that it’s not about being first or getting the fastest known time, it’s about the community and friendships that are formed and strengthened through a shared love of adventure. A love for exploring, for doing hard things, and for pushing ourselves. A love for wild places, mountains, oceans, and living life to the fullest.

It’s about the hard moments, but also the silly moments during these wild experiences. Because you need to be a bit crazy to go do something out of the ordinary — something unpredictable in this all-too-predictable world. That is what true adventure does to you. It forces you to think outside of your own understanding and into something bigger. Something bigger than yourself. It makes you feel small in the best way.

Snow sprayed in the air as I made short turns on the thin line of snow between the grassy slopes on both sides. Our goal of skiing in October was complete. The falling snow turned to pouring rain as we walked back to the car. We were soaked and utterly exhausted, but happy as could be. We drove to a small coffee shop and sat down, hot chocolates in hand.

With a big smile on my cold face I said, “I can’t believe we just did that.”

So, without further ado, Volume 002 of Revelry Collection is locked and loaded. Now, all you have to do is pull the trigger. See you out in the Wild West.

Stay Sunny, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

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Hey Everyone! Bentley here, It’s been a hot minute since my last newsletter. It’s been busy. A little chaotic, but not in a bad way. I finished my first year of college. That’s a whole newsletter in itself. My finals week was two weeks ago and it’s so weird but also so freeing to be done.

Three days after finishing college I flew to Australia with my family to see our close friends. It’s been a wonderful week full of new adventures and good times with friends. This time has been so good to unplug from school, from the magazine, and from daily life.

When life gets crazy I notice my email inbox starts to pile up and the to-do list gets longer by the hour. But recently I have been finding myself being ok with it. Some thing’s can wait until tomorrow. I see alot of people today try to disconnect without ever disconnecting really. I wonder to myself, why did you go on this trip to disconnect anyways? If you’re not intentional in this modern world about actually disconnecting you might as well be back in the office. It’s a conundrum many of us face. While the access to information is great, we have to balance it with time away. Time doing something or nothing for no reason at all.

Everyone wants to know everything NOW. Like a friend mentions a restaurant while chatting and the first thing you do is look it up. Or someone mentions a movie and doesn’t know the name of the actor and they need to find it right then. I have found myself lately enjoying not knowing. I don’t know everything and I am perfectly fine with it. I don’t need to, and frankly I don’t know want to know everything. It gets exhausting. The endless feeds, the constant emails, the blaring advertisements. I simply want something real.

Now I am not saying this as some forty-year-old who remembers the good old days before iPhones (to be clear I am not mocking forty year old’s, I think those were probably the good old days indeed). I grew up at the very beginning of the smartphone era. I have a vague sense of what life was like before them, growing up in the late 2000’s and 2010’s. But I worry for those who don’t have any sense of what it was like before instant gratification. They don’t remember CD’s and DVD’s and wired internet. This is the generation that had everything instantly given to them for the low low price of $19.99 a month.

AI has only furthered this revolution. Now you don’t even need to do research or talk to people. You can just ask ChatGPT.

Planning your next trip to Idaho. Don’t call your friend who lives in Idaho, just ask AI.

Making homemade pasta for the first time. Don’t walk over to your Italian friend and ask them for a recipe. Instead ask AI. Why would you want to make a genuine connection with your neighbor?

The world has been slowly and now very quickly becoming rid of its humanity.

While I have been in Australia I have been searching for those REAL and LOCAL places. I know those are two words that have been thrown around lately, but stay with me. The world has become so globalized which is great in some ways, but also when you travel now a lot of the souvenirs you collect can be bought everywhere and anywhere with two day shipping. That’s why when I came to Australia, I made it my goal to only get souvenirs from businesses that I can’t get in the USA. The local places. I can say I have been successful.

The other thing is finding real things. That doesn’t mean buying a ton of crap with “Australia” plastered all over it. But instead something that has soul, grit, a story. As an example, these have been my findings this trip and a little background behind each one.

Print Surf Magazines: Now as you may know from the fact that I run a print only magazine centered around adventure, I love magazines. When I came to Australia, the heaven of surfers, I knew I wanted to try and find local print-only Australia specific surf magazines. A very niche market indeed. I have gone to probably 30 surf shops and upwards of 10 book stores and I have found four titles that fit those parameters. A small but packed collection of surf mags. I am very pleased.

Canvas Jacket: I found this jacket at a small local 1 of 1 surf shop in the industrial zone of Byron Bay. It was an awesome find and an excellent addition to the wardrobe as well as a fun story.

Surf Biography Signed By The Surfer Himself: This I found at a surf shop called McTavish. I found out two things as I was buying this book, first that you can’t find this book outside Australia. Second, that it was signed that very morning by the 80 year old surfer who wrote the book right before he went out to surf the south swell. That was special.

Beach Boys Vinyl Records: I found these today at a local shop in Burleigh. I don’t have a record player yet, but want to start collecting records from my travels around the world. Music is better with a story. Prove me otherwise.

The experience of being intentional with each souvenir has been really cool. Much more enjoyable and ultimately leaves you with stories behind the mementos you bring back home. That brings me to my last statement which I will dive into more in a future newsletter, but will touch on lightly here.

Revelry Collection will NEVER make crap of any kind. We will only make products of quality.

I have been thinking about this for years and something just clicked this past week. I can’t bring myself to make anything crap ever. The world has way too much crap in it. Walk around any large box store, grocery store, or drug store. The world doesn’t need more crap. And I simply can’t contribute to it.

In everything Revelry does. It will be done with quality and integrity in mind. From our magazine to our apparel and wherever else this wild world takes our small company, it will be made with quality and to be passed down for generations. It’s very important to me and central to the core mission of the company. Quality goods that truly are quality.

Well there’s my Sunday Letter rambling for you, Australia edition. I hope you enjoyed hearing a little life and magazine update. We will be back on our normal Sunday Letter schedule starting next week.

For now, have an incredible Sunday and try to get outside if you can. Those trails aren’t going to hike themselves.

Cheers mate, Bentley Zylstra (Founder & Editor)

- Volume 002 Is Shipping -

Fuel your summer adventures with the Revelry Collection print-magazine. It’s 140 pages of pure outdoor storytelling. Perfect for long days by the lake, sunsets on the porch, or for in between surf sessions.

Print-Only (Our magazines do not appear on newsstands or digitally)

Get Your Copy

Hello Revelry Collection community! I’m Adrienne Perron, Revelry’s managing editor. I am stepping in to write this week’s Sunday Letter. Next week, Bentley, our editor-in-chief, will be back with an article about how to get lost in California’s Los Padres National Forrest. Now on to today’s story.

As you may know, this winter has been a tough one out here in the Front Range of Colorado. Snowfall has been extremely limited, which has been tough for skiing and doesn’t bode particularly well for wildfire risk later this year. I haven’t felt particularly called to the mountains this season, what with the (for lack of a better term) awful conditions and all, so I’ve been spending a good chunk of time at home in Golden.

I have the kind of personality in which I find myself comparing myself and my own life/adventures to other people’s when I don’t feel stimulated or fulfilled with my excitement quota. When I read about or see others’ cool exploits, it makes me yearn for a different life or to live in a different place. I have a “the-grass-is-always-greener” complex -- which can push me to stay in motion and keep searching for more experiences, but can also lead me to miss the beauty and excitement that exists right in front of me. But this winter, because I’ve been trapped at home, I’ve been forced to keep an open mind and to find adventure in more unexpected places.

This mindset shift is what led me to competing in my local Burrito League during the month of January: a 20-day challenge that led me to run 320 miles around a quarter-mile block around Bonfire Burritos in Golden.

Burrito League is an endurance running event that occurred all over the world in January. It inspired runners to complete a local quarter-mile-or-less Strava segment as many times as possible by 11:59 p.m. on January 31. Then, at the end of the month, the “Local Legends” of each gender received prizes like free burritos from local burrito joints, race entries, gear from local running stores, and more. The league was established this year by ultra runner Jamil Coury, who was inspired by a similar (now dismantled) Chipotle x Strava competition.

Our league began on January 12. On January 11, I heard about the challenge for the first time and paid it no mind. It seemed interesting, but I wasn’t sure it called to me. Then, on January 12, I found myself on the quarter-mile segment during my afternoon run just for fun. I wanted to see what the hype was all about -- why were people all over the world doing this stupid challenge?

I quickly discovered that the reason why was because it was addicting. Looping the same roads over and over again felt too easy -- I just turned my brain off and chatted with other runners and kept telling myself, “I can go one more loop.” I ran my first 80-mile week, then a 90-mile week, and then a 150-mile week, and it felt like nothing. The dozen-or-so of us who competed in the challenge called it the “Magic of the Loop”: it didn’t even feel like running. It was just floating around in a little social circle with new friends, fueled by the drive to win.

The challenge woke up my spirit in the dead of winter. I felt invigorated by the adrenaline of competition: I wanted to win. I’d check Strava obsessively, calculating how many miles I needed to run that day in order to come out ahead of my main competitor. I dedicated five or six hours a day to the challenge, sometimes running as many as 20 or 30 miles in a day to stay ahead. On January 31, I ran 40 miles -- my furthest run ever.

On the segment, my fellow competitors and I witnessed stunning sunsets and sunrises over the foothills; ran through bitter, icy snow storms; got some nasty wind and sunburns on our noses and cheeks; called the police on some creepy men watching us run; chased a Melenzana hoodie thief down the street; and made lifelong friends. It was a completely unexpected escapade that made us live fully in the moment. For better or worse, all we could think about was Burrito League.In the home stretch

I ended up coming in second place for women and won some free burritos as a result -- but, what I discovered in the end was that that was never really the point. The real prize was learning how to find the beauty in seemingly small or silly adventures, no matter how close to home they are. I learned to say yes to things, to fall in love with my hometown, and to find excitement in even the most seemingly mundane or boring activities -- I’ve never felt more alive than while running around in circles for hours.

Adventure is really all around us: we don’t need to spend $1,000 on plane tickets or quit our jobs to travel the world. (I mean, that actually sounds super fun too, but it’s not the only way to do things.) We just need to be where our feet are and open our eyes to the possibilities.

Thanks for being here and for being part of our community. I’m very excited to help cultivate this platform and to read more about other people’s grand (or not so grand) exploits.

Signing off, Adrienne Perron (Managing Editor)

- Volume 002 Is Shipping -

Fuel your summer adventures with the Revelry Collection print-magazine. It’s 140 pages of pure outdoor storytelling. Perfect for long days by the lake, sunsets on the porch, or for in between surf sessions.

Print-Only (Our magazines do not appear on newsstands or digitally)

Get Your Copy

Hey Everyone! Bentley here. When I woke up this morning, the weather app said 70°F. Usually I would be excited to see this come April. But in a year where much of the western USA has received very little snow, I found myself yearning for a winter that never seemed to happen.

I thought if I felt this way, I bet others do too. So here is a PhotoRoundUp© from a deep powder day I had last winter at Alpental ski resort in Washington State. Hopefully it will help you seeing these photos, knowing that in not too long the snow will be falling again.

Stay Sunny, Bentley Zylstra (Founder & Editor)

P.S - Volume 002 of our print magazine is shipping now and it is the perfect thing to fuel your summer adventures. You can pick up a copy by clicking this link. Enjoy.

Hello Everyone! Bentley here. Work on Volume 003 of the Revelry Collection print-magazine is shaping up nicely. Our next issue features our most wild stories to date, including surfing in Alaska, sailing from Mexico to Hawaii, trekking in Nepal, and well I don’t want to give everything away. Be on the lookout for it when it drops this summer.

In conjunction with that, I want to introduce someone who has been a key part in creating Volume 003, Revelry Collection’s newest team member, Adrienne Perron (photo above).

Adrienne is Revelry Collection’s new managing editor. She worked as a copy editor on Volume 002 and she has since transitioned into a more involved role in the production of the magazine. She is an avid runner, skier, backpacker, and adventurer (not to mention a novice film photographer).

I thought the best way to introduce Adrienne to you all was through a good ol’ fashioned interview. So let’s jump in and welcome Adrienne to the Revelry Collection Community!

Adrienne Perron Interview:

How would you describe your profession to your eight year old self?

I make money by reading and writing stories and playing outside!

Where did you grow up, and what is one childhood memory that you look at fondly?

I grew up in Wells, Maine, about two miles from the ocean. I had a very fun-filled childhood and can’t name any single best memory, but I do frequently look back fondly on my summer vacations: going to summer camp, spending days at the beach, boating with my parents, and floating in the lake. It was pretty dreamy growing up in Maine.

Where does your love for the outdoors come from? Exposed to it as a kid?

I think my love of the outdoor formed from spending time in the Moosehead Lake region of Maine with my family. We started traveling there regularly when I was 10 years old and spent countless hours paddling, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, and soaking in the beauty of the area throughout my childhood. I loved the quietude and leaving cell service — it was (and still is) my happy place.

What is a quick rundown of your life story?

I’ve always loved reading, writing, and running — somehow I managed to combine all of those things into a career. Now I’m living the dream.

What has been your favorite trip out into the wild?

I used to lead backpacking trips for fellow students when I was in college. I led a group of freshmen my senior year as a pre-orientation trip and the kids had a blast. We hiked a couple dozen miles over the span of three or four days in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and it was special to see people form lifelong friendships before my very eyes.

What is your definition of adventure?

Adventure doesn’t have to be big and grand — it’s doing something new or out of your comfort zone. It’s doing something that makes you feel alive. Trying a new coffee shop is an adventure; just as hiking the Appalachian Trail is an adventure.

What is a perfect day outside look like for you?

A long trail run in the wilderness followed by an afternoon spent at any body of cold water.

What is one quote someone told you that has stuck with you all these years?

“Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.” — Simon

Adrienne will be popping into the newsletter every once in a while, so expect to hear her wild stories in the months to come. That’s all for now. Have a wonderful Sunday.

Stay Sunny, Bentley (Founder & Editor)

Hello Everyone! Bentley here, sitting at a park as the clouds start to lift and the blue sky begins to show itself. Yesterday I sat at the airport and wrote. No agenda. No plan. Just was writing. It felt good. It reminded me of the need to do these types of writing more often.

To me writing is a core part of who I am. When I don’t write my family notices. When I don’t write, I feel flustered and confused. There is something about the art of putting words to paper that seems to be lost in today’s day and age.

Back before the digital age people would write long elaborate letters to their friends. They were thoughtful and thorough. Now people talk in 10 character text streams. I wonder if we were ever meant to communicate that often and that much. Communication is key but how many times do we supplement our communication online for communication in real life. It’s simply not the same thing.

My sister has recently started to write letters to people. She grew up in an era similar to mine where I never received a letter from a friend. At first I saw it just as something cute.

Overtime I saw the ripple effect of her work of sending letters. People would come up to me and be excited, may I say giddy, about getting a letter from my sister. They felt special, they felt like someone cared. Then I started to realize the power in sending letters. It’s not instant. It’s not fast. But it’s meaningful.

I am going to commit to myself to send three letters to friends this month and I would love if you would join with me.

Tell them how your life is going, your highs and your lows. It’s a simple thing with lasting impact. Thanks for reading today’s newsletter and have a great Easter.

Stay Sunny, Bentley (Founder & Editor)

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Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection magazine features 140 pages of authentic storytelling. No AI, no click baits, and no gear reviews. Featuring stories about surfing in Nova Scotia, skiing in British Columbia, ice fishing in Colorado, and so much more.

Print-Only (Our magazines do not appear on newsstands or digitally)

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Hello Everyone! Bentley here, coming to you from Central California. The past week I have been rock climbing, honing my surfing skills, and doing bonfires on the beach with friends. But today I have a PhotoRoundUp© on the opposite side of the spectrum. I am talking about the iconic snow drenched place known as Jackson, Wyoming.

I will be back next week with the an exclusive look inside the pages of Volume 002 of our print magazine. Speaking of which, if you want to support the magazine you can pick up a copy of Volume 002 here. Until next time.

Stay Sunny, Bentley (Editor & Founder)

Hey Everyone! Bentley here, I am at an airport right now in Seattle. Today I had something else planned to send out. Something more polished, more detailed, more thought-through. But I decided last second to write this instead.

Lately, I have been seeing the loss of things “made by human hands” in our world. You might think, what does that mean? Well, everything has become so polished, so clickable, so quote on quote what the world see as beautiful, that we have lost sight of the beauty in the ordinary things around us. Such as the sight of scuffed up hardwood floors, the feel of a hand kneaded loaf of bread, or even the smell of freshly roasted coffee in the morning.

The world tells us we need to seek these grand experiences. These Instagramble moments. But when you’re constantly seeking those big moments you lose sight of the small moments all around us. You aren’t truly living in the present. You’re in the future.

I know everyone says this and it’s gotten a little cliche, but the present is where it’s at. You wonder why you feel disconnected with the world. Well put your phone down and take a walk outside. Go sit at a restaurant and just observe. We let so much of our lives just pass away on a screen. You see it everywhere. People living through a glowing rectangle.

It doesn’t have to be this way though. This is a recent transformation. Twenty years ago, no one had a smart phone. Before portable phones you had to be in community to see people. You had to show up at people’s houses, go to church, & attend the county fair. You had to show up. Now people have boiled down community to text streams and an occasional phone call. Thats not community. It’s madness.

This is exactly why I started the Revelry Collection magazine. To be a beacon of real human storytelling. A place for people who care about stories that not only inform but inspire others to go really love their lives. Stories that don’t just give you a “top 10 travel” list but instead push you to explore something deeper, slower, farther off the beaten track. In a world thats become increasingly digital, I am so proud to offer a place that is REAL.

The best analogy I could come up with is this; Revelry Collection is like sitting at a small European cafe on a Sunday morning. Drinking a cortado with jazz music playing in the background with no phones within reach. From there you jump on your mountain bike and ascend into the mountains. You ride switchbacks all the way up and have a flowy ride back down. You finish the night with a campfire with friends as the stars come out. It’s thoughtful, it’s beautiful, and it’s ready for whatever adventure comes your way.

Thanks for reading my rambling. I am so excited for what’s to come. We have so many exciting projects on the horizon that we will be announcing in the coming months. It’s going to be quite the ride.

Stay Sunny, Bentley (Founder & Editor)

Hello Everyone! Bentley here, coming to you from the great state of Hawaii. Right now I am watching surfers ride on the big swell that has been hammering Hawaii for a couple days now. Currently debating whether to go rent a board for myself.

In today’s PhotoRoundUp© I have a story from the opposite end of the spectrum, photos from a hike I did last year in good ol’ Washington state. During this hike the seasons were clashing. Snow was piling up high and flowers were blooming at the base. The United States has been experiencing this, with a record snow year in the east and record high temperatures in the west. It only seemed fitting to share a story that showcase the change of seasons.

I will be back next week with a special edition of the Sunday Letter. Until then, stay sunny.

Signing off, Bentley (Editor)

P.S - Take it analog and read a print magazine. Revelry Collection / Volume 002, our coffee table magazine, is out now and shipping, but it won’t be for long. Get your copy here while supplies last. Cheers!

Hello everyone! Bentley here.

Yesterday, I spent a day on the mountain skiing. I almost lost my camera and my boots were crushing my feet. The mountain was icy and the forecast was fogged in. But then on the last run of the day, the glorious sun came out.

Once I got back home, I unloaded my skis and found my way inside. I didn’t want to write something, I was tired and I had a million things on my to-do list. But I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind that AI and technology as a whole can’t make moments like these. It can’t experience the joy and hardships of the human experience. It can’t replicate the wind hitting your face, the fresh powder under your skis, or the sun cresting over the ridge line.

No digital experience will give you the satisfaction of experiencing something with your own real eyes.

Let’s really think about how much time we spend on our phones. Let’s be real. 2 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours?

A new estimate forecasts that we will spend over 20 years of our life on a screen. Think about that. If someone sold a product that could extend your life by twenty years, there would be a line out the door for this magical product. But the best part about it is, it’s completely free. It doesn’t take some new fancy gadget. All it takes is just turning your screen off and walking out your front door. It’s as simple as that.

In a world filled with fake images, AI written papers, and a digital pass for everything. Let’s take it analog. Talk to your store clerk, support local businesses, play a board game, make art, and cook a meal with friends. AI can’t and never will replace real human connection. Let’s keep it that way.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

P.S - Take it analog and read a print magazine. Revelry Collection / Volume 002, our coffee table magazine, is out now and shipping, but it won’t be for long. Get your copy here while supplies last. Cheers!

Hello Everyone! Bentley here, I am the founder of the Revelry Collection magazine and I wanted to let you know that Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection print-magazine is out now and shipping same day. You can pick up a copy here. Your support means the world. Now on to the Sunday Letter.

As I write this, I am sitting by a campfire on the banks of the Kenai River. I have been in Alaska for the past few weeks and being here has made me think a lot about life: about what should be in it, and more importantly, what shouldn’t.

Today, with electronics and other distractions so readily accessible, getting time away when you can truly be bored is a luxury. Before the days of instant notifications, AirPods, and AI, being bored or having the time to sit down and think wasn’t a luxury — it was interwoven into life. After work, you were off work — it didn’t follow you home as it does now. Once school was done, you would play outside with friends — not text on a screen.

Our communities have become fragmented. We think we are so connected digitally, but we are not connected at all. We have become so accustomed to likes, follows, and subscribes being our sole community that we have forgotten what it feels like to be in a real community. A community not built upon the internet, but upon real connection. You can only truly experience the world when you allow boredom to exist — only then can you begin to explore and learn more about yourself and others.

This past summer I had the chance to do just that while fishing in Alaska’s Resurrection Bay. It was a chilly Friday morning in Seward: the sun was rising over the valley, casting a bright glow on the mountaintops. My Uncle Johnathan and my Aunt Alanna met my family and I at a boat launch to begin our adventure, and then we set off to the sea.

Five minutes from shore, our cell service dropped out. Right as we started to exit the protected bay, giant hanging glaciers revealed themselves on the surrounding mountains. It was a sight to behold.

Throughout the day, we explored hidden coves, caught a small chunk of a glacier, and fished for King Salmon in the mighty Alaskan wilderness. It really put into perspective how important these real-world experiences are. When I started this magazine, that was my whole goal: to get people off their phones and into the outdoors. Because by being in the outdoors, you grow. Outdoor adventure allows you to do hard things that scare you in an environment you can’t control, where you cannot depend on the modern world. Instead, you must rely on the people around you.

This magazine is an ode to the real — to the beautifully analog. At the end of the day, Revelry Collection is not just a book full of pretty pictures: this is a magazine full of stories that reveal the intersection between the outdoors and humanity.

This publication is for the people that value that intersection — it’s for the people who value campfires, long summer days, road trips, powder days, quiet moments, coffee breaks, and forest walks. The people who want to live intentionally.

It’s now nearly midnight in Alaska, the embers of the campfire are fading fast, and the never-ending Alaskan day is coming to an end. All that’s left to say is thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here. If you want to further support independent media you can pick up a copy of Revelry Collection / Volume 002 here.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

- Volume 002 Is Shipping -

Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection PRINT-magazine features 140 pages of authentic storytelling. No AI, no click baits, and no gear reviews. Just real human adventures from the farthest corners of the world.

Order Volume 002

After many months of work, I am proud to say that the second installment of our print magazine, Revelry Collection / Volume 002, is now available and shipping to our readers.

Order Volume 002

If you have been looking for something to inspire you during the cold winter months, this is it. Volume 002 is filled with stories that will ignite your own adventures, including surfing in the cold waters of Nova Scotia, backpacking in the alpine wonderland of Washington State, ice fishing during a -40F day in Colorado, powder skiing in British Columbia, and so much more.

We created this magazine purely with you in mind. These stories are real, raw, and tangible. All connected by a common thread, being that they are timeless. These stories weren’t written to just be relevant now, they will be just as captivating when you open up the magazine in 10 years.

A lot of people don’t quite know what I mean when I say I started a magazine. I see the gears in their mind picturing a flimsy ad-filled magazine sold at an airport newsstand. Revelry Collection is something entirely different. This is why we are different:

Large format coffee table magazine:

At 9.5 x 13 inches our magazine is a statement on your coffee table. With the new large size you will see every detail in the mountain and every snowflake on that deep powder turn.

140 pages, with 4 brand partners:

Most magazines claim to be 140 pages when really they are over half advertisements. In Revelry Collection we did away with the traditional form of advertisements and instead chose to partner with four high quality brands to design beautiful spreads from companies you love.

25,000+ words:

In this issue, we beefed up our editorial and we have now have 40% more writing. Our goal is to provide you with the best long-form outdoor writing and Volume 002 presses into that narrative even more.

Exclusively shot using film photography:

This magazine is built upon sharing the real and raw human experience. That is why we choose for every single image to be shot on film. Because through shooting film you get a more honest look at the world that’s hard to find in digital photography.

Lastly and most important, its made by REAL HUMANS:

The rise of artificial intelligence in the past year has made us realize the need for real human storytelling even more. That’s why we have done everything we can to make sure these stories are from humans. Every word, photograph, illustration, and even copy-edit. Are there cheaper ways to do things? Yes. Are they are easier ways to do something? For sure. But that was never my goal. My goal is to provide you with the finest outdoor storytelling experience we can. Simple as that.

I share this with you today because I deeply want you to experience these stories in print form, how they were always meant to be experienced. In a world filled with swiping and liking, I wanted to create a magazine that’s not just another pretty picture, but instead create a magazine full of stories that make you feel something real. Ian Lineberry, one of our contributors from Volume 002, summed up our mission best. He said, “I want people to feel like they’ve had cold water dumped over their heads and they are “ALIVE!” when they read what I write.”

With those final worlds, you can pick up your copy of the magazine here. Your support means the world. Until next time.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

- Volume 002 is Shipping -

Volume 002 of our PRINT-magazine features 140 pages of authentic storytelling. No AI, no click baits, and no gear reviews. Just real human adventures from the farthest corners of the world.

Order Volume 002

Welcome to the Revelry Collection Newsletter. Today, I wanted to share a story about the in-between seasons. Most people would refer to these seasons as spring and fall. Now it does matter if you ski, golf, hike, bike, sled, or ice-skate. If you engage in an outdoor sport, the seasons seem to take on a new meaning.

Now I am a skier. I love to ski, and when I mean I love it, I am not joking. It is one of my favorite things, behind my faith, family, and friends. But the thing about this sport is it only happens for 4-5 months a year (Can be up to 8 if you live in Colorado). So you have these in-between seasons by default.

Coming out of ski season, going into summer I would feel these post ski season blues, until I found hiking. That became my “skiing”, it had adventure, hard work, and was great to do with friends. Alright we got summer covered. Spring is always a busy season for me and usually by May I have had my fair share of days on the mountain.

That brings me to fall, now here is my conundrum. There is too much snow to hike and not enough to ski. The rain is coming, in the past school was starting again, and it has been over six months since I skied. It makes me go a little stir-crazy.

I know this is a weird time to write this, you must be thinking, at the time of writing this almost every ski resort across the western US-of-A is opening in the next week. Thats very true. So you would think that would calm me down, it doesn’t, it just get me more excited. Maybe for you it is the alpine biking trails finally thawing or the snow finally getting deep enough to snow-machine. Whatever it may be, just know you’re not alone.

These in between seasons have there unique challenges for all of us. I try to embrace it, but the more I try to embrace it, the more I yearn for the thing I am trying to distract myself from. So what do I do? I watch more ski movies, read more books about skiing, check my weather app a hundred times. Probably the stuff you shouldn’t do to keep your mind off of skiing. But hey what am I supposed to do?

I have learned to not let it overtake my life though, to allow myself breaks from the constant thoughts of skiing and snow. I have learned to embrace the seasons a bit more, you know throw some leaves in the air, light a candle in the house, maybe bake some pumpkin bread. I also realize that skiing does not bring fulfillment. It can bring some joy and some good endorphins. It can bond friendships together or tear them apart. I think I realized that I was relying too much on skiing for my own fulfillment and my own identity. It was an unhealthy relationship. The same as an unhealthy friendship, you can’t rely on a single person or thing to bring you joy.

So as I head into this ski season, I take with me the memories of powder days in the past and ones to come. But I also take with me the lessons I have learned. That skiing doesn’t define me, it should add to my life, it shouldn’t take way. But you know there could be worse things to be obsessed about. We are all just learning, it’s that small constant progression that counts.

Maybe I should keep a journal like this throughout the ski season, you know, showing the highs and lows of this sport so many call their own. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. We will see. After all, life is just one big adventure.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

Hello everyone! I am so excited to announce that the second issue of our print-magazine, Revelry Collection / Volume 002, is now available for pre-order!

Our contributors, the RC team, and I have been working on this issue for months, and we believe it’s going to knock your socks off. We have stories about cold water surfing, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, fly fishing, hunting, and well, we don’t want to give everything away.

To be as transparent as possible, this is indeed a pre-order. Volume 002 will arrive on your doorstep in January. It will be the perfect dose of inspiration to start the new year.

Revelry Collection also makes a great Christmas gift for those “hard to buy for” outdoor lovers. In response to that, we will be emailing you a Christmas themed printable PDF of your order confirmation. Then you can share with them the exciting news that their magazine is coming soon. Plus it will be displayed in a stylish and fun way without having to spend more time on a screen.

This magazine is built upon our readers, and I need YOUR help to spread the word. Pick up a copy or subscribe to the magazine, and make sure to tell your friends, because this is your magazine. Let’s bring more people in on the adventure!

I’ll be sharing more about the magazine in the coming weeks, including the editor’s letter and a couple of big surprises we’ve been working on.

PRINT IS BACK AND HERE TO STAY! Help us prove it.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

You can also subscribe to the magazine for $60 a year which secures your copy of Revelry Collection / Volume 002 & 003, the Winter 2025 & Summer 2026 issues. Subscribers get 15% off the single issue price plus you 100% guarantee your copy of current and future magazine issues. Volume 002 ships in January.

Print-Only (Our magazines do not appear on newsstands or digitally)

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Welcome to today’s edition of the Revelry Collection newsletter!

I’m thrilled to share something very special with you: the official cover of Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection Magazine, launching December 4th.

This cover image was captured in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington State. It’s part of a larger story in Volume 002 that follows the experience of going into the alpine backcountry for the very first time. The inspiration behind this cover ties directly into the theme of the issue: “The Spirit of The Wild West.”

With this volume, our mission was to reimagine the Wild West that is beyond the deserts, beyond the cowboys (though yes, there’s plenty of that too). The Wild West is about so much more than that, it is about finding those special places where the world becomes bigger and you feel smaller. Those indescribable moments of grandeur. I think this cover nails that goal and perfectly sets up all the stories inside.

After months of refining the stories in this issue, it brings me so much joy to put them where they belong, in the hands of our readers.

If you loved Volume 001, hold on to your cowboy hats because Volume 002 is going to blow you away. I’ll see you next Thursday when pre-orders officially open on December 4th.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

Hello Everyone! It’s been a long time coming, but today I am excited to announce…

Revelry Collection Magazine / Volume 002 will available for pre-order in two weeks on December 4th!

Volume 002 of the magazine has stories that will get you inspired and invigorated. Stories such as surfing in Nova Scotia, the rodeo in Montana, skiing in British Columbia, ice-fishing in Colorado, and so much more.

Revelry Collection is 140 pages of authentic storytelling. No AI, no click baits, no gear review, just PURE human STORYTELLING.

When I started Revelry Collection, I didn’t create it to add to the doomscrolling of the internet in paper form. I created it to be an escape and an oasis from the constant stream of content being pushed on us daily.

Real stories from real human adventures.

Revelry Collection exists to share stories that are thought provoking, the stories that have soul and grit in them. Volume 002 is just pressing into this narrative even more.

We have more exciting announcements leading up to the release of Revelry Collection / Volume 002, including an exclusive first look at the magazine cover coming out next week!

Stay tuned and get ready for when pre-order’s OPEN on December 4th, 2025!

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

Hello Everyone! Winter is almost here, but before the snowflakes fly, I wanted to share some photos from a 48-hour home town trip to Sun Valley, Idaho.

Think cozy fires, burnt auburn leaves, and Sawtooth Mountain view’s that rival any national park. Enjoy the photos and try to make the most of this special season.

Next week I will be back with exciting news about Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection Magazine.

Hello Everyone! Welcome to the Revelry Collection newsletter. Winter is coming, after a warm fall the tides are shifting and first big snow storm is coming our way this weekend. To stoke the fire of your winter adventure dreams, today I am excited to share with you a story about a ski expedition through the Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho.

We also got a bunch of powerful stories in the works for Volume 002 of the Revelry Collection Print-Magazine that you won’t want to miss. Subscribing to the magazine is the only way to secure your copy of the fall 2025 issue. Your support means the world and is ultimately what keeps this project alive. Now on to the story, I will see out in the wild.

Backcountry Journey

From the Archive: Written & Photographed in February 2023. Published in October 2025.

The morning is upon me as I open up the blinds, only to be shown a wonderful display of white powder outside my window. The excitement builds, as I know what my only plan is that day, skiing.

I rush to my favorite side-country spot. As we are driving all I can think about are the fresh tracks that await us. I finally make it to the destination, the edge of the Sawtooth mountains. A place known for their jagged and unrelenting peaks. With limited access and the crowds far away, making it the perfect location.

I unload my skis, with the soft mid-winter sun shining on my face. Marveling at the stillness in the air, I clip into my bindings and then my first tracks up the mountain. But before I go on I take a deep breath in, capturing everything before I embark on my journey. Then I am off.

The deep snow proves to be challenging to traverse as I make my way up the mountain. With my heart and mind set on fresh untouched powder I continue on. Every time I think I made it to the top I find another false peak calling my name.

Until at last I see the horizon of the valley below me. I have made it after what felt like hours of climbing up this snow drenched hill. The reward is ever so worth it. With fresh powder as far as the eye can see and a panoramic view of the Sawtooth’s all around me.

I take it all in as I sit at the top, realizing that it’s not the big and shiny moments that bring contentment and happiness but the small moments just like this one. Sitting around with friends on top of the world. Where time passes but you simply choose not to care. These are the moments I seek to find.

Drenched in sweat but happy as can be, I make my way down the untouched powder. Going slow with nowhere to be. Until we meet again, my old friend.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

P.S. You can keep the adventure going and secure your print-copy of Volume 002 by subscribing here. Alright thats all. Cheers.

Hey Everyone! For those of us who haven’t met, my name is Bentley. I am the editor of the Revelry Collection Magazine. Up above is a photo of me hiking in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. I share with you this photo to show you that there are REAL people behind the magazine. This is not a giant corporation who doesn’t care about anything but profit. This is real people who love adventure doing it for their devotion to quality storytelling. It is our contributors and the small but mighty Revelry Collection team that make this magazine happen.

That is why it makes it so much sweeter to today announce that Volume 001 of the magazine is officially SOLD OUT! I couldn’t have done this without all of your support.

After working on this magazine for so long to see people enjoying it makes it all worth it. Running a small independent magazine as a college student is not the easiest thing in the world, so every order truly does matter. Being small allows us to offer you the best storytelling we can with this most minimal amount of advertising.

I created this magazine for people who love the outdoors and want to include them more into their daily life. This magazine wasn’t built to make a giant profit or reach fame. It was created because I believe these stories should exist outside the digital realm and in the hands of you guys, our readers. There is something so special about holding a magazine, the feel of the paper, the smell of pages, and the way it brings people together.

Thats why I believe that Revelry Collection is not just a magazine. It is a community of people who believe that the world as it is today is not the way it always needs to be. It is a community of people who believe cell phones are a tool not our life, that conversations are best held around a table not on text, and people who believe in the power of storytelling to move people. If you have been looking for that place, then I think Revelry Collection is for you.

Here’s the deal. I know you guys are too smart for a slick sales pitch. Thats why I don’t go about doing that. I want to be honest with you guys. Thats my goal. Clear concise communication. Because at the core of everything if we don’t have trust, what do we have.

So today I want to ask you to partner with us in creating a more adventurous world one magazine at a time. You can do that by subscribing to the Revelry Collection Magazine. That is the only way to guarantee your copy of Volume 002 and all future issues. See you out in the “Wild West”!

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)