Golden Hour Community

Golden Hour Community A space for sharing reflections and resources for mental health and environmentalism while living on the road.

30/05/2026

I would also like to address some of the misinformation that is spreading around, and address some things I would not be surprised to expect from visitors over the coming days/weeks.

- She had 2 cubs, not 3. The videos that seem to be going around in some posts are of a different bear from an entirely different park.

- The staff who work in this park on a daily basis (including myself) do everything we can to minimize and avoid interactions with the bears. But at the end of the day, there’s only so much we can do when it comes to people who blatantly refuse to follow the rules that we communicate to all campers, every day, that would ultimately keep our wildlife safe.

- She was not named Scratch because she “scratched at things.” Please don’t believe everything you’re seeing put out on the news.

- She was not an aggressive bear. Which is probably the most heartbreaking part of it all.

If you have plans to visit our park, please be kind to our staff on site. This is not something any of us wanted, and everyone is heartbroken by this news. Any anger directed at the staff who run this park on a day-to-day basis is misguided.

If you are as hurt and devastated by this news as we are, please make your voices heard, reach out to and the Conservation Officer Service and demand better policies, regulations, and resources for our parks to ensure this never happens again.

We are a part of nature, but we are also guests in these beings homes. Treat them with respect, or don’t come at all.

And for those who do hunt and have game meat to spare, please consider donating to to help feed the wildlife like our orphaned cubs.

26/05/2026

I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds last week and it started with this quote: “Tomorrow, you promise yourself will be different. Yet, tomorrow is too often a repetition of today.” -James T McKay.

And it got me thinking a lot about how I’ve been navigating these past few months. When dealing with depression, it’s easier said than done to just “do the things that will make you feel better.”

Most often you hear the typical:

- Eat healthy foods
- Move your body
- Visit with friends/family
- Engage in hobbies

And while this is true - sometimes there needs to be a few stepping stones in between before you can even do those. Sometimes the biggest win of the day will have been brushing your teeth, or showering, or finally washing your bed sheets.

The best thing you can do for yourself when in those low states is picking what feels manageable, and building on that as things get easier.

Trying to “fix yourself all at once” never works, because it’s not sustainable, and is more often than not just really overwhelming. It’s not setting you up for success.

In saying all that, it’s also important to recognize when things are objectively not okay, when you need to allow yourself the time to be slow, and when it’s your mind playing mean games with you. Sometimes there does need to be that push to take the next step.

That next step doesn’t need to be as big as going to the gym or for a hike, but it could be as simple as walking outside of your house for a moment of fresh air.

What matters isn’t how big the action was, but simply that you chose to take a step forward.

Take care of yourself 🌻
Hunter

14/05/2026

Definitely not a post for the algorithm, but for those who are in the trenches and feel overwhelmed by everything, and alone in their struggles.

For months I was barely eating, never leaving my bed unless it was to go to the bathroom or grab a snack, barely showering or brushing my teeth, not really talking with anyone, and unable to do anything without crying or at least feeling like I was going to. Adding financial instability, s**t weather, no car, and not ideal living environment… I felt trapped in so many ways.

This isn’t a first for me to be in such a deep pit, but because of that, it also means it’s not the first time I’ve had to pull myself out. This time around I leaned on old practices, and introduced some new ones. Embodying the phrase “make it easy before you make it hard” and reminding myself that “rest is productive and necessary.”

🌻 Summary of tips🌻

🍲 Ate at least one thing every day. Even if it was just a smoothie or microwave meal or granola bars

🚐 Got my groceries delivered

🌲Went for short walks when I could

🛌 Allowed myself to stay in bed without shame (not easy. There was a lot of shame. But did my best to change how I spoke to myself about it)

☎️ Honest about how I was feeling and what my capacity was when people reached out to me

These are not long term solutions, but they’ve helped me reach a baseline that feels manageable and more myself again, and ultimately brought me out of the worst of it.

Remember to take care of yourself.
Hunter 💛

07/05/2026

It really is that easy!

07/05/2026

It’s BBQ season! Which means it’s also fire ban and bear season!! 🔥🐻 Which means it’s time to remind people to be responsible in the outdoors!!!

I’ve been at this job barely a month, and I’ve already been on shift for two literal dumpster fires (stop putting your hot BBQ coals in the dumpster bins!!! 🚮🔥PLEASE), and if you came with a car and/or there’s no room in any of our bins… Bring your own trash home!!!

My coworkers have been listening to my crash out over this the past week, so I think it’s only fair you hear it too.

One of my biggest struggles about wanting to pursue brand/business photography is that I’m very picky about who I want t...
05/03/2026

One of my biggest struggles about wanting to pursue brand/business photography is that I’m very picky about who I want to work with.

I’m not a big shopper, I spend far too much time deciding on things to buy (even things I know I need and know I’m going to end up buying at some point anyways), and looking into what businesses to support based on their ethics+business model+location relative to me+sustainability practices+etc.

Which makes it really limiting because most brands I do support are pretty well established, well known, already have a pool of creatives they’re connected with, etc.

But somehow, over the years, I’ve found myself in the right places at the right time to bring some of the most unexpected connections and dream-come-true opportunities. being one of them. From admiring them for years online, to getting to model for them for a few last minute shoots run by Daygin, to getting sponsored by them for the insane adventure across New Zealand - it’s truly just one of the many dream stepping stones I’ve been blessed with this past year. (Next steppingstone goals are to run a shoot for them, assist in running their blogs, and help coordinate their community events 😏 excuse the shameless public manifesting…)

🏕️ Zorali isn’t just an outdoor clothing brand that makes exceptional gear - they’re a brand rooted in creating community that gets people outdoors. They’re a brand I highly recommend others aim to model in their own business practices, and recommend others invest in when you’re in need of upgrading some of your gear!

Stay passionate and curious,
Hunter 💛

Ps. This post is not sponsored. I’m genuinely just a big fan after wearing Zorali almost exclusively for the past year 🙈

I remember in 2016 grade 12, sitting in media class and our teacher, Mr. Miner, saying “enjoy the process of this projec...
04/03/2026

I remember in 2016 grade 12, sitting in media class and our teacher, Mr. Miner, saying “enjoy the process of this project. For the majority of you, this will be the last time you ever create anything again.”

This was when social media was still fairly young (in the ways we know it to exist today). Most people didn’t create for fun anymore like we did as kids. This quote plays in my brain at least a few times a year, and it’s something I’m always proud to say never became my reality.

But lately, I’ve been questioning everything I want to create. Caring too much about meaningless metrics and whether something would be “good enough,” and then deciding it won’t, be without even giving it a try.

I’ve lacked the energy to capture anything new, but I’ve also avoided reusing old content because it somehow feels like I’m being misleading about what I’m doing now, that I’m not creative or original enough or am too lazy to create new stuff. And for some weird reason it feels like I’m somehow lying about my life if I’m not sharing every little detail whenever I create or share in a “timely manner.” (please tell me I’m not the only one who thinks this way).

But those are thought patterns I’m wanting to break, so that it doesn’t stifle my desire to create, but instead opens the doors all the way this time.

I wish I was exaggerating when I say I’m sitting on years worth of creations that my brain has refused to allow me to develop.

So in the spirit of life not playing out at all how I expected it to, let’s honour the creations that have been left on checklists and hard drives and in drafts for the past 6 years, and make 2026 the year I stop listening to the useless, negative critic.

Stay passionate and curious,
Hunter 💛

Photos by: .studio_ and myself for .co

Years ago, I started this little pocket size journal that I dedicated to only the big dreams I had for myself. The fun, ...
17/02/2026

Years ago, I started this little pocket size journal that I dedicated to only the big dreams I had for myself. The fun, the exciting, the “seemingly impossible” and unrealistic. All the ideas I ever hoped for myself belonged in this little journal that I labelled “all the good.” It was a journal just for the good things. I eventually got this tattooed on my wrist as a little reminder for during the times when things don’t feel very good.

I unfortunately don’t have this journal with me, so the other day, as a way of pulling myself out of one of the dark holes I’m currently navigating, I started a notes file on my phone, listing off all the amazing things that have happened/come into my life, the people who’ve come into my life, and all the wonderful places I’ve been. This process started to unravel an endless connection between my experiences, and the many “butterfly effects” I’ve been fortunate to witness.

Between that exercise, and finally editing a photo again out of excitement and not obligation… I was inspired to create this little project. A carousel of some of the places that have impacted me in positive ways over the past 6 years, and what they brought me in those moments.

I haven’t been creating for a while. As much as I want to, I’ve found it difficult to find the find the energy for it. But as I slowly dig myself back out of this hole I’m currently in, I’m finding that exercises like this are what’s bringing me back to myself more and more each day.

Take care of yourself x

Stay passionate and curious,
Hunter 💛

I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am to finally be able to share photos from the Marine Debris campaign in N...
31/01/2026

I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am to finally be able to share photos from the Marine Debris campaign in Numbulwar last September.

I wanted to kick it off by sharing photos of some of the incredible rangers we worked alongside and were guided by over the course of the 2 weeks.

It’s work like this I can’t wait to get back to and hope to continue doing for many years to come! 🦈💙

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