What started as posting pictures of hikes with his friends, family and pup, turned into a platform of showcasing everything Arizona has to offer.
Learn more about Anthony LG, the person behind @the_az_explorer on Instagram.
Can you share some background information about yourself? Are you originally from Arizona?
I went to high school in Kingman in the 90s and left Arizona, becoming a Black Hawk pilot in the Army. I had three back-to-back deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time we did year-long deployments and my last deployment ended up being 15 months. I got out of the Army and later on down the road got a job opportunity that brought me back to Arizona. This time in Yuma.
How would you describe your account? Where does your passion stem from behind the work that you do?
My account is mostly hiking and adventure travelling, but in my stories you’ll find a mix of everything from adventures to food and memes. My dogs are a large part of my account too. I often collaborate with pet care companies.
I started my account when Instagram was strictly a photo sharing site. I came back to Arizona in 2015 and wanted to share how much diversity it has. When most people think of Arizona they imagine the desert and the Grand Canyon. It has so much more to offer with countless rivers, waterfalls, lakes, caves, canyons and also the largest continuous strand of Ponderosa Pine forest in the world!
I think this is where my passion originates from – wanting to show how much more Arizona is than the stereotypical desert. My social media journey expanded from there. I never intended to do this as a part-time job where I’d actually get paid. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible brands like Stanley, Marriott, Merrell, Chacos and so many more. I’m very grateful that brands continue to reach out to me for collaborations.
What’s your favorite thing about connecting with others through your platform?
I’ve made so many friends through my account and pretty much all of my hiking friends were made through connections on Instagram. I used to be a casual hiker where I’d hike maybe once or twice a month, but now I'm out adventuring every weekend.
What do you hope your audience and followers get from your content?
This platform has opened the door to so many opportunities and I hope to inspire people to get out there and do what they love. It might not be hiking, it could be anything. But you never know; and you’ll never grow, unless you push yourself outside of your boundaries.
I went from being a casual hiker to climbing some of the tallest and hardest mountains in the world. I’ve done a self-supported climb to Denali which is considered to be more difficult than climbing Mount Everest. It's something I never thought I’d do. I’ve also climbed Cerro Aconcagua which is the tallest mountain outside of the Himalayas at 22,837 feet. I’ve explored some incredible places that most people will never get to see. All it takes is a little inspiration and I hope to do that for my followers.
What are your short and long term goals?
My goals are just to continue to do what I’m doing and eventually retire to where I can travel full-time.
What’s been the most rewarding part of what you do and sharing that with others?
I think the most rewarding thing about what I do is being able to see some incredible places that I never thought I’d ever see.
I’ve been cage diving with Great White sharks, I’ve climbed some incredible mountains, I’ve rappelled down into jungle caves with huge waterfalls flowing into them and traveled to places that look like they belong on another planet. There are just so many things, but experiencing all of these things cumulatively has been the most rewarding to me and being able to inspire others to do the same is what I hope to accomplish.
Is there any particular message about yourself or in general that you’d like to share with our readers?
One thing I preach a lot is that time is the most valuable commodity in the world. It’s irreplaceable and once it’s spent, it’s gone. So spend it wisely doing what you love and share it with the people you want to experience those things with.
If you’ve followed me since the beginning, you’d know that I’ve been to so many places, not only in the U.S. but around the world. Every weekend I’m out doing something – I feel like I’m wasting away if I’m sitting on the couch at home. I’ve known a handful of people in my life who have left this place at too early of an age and didn’t get to experience a full life. I feel like with all the things I’ve seen and done, I’ve lived a full life to the utmost and many lives over. I could honestly go out knowing that I haven’t wasted a single moment.
What’s a fun surprising fact about you that most people wouldn’t guess from your profile?
Something I really don’t post a lot about is my family. Most people would be surprised to know that I’m a grandpa of two at the ripe age of 44!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I just hope that I inspire just one person along the way and, most importantly, hope to inspire my grandkids to continue the legacy!
To stay up to date with Anthony LG and his latest travels, follow @the_az_explorer on Instagram.