Man Uses inReach for Marriage Proposal in the Mountains

In the summer of 2021, Tanner Buuck reached out with an inReach® story that was a little out of the ordinary. Tanner, an avid outdoorsman, is an inReach subscriber who initially bought the device¹ as a means of communication and peace of mind while in the backcountry. One way he used his inReach satellite communicator stands out as a little more exciting than all the rest, however. Tanner shared his story with Garmin.

I met my now-fiancé while working near Stanley, Idaho, at a summer camp when we were in high school. We worked together for a few summers in the beautiful Idaho Sawtooth Range before we started dating once we got to college. The Sawtooths have held a very special place in our hearts — many memories with friends and family. This was also, of course, the place where we had our first kiss under the stars at Perkins Lake and the place where we started our relationship. 

Now that we both live in Salt Lake City, going to the Sawtooth Range has been an important trip for us each summer. Reliving the memories that we had there and going back to the place where it all started for us brings us so much joy. 

Since this beautiful place has so much meaning to us, I knew it would be the perfect place to ask the girl I love to marry me. We decided to take a two-day trip up Hell Roaring Creek to Imogene Lake. I had been to this lake before, and I knew it would be a perfect place for us to backpack into. We had a long but fun day of hiking, enjoying the views and quietness of the backcountry. We got to the lake to set up camp, enjoyed time together, swam in the lake and made burritos for dinner. 

As the evening went on, I set up a spot to pop the question with a blanket, lights and canned wine. We went up to the place I found, which had an elevated view of the lake, and I popped the question …

She said yes!

Fortunately, I had already planned ahead and created preset messages to send to our family using my inReach device so they could know and celebrate even when we were out of cell service.

Most recently, Tanner told Garmin that he now uses his inReach device every time he goes on an adventure in the backcountry or when he travels and is outside of cellphone service. Tanner and his fiancé will be getting married in June 2022 and plan on multiple backpacking trips in the Sawtooth Wilderness and Uinta Mountains in Utah. With the inReach, of course!

¹Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.