Season of Completion: Leadership, Transition, & Renewal
Dropping off my two riders after my 24th CHS hike on September 30th, I felt something I haven't felt before. Not because I’d led four 17-mile graduation hikes in a…
The Four P’s of Everest: Persistence Knows No Age
For nine months I had the honor and privilege of training Houston climber Susan Agar, who in 2025 became the oldest American and British woman to stand on top of…
Trusting Desire, Embracing Obstacles on a Memorable Hike
On paper, my longest hike of the season looked perfect: 18 miles, 5,000 feet of elevation gain, and a creative route I had cobbled together for my Mountaineers CHS-2 graduation…
Cascade Pass Backpack: Beyond Our Expectations
When we planned our 2-day family backpack to Cascade Pass, I pictured the classic North Cascades adventure: high camp at Sahale Arm below the glacier we climbed over two decades…
Pivot Toward Wonder: How to Embrace What Unfolds
Sometimes life hands us the exact experience we imagined; other times it surprises us with something entirely different. In the past week, I’ve been reminded that while disappointment often arrives…
Adjusting Expectations on the Trail and in Life
Hiking teaches me lessons I didn’t ask for but often need. Chief among them: expectations rarely match reality. Sometimes they’re delightfully surpassed. I map out distances, estimate pace, and anticipate…
How Guiding Intentions Can Transform Your Adventures
When most people prepare for a multi-day adventure—whether it’s a trek to Everest Base Camp, Bhutan’s Snowman Trek, or the Tour du Mont Blanc—their focus tends to be on the…
Trail-tested Confidence: Lessons for Work and Life
The hour before a new client session, I get the same knot in my stomach that I sometimes get as I pull into the parking lot of a tough trailhead.…
What Is Enough: Three Lessons from the Trail
I have led more Mountaineers hikes than I ever imagined possible—23 of the 43 hikes hikes I've done so far in 2025. And we're only in July. Yet I find…
How to Stay Hydrated for Summer Hikes
This season, I’ve been reminded how crucial it is to stay hydrated during hot-weather hikes. One CHS student (Conditioning for Hiking Series) recently visited the ER after a long, exposed…