Some hikes test your legs. Others test your lungs. But the rare ones, like the climb of Torreys Peak with my daughter, test your heart. We started late and unhurried. Trusting the forecast that promised clear skies through midday, we […]
When you learn how to navigate in the wild, you learn more than just how to read a map. You are taught that a map and compass are more than just tools; they’re a kind of truth. You learn that […]
In 2023 while hiking Mt. Elbert with my daughter, I learned about the cruel nature of false summits. From the trail head, we could see what looked like the peak glinting in the sun. Every muscle in our legs burned […]
Heat, Humility, and the Ascent The trail wasn’t long, just 3.6 miles on paper but under a heavy sun and 90% humidity, it might as well have been 200 miles. I was guiding a group of kids, teaching them to […]
At the edge of Harpers Ferry, where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers entwine, I once stood with admiration and something stirring in my chest. The sun shimmered off the water like a whispered promise. Two distinct rivers, each with their […]
Some things can’t be rushed: Healing. Forgiveness. Faith. And certainly not spiritual growth. We live in a world of microwaved moments: flashy events, fast answers, viral inspiration. Growth doesn’t happen at the speed of a scroll or in the flicker […]
Some Storms You Don’t See Coming We had barely made it through the gates of Busch Gardens when the skies turned. The kids and I had planned for a day packed with thrill rides, laughter, and all the sugary snacks. […]
Somewhere Between the Plans When navigating presence, promises, and parenting, there’s a quiet moment that comes after disappointment. It hangs in the air like fog on a ridge line; thin, but heavy enough to obscure the way forward. That’s where […]
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” — Sir Edmund Hillary Somewhere above the tree line, where the air thins and the weather turns with little warning, I learned that the most important gear you carry isn’t on […]
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that strength meant shutting down.Don’t cry. Don’t flinch. Don’t feel too much. Just get through it.In a world that glorifies toughness, vulnerability looks like weakness. But here’s the truth I’ve come to […]
Page 4 of 6
About Me
![](https://joshschlotterbeck.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hi_res_logo_black.png")