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On October 6, I'll board a plane bound for Ecuador.
The plan is to arrive in Quito, perched high in the Andes at roughly 9,000 feet above sea level, and spend a few days acclimatizing before heading into the mountains. Wyatt will join me on the evening of October 9 after flying in from the University of Utah.
This trip is special for a lot of reasons.
It will be our first international adventure together.
It will be our first international climbing trip together.
And perhaps most importantly, it will be a chance to share an experience not only as father and son, but also as friends.
(Wyatt, Molly and Jud Rock Climbing at Donation Rocks, 2019)
A Shared Love of Adventure
Adventure has been a significant part of my life for a long time.
Over the years I've worked as an Outward Bound instructor, guided climbs on Mount Shasta with Shasta Mountain Guides, led expeditions in Nepal with Canadian Himalayan Expeditions, and spent countless days helping young people discover what they are capable of through challenge and adventure.
One of the greatest privileges of those experiences has been watching people grow when they step into unfamiliar situations.
Growth rarely happens when everything goes according to plan.
It happens when we're challenged.
When we're uncertain.
When we're required to adapt.
And now, many years later, I have the opportunity to share a new adventure with Wyatt.
(White Water Rafting, Lower Youghiogheny River, Summer 2018)
From Camper to Climbing Partner
Many of you know Wyatt from his years at Stone Mountain Adventures.
He was a camper here.
He later joined our staff team.
And today he's a junior at the University of Utah, where his love of adventure continues to grow.
Recently, Wyatt completed both a mountaineering course and a canyoneering course through the university. He's also become an avid rock climber and spends much of his free time exploring the mountains and deserts of the American West.
Watching him develop his own outdoor passions has been incredibly rewarding.
And now, for the first time, we'll be taking on an international mountain objective together.
(Father Son Backpacking Trip, September 2017)
The Value of Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Whenever I talk with parents about camp, I often explain that one of the most valuable things teenagers can do is spend time outside their comfort zone.
Not outside their safety zone.
Outside their comfort zone.
There's a big difference.
For many campers, arriving at SMA is their first experience spending time away from home. They're leaving behind familiar routines, familiar friends, and familiar surroundings.
That's not always easy.
But it's often where the magic begins.
The same is true for adults.
Even after decades of climbing, guiding, teaching, and leading expeditions, traveling to a new country and climbing unfamiliar mountains still brings a little uncertainty.
And that's a good thing.
Uncertainty keeps us learning.
It keeps us humble.
It reminds us that there is always more to discover.
(Wyatt and Jud Skiing in Utah, January, 2026)
What I Hope We Learn
As we prepare for this adventure, I'm not focused on summits or accomplishments.
Those things are nice, but they're not really the point.
What I hope Wyatt and I gain from this experience is much simpler.
I hope we learn something new.
I hope we face challenges together.
I hope we laugh at mistakes we'll inevitably make.
I hope we experience the kind of conversations that only seem to happen when you're miles from home, carrying a pack, sharing a trail, and working toward a common goal.
Most of all, I hope we come home with stories.
Because in my experience, the best adventures aren't measured by how high you climb.
They're measured by the experiences you share and the memories you create along the way.
(Wyatt as a camper in 2018)
Why This Matters
One of the things I've always loved about Stone Mountain Adventures is that camp gives young people a chance to practice adventure.
It gives them opportunities to try new things, take healthy risks, solve problems, build relationships, and discover strengths they didn't know they possessed.
Years later, those same skills show up in all kinds of places.
In college.
In careers.
In friendships.
In travel.
And sometimes, on a mountain in Ecuador.
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll share a few updates from our journey. I suspect there will be successes, surprises, challenges, and probably a few stories that are much funnier in hindsight than they are in the moment.
For now, we're packing gear, checking lists, and getting excited for what's ahead.
Adventure awaits.
And that's exactly how it should be.
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