My name is Garrett Koepke. I grew up in Missoula, MT, a place full of character and surrounded by mountains and rivers. Growing up there with four siblings and two camping-happy parents taught me a love for the outdoors that has only grown since childhood.
I decided to pursue a career in the outdoor industry in 2010, eventually graduating from the University of Montana, Missoula, in 2014 with a double Bachelors of Science in Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management, and Resource Conservation, as well as a minor in Non-profit Administration. During my college years I was able to get experience from a number of outdoor jobs all over the northwest with organizations such as the Montana Wilderness Association, the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center, Helena City Parks and Rec., Oregon State Parks, and YMCA camps.
Since graduating I have been fortunate enough to live and travel all over, from England to Massachusetts to New Zealand. I am currently on full-time staff with Youth Dynamics, an outdoor minstry based in the Pacific Northwest. I am fundraising as my first project and will soon be moving to the adventure base in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, to join the team there as the Staffing Manager. Send me an email to find out more about Youth Dynamics and how you can partner with us!
My passions in life are Jesus, people and the outdoors. The intersection of these is where I want to devote my time and energy. Ultimately, my faith keeps me grounded and gives me inspiration. I believe Jesus is the source of our passions and dreams and He doesn’t want us to sit idly by and just think about them; He calls and empowers us to chase after those dreams alongside Him, leaving our comfort zone behind to enter into a whole world of adventure.
The purpose of this site is to invite and facilitate travel and adventure experiences, sharing lessons learned along the way. I like to plan things but I also believe that unexpected experiences are often the best. I will be posting announcements on here about trips I am planning on doing as well as lessons I learn, reviews, and some tips based on my experience.
But this site is more than a blog. I want you to be a part of it all. This site is going to be the hub for making that happen, or at least the starting point. So keep in touch and if a trip interests you, partner with it (see the Join page)! Come with me, give me some advice (I love that stuff), or send those of us going on our way with a few extra dollars in our pockets. If you’re involved, I’m happy. So what are you waiting for? Be part of the adventure! Let’s join hands, and take Mark Twain’s advice:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
– Mark Twain