Father & Son Wilderness Trip

This is the story of 8 fathers and 9 sons who embarked on an epic adventure of bonding, time in nature, and learning to survive in the wilderness.

Context

• Everest and I joined a group of fathers and sons for a wilderness trip in northern Idaho, led by Tim Corcoran of Twin Eagles.
• 8 fathers and 9 sons (mostly Front Row Dads).
• Four days and five nights together completely unplugged – no technology or communication with the outside world.

It was a rare opportunity to step away from the routines of home and work, and enter a different rhythm – one shaped by nature, community, and the sacred bond between fathers and sons.

It’s hard to describe what really took place at this event, but this is my best attempt –

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The Journey Begins

Leaving Denver was its usual chaos… last-minute work, packing stress, and the scramble out the door. Everest and I caught an Uber to Union Station, then the train to DIA. By the time we were on the plane, I finally felt myself begin to settle.

We landed in Spokane, Washington, which was my first time visiting. I found Spokane to be a very nice town with a mix of small city charm and college town buzz. We met up with my buddy Mike Green and his son Miles to grab the big travel van and then introduced our boys. At first they were quiet, but soon enough they found each other in that easy way kids do.

Our hotel next to the Ruby River was great. It sat along the water with walking paths and access to nature. We hit the pool for an hour with the Greens and then later joined another father/son – Ben and his son Benjamin – for some mini golf. Several hole-in-one’s were experienced!

We wrapped up the evening with a late Chipotle dinner then it was time to rest. Tomorrow the journey would truly begin.

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Day 1: Arriving at Camp

I started day 1 with an early morning walk through Gonzaga’s campus while Everest watched hotel cable cartoons (a rare pleasure). Then we met Mike and Miles for coffee and waffles, and shortly after met up with Kasim and his boys – Sammy and Ronin. They developed a unique playground game that the boys played (with Kasim) until it was time to hit the road. I had a beautiful moment watching them all play and engage.

Then it was time to get on the road. Our destination was 2 hours north of Spokane into northern Idaho, an area I had never ventured to. There was some great FRD convo between us dads while our sons listened quietly with occasional curiosities. We stopped for pizza pizza to meet up with Scott and his son Gabe.

Shortly after, we arrived at our camp – Twin Eagles’ Medicine Circle.

The land felt immediately sacred.

Imagine a spread out camp with tipis, yurts, material sheds, an outdoor kitchen and various walking bridges that connect the spaces. Oh… and serene forest with an organic outdoor amphitheater that was made for story-telling.

Yeah… this was a magical place.

We greeted the other dads – Geoff, Jon, and another father named Nick – who had also arrived separate from our van. Everyone was here.

After a quick welcome from Tim and the staff, we were instructed to grab our living quarters for the experience. Most of the guys grabbed a tipi or yurt with their son, but Everest and I decided to join Scott and his son Gabe, instead of going solo. It ended up being a great decision.

The Groves are kind, funny and very generous. Thank goodness for the extra sleeping pad they offered us… or it would have been a “rough” sleeping situation for the Jafarians! Scott is also one of my closer friends in FRD since we’ve both been in a small group (band) together for years. So I was excited to have our sons connect and have extra time together.

We got settled in and then met with the crew for the opening ceremony. Day 1 would go on to include:

• A game of “sprout tag” with our boys, which introduced trust, navigation and play!
• Finding our “sitting spot” in the forest – a special place just for us and our sons to have 1-1 time together.
• A delicious first dinner of Salmon and salad prepared by chef Jason.
• Men’s circle – which was time for us fathers to connect and open up while the boys played separately in their own space.
• Story time around the fire in the amphitheater.

It was a great first day.

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Day 2: Fire and Foraging

We woke on the first morning in Medicine Circle to the beat of a drum. A beat that was earthy, powerful and grounding. I remember thinking, “This is the greatest alarm clock, ever.”

We would gather for morning circle, share some gratitude, and then have a group breakfast. After breakfast we would break out into teams to tackle chores around the camp. This became the general morning rhythm, which I appreciated as a means of “cleaning up our mess.”

I think it’s important for men and boys to practice these general responsibilities, which moms can often easily assume. The Twin Eagles team also made it fun with some healthy competition (more on that in Day 3).

This day was all about learning skills:

• Starting fire with flint and steel – an ancient practice that is still more reliable than modern methods (i.e. matches or lighters).
• Knife handling and carving – which included safe practices and responsibility.
• Foraging for edible plants – and learning to identify them with more accuracy.
• Throwing sticks – a lost art that was essential for early hunters.

Everest and I worked side-by-side, scraping cedar, searching for kindling, finding mint leaves, throwing sticks and trying our hands at new ways of being in nature. It was exciting to learn new skills and do them with my son.

I also realized the value of simple but powerful skills. Skills that many of us, myself included, have forgotten or never learned. We’ve become so conditioned by technology and modern conveniences… that most humans are actually incapable of starting a fire, handling a knife [correctly] and foraging or earning real food in the wild.

I was naturally fulfilled by the activities. It was another great day.

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Day 3: Shelter and Camouflage

Another morning drum welcomed us. This was a special morning because after breakfast, the ELK team – Geoff Woods, his son Dean, Everest, myself and River – took the title for fastest “Water collection” time.

This was a morning chore that required taking a water jugs in a wagon to a location 2 miles down the road, filling them up, and then pulling them back up to camp. Geoff and I have previous history of winning competitions at FRD events… and this was no different. We got the boys engaged, sprinted with fury, and then collapsed after beating the previous time by 10 seconds.

Later we would continue learning some essential survival skills.

We started with shelter building.

The Twin Eagles team took us into the forest to find a spot. They taught us how to build a primitive survival shelter with only resources from nature.

This included:

• Using long beams against Y-sticks as your frame.
• Finding bigger sticks to create the walls.
• Weaving branches and “duff” (piles of dirt) for a roof, which covers the shelter and insulates it for warmth.

To be clear – this type of shelter is warm enough to survive days in the wilderness with rain or snow. It took our group of 20 a few hours to construct. This was the real deal.

We also practiced camouflage.

The Twin Eagles team taught us real camo techniques. This was the type of camouflage that reflected getting dirty, muting our shiny human tones, and then blending into the forest until we were nearly invisible.

Everyone loved it, especially the boys. We played a game of hide-and-seek that made them feel like part of the wild. We walked silently through the forest trying to spot them while they remained still, silent and hidden.

That evening we gathered again for songs and storytelling around the fire, the kind that draw you deeper into community. Tim’s stories are filled with rich native american heritage and lessons. Josh also offered some powerful energy through his drum and song.

We learned a lot today, and we were approaching the climax of the experience.

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Day 4: The 24-Hour Challenge

Today was the big day. The day that would really test all of us fathers with our sons. We would be leaving camp. Our mission was a 24-hour overnight trip into the wilderness.

We ate breakfast as a group and then packed up for the adventure. We were only allowed to bring water, clothes, a sleeping bag, and a few basic essentials. We also had to forage for food around the camp. No modern conveniences, snacks or prepared meals.

By 9am we were on the trail to a find a suitable camp.

Hiking through the forest, we spotted plants, moose tracks and some humungous oyster mushrooms! We reached our ideal camp by about noon. Then it was time to get to work and build shelter for the night. This was the priority before making a fire and thinking about more food.

Survival Shelters

Everest and I chose a spot near a stump and log to build our shelter. These existing features offered us a small wall and entry point, which would save time and leverage what nature already provided. We worked really well together – I led the design and construction while he helped gather materials needed at each stage.

The other fathers and sons were doing the same in different parts of camp. Some went solo like Everest and I, while others grouped up to build larger shelters they could share. It felt like a small and tightly aligned community, which reminded me of what we’re truly building with Front Row Dads.

After five or six hours of hard work, we were feeling pretty “done.” The shelter felt good enough even though I knew it lacked a complete roof with insulation. We sat down to rest with some of the other dads who got their shelters to 90%.

The sun was setting and we were tired…

Soon after, Tim showed up and pushed us to finish the shelters. He emphasized the need for warmth during cold Idaho nights. Everest and I got some help from Owen to finish the shelter and complete an air-tight roof. Later that evening I was grateful for Tim and Owen as we slept in a very warm container.

What about dinner?

Before heading to bed, Tim and the team surprised us with a fire feast! The “hunters” had returned from a successful hunt with more than leaves and berries 😉

This raised everyone’s exhausted spirits and nourished us in primal ways. The feast included local elk, duck, and trout cooked over glowing coals (not a grill or skewers). This was the most unique meal I’ve ever experienced and contributed to. The whole group gathered wood and sticks to create the fire needed. Then several of us fathers helped prepare and cook the food. I felt the extreme heat as I moved meat around on the coals and embraced the raw “skillet” we had produced.

It was truly magical. A meal I will never forget.

That night, Everest and I curled up in our primitive shelter. The space was tight, the ground was hard and the forest alive with subtle sounds. I would randomly feel small pieces of dirt from the roof fall onto my sleeping bag. I was also a little worried about bugs and critters crawling on Everest. I could not get any real sleep.

My mind eventually drifted back to memories of Everest as a younger boy. I recalled some of the core memories I have watching him grow. I realized how precious time has become, especially as he begins to grow out of boyhood (he’ll be 10 this year). I became deeply emotional knowing how important this time was with my son.

I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. And then I finally drifted off for a bit.

What a day.

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Day 5: Pancakes, Goodbyes, and Closing Ceremony

I woke softly to sunlight through the trees and the sound of kids shouting about pancakes. A smile formed as I felt the accomplishment of making it through the night. I nudged Everest and told him how special this all felt. It was one of the most impactful things I’ve ever done, for many reasons, and I let him know that 🙂

We got out of the shelter and joined the group down by the fire-pit. They were already in motion for the morning feast. This was another unique cookout that would require natural griddles. We needed something relatively flat to cook pancakes, bacon, sausage and eggs. Tim led the construction of rocks and small fires to power 4 stone griddles.

This was another unique meal and great learning experience.

After breakfast, we dismantled our shelter to make sure we restored the land as we found it. This is vital to make sure we “leave no trace” and bring nature back into harmony. Otherwise, our chaos and creation could be damaging to that space and the general ecosystem.

We hiked back to camp and had a final meal together. We also packed up our tipis and belongings to prepare for departure.

There was one thing left to do – close the experience.

Closing Ceremony

Our closing ceremony was special and sacred. I’m not going to share all the details. It’s the type of ceremony that you simply had to be at, and I would normally respect the sanctity of such moments. However, I want to honor what took place so that other fathers and sons might find inspiration.

Here’s a glimpse of our final moments together…

• Each father-and-son stood in front of the group to acknowledge each other. Heartfelt shares that embodied courage and love.
• Then various fathers would also speak life into each son, an idea that we curated as Front Row Dads who want to have our boys “seen” by other men we care about.
• Final gratitude for Tim and his exceptional team – Josh, Aiden, Owen, River, Terran and Jason. They delivered a world-class event.

I ran out of tears during this ceremony! It was so beautiful to watch each father see his son, and each son stand with his father. I’m crying again as I type this 🙂

I’m also very moved by how Everest and the other boys showed up. As Front Row Dads, we’ve become accustomed to share our feelings publicly. It’s part of what we do when we gather. It’s why we have such deep connection and culture. But asking these boys to stand with us was new territory. I honor them for leaning in, and I honor Tim for designing this type of ceremony.

I shared words with Everest that align with the gift I gave him. It’s a necklace that represents Time, Nature and Love. My words and gift forge a bond between us as father and son. A bond that will always last.

As the event came to an end, we said our good-byes and then packed our vehicles. It was time to leave Medicine Circle.

What an experience.

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Homeward Bound

That night we would meet back at the hotel with some of the other fathers and sons. We talked, laughed, and shared a final meal before heading to bed for an early flight. Everest also lost a tooth!

We woke the next morning at 3:15 am to catch an early flight. Everest found a fresh $5 from the tooth fairy! By 5am we were on our flight, heading back to Denver before sun had risen. I stared out the window feeling blessed, nourished and more connected.

Here are some final reflections…

Reflections

This trip was extraordinary. The mix of survival skills, storytelling, play, and deep human connection created something rare and powerful.

The food was also incredible, prepared by chef Jason, a culinary ninja. We enjoyed real food that was healthy and delicious. I did not expect this level of nutrition.

Here are some final reflections of particular note –

Environment

The land was breathtaking. I’m familiar with other parts of the PNW – Washington and Oregon – which I’ve come to love from recent adventures. However, Idaho had it’s own charm and natural beauty. I will be back to explore more of the the “Gem State.”

Facilitation

The facilitation by Tim and the MIT team was simply masterful. This specific group of men, myself included, is very seasoned in the art of event facilitation. We’ve led many events of various types and intentional impact. I was blown away by Tim and his team. They surprised us, challenged us, and delighted us in such an organic way.

Connection

Evenings around the fire, men’s circles, and 1-1 time with Everest touched me deeply. I came away feeling like I know my son better, and that he knows me better too. We haven’t done intentional 1-1 trips like this before, and now I see how vital they are. This will be the start of a new tradition.

FRD Brotherhood

I am truly blessed to do life with these men. They are extraordinary. Most of them have become great friends in my life, and having Everest meet them and their boys was a gift. I’ll keep saying it – Front Row Dads is changing lives. It’s certainly changed my life and it has the potential to impact so many families.

I’m filled with gratitude and nourishment as I finish this post…

• For the land and nature. This amazing planet offers us so much.
• For Tim and his team. I encourage everyone to check out Twin Eagles and the programs they offer.
• For connection with my fellow Front Row Dads. We are building brotherhood and legacy that matters.

And most of all, for the time invested with Everest.

This experience was transformational for both of us.

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