20 Years, One Trail: Celebrating Two Decades of Marriage in the Idaho Backcountry

Twenty years ago, we said “I do.” Since then, life has taken us on a journey filled with adventure, challenge, growth — and a whole lot of love. This year, to celebrate two decades of marriage, we left behind the noise of everyday life and headed into the heart of the Idaho wilderness, just outside McCall.

There’s something sacred about the trail. The way it strips everything down to the essentials. Out there, it’s just you, the weight on your back, the miles ahead — and each other. And after 20 years, that’s exactly what we needed: to reconnect in a place that reminds us who we are and why we chose this life together.

We hiked under fire-kissed skies, golden light pouring over alpine ridges as the sun dipped behind the pines. At times the silence was thick and reverent; other times it echoed with laughter, old stories, and that familiar rhythm of boots on dirt. There’s a kind of peace in the backcountry that no spa or fancy dinner could ever offer.

One night, as we stood overlooking a glassy alpine lake, watching the sunset set fire to the clouds, it hit me — we’ve climbed a lot of mountains together, in more ways than one. Some literal, others emotional, financial, even spiritual. But through it all, we’ve kept showing up. Day after day. Year after year.

And here we are, still choosing the trail. Still choosing each other.

To anyone out there building a life with someone — take the time to get off the grid. Walk into the wild together. Carry each other’s weight, listen deeply, and make space for silence. It’s in those quiet places that the roots grow deepest.

Here’s to 20 years. To the backcountry. To shared sunsets and sore legs and love that keeps getting stronger.

And here’s to many more miles ahead — together.