About Me

Hi Everyone, I’m Wade Ellett, creator of Intrepid Daily!

It’s hard to believe that this website has been kicking for over a decade, but it’s true. I started writing here in 2015 with no expectations that I’d be at it this long, but I’m grateful to continue doing what I do.

Life is a lot busier than when I broke the metaphorical bottle of champagne on this ship. We got married soon after I started clicking publish, adopted a dog, moved to the Black Hills, got a second dog, switched jobs a few times, and even had a kid. 

So now, here I am, a full-fledged member of society with my job, my dogs, my property taxes, and my son. I’m a little older, a bit slower, and busier than ever. 

But I’m still getting after it.

That’s the message that I’m still sharing; the timing is never going to be perfect, the elements won’t magically align, and the plans are going to crumble. You’ve got to do the shit you love anyway. And if you don’t know what you love yet, now is the time to start finding out.

Adopting an adventure lifestyle

Starting way back in 2015, my wife and I decided we would take steps to shape our lives into something that we love. For us, that included adventure. We weren’t in a position to quit our jobs and wander the world, and we’re still not, but there was plenty that we could do. We camped, hiked, and backpacked. We tried new things, learned new skills, and took to the open road for some amazing road trips. Adventure became—and remains—a big part of our lives.

So what can you expect from the decade-old Intrepid Daily? I try to write honestly and truthfully, while remaining positive even in the face of failure. You’ll find posts where I tell you about dumb mistakes that I’ve made, and continue to make. Hopefully my experiences can help you on your path as well. A big difference between 2015 and now is that I’ve gotten just a little bit wiser. When I started, I felt it was important to appear to be an expert; to show you what I was doing and position myself as an authority. But now I realize that I am, in fact, not an expert at most things. I’m not an expert at backpacking, wilderness survival, fire crafting, archery, or even writing. I’m not an expert at anything really, but I’ve gotten pretty good at trying things out. I’m a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. I probably wasn’t self-aware enough to realize that in 2015, and if I was, then I was probably too self-conscious to admit it. But now… I’m just a guy, trying to figure my shit out. Like most of us. 

At heart, I’m an adventurer. Just like you. Even if you don’t always feel like it, we’re both a part of the adventure community. No matter what experience or skills you have, we’re in this together. That’s what this is all about; leading the most fulfilling and adventurous life that I can, and helping as many people as possible do the same.

What you’ll find here

How does all this manifest in what you’ll read here? In the past few years I have actively changed how I’m writing, and what I’m writing about. For the most part, I’m not really publishing trail guides or basic how-to articles. There is still very much an element of education to what I’m doing, but I also think that there are a million trail guides for every trail, and lots of great how-to guides for everything under the sun. Do you really need me to tell you where to turn on a hike, or how to make a foil dinner? I don’t think so. 

Instead, I’m focusing much more on narrative storytelling, and using that as a way to connect adventure to life. I also do a little stepping outside the lines. In other words, if there’s something I want to write about, I go ahead and do that, even if it seems a little outside my niche. For example, I love pizza, so I wrote about pizza. That’s how I roll, and I hope you enjoy it. I’m not saying I’ll never write another how-to article, especially if I see a need or think I can add my own little philosophy to it, but it’s not going to be the norm. 

How can I help you?

Part of why I do this is because I want everyone to have an adventurous life, no matter how we define that. If you feel like you need help getting your mind in the adventure game, maybe the Rules for Intrepid Living are a good place for you to start. Or maybe you want some practical application instead of philosophy; in that case, my free ebook, Adventure Ready, is a good place for you to start. If you’re ready to really dig into adventure planning and preparation, I’d recommend my book The New Adventurer’s Handbook, which dives into everything you need to have an epic adventure, from start to finish. I still write the occasional gear review, but I don’t buy new equipment that often, so if you’re a gear junkie, you’ll have to be patient. If you’re new to the great outdoors and want to learn more about ethical land use, I’d love to introduce you to Leave No Trace.

Or maybe you’re just here for fun and want to read about pizza, shitty coffee, the highest point in South Dakota, beater trucks, the Manitou Incline, or Southern France. If so, please enjoy. 

Whatever brings you here, don’t be a stranger! I read comments and try to respond to emails in a timely fashion. If you’d like to keep up with the latest and greatest, and get some weekly motivational content from me, I invite you to sign up for my mailing list; you’ll get my free ebook just for signing up, and I share info about cool gear sales and other opportunities when they come my way. If you’ve got something you think I should check out or write about, I’d love to hear from you at Wade@IntrepidDaily.com.