Rooted in experience. Driven by purpose.
Level 7 High Terrain is built on the belief that clarity is not found through explanation, but through experience. By engaging with the land, embracing challenge, and participating in intentional work, individuals develop the awareness and capability to lead themselves and others with greater precision and purpose.
[ about us ]Our Mission
We believe success is not only measured by what is built, but by who we become in the process, integrating a forged character, awakened purpose, and grounded strength. We bring the wilderness and wild experiences to you, not only through our personal experiences but through a vast network of adventurous and spiritual colleagues and friends.
[ what to expect ]Preparing for your retreat.
Preparation is part of the work. How you arrive - physically, mentally, and in your willingness to engage - shapes what you take from the experience. The following questions are designed to give you clarity on what to expect and how to come prepared, so you can step into the work with intention.
You might not feel “ready” - and that’s exactly why this work matters. If you’re sensing distance, a need for deeper connection, or simply a desire to do something meaningful and primal together, that’s the nudge to listen to. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to be willing to show up with humility, curiosity, and heart.
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Each experience has a unique packing list that will be emailed to you. However, here are some typical items we suggest:
An open heart and mind
A set of outdoor “rough clothes,” including leather gloves and close-toed shoes/boots
Weather appropriate gear (hats, jackets, etc.)
Athletic wear
Swim trunks
Crocs/flip flops
Refillable water bottle
Flashlight/batteries
Pen and paper
Sleep system (sleeping bag, ground pad or cot, pillow)
Wet wipes
Mosquito repellent
Towel
Camp chair
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Our intent is to provide you with an atmosphere to embrace challenges and inspire growth. While the experience is meant to be enjoyable it is also an opportunity to go deeper into your own life. We will explore the ancient concepts of ritual and connection, as viewed through a modern lens. Most importantly we will follow where our primal spirits take us, and do it together.
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Level 7 High Terrain is intentionally designed for individuals who are ready to step into something deeper with our Tribe or through 1 on 1 experiential coaching. This isn’t a bootcamp or survival course - it’s a rite of passage rooted in presence, vulnerability, and growth. We welcome participants from all backgrounds who are open to being challenged mentally, physically, and emotionally. No prior wilderness experience is required, but a willingness to disconnect from daily comforts, engage in honest conversation, and show up fully is essential. These retreats are not for spectators. They are for individuals ready to grow, bond, and live with intent.
Parties of more than one participant are welcome on our retreats. We recommend reaching out to us first to discuss group dynamics and make sure each participant receives the individual attention and space they need for growth. We work to curate an experience that serves all participants.
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No prior wilderness or survival experience is needed. Our retreats are designed to be both challenging and accessible. You’ll be guided every step of the way, whether it’s navigating terrain, building camp, or learning new skills. What matters more than experience is your willingness to show up, stay present, and engage in the process - individually and together.
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Each retreat includes a mix of guided reflection, creative problem solving, rituals, hands-on skills (like marksmanship, fire building, and team challenges), and periods of silence or solitude. We believe in the power of both structure and wildness - so you’ll experience intentional rhythm, physical challenge, and soul-centered conversation, all in stunning natural environments.
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While Level 7 High Terrain is not affiliated with any specific religion, our work is deeply spiritual. We honor timeless traditions, the wisdom of nature, and the power of ritual. Participants often describe the experience as sacred - regardless of their faith background. We welcome those of all beliefs who are open to reflection, connection, and a deeper sense of purpose.
[ darin, on preparation ]Capability is built here.
“Preparation is owning things. Readiness is becoming someone.
I know people who spend a fortune on gear. But under stress, in the wrong weather, in the wrong timing, they melt.
Because their gear isn’t integrated — it’s only possessed.
Mental readiness means you can use what you have under pressure — including your mind. It means you respond instead of react.
Reaction is surrender. Response is agency.
And once you build agency, something shifts: you stop being a bystander in your own life.
You start co-authoring it.”
Have a specific question we haven’t covered? Simply reach out to us.
[ meet darin ]Our Foundation
I once heard Robert Bly speak about how technology has advanced so quickly that our mysticism is at risk of becoming obsolete.
That hit me because I grew up in a world where mysticism wasn’t a hobby. It was woven into everyday life. Not in abstract spiritual language - but in thresholds.
Your first knife. Your first rifle. Running your trapline alone. Working livestock. Caring for tools and land so the land could care for you. Earning enough for your first truck and then using it to disappear into wild places.
Nobody gathered you in a circle and announced you were a man. You became one through weight.
Then my time in the Marine Corps brought another set of thresholds — selections, assessments, gatekeeping cultures of excellence. Places where you were tested, not to break you, but to reveal you. To see what you carried when comfort was stripped away.
One of the highlights of my career was helping refine selection criteria. Because it forced us to ask: What does excellence actually look like when nobody is watching? And how do we build a path where people can choose to become that? After retirement, I realized something uncomfortable: I’ve lived almost 30 years inside rites of passage. Most people haven’t.
Many people look at the mountains — literal or metaphorical — and feel overwhelmed by the vastness. They want the wild, but they don’t know where to begin. The range feels too big.
I know that feeling. I was that kid in Montana staring up at ridgelines, wondering what it would be like to chase elk up there.
Then one man - who owed me nothing - said, ‘Hey Darin, come cut wood with me.’
That was the threshold.
And it wasn’t just firewood. It was learning how to read trees. Read wind. Read lean. Read the mountain. It was my first real taste of this covenant: If you take care of the mountain, she will take care of you. He brought me into the wild within by bringing me into the wild without.
Level 7 is built around that same gesture: not hype - invitation. Not spectacle - threshold.
[ certifications ]Associate Certified Coach [ACC]
Advanced Wilderness Life Support [AWLS II]
Hear Darin’s episode on The Rich Outdoors podcast with Cody Rich
[ ABOUT ]Darin is an innovative and proven leader. His experiences as a young man in the mountains of Montana, integrated with years of military service in special operations, honed his intuition and skill to shape highly-trained teams/individuals within complex environments.
His passion is connecting people to uplifting and reflective experiences. Darin is a husband, father, outdoorsman, and coach. Montana is his residence and the mountains are home.
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