Trail Life USA Blog

Matt Gidney

Matt Gidney taught English at Covenant College and the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He currently serves as the communications and compliance coordinator for Trail Life USA. He lives in Travelers Rest, South Carolina with his wife and 3 children.

Matt Gidney Mar 10, 2025

Trail Life USA, Let Boys be Boys, Troop Adventures, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Trailmen Don't Hibernate!

There's No Offseason for Adventure When the world falls asleep beneath a blanket of snow, when bears slumber in their dens and squirrels hunker down, waiting for warmer days—boys see something different. To them, winter is a blank canvas for adventure.

Matt Gidney Mar 06, 2025

Trail Life USA, Let Boys be Boys, Troop Adventures, Masculinity, Troop, Raising Godly Boys

Yukon Adventure: Mud, Mayhem, and the Measure of a Trailman

The rain started the night before, a steady drumbeat on the tents that turned the ground into a quagmire by morning. But no amount of mud was going to dampen the spirits of the Trailmen. This was the Yukon Adventure—one of Trail Life’s longest-running and most challenging events—and they had come…

Matt Gidney Feb 17, 2025

In The News, Trail Life USA, Service, Troop

Making Waves: How One Trailman is Answering the Call and Making an Impact

“Why would I wait for ‘someone’ to address the issues I see, when I am indeed someone?” -Trailman, Cash Daniels

Matt Gidney Feb 13, 2025

Trail Life USA, Troop Adventures, Masculinity

Troop CA-0110: Adventure, Worship, and Fortitude in the California High Sierra

A chill swept through the morning air as the Trailmen laced up their boots. The crew from Troop CA-0110 stood on the edge of Agnew Meadows, eyes cast toward the distant peaks that stretched across the California High Sierra. Their journey would take them over fifty rugged miles, pushing them up to…

Matt Gidney Feb 09, 2025

Trail Life USA, Boy Scout Alternative, Leadership, History, Raising Godly Boys

Sir Robert Baden-Powell: Molding Christian Men Through Outdoor Adventure

In the summer of 1900, on the dusty plains of Mafeking, South Africa, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell surveyed his unlikely army. It wasn’t only the British soldiers stationed with him that caught his attention—it was a cadre of young boys, the Mafeking Cadet Corps, carrying messages and supplies…

Matt Gidney Feb 05, 2025

In The News, Trail Life USA, Troop Adventures

Beyond the Summit: Troop ID-0412's Journey of Brotherhood and Faith on Mt. Rainier

It was the summer of 2023. Troop ID-0412 had just finished scaling Borah Peak, the highest point in Idaho at 12,662 feet. Just a year before, they’d tackled Mt. Adams in Washington, a 12,281-foot volcano. The crew sat around by the river, airing out sore feet by the fire and jubilantly reflecting…

Matt Gidney Jan 22, 2025

In The News, Trail Life USA, Service, Leadership

Boots on the Ground: Trail Life Volunteers provide vital aid to people impacted by LA Fires

Amid the smoke and chaos of the wildfires raging through Los Angeles, with entire neighborhoods reduced to ashes and families torn from their homes, a group of Trail Life volunteers stood in the gap, bringing hope to desperate people in need. On Saturday, January 11, as fire crews battled the…

Matt Gidney Dec 11, 2024

Trail Life USA, Leadership, Troop Adventures, History

A Modern Corps of Discovery: Leadership and Brotherhood Forged on the Missouri River

“Twenty more miles,” Caleb murmured, feeling the weight of each stroke. The Missouri River stretched endlessly ahead, and he wasn’t sure how much more his arms—or spirit—could take. He looked over at Ricky, First Officer of the expedition, whose own strength and resolve seemed to bolster everyone’s…

Matt Gidney Dec 05, 2024

Mentoring, Trail Life USA, Raising Godly Boys

Guiding Generations: Paul, Timothy, and the Power of Mentorship

“For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 4:17 The story of Paul and Timothy is more than ancient history; it’s a timeless tale of mentorship, love, and a legacy that reaches through the ages to inspire us today. Paul’s…