About

Matt taking a selfie on a forest trail with a child riding in a backpack carrier

I’m Matt. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 14, and I’ve lived with it for nearly 40 years.

Managed, not conquered

For a long time the advice I got was to take it easy. I didn’t. I started hiking, then climbing, then working my way up Colorado’s 14ers. Along the way I had lows on the trail, found out what altitude does to my insulin needs, and built a routine that keeps me safe enough to keep going.

I don’t think diabetes gets beaten. Nobody I know has beaten it. It gets managed, every day, and on a mountain you can see that work more clearly than anywhere else.

Matt and a hiking partner standing on a rocky summit with snow-streaked peaks behind them

What I write about

  • Blood sugar on the move. What my numbers do on a climb and how I respond.
  • Kit and logistics. What I carry, where it goes, and what I’ve stopped carrying.
  • Starting over at 50+. Getting back into the mountains when your body has opinions.
  • Myths. What people with diabetes get told they can’t do, checked against what actually happens.

The book

I’m writing Hike Your First 5 Miles, a starting point for anyone with diabetes who wants to get back outside. Read about the book and get Chapter 1 free.

Alpine Diabetes shares personal experience, not medical advice. Talk with your care team before you change how you handle insulin, food, or exercise.