RECON RAIDER HTB 2025

By Caitlin Eiben. 

I wasn’t sure if I’d write something up for the Recon Raider HTB (RRHTB) or not. I just got done with a 20 page novel about the SERE HH, and my brain wanted to rest. 

But after I experienced the event and saw how unique it was, I wanted to make sure I had some sort of memory of it. I also left the event wanting to return (no surprise there), and I think if you have even remotely thought about attending, you should commit to going.

So at the time of this event, I have already completed, I think, 10 HTB/Ls. 

The event format of an HTB itself does not intimidate me, but the RRHTB did. 

This was the 6th year this event has taken place, and I always avoided it. 

I justified the avoidance by saying it was due to it being across the country. The cost, travel, and time was a lot to dedicate for just another HTB. 

In reality, it made me nervous. I had heard horror stories about the terrain by more than a handful of people. Incredibly steep hills, running on sand, walking in rocky creek beds.

It just isn’t an ideal place for someone with a dislocating knee to do an event. 

In May of 2025, after I completed my 4th Heavy and 2nd HTB of the year, I came to the realization that I could potentially do all the Heavies that GORUCK had to offer (not including the Custom Rucking Dead HTB that was rescheduled for the weekend of my wedding anniversary).

I would have to complete the SERE Custom HH and the RRHTB. 

Southwest was having a huge sale at the time and it was also the final days of them allowing two checked bags for free. 

I’m a sucker for a deal, so I purchased my flights and registered for the events. 

I didn’t tell anyone. 

I wanted to give myself an out in case I was beat up from the SERE HH, which was only three weeks prior. 

Once I say I’m going to be somewhere, I am there, barring any legitimate emergency. So, not announcing I’d be there gave me the ability to change my mind without feeling as guilty.

The SERE HH came and went. No injuries, not even a blister…just an annoying respiratory illness and a thorn that is still lodged in my finger to this day, almost two months later.

I took two weeks off from working out, focusing on mobility and expelling whatever germs attacked my immune system. 

The week prior to the event was spent hiking at Mt. Rainier. It was definitely not the smartest choice, but YOLO. 

After a few strenuous hikes in the snow, I spent a couple days recovering from my knee pain and then hopped on a plane to sunny San Diego.

I explored the beach and enjoyed the weather while I could, because, per the forecast, SoCal was expected to have record rainfall over the weekend.

Fortunately, I’m from Pittsburgh where it rains fairly often, like 162 days out of the year, per Google.

So while it was a bummer I wasn’t going to get to enjoy the Cali sun, at least I’m used to miserable weather. 

This is normally where I give a detailed play by play of the event, but to be honest, despite making an outline soon after the event of what I recalled, I don’t have the energy for another 20 page synopsis of an event. 

I know that a lot of people who haven’t been to a RRHTB want to know exactly what to expect, because it’s “scary.”

Well, I don’t want to help ease that tension. 

JK JK, but seriously, I like the lure behind the event and I think it should remain, so I will keep the outline of events to myself and give you some tidbits on what makes the RRHTB unique.

1. Marines

I did not grow up around the military. I didn’t understand the stereotypes of the different branches until I started doing GORUCK events.

Since experiencing Tun Tavern in 2019, I came to realize that Marines are just different than the others. They are intense, they are smartmouthed, but they also care an incredible amount and are very proud of their history. They care about their team. They care about the people who have demonstrated that they are willing to fight. They care about delivering a product that truly represents THEM.

I’m not saying other branches don’t have these attributes, as well, but things always hit a little different at an event run specifically by Marines, at least in my experience.

So while the yelling and screaming may be intimidating, just know they do it because they care. They have a high standard for both the quality of event they put on and for the people who they hand out patches to. That is the number one reason why the RRHTB has the amazing reputation it has.

2. Terrain

Hills and sand.

Be prepared.

To be honest, the ocean and sand didn’t bother me nearly as much as I thought they would. Sure, it was annoying, but I didn’t leave with any significant chafing, so that was a win in my book. 

There was some beach rucking, but it didn’t take up the majority of the event by any means. 

Most of our time was spent in mud…

Now this will highly likely be unique to 2025, because SoCal is not known for torrential downpours, but the class this year had the pleasure of trudging through some of the thickest mud I’ve ever walked through. During the Tough, it was almost like clay. It caked on our shoes, adding literal pounds to our feet. People were sliding and falling everywhere. 

What I hear from years past is that this is normally kind of a dusty dirt, which can also cause slipping, but you will likely be spared of the suction effect that we had the pleasure of experiencing.

Now, let’s talk about what EVERYONE talks about when they discuss the RRHTB.

The hills.

Let’s make this clear now. I train hills. A lot. Especially this year because I also had the Double Heavy in West Virginia, which is also very hilly. So hills don’t really intimidate me, at least not the uphill. Downhill can go fuck itself, but due to my dislocating knee, downhill will never get better. 

During the Heavy, we went to the highest point on base. It was up a steady, well-maintained trail. It wasn’t bad at all from my perspective. I briefly thought, “all those GRTs complaining about these hills are little bitches.” But then I recalled people saying they were literally sliding down on their butts or reverse bear crawling, so I wised up and realized that these are obviously not the hills they were referencing. 

We had the pleasure of experiencing that gnarly terrain slightly after daybreak right as the rain came pouring down. The hill was so steep there were ropes to help you safely repel down. There were mud/rockslides and people slipping and sliding everywhere. 

While I haven’t attended any other RRHTB, I’m fairly certain no other class got to experience an epic adventure like this…

The hills continued during the Tough, as well. False summits, feet stuck in the mud, sliding back down and losing the progress you made. 

That is my kind of GORUCK event, though. It’s “easy” to put miles on pavement with a sandbag draped around your shoulder like a pretty scarf.

It’s challenging and fun to scramble up a hill, using a full Jerry Can as a cane to stabilize you from sliding back down.

I like events where simply meeting a time hack isn’t the goal. I like events where you are in sketchy situations and have the time you need to figure out how to get yourself, your team, and your equipment safely to the destination.

They make for better stories. Better adventures. 

So, yes, train hills. 

3. Honoring the Fallen

Sure, honoring the fallen is not a unique thing for GORUCK events, but the way in which it is done here is a bit different. 

The RRHTB is a very unique event in the sense that it is the only event you will be able to do on an actual military base, Camp Pendleton.

This is where the cadre leading the event “grew up.” This is their home, and they treat it as such.

You will see intimate memorials on the base, you will hear bios of Marines that your fellow participants bring, and maybe most touching, you will get to hear personal stories from the cadre leading the events.

I’ve been to well over one hundred GORUCK events, and I’ve never experienced the cadre opening up like they did at the RRHTB; and they did for all three events, not just the Heavy. 

So if you are looking to get a glimpse of who the cadre really are and what makes them that way, I highly recommend coming and listening to their stories. You may have to do some 8-counts in the surf to earn the privilege, but I assure you, it is worth it. 

Conclusion

After doing so many events, sometimes they tend to blur together. Every so often I get to experience events that leave a lasting impression. This was definitely one of them.

If you are reading this and have any hesitation to do this event series, I highly recommend showing up. Obviously, train your ass off and get your mind right, but after the 20th anniversary 9/11 event weekend, the Recon Raider events stand out as the most emotionally rewarding events I have ever done.