The Mountain Readiness Expo is a hands-on, three-day preparedness gathering held at Van Hoy Campground in Harmony, NC. It brings together survival instructors, authors, homesteaders, and everyday people for skills-based learning and community building.
Held May 2-4, 2025, at Van Hoy Campground, Mountain Readiness isn’t just another gear show or lecture circuit. It’s a practical, skills-first gathering of everyday people who care about one simple goal: being more self-reliant in a world that seems more important everyday.
This wasn’t my first Mountain Readiness event. I taught at the Fall Out event last October and knew the community was special. But this time? It was bigger and better.
TL;DR: The Mountain Readiness Expo 2025 was a hands-on, community-first preparedness event packed with practical skills, standout instructors, and people from every walk of life. Whether you’re new to prepping or a seasoned homesteader, this is where capability meets connection.
Quick Look at What You’ll Learn
A Crowd That Feels Like Kin
Someone at last fall’s event joked that the Mountain Readiness crowd is made up of “hippies with guns.” And while it got a laugh, let’s be clear—this isn’t some fringe militia meetup. It’s a community of thoughtful, practical people from all walks of life who care about being capable and self-reliant. That tracks—in the best possible way.
You’ll find veterans, homesteaders, suburban families, and urban escapees. You’ll see tactical trainers chatting with herbalists and freeze-drying experts trading tips with blacksmiths. The vibe? Warm. Welcoming. Genuinely friendly.
Mountain Readiness is a true melting pot of preparedness. It’s one of the rare places where all types come together—regardless of background, worldview, or experience level. You’ll meet folks from every walk of life, every political stripe, and every stage of the preparedness journey. What unites them isn’t ideology—it’s action. Everyone’s there to learn, contribute, and build capability together. Everyone wants to learn, share, and support each other. If you think preppers are all grumpy, doom and gloom loners in bunkers, Mountain Readiness will change your mind fast.
What I Taught (And Learned)
I was honored to teach two sessions on The Survival Pyramid (Friday and Sunday) and one on Situational Awareness (Saturday). Both classes were packed with engaged, sharp folks asking good questions and sharing personal insights.
But here’s the thing: I walked away learning just as much.
Between classes, I wandered the grounds and found practical wisdom everywhere. From one-time pad encryption demos, to how to make soap, and care for chickens, every booth and tent was another chance to level up your skills or expand your perspective.
The depth and breadth of instruction was incredible, whether it was blacksmithing, herbal medicine, tactical comms, food preservation, or beekeeping.
Notable People & Vendors I Connected With
The weekend also featured a fundraising benefit dinner for the Living Soil Foundation. It was an excellent opportunity to support regenerative farming initiatives—and once the plates were cleared, country artist Anthony Bonnette took the stage and gave an amazing performance that capped the night in true community fashion.
One of the best parts of events like this is connecting with people who walk the talk. I had the chance to meet and speak with:
- Franklin Horton – bestselling author of the Locker Nine, The Mad Mick, and Borrowed World series, known for stories that blend gritty realism with relatable characters surviving collapse scenarios. You can find his work here
- Chris Weatherman – whose work in preparedness-themed fiction continues to shape the community. He brought a large group who camped out together and made a festival weekend out of it, adding another layer of camaraderie and energy to the event.
- Pete Robertucci – Experienced Paramedic, firearms instructor and author of the Eden Series, a gritty post-apocalyptic survival fiction collection. You can find his work here.
- Mike Mitchelar of FiB Preparedness – whose booth was packed with practical, well-thought-out gear focused on real-world resilience.
- Suzanne Sherman & Jeff Johnson – co-hosts of the Red Hot Chilly Prepper podcast, spreading prepper awareness with personality. Suzanne is also a published author with a sharp legal and constitutional mind. You can find her books here.
- Madison Poole of BombproofBushcraft.com – is the founder of a veteran-owned business that specializes in rugged, field-tested survival gear.
- Villina Greenwell of Nicklebeak Hollow – teaches animal husbandry, biosecurity, and how to raise animals the right way. She’s the real deal and a solid resource.
Leave With A Sense of Belonging
One quote that really stuck with me came from Franklin Horton, who summed up the spirit of Mountain Readiness beautifully: “THIS is where you find it. People attend every year who don’t know a soul there but leave with a sense of belonging.” That’s exactly what this community is about.
And that just scratches the surface.
I also met dozens of great folks after my classes and during book signings. If you were one of them—thank you. These conversations are what make this community real. (And if you’re looking to grab a copy of my book, you can find it here).
Venue & Organization: A Smooth Operation
Brian Duff and event founder Robert “T” Toombs at the close of Mountain Readiness 2025
Van Hoy Campground makes an excellent location for an event like this. It’s easy to access, spread out enough to keep things moving, but tight enough to not feel overwhelming.
Robert “T“ Toombs and his wife Amber ran a tight ship. The event was clean, clearly marked, and on schedule. From the classrooms and vendor booths, food trucks and the Wildcard Wilderness area, it all worked. And yes, there was rain. But that’s just part of the game when you’re learning to thrive in real-world conditions.
Coffee highlight? McNutter Butter Coffee roasted and brewed fresh on-site. What stood out most was the family behind it—the kids helping their parents roast and serve. They were set up near my booth, so it was fun to watch them in action throughout the weekend. That kind of hands-on involvement and small-business grit fits the ethos of Mountain Readiness perfectly.
A Few Quick Tips for First-Timers
- Bring layers and rain gear. It’s spring time, it rains and you’re into preparedness.
- Have a notebook. There’s too much information to remember it all.
- Don’t skip the “non-tactical“ stuff. The soap makers, paper crafters, and herbalists are serious parts of the self-reliance solution.
- Ask questions. Instructors here are very approachable—they’re part of the prepping community and are eager to help.
The Bottom Line
Mountain Readiness isn’t about doom and gloom. It’s about building mindset, capability, and connection.
You don’t have to be an Army Ranger, a homesteader, or an off-grid pro to belong. You just need to care about being more prepared than you were yesterday.
If that sounds like you, mark your calendar now. The next Mountain Readiness event will be October 17-20, 2025, back at Van Hoy Campground. And if you miss that one? Plan for early May 2026. I’ll see you there!
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