Michael H. Ritterhouse draws from a lifetime of outdoor adventure and wilderness experience to craft authentic survival fiction. Born in Denver, Colorado, he studied political science and history at Texas State University before pursuing careers that kept him connected to the natural world. From ski patroller to backcountry manager at Philmont Scout Ranch to general manager of a cross-country ski area, Ritterhouse has spent decades in the environments he writes about.

His passion for literature began with World War II histories and evolved through classic survival tales like My Side of the Mountain and the works of Jim Kjelgaard. Living in the American West with his wife—a charter school superintendent—and their two outdoor-loving children, Ritterhouse brings both professional wilderness expertise and genuine family perspective to his storytelling. The Long Walk Home represents his deep understanding of how young people can rise to extraordinary challenges when circumstances demand it.