Alison Young is a professional speaker, writer and host of Blissful Hiker™ Podcast, which has over 90,000 downloads. She has blissfully walked 12,000 miles on six continents and brings her extensive artistic training communication skills, lessons from the trail, as well as research-based practices, tools, and technique to challenge, inspire and teach audiences to be creative and more effective.
Posts
Guide, Veteran, Mother, Cancer Survivor: Rebecca Walsh on How To Hike Like a Woman
When outdoor guide and army veteran Rebecca Walsh was in treatment for breast cancer two years ago, there was a moment when she was so weak, she
The GR5 Grand Traverse of the Alps: A 400+ Mile Thru-Hike of the French Alps
The Grande Traversée des Alpes, or Grand Traverse of the Alps, is a 400+ mile alpine section of the GR5. Traveling along ancient trade routes from
Pamela Clark Is On Track To Become the Oldest Female AT Thru-Hiker Ever
When Pamela Clark read Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, she was amused and curious. But she never imagined she would one day put her own feet on
Meet Old Lady on the Trail: 81-Year-Old Triple Crowner Mary E. Davison
Mary E. Davison — trail name "Medicare Pastor" — is the Old Lady on the Trail, and she's proud of it. A retired pastor and grandmother of ten, she
Kora Yushu LS Zip Yak Wool Base Layer Review
It’s tricky to find just the right base layer for winter sports in Northern Minnesota. As someone who cross-country skis and snowshoes, I’m sweating
Outdoor Vitals Vario Jacket Review
This summer, I walked the Wind River High Route with The Trek editor, Kelly Floro, and another gal friend. On cold mornings, as we popped out of damp
Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear 1L Fanny Pack Review
I used to be one of those snobby backpackers who swore up and down I'd never use a fanny pack. I have enough side pockets on my hip belt, I told
5 Amazing Backpacking Trips in the Upper Great Lakes
Since moving to the Twin Cities 15 years ago, I have come to love the special ruggedness of the Upper Great Lakes region, a place we call “Up North.”
Steve McClure on Backcountry Safety and Updating the 10 Essentials
Have you ever set out on a beautiful sunny day that turned into a wet misery halfway through? Did a snowstorm suddenly change course and dump right
The Superior Hiking Trail Section-by-Section
If you thought the Midwest of the United States was just flat and boring and that Minnesota specifically can be filed under “flyover country,” think