Katie "Oats" Houston

I am a solo thru-hiker with over 3,000 miles under my belt, making me a passionate conduit for culture, lingo, and other backcountry knowledge. Through my work, I am able to educate audiences on good trail ethics and strive for an outdoor community where everyone feels like they belong. Check out my adventures with Thru the husky on my website www.oatshikes.com, and Instagram @oatshikes.

Posts

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 17

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 17

Even in the dark of the Standing Bear bunkhouse, I woke just as the sun began illuminating the common areas outside. Shapes of buildings were

Sep 17, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 16

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 16

Last night was the loudest storm I'd ever experienced in a shelter. We knew rain was expected to hit, but the incessant pounding of the heavy drops

Sep 16, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 15

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 15

All of us in the shelter that night settled in just before hiker midnight, but were woken several minutes later by a shrill, "Oh my gosh something

Sep 15, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 14

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 14

I stirred every hour past midnight to check my clock and make sure I hadn't missed the perfect hour to head to Newfound Gap and meet my Mom and her

Sep 14, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 13

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 13

The first few hours of my hiking day, the trail ran along a wide creek. It was a beautiful, roaring backdrop to my rock-scampering and left seeking

Sep 12, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 12

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 12

Two things happened after I fell asleep - my campground neighbors arrived in the dead of night and spent 15 minutes backing in their camper into the

Sep 11, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 11

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 11

For the second time this trip, I woke to the sounds of my Dad's cats stirring just ahead of the sunrise. Thanks to a McDonald's breakfast, we

Sep 10, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Days 9 and 10

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Days 9 and 10

Today was the day I realized my body was no longer tip-top. My left knee started aching so severely I began dipping into my supply of Vitamin I

Sep 9, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 8

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 8

The first 2 hours of the day I spent blithely singing anything that came to mind + my top 100 songs of 2021 playlist on Spotify. I sang so well, in

Sep 7, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 7

Oats on the Appalachian High Route: Day 7

I didn't see a soul today. And besides two brief spots where a flickering signal made it through the trees, I didn't chat with anyone either outside

Sep 5, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston