Hey there! My name is Madelyn (Wrong Way on the trails). Although I live in Colorado now, I am a proud Midwesterner and a Buckeye through and through! I found hiking and backpacking as an adult; the first time I ever camped was on my first backpacking trip a few months after graduating from college. My fifth ever backpacking trip was the Appalachian Trail in 2021, and it made my feet itchy for more thru-hikes! I section-hiked the Colorado Trail in 2022/23, and I'm doing the Continental Divide Trail in 2024.
Posts
Tough or Smart: The Beginning of the CDT Forces Many to Choose One
The beginning of the Continental Divide Trail has been anything but friendly. From the harsh conditions of the desert to the cruel pounding of road
Don’t Make These Mistakes in the Chihuahuan Desert Like I Did
The first few days if a thru-hike are an absolute whirlwind. Finally, all the preparation and anticipation are culminating to this moment: the start
I HATE Talking About Gear: My Gear List (Not Yours)
When I say I hate talking about gear, I mean it.Preparing for a thru-hike is so fun, and dialing in your gear is so fun, but it can warrant some
Boyfriend or Best Friend: Who is the Better Thru-Hiking Partner? (part 1)
Out of the many difficult decisions required before embarking on a thru-hike, one of the most daunting and crucial is: who, if anyone, are you
From Teacher to Trail: My Accidental Journey to the Continental Divide Trail
You know how, when you're a kid, adults are always asking questions like, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" Maybe now you're the adult. Or