Penina Crocker

I'm Penina, known on trail as Pastor. After COVID-19 hit in the middle of college, I decided I needed the polar opposite of Zoom school, so I spent the summer outside. In the summer of 2021, I did a PCT LASH through the desert and Sierra sections, followed by a bike tour across the western United States and down the Pacific coast.

Posts

DEET vs Picaridin vs Natural Insect Repellent for Backpacking

DEET vs Picaridin vs Natural Insect Repellent for Backpacking

My husband and I were in the Sierra Nevada right after peak snowmelt. Those who know, know: right after peak snowmelt comes peak mosquitos. We had

Dec 27, 2022 : Penina Crocker
Her Odyssey: Meet the Women Who Traveled 18,000 Miles Across the Americas By Foot, Boat, and Bicycle

Her Odyssey: Meet the Women Who Traveled 18,000 Miles Across the Americas By Foot, Boat, and Bicycle

Bethany "Fidgit" Hughes and Lauren "Neon" Reed recently completed their 18,000-mile human-powered expedition from the tip of Patagonia to the Arctic

Dec 6, 2022 : Penina Crocker
The Thru-Hiker Gift Guide

The Thru-Hiker Gift Guide

It’s that time of year again. If you’re looking for the perfect gift guide for the thru-hiker in your life, never fear: we’re here to help. From the

Nov 21, 2022 : Penina Crocker
Outside Lays Off 12% of Staff in Second Round of Layoffs This Year

Outside Lays Off 12% of Staff in Second Round of Layoffs This Year

Outside Inc., the parent company of outdoor magazines including Backpacker, Outside, and Fastest Known Time, laid off 12% of its staff on Tuesday in

Nov 17, 2022 : Penina Crocker
What Is a Tent Vestibule?

What Is a Tent Vestibule?

What is a tent vestibule? Do all tents have them? How do I set mine up? Help! A vestibule on the Big Agnes Tiger Wall. You can pin back half of

Nov 16, 2022 : Penina Crocker
New AT Documentary Is a Moving Portrait of Trail Life with an Eating Disorder

New AT Documentary Is a Moving Portrait of Trail Life with an Eating Disorder

"You don't climb mountains without food in your belly," says Aster Wells-Byers in the film, "Food in your Belly." The 15-minute documentary, directed

Nov 14, 2022 : Penina Crocker
What Is a Tent Footprint (And Do You Need One)?

What Is a Tent Footprint (And Do You Need One)?

What is a tent footprint? In short, a tent footprint is a groundcloth that goes under your tent's bathtub floor to protect it and keep it clean and

Nov 10, 2022 : Penina Crocker
Two Women Complete 18,000-Mile Journey Across Americas

Two Women Complete 18,000-Mile Journey Across Americas

Her Odyssey is the name given by two women to their six-plus year, 18,000-plus-mile non-motorized journey across the Americas. Bethany "Fidgit"

Nov 3, 2022 : Penina Crocker
Garmin Just Released Data from 10,000 SOS Incidents, and It’s Fascinating

Garmin Just Released Data from 10,000 SOS Incidents, and It’s Fascinating

Over one-third of SOS requests placed via Garmin inReach over the last 11 years were from hikers or backpackers, according to data from over 10,000

Oct 31, 2022 : Penina Crocker
PCT Trail Runner Found Dead in Columbia River Gorge

PCT Trail Runner Found Dead in Columbia River Gorge

Nicholas Wells, 33, of Camas, WA was found deceased at approximately one a.m. on Sunday, October 23rd, 2022, on the Oregon side of the Columbia River

Oct 25, 2022 : Penina Crocker