Hello… it’s me…

I’m Nathan “Nate” Gressett and on trail I’ve been referred to as “Zach Galifianakis” ever since my first thru-hike attempt in 2013 along the AT. Aptly named as a once portly and hopefully still funny and charming southern gent, I’ve never let the name go, as it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks and there’s brand value in a solid trail name, in my opinion. In addition, I’ve kept the name as a way to pay respect to the guy who named me at Neel Gap that April day in 2013. Unfortunately, “Waffles” passed away from an overdose in Pearisburg that season and in some small way keeping my trail name helps me to never forget. Just like the world in which we live, it takes all kinds to make these trails live and breathe each season. Many come for adventure, empowerment, goal accomplishment, self improvement, escape, and for some to deal with the monkey on their back that just can’t seem to be shaken during the daily drudgery of “normal life.” I set out a decade ago for all the aforementioned reasons and now that the triple crown has been completed, I’m searching for the next trail, the next experience, and a new way to connect and inspire. I hope you’ll come along as my partner @aly.winkler and I attempt the HRP (Haute Route de Pyrénées) this summer along with a portion of the GR5, Via Alpina, and finally, the Arizona Trail in the Fall.

Say Hey to Aly!

Meet Aly, thru-hiker, bike packer, photographer, painter, and tree planter extraordinaire! Fortunately for me, we met on the CDT last season and have been adventure partners ever since. She’s biked from the Arctic Circle back home to Vancouver and this past winter she completed the Baja Divide. She’s also thru-hiked the Te Ararora, GDT, CDT, Sunshine Coast Trail, Three Passes Trek in Nepal, Kungsleden Trail, La Rota Vincentina in Portugal, and most recently the BMT. In 2021, Aly found out that she has a genetic eye disorder called retinitis pigmentosa which has reduced her field of vision to about a third of what an average person can see and she can’t see at night. It’s unclear as to if or when her outdoor activity will be limited, but that together we want to see as much of the world as possible and document it through written and visual mediums.

See you down the trail!