Section Hiking
Rodriguez Road and the Milky Way
I've always wanted to see the Milky Way. Over the years I've seen all the photos, the same ones you've seen - the cloud of stars like a necklace,...
Pipsissewa, Trillium, and Shaffer: Histories and Personal Heroes
Shaffer and the trail In 1948 Earl Shaffer put on a backpack. He laced up his boots and started walking step-by-step out of Mount Oglethorpe in Georgia. According to the...
Learning How to be Alone: My First Three Days on the Northville Placid Trail
Hello, there! Let me start by giving you an idea of who I am. I’m Rachel, I’m originally from Western New York, and I just graduated from Amherst College...
Super Dave and the air mattress mistake
I was shaken down again in Mt. Laguna by Keith, who drew another, larger, similarly interested crowd. Everyone was hot and putting off leaving, so a shakedown was welcome change....
I Walked 1,000 Miles: An Open Letter To The Proclaimers
Dear Charlie and Craig, In March 2017 I set out to hike as much of the Appalachian Trail as I possibly could. I quickly realized this meant accomplishing something you...
Sometimes Your Heart is Broken
In an ideal world... meticulous planning, preparation and training can come together and produce a successful experience on the AT. Ideally. However, there are some things you just can't
What I Learned on This Year’s LASH
At the end of every hike, it's a good idea to look back and reflect about what you learned and resolve to do some things differently next time. An Observation...
Shakedowns and other terrifying things
Beginning this thing, long distance hiking, has been a process wrought with self-doubt for me. Throughout the dreaming and planning, I arrive at junctures where I meet myself unprepared and...
Day zero: San Diego and the secret panic attack
San Diego rolled into sight like a colorful beach ball, immediately charming with the sailboats and the ocean and the airport all chummy as if they'd been friends forever. The...
Katahdin Will Be There Next Year
Katahdin Isn't Going Anywhere As I headed north, it became clear that I wasn't going to make Katahdin before my second grandchild was born. I have to be there to...