Interview

Arlette “Apple Pie” Laan on Becoming the First Woman to Hike All 11 National Scenic Trails

Arlette “Apple Pie” Laan on Becoming the First Woman to Hike All 11 National Scenic Trails

Arlette “Apple Pie” Laan just became the first woman to hike all eleven of the National Scenic Trails in the United States, with mileage totaling close to 18,000 miles. Born...

Jul 18, 2022 : Alison Young
Meet the Family of 6 Finishing Their Triple Crown

Meet the Family of 6 Finishing Their Triple Crown

Meet the Bennetts, a family of six that has hiked the PCT, CDT, and PNT.  I caught up with 5/6 of them (and a Bennett cousin) almost a quarter of...

Jun 15, 2022 : Penina Crocker
One of the Foremost Experts in Human-Bear Conflict Has Something to Tell You About Bear Safety

One of the Foremost Experts in Human-Bear Conflict Has Something to Tell You About Bear Safety

Do bear bells work? Is it best to play dead if you’re attacked? Is a gun just as effective as bear spray? Should anything that might possibly have come in...

Jun 8, 2022 : Alison Young
Man Hiking the AT with a Leafblower: Mascot Hikers and Why They Do It

Man Hiking the AT with a Leafblower: Mascot Hikers and Why They Do It

Some hikers carry the oddest things on the Appalachian Trail. Here’s a little peek into the lives of two of them.

Apr 6, 2022 : Bloodhound
SOBO Winter Thru-Hike Q&A: Scott Benerofe Update

SOBO Winter Thru-Hike Q&A: Scott Benerofe Update

Hello everybody, my name is Katie "Oats" Houston. I am the Social Media Wiz for The Trek, and I’m so excited to be sharing the first of many interviews this...

Apr 4, 2022 : Katie "Oats" Houston
Painting the AT: How One Artist is Transforming the Trail, One Hostel at a Time

Painting the AT: How One Artist is Transforming the Trail, One Hostel at a Time

For the last several years, an artist/hiker, Bobbie Drelick, trail name, “Paint Splash”, has been making a splash—a paint splash—on large sections of the Appalachian Trail, transforming drab, ordinary walls...

Mar 15, 2022 : Bloodhound
From Tragedy To Triumph: How the Appalachian Trail Transformed One Woman’s Life

From Tragedy To Triumph: How the Appalachian Trail Transformed One Woman’s Life

In 2020, many people quit their hikes because of the pandemic. This is a story of one of them who not only handled the challenges hiking during this unique time,...

Dec 1, 2021 : Bloodhound
Nicholas “Click” Reichard on “SToRIES”: An Interview with a Prolific Hiker, Photographer, and Author

Nicholas “Click” Reichard on “SToRIES”: An Interview with a Prolific Hiker, Photographer, and Author

Nick is a thru-hiker, photographer, and dad. In the spring of 2021, Nick added another title to his list - published author. His book SToRIES uses an engaging combination of...

Jul 16, 2021 : Jacob Deutsch
Meet the Eating Disorder Survivor Crushing Miles on the PCT

Meet the Eating Disorder Survivor Crushing Miles on the PCT

Sarah Mabee didn’t know she’d be hiking part of the Pacific Crest Trail this year. Nine months ago she didn’t have ambitions to hike any long trail, because at the...

Sep 2, 2020 : Kelly Floro
Thru-Hiking Through Grief: How Widower Randy Fuller’s 2019 Hike Changed His Life

Thru-Hiking Through Grief: How Widower Randy Fuller’s 2019 Hike Changed His Life

I don't remember when I met Randy Fuller, aka Survivor, but I know when I said goodbye. Last July, both of us were midway through our northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hike...

Mar 18, 2020 : Cari Pattison