If Backpacking Was A Resume

Marla Davidson aka “Fancy Feast”

Serial Thru-Hiker

@the_fanciest_of_feasts

[email protected]

HIKING EXPLOITS

LONG TRAIL SIDE-TO-SIDE– Completed November ’19

  • 88 side trails totaling 166.1 miles, though out-and-backs & overlaps nearly double the walking mileage
  • #1 trail in VT is the Canyon Trail on the west side of Mt Mansfield
  • Hooked on backpacking since overnight trip at age 10 to the Breadloaf Wilderness

AT & IAT SECTION KATAHDIN-MATAPÉDIA, QC– April 22nd-October 2nd ’19

  • Fairly “typical” AT thru.  No snow or droughts, adverse animal/bipedal hominid encounters, or hike-ending injuries
  • Over 90% of the trail miles in Northern Maine and New Brunswick are road walking; cycling would be better IMHO

 INTERNATIONAL VENTURES – ’17

  • Did a semester exchange at the University of Otago Dunedin in NZ
    • Introduced to true, trailless “bush-whacking” by the uni Tramping Club.  First time using an ice axe, crampons, and hiking at elevation
  • Took a gap semester to WWOOF & travel in the southern Perú
    • Walked the Salkantay Trek solo with recklessly minimal gear, relying on marginal language skills & money to slackpack myself
    • Washed dishes at a family restaurant and harvested potatoes in exchange for room & board

LONG TRAIL END-TO-ENDMay-June ’16

  • Named “Big Blue” for my over-stuffed external frame pack
  • Contracted a waterborne illness from drinking unfiltered water
  • Switched out trail runners for leather boots ~ 120 miles in and have never looked back

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

SKI INSTRUCTOR Winters ’10/’11 – present

  • Worked at Mad River Glen in VT during high school and college, winter ’18/’19 at Stowe in VT full time, most recently at Crystal Mountain in WA for the ’19/’20 and ’20/’21 seasons
  • Certified Alpine Level II and Child Specialist I

SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS CREW MEMBER -June-October ’20

  • Made the Pecos Wilderness in NM more passable for cattle/stock by removing blowdowns & mitigating tread erosion
  • Kept cattle out of Chaco NHP by repairing 40+ miles of barbed wire boundary fence

GREEN MOUNTAIN CLUB CARETAKER -June-August ’15-’17 & June-November ’18

  • Caretaker on Camel’s Hump ’15, Mansfield ’16, Abraham ’17, Mansfield Lead ’18
  • Educated the public about the fragile alpine ecosystem and Leave No Trace principles (certified Trainer)
  • Learned 1st hand about habituated bears in a series of ’15 encounters

VERMONT YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS MEMBER -Summer ’13

  • Introduction to trail maintenance, corps life, and general dirt-baggery
  • 5/9 members prescribed steroids for severe reactions to poison ivy

EDUCATION

SAINT LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY – B.S.

CLASS OF ’18

  • Majored in Geology with a minor in Creative Writing
  • Ran 3 seasons XC (Division III) + 1 season Track & Field (1500m)
  • Phi Beta Kappa, bitch

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