#optoutside
Everything I’ll Admit to Bringing on my AT Thru-Hike
WARNING: Gear post in 3, 2, 1… Here's everything I’ll admit to bringing for my 2021 thru-hike of the AT I’ll start with an apology of sorts. I really meant...
Walking Thru It.
Hi, I’m Nugget! I like jammy eggs and long walks through the woods. Like, really long walks. Actually, a 2192 mile long walk where my partner, Harry, and I carry everything...
The Life-Changing Addiction of Thru-Hiking
Salt Lake City, Jan. 21, 2019: The countdown has started. At the end of April---roughly three months from now---I will get dropped off at the Mexican border. Again! The Thru-Hike...
19 Days of Intermission Featuring Florence
On the list of displaced people from Florence, it is unlikely that Appalachian Trail thru-hiker might pop up. Yet, we are here. The trail, our home, is closed. We are...
Anxiety Ascent: Why I’m off the trail
I wake up in my room, surrounded by four walls and my black cat walking over my down comforter. The air conditioning is cool and my bed is soft. This...
Little Toe, Big Problem
My first two days on the trail were, let's call them, eventful. I've been an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast since spring break camping trips as a kid, so I...
Be Stubborn: Advice from a Two-Time Thru-Hiker
"Be stubborn," said the two-time AT thru-hiker I ran into at Cloudland Canyon's south rim during my final shakedown hike. It felt like strange advice coming from the owner of...
Giggles’ Gear Modifications and Tips for a Thru-Hike That Starts Tomorrow or Is Still in Your Dreams
Everyone has their own way of doing things on a thru-hike, whether it is how they attach their umbrella to their pack, when they take a break for dinner, or...
The Truest Things about Hiking the PCT
I have been struggling with what to write after getting back from hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017. Not for lack of things to say, but rather out of...
Two Cooks’ Advice for Going Stoveless
When other hikers on the trail heard what we do in "real life," they all reacted the same way: "I bet you have the best meals out here!" For those...