#optoutside
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...
Thoughts From the Trail Via Some Audio Clips
Hey humans out there! Well, I've made it to mile 700-plus of the PCT. Walking around 20 miles a day, I have a lot of time for reflection, thinking, zoning...
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...
Do You Understand Why I’m Doing This?
Why I think people think I'm doing this. --I'm a lost young adult of the millennials. --I don't want responsibility. --Ego trip. --Dirty hippie. --I don't want to work. While...
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...
