Into the Collegiate West we go (on the Colorado Trail)

This post first appeared on The Trek on August 22, 2022. If you’re hiking southbound on the Colorado Trail, as most people do, just past Twin Lakes Village, you reach the revered Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Here, you have two choices. March on into the wilderness via the official CT route – the Collegiate East –

Six tips for hiking the first quarter of the Colorado Trail

This post first appeared on The Trek on August 20, 2022. One aspect of trail life that I love so much is that the learning curve is so steep. You hop on a trail and a week later you’ve already learned so much! This holds true for the Colorado Trail, which I am currently thru-hiking.

A swimming bear, shooting stars, and a 10 by 10: Colorado Trail thru-hike days one through three

This post first appeared on The Trek on August 10, 2022. The beginning of my Colorado Trail thru-hike didn’t exactly go off without a hitch. As I mentioned in my preparation posts, my friends Ibex and Dori, both of whom were a part of my Appalachian Trail tramily, are joining me for this adventure. I

Six ways I’m preparing for my Colorado Trail thru-hike

This post was first published on The Trek on July 27, 2022. I ditched Washington, DC, for the Appalachian Trail (AT) and then Colorado over four years ago, but the Type A habits I picked up there live on. While I certainly can fly by the seat of pants, I typically don’t. The truth is,

Six Reasons I’m Thru-Hiking the Colorado Trail This Summer

This post was first published on TheTrek.co on July 20, 2022. After dreaming about and planning for my upcoming Colorado Trail thru-hike for the last six months, the countdown is on. I’m a mere two weeks away from my start date, and I am so ready! I’ve spent the last few weeks training, researching town

Appalachian Trail memories surface as Colorado Trail thru-hike draws near

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on July 17, 2022. As my Colorado Trail (CT) thru-hike start date approaches, I find myself looking in the rearview mirror at how profoundly my 2018 Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike changed my life. Whenever I think of my trek, the Lord Huron song, “Meet Me in the Woods” comes

Backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park – What to know before you go

Want to go backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park? In this vid, I show you around the summer 2021 backpacking trip I took there while discussing things to know before you go, such as how to get a wilderness permit to stay over in the park, which animals you need to watch out for ASIDE

How to backpack Colorado’s Cross Creek to Fall Creek Loop in the Holy Cross Wilderness

Ever since hiking the Missouri and Fancy Lakes loop earlier this summer (which was incredible!), I’ve been wanting to get back to the Holy Cross Wilderness to explore more. Well, last month, my friends got kicked off the Pacific Crest Trail due to wildfires and took a last-minute flight out to Colorado to visit, so

How to backpack to Aspen, Colorado’s Conundrum Hot Springs

Have you ever hiked to a natural hot spring, soaking your sore muscles in a natural hot tub on a mountainside while enjoying the view of the valley below? If not, I cannot recommend Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen, Colorado enough! The trail is gorgeous, with views for days, dreamy aspen forests, and abundant wildflowers in the summer months, and come on, who doesn’t want to end their hike in a natural hot spring?! 10/10 would definitely recommend adding this to your bucket list!

Virginia: Another State Down and More to Love

Virginia is an incredible state on the Appalachian Trail. Wild ponies, wildflowers, swimming holes, and microbreweries await your arrival! It’s not flat though, no matter what anyone may tell you!