Original episode aired February 13th, 2019

Stacia shares her personal experiences of being on the Appalachian Trail and how it helped her grow and find purpose in life.

Anyone who is planning a section or thru hike or has done one will find that listening to her story gives a candid and honest perspective that gets to the heart of why we hike. Stacia reflects on overcoming obstacles, pushing her body to its limits and the bonds of her trail family as she set out to reach Katahdin.

What she discovered along the way is that the Appalachian Trail is more than the number of miles you hike or what you check off on the list. The trail changed her life. Through Stacia's story, we get to understand what it really means to find Katahdin.

Connect with Stacia on Instagram

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Lee, trail name Boots, shares information about his annual Hike for Healing. This year the hike will be on June 19th on Segment 1 of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Listen in to learn how you can bring awareness to this issue and be an ally by supporting the hike. 

"Hike for Healing is an annual hike promoting ongoing awareness to strive towards healing of divisions. Why? Because humanity is imperfect. Racism, inequity, cultural insensitivities, social injustices, and even subtle prejudices are quite real and unfortunately play a role in everyday life. These are not political problems, these are human problems." - Bootsonthetrail.com

Connect with Boots:
bootsonthetrail.com
All the social links and news can be found at https://linktr.ee/bootsonthetrail

Instagram: @bootsonthetrail
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3N7038qJrQF9tVztx7xGw

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Lori chats with Nat of the Trailkeepers of Oregon. 

Trailkeepers of Oregon is a people powered non profit based out of Portland, Oregon. They partner with land agencies and owners on trail maintenance and stewardship projects that preserve current trails. They also find ways to encourage and renew public agency interest in trails. Some of their projects and offerings involve: 

Crew leader training
Trail Ambassador program 
Trail Maintenance 
Sawyer certification training
Family friendly events

Find them here:
https://trailkeepersoforegon.org

Participate in the Trailkeeper Challenge:

https://trailkeepersoforegon.org/challenge/

Learn more about Oregon Trails and find trip reports:
http://Oregonhikers.org

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

The Smoky Mountains Hiker is a Smoky Mountain enthusiast and hiker who with her husband manages a cabin on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies.  While hiking the trails, she became interested in learning more about the park’s history. Through a conversation with a friend after hiking Andrew’s Bald she discovered the story of Trenny Gibson’s disappearance.

In this episode she retells the story of Trenny Gibson and her unsolved disappearance in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

Connect with the Smoky Mountains Hiker
Instagram: @smokymountainshiker
Check out the Smoky Mountains cabin at https://thebluedoorcabin.com

Read the book referenced in the podcast - https://www.amazon.com/Unsolved-Disappearances-Great-Smoky-Mountains-ebook/dp/B004RR19GG

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Cori Strathmeyer is a hiker, blogger and nature and park conservancy founder and advocate. Listen to her discuss how she found solace and healing in hiking after going through cancer treatments and how her passion for the outdoors led her to help found the York City Park Conservancy in Pennsylvania.

Connect with Cori/Learn More:
Instagram: @spacebetweenblog
Blog: https://spacebetweenblog.com/

York City Parks Conservancy: 

• https://www.yorkcityparks.org/

Horse-Shoe Trail: 

• https://trails.dcnr.pa.gov/trails/trail/trailview?trailkey=18
• https://cart.hstrail.org/home/

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Jessica Chenard îs author of the book Her Hike and founder of Her Hike Collective.

In this interview, Jessica shares how she wrote her memoir after spending the prior decade healing from grief after the tragic and unexpected passing of her brother. She processed and healed from grief through hiking in nature.

She also was inspired to found Her Hike Collective, an all-women's hiking community. She hosts the group's quarterly hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Links to the hikes we discuss:

Sharp Top
https://www.nps.gov/places/sharp-top.htm

Whiteoak canyon
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/whiteoakcanyon_roadtrail.pdf

Jones Run Falls
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/jones-run-falls.htm

Hazel Falls
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hazel-river-falls.htm

Bearfence Mountain
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/bearfence-rock-scramble.htm

Old Rag
https://www.nps.gov/places/old-rag.htm

Mary’s Rock Summit
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/marys-rock-summit.htm

Connect with Jessica:
https://jessicachenard.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jessicaryanphoto/
https://www.facebook.com/jessicachenardauthor

Upcoming events can be found at Read Books Virginia Beach https://www.readvb.com

https://jessicachenard.com/retreat-sign-up -JUNE

https://www.readvb.com/purchase-event-tickets/her-hike-reading-retreat - MAY

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Renee Patrick has a conversation with Hike about her new Long-Distance Trail Consulting business and how it will benefit both hikers, local communities and trail organizations.

Renee guides long-distance trail organizations and developers to improve the hiking experience and inspire action on behalf of the environment.

Renee has  been writing, speaking, and working with outdoor industry partners over several decades to educate, inspire, activate, and motivate hikers and the general public to spend more time on trails.


Take the Hiker Survey:
https://www.longdistancetrailconsulting.com/hiker-survey

Visit Renee Patrick's site to learn more:
https://www.longdistancetrailconsulting.com/

Learn more about the author behind Braiding Sweetgrass and how to pick up the book:
https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/

Prior episodes with Renee:

Blue Mountains Trail
https://www.buzzsprout.com/225790/10096989

Oregon Desert Trail
https://www.buzzsprout.com/225790/1013824

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Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Anna McKinney shares her journey from being an Appalachian Trail thru hiker to Backpacking Guide in the Great Smoky Mountains. She provides her insightful experiences and advice for those newer to long distance hiking. 

Anna is currently hiking the AZT with her partner. She also is blogging her hike for The Trek.

 Follow her and find out more!

Connect with Anna:
Blog: https://mountainmagic21.wixsite.com/magicinthemountains 

Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/annamckinney22/ 

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Jackie shares why she created her guiding company The Girls Trip Adventure Co.  We cover her journey from being the ambassador of the Hiker Babes Georgia chapter to thru hiking the A.T. and how her experiences have inspired her to get women into the outdoors. 

Learn about the trips she offers and so much more during this conversation.  From her days in Georgia to creating a permanent home in Maine, you could say that her path is the Appalachian Trail personified.

Connect with Jackie/The Girls Trip Adventure Co.:
Web: The Girls Trip Adventure Co.
Facebook: The Girls Trip Adventure Co.
Instagram: @thegirlstripadventureco

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]

Hike celebrates 200 episodes with interviews featuring Mandi of She Opts Out and Miller and Debbie (aka the MAD Hippies).  

She Opts Out is an inclusive Women Only/Femme Identifying Community founded to connect & empower the Wiser Adventurer
Connect with She Opts Out
Instagram: @sheoptsout
Facebook: She Opts Out

Connect with MAD (Miller and Debbie)
Web site: MAD Hippies Life
Instagram: @mad_hippies
YouTube: MAD Hippies Life
Twitter: @MAD_Hippies

Listen to my previous episode with Miller and Debbie here. 

Support the show

Connect with Hike:
Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorer
Facebook: @thehikepodcast
Email: [email protected]