The Adventurous Reinvention

The final day of our Royal Arch Loop adventure is here! And guess what? It turned out to be one of the easiest days yet (despite the all-uphill terrain).

After days of brutal heat, high exposure, and endless scrambling, we finally got a break—a cool, breezy morning as we tackled our last challenge: hiking 4,000 feet out of the Grand Canyon.

In this episode, Meg and I reflect on what it took to complete one of the hardest backpacking routes in the canyon. We talk about the biggest wins, the most difficult moments, and what we’ll never forget about this adventure.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Waking up at 3 AM (again) to avoid the desert heat
• Surprisingly enjoyable uphill hiking (who knew?!)
• The Grand Canyon blessing us with cold air and even… snow? ❄️
• Our final climb out—feet destroyed but feeling strong
• The biggest lessons and takeaways from the hardest, most technical backpacking trip we’ve ever done

This is the perfect conclusion to an epic adventure. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to take on a serious desert challenge—or if this route is for you—this episode gives you all the real, honest insights.

Episode Resources & Links:

• Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
• Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop

Learn more about your host, Allison (aka She Dreams of Alpine):

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

Welcome back to the Royal Arch Loop Trail Series! We are officially in the grind phase of the trip, and Day 3 was all about endurance, heat management, and pushing through mental and physical exhaustion.

This episode captures our hardest mental battle yet—navigating out of Garnet Canyon (which we didn’t even realize was Garnet Canyon at first), carrying 10 liters of water each, and racing against the desert heat.

Oh, and we also experienced something totally new on this trip: a forced five-hour mid-day siesta under a rock to avoid hiking in the brutal afternoon sun. (Spoiler: It was amazing).

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• A brutal morning scramble out of the canyon with massive boulder hopping
• The moment I had a mini-meltdown from sheer exhaustion 🫠
• Why navigating this terrain was way harder than the topo map made it seem
• How we found the perfect shady spot and embraced a five-hour mid-day troll cave nap
• The absolute joy of hiking in cooler evening temps and arriving at an epic, wide-open Grand Canyon campsite

This episode is raw, real, and the perfect glimpse into the highs and lows of a tough desert backpacking trip. You’ll hear our frustrations, our exhaustion, and the moments of pure backpacking bliss that made it all worth it.

Episode Resources & Links:

• Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
• Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop

Learn more about your host, Allison (aka She Dreams of Alpine):

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

Welcome back to the Royal Arch Loop Trail Series! If you thought Day 1 was tough, well… Day 2 upped the stakes. 😅

Today’s episode is all about high-stakes exposure, a rappel, and the moment I seriously questioned my life choices. Meg and I recorded this episode straight from the trail at the end of a brutally hot day, and we’re taking you through every gritty detail—from waking up at 3 AM to navigate sketchy terrain to finally making it to a gorgeous beach campsite on the Grand Canyon’s riverbanks.

Oh, and we also hiked to Elves Chasm (because apparently, we didn’t get enough of a workout). Spoiler: It was breathtaking, but the hike back? Absolutely miserable in the heat.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The terrifyingly narrow cliffside trail that had me questioning my life's choices
• Rappelling with a DIY harness setup in the desert heat 🥵
• Why Elves Chasm was worth the effort (even if I almost skipped it)
• The Grand Canyon’s dual personality—one moment, it's magic, the next, it's pure suffering
• My struggles with the heat & Meg’s bizarre ability to speed up when it gets hotter 😂

It’s another real, raw, and brutally honest trail recap. You’ll feel like you’re right there with us, sweating through the Grand Canyon and questioning why we signed up for this.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
• Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

Welcome to the first episode of my Royal Arch Loop Trail Series! If you listened to last week’s episode, you got the full recap of our Grand Canyon adventure one year later. But now, it’s time to go back in time and experience it as it happened—raw, real, and straight from the trail.

In this episode, Meg Atteberry and I are recording from Day 1 of our Royal Arch Loop adventure. And let me tell you, this day was no joke.

We tackled endless boulder fields, climbed our way through tricky downclimbs, and were punished by the desert sun. Oh, and I sat on a cactus within the first mile. 🙃

We’re sharing it all—the highs, the lows, and the unexpected (including an aggressively loud frog orchestra at camp).

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why Day 1 of the Royal Arch Loop was brutally long (and why we kept saying “just two more miles” for hours)
• The surprising technical challenges we faced early on
• Meg’s “desert mode” vs. my Colorado winter legs struggle 😂
• My tragic encounter with a cactus (and Meg coming to the rescue)
• The moment of awe that made the day worth it
• A sneak peek at what’s coming on Day 2

This is the real behind-the-scenes of an epic desert backpacking trip. You’re going to feel right there with us on the trail, sweaty, exhausted, and laughing at the chaos.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
• Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

In this episode of The Adventurous Reinvention Podcast, I’m joined by my dear friend and desert adventure badass, Meg Atteberry. We dive into our epic Grand Canyon Royal Arch Loop backpacking trip—one of the hardest routes in the canyon.

We’re sharing the behind-the-scenes of this challenging adventure, from route planning and navigating tough terrain to dealing with unexpected desert surprises (think cactus mishaps and… frogs?).

Plus, Meg offers her expert advice on desert backpacking, including tips for water management, gear, and timing your desert hikes just right.

If you’ve ever dreamed of a Grand Canyon adventure or want to level up your desert backpacking skills, this episode is packed with insights, lessons, and a whole lot of laughter from the trail.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the Royal Arch Loop is one of the most challenging Grand Canyon routes
• The prep and planning that goes into a desert adventure like this
• How to manage water, heat, and route-finding in desert environments
• Our biggest challenges and favorite memories from the trip
• Meg’s top tips for desert hiking and how to prepare for your own Grand Canyon adventure

Episode Highlights:

• [00:01:06] Meet Meg and how we connected through outdoor blogging
• [00:11:26] What drew Meg to the Grand Canyon Royal Arch Loop
• [00:17:43] The detailed prep: permits, water logistics, and the importance of a solid 4x4
• [00:28:58] Our hardest moments on the trail (spoiler: they weren’t what we expected!)
• [00:36:34] Favorite memories—from Elves Chasm to the unforgettable frog symphony
• [00:54:10] Meg’s expert desert backpacking advice

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
• Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop (Article)
• What to know before backpacking in the Grand Canyon (YouTube)
• Essential Gear You’ll Need on Your Grand Canyon Adventure (YouTube)
• Incredible Grand Canyon Backpacking Trips that are Best for You (Article)

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

Are you dreaming of summiting Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states? 🏔️ At 14,505 feet, it’s a challenging yet rewarding adventure that should be on every adventurer’s bucket list.

In this episode, I’m giving you the ultimate guide to planning your Mount Whitney summit, based on my own experiences on the trail—both successful summits and those no-summit days that taught me invaluable lessons.

Here’s what we cover in today’s episode:

• How to secure a Mount Whitney permit (and key deadlines to know!)
• Lessons from my personal Mount Whitney adventures, including what went right, what went wrong, and what I’d do differently
• The essential mindset shifts and preparation needed to tackle a 14er
• Tips for training your body, planning your itinerary, and building confidence for this epic climb

Whether you’re just starting to plan or you’ve attempted Mount Whitney before, this episode is packed with insights to help you succeed.

Resources and Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• How to Hike Mount Whitney (Trail Guide)
• How to Get a Mount Whitney Permit: Everything You Need to Know
• Tips for Hiking 14er Peaks

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

Many of my clients struggle with finding like-minded women to join them in their adventurous pursuits. Especially if they’re new to the outdoors (or hiking and backpacking) and their existing friend circle and family members just “don’t get it.”

If that sounds like you ⬆️ then you’re definitely going to want to tune in to this episode.

In this episode I'm going to share with you:

• The #1 way to attract your IDEAL adventure friends into your life
• My TOP tips for meeting your adventure besties (these are strategies that have worked really well for me as I’ve moved all over the country).
• What to do while you’re waiting to meet your new adventure friends (so that you don’t have to STOP getting out there)

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

In this episode, I’m so excited to introduce you to someone who has become such a special part of our Backpacking Badass community—Donna Pezzullo!

Donna isn’t just a Backpacking Badass alumni; she’s also an ambassador in our community, which means she helps support and guide other women on their outdoor journeys in our Backpacking Badass Program. 

What’s so inspiring about Donna is that even though she’s been adventuring in the outdoors for over 25 years, she’s always looking for ways to grow, build her skills, and empower others.

In this episode, we’ll dive into Donna’s journey—how she first fell in love with backpacking, what brought her into our world through the Backpacking Badass Program, and how she’s stepped into leadership both on and off the trail. 

We’ll also talk about how she uses tools like our “Your Adventure Era Challenge” event to make a focused plan for her adventurous years, and she’ll share a sneak peek at some of her 2025 goals.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been adventuring for years, Donna’s story is such a great reminder of how the outdoors is a lifelong journey of learning, growth, and connection.

How to connect with Donna:

• Donna's Instagram

🎉 Register for our BRAND NEW FREE CHALLENGE - Your Adventure Era Challenge - January 13-17th, 2025 - If you want to go on MORE hiking and backpacking adventures in 2025, in this 5-day challenge, you'll make sure you finally check those trips off your bucket list!

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST: This is our signature program where we teach you how to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient backpacker. It's an online course, coaching program, and community to support you in your journey to becoming a confident backpacker and step into your adventurous identity.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I’m planning my adventures in 2025. From big trips to mini getaways, client adventures, and everyday ways to keep the outdoors part of my life, this episode is all about setting the stage for a year filled with exploration.

You’ll hear:

• How I reflect on past adventures to shape my future plans
• The exciting client trips and retreats we’ve got lined up for 2025
• Creative ways I’m integrating adventure into my weekly routines
• What’s inspiring me to step out of my comfort zone this year
• The BIG adventure I have planned already for Fall 2025
• And how I’m approaching adventure with a new (adorable) member of my family

As we dive into these plans, I hope it inspires you to dream big and start crafting your own vision for 2025.

🎉 Register for our BRAND NEW FREE CHALLENGE - Your Adventure Era Challenge - January 13-17th, 2025 - If you want to go on MORE hiking and backpacking adventures in 2025, in this 5-day challenge, you'll make sure you finally check those trips off your bucket list!

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

• BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST
• THE ADVENTUROUS REINVENTION EXPERIENCE WAITLIST
• ROCK CLIMBING RETREATS WAITLIST

Want to see some testimonials about the Backpacking Badass Program? Read our student stories here.

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

Life is full of peaks and valleys, and 2024 was no exception. In this episode, I’m continuing a personal tradition I started back in 2020: reflecting on the best and worst moments of the year.

Join me as I share:

• My top 10 best moments of 2024, including incredible climbing milestones, unforgettable retreats, and a life-changing backpacking adventure.
• My top 10 worst moments, from heartbreaking losses to unexpected challenges that pushed me to grow.
• Why reflecting on both the highs and lows is essential for embracing the messy, beautiful journey of life.

This episode isn’t just about my year—it’s an invitation for you to reflect on yours, too. Grab a notebook and write down your own best and worst moments of 2024 as we close out the year and prepare for 2025.

What’s Coming in January 2025:

✨ Your Adventure Era Challenge—a free 5-day event to jumpstart your adventurous 2025. Registration will drop at the beginning of January!

🥾 Enrollment for the Backpacking Badass Program opens on January 20th.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

• BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST
• THE ADVENTUROUS REINVENTION EXPERIENCE WAITLIST
• ROCK CLIMBING RETREATS WAITLIST

Want to see some testimonials about the Backpacking Badass Program? Read our student stories here.

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking.