Welcome to the West Highland Way Trail Series—a special set of episodes from my latest long-distance hike across the Scottish Highlands.

I’ll be bringing you along day by day as I hike 100 miles from Milngavie to Fort William, sharing the real-time feels, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments from the trail.

Day 0 kicks off in Glasgow. Jet-lagged, rain-soaked, and reunited with my best friend Ashima, we landed in Milngavie ready (ish) to start 100 miles on the West Highland Way. A cozy pub dinner, big laughs, and a literal storm on the horizon kicked things off in true Scotland style.

In this episode:

• Connecting with my friend to start our adventure!
• Jet-lagged pub stops and last-minute prep
• Early trail nerves and looming storms

🎧 Hit play for the calm before the (literal) storm.

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

Ever wondered what it’s actually like to try rock climbing for the first time—or join a women’s rock climbing retreat?

In this episode, I’m joined by Kate, our longtime Team Alpine coach and certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, to talk all about our Joshua Tree Women's Rock Climbing Retreat and why this kind of guided outdoor experience can be a total game-changer.

Whether you’re climbing-curious, craving a new challenge, or just looking for a supportive space to try something new, this episode pulls back the curtain on what really happens during one of our favorite annual retreats.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it’s like to go from “I’m not a climber” to actually climbing outside

• Common fears women have about trying outdoor climbing—and how we help you through them

• Why guided experiences are such a powerful first step (and no, you don’t need any gear!)

• A full breakdown of what our Joshua Tree retreat includes: climbing, camping, yoga, s’mores + more

• Real client stories, identity shifts, and what makes these retreats so damn special

If you’ve ever been even a little bit curious about climbing… this is your sign to explore it. 🎧

👉 JOIN OUR ROCK CLIMBING RETREATS WAITLIST

Where to learn more about Kate:

• Instagram: @camera_kate
• Website: headoverheelhooks.com
• Substack: https://headoverheelhooks.substack.com/

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my real-life pre-trip mind drama.

What started as a dream girls trip to hike the West Highland Way in Scotland slowly unraveled… and now it’s a half-solo, half-not. It's an adventure with some packing anxiety, trail runner debates, and awkward pub meal fears thrown in.

I’m walking you through the exact pre-trip resistance I’m feeling—yes, even as an outdoor coach, backpacking guide, and experienced hiker—and how I’m coaching myself through the doubts, the drama, and the "oh crap, this is actually happening" feelings that always pop up before a big adventure.

Whether you're prepping for your first solo hike or just need a reminder that even seasoned adventurers get nervous, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I share:

• The story of how my girls trip slowly morphed into a solo-ish hike
• What I’m weirdly nervous about 😅
• My internal drama about packing, hiking shoes, and losing my climbing gains
• How to handle your own pre-trip resistance with self-compassion and mindset tools
• Why solo confidence gives you so many more options in life

🎧 Tune in to feel seen, laugh a little, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s really going on in my head before hitting the West Highland Way trail.

P.S. Here is a quick link to episode 10 if you want to learn even more about pre-trip resistance.

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

In this week’s episode of The Adventurous Reinvention Podcast, I’m bringing back one of your favorite series—Hot Topics in Our Backpacking Badass Community—with my teammate Kellie.

Together, we’re pulling back the curtain on what’s been buzzing in the community this season, from celebrating badass student graduations to practical tips for hitting the trail with confidence.

Here’s what we cover:

• Graduation Trips: Why that first backpacking trip unlocks all the others, plus a spotlight on a student's epic leadership on California’s Lost Coast Trail.
• Trail Leadership: How to manage group dynamics, calm pre-trip panic, and build trust in yourself and your partners.
• Backpacking Food: Our go-to meal planning strategies, favorite trail recipes, and easy hacks that make food prep less overwhelming.

Whether you’re gearing up for your first trip or looking for new ideas to shake up your trail routine, you’ll find inspiration (and plenty of food talk) in this conversation.

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

In this week’s episode of The Adventurous Reinvention Podcast, I’m sharing something a little more personal: the bold climbing goal I’ve set for myself in 2025.

Last year, I worked on rewriting my relationship with fear in lead climbing. This year, I’m chasing my boldest climbing goal yet—leading 5.12 outdoors.

In this episode, I talk about:

• How the Adventurous Reinvention Experience opened me up to locking in a new big goal
• The story of finding a new climbing partner and dreaming up wild possibilities together
• Why I’m leaning on desire instead of discipline to fuel my training and vision
• What it means to be locked in for 2025 (and how you can reflect on that for yourself, too)

Whether climbing is your thing or not, this episode is all about choosing bold goals that excite you, scare you, and ultimately grow you into the next version of yourself.

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

What happens when you actually listen to that inner whisper telling you something in your life isn’t aligned?

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and returning guest Marie-Pier Tremblay—coach, creator of Self Growth Nerds, and long-distance adventurer—to talk about the big leaps of courage she’s taken in both love and the outdoors.

Marie-Pier shares how leaving a long-term relationship led her on a path of deep self-discovery, dating, and eventually finding new love with her current partner.

And together? They jumped straight into his very first backpacking trip… which just so happened to be a 100-mile thru-hike across Norway’s Lofoten Islands.

We cover:

• Trusting yourself enough to leave relationships (even when nothing is “wrong”)
• How heartbreak became a catalyst for clarity, courage, and growth
• What it was like to date again, define her values, and find love that fully aligned
• Why she chose Norway’s Lofoten Long Crossing as her next big adventure
• Logistics, challenges, and highlights of thru-hiking in Norway (with no switchbacks!)
• How adventure and relationships can both be powerful training grounds for reinvention

This is a conversation about courage, new beginnings, and the wild ways the trail mirrors our personal lives.

Where to learn more about Marie:

• Marie's Instagram
• Marie's Website
• Marie's Podcast (Self Growth Nerds) - Episodes Marie-Pier referenced: Ep. 115, Ep. 124, Ep. 125, Ep. 161 of Self Growth Nerds
• Listen to our first conversation together: Ep 007: Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with Marie-Pier Tremblay

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.

Ever stared up at a steep climb on trail and felt that sinking sense of dread? You’re not alone. For many new (and even experienced) hikers and backpackers, uphills can feel like the toughest part of the journey. But here’s the truth: it’s not just about stronger legs or more training, it’s about the mindset you bring to the climb.

In this episode, I’m sharing the exact mental shifts and trail-tested strategies I use (and teach my clients) to make uphill hiking not only easier, but even enjoyable.

We’ll talk about how to redirect negative self-talk, fuel yourself with powerful thoughts, and tap into that “let’s freaking go” energy that transforms hard climbs into moments of growth and empowerment.

Whether you’re new to backpacking or taking on your biggest summit yet, this episode will help you reframe the uphill struggle into something that builds your confidence and fuels your adventure, on the trail and in life.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The two different ways you can meet an uphill hike—and why one will always leave you drained.
• How to reframe “this is hard” into “this is hard AND I’m capable.”
• Simple mindset strategies that keep you moving forward.
• Why the mountains are the perfect training ground for building real-life resilience.
• How to shift from resisting the climb to embracing it as proof of your strength.

So the next time you’re staring up at a big mountain pass, you’ll have the tools to ditch the dread and step into your power.

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.

Learn more and join our waitlists for these programs here:

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

Welcome to the John Muir Trail Podcast Series - I'm taking a little summer break from the podcast while I head off on some new adventures (and guide some epic client trips too!). But I didn’t want to leave you hanging—so I’m sharing something special: a never-before-released Trail Series from our John Muir Trail thru-hike.

Today was our final full day on trail—and the emotion is starting to hit. We hiked from Cathedral Lake to Little Yosemite Valley, a mostly downhill journey filled with sweeping granite views, quiet reflection, and a bit of unexpected bushwhacking.

We conserved water across a long stretch with no flowing creeks, battled through a burnt-out section below Clouds Rest, and finally rolled into Little Yosemite Valley—just five miles from our finish line.

For Allison, this campground marks a full-circle moment: it was the site of her very first backpacking trip. And now, many years later, she’s back—stronger, more experienced, and leading a very different outdoor life.

In this episode:

• Granite domes, sweeping views, and classic Yosemite terrain
• Conserving water and hiking through dry, exposed miles
• Surprise trail conditions in a fire zone (thorny bushwhacking!)
• Camp nostalgia and the memory of Allison’s first ever backpacking trip
• Astrophotography reflections from Cathedral Lake
• Smoke scare near Tuolumne Meadows
• Prepping for the final 5 miles and savoring one last night off-grid

🎧 Join us as we reflect on growth, grit, and the beauty of returning to where it all started.

JMT Resources on the Blog:

• The Stress-Free Guide to John Muir Trail Permits
• The Ultimate John Muir Trail Planning Guide
• 15 Reasons I’m Excited to Hike the John Muir Trail

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 John Muir Trail Podcast Series - I'm taking a little summer break from the podcast while I head off on some new adventures (and guide some epic client trips too!). But I didn’t want to leave you hanging—so I’m sharing something special: a never-before-released Trail Series from our John Muir Trail thru-hike.

Today was what trail dreams are made of: sleeping in, resupply snacks, stunning views, and clear night skies.

We started the day with our coldest night yet, not crawling out of the tent until the sun finally warmed us up around 8:30am. With only 11 miles on the docket, we took our time hiking from Ireland Trail to Lower Cathedral Lake, stopping by Tuolumne Meadows for a well-earned treat break—kombucha, chips, and a Twix bar.

We chatted with curious day hikers, got our first bear can and permit check from a ranger (who welcomed us into Yosemite like border patrol), and reflected on our little trail detours along the way.

After a short but steep climb to Cathedral Lake, we landed at a beautiful campsite under epic peaks—and capped off the night with an incredible Milky Way display.

In this episode:

• The coldest night on trail… and our laziest morning yet
• Kombucha, kettle chips, and people-watching at Tuolumne
• Getting pulled over by a ranger (and proudly showing off our permit)
• A short uphill to Cathedral Lake with Dorito-powered legs
• Reflections on trail purity vs. fun side trips
• Campfire chats, double dinners, and banana pudding
• Milky Way photography and a sky full of stars

🎧 Come hang with us on a relaxed, joyful day filled with creature comforts and starry skies.

JMT Resources on the Blog:

• The Stress-Free Guide to John Muir Trail Permits
• The Ultimate John Muir Trail Planning Guide
• 15 Reasons I’m Excited to Hike the John Muir Trail

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 John Muir Trail Podcast Series - I'm taking a little summer break from the podcast while I head off on some new adventures (and guide some epic client trips too!). But I didn’t want to leave you hanging—so I’m sharing something special: a never-before-released Trail Series from our John Muir Trail thru-hike.

After three early wakeups and back-to-back big-mileage days to outrun another forest closure, we finally made it to Yosemite—and slowed down for the first time in a while.

We climbed Donahue Pass in the soft morning light, soaking in alpine glow and still reflections in the high-elevation ponds. It was stunning, peaceful, and (finally) wind-free.

On the other side of the pass, we reunited with Twiggy for a few final miles together before parting ways again. Then we set up camp early—at 2pm!—and embraced an actual, honest-to-goodness rest day. Michael fished. Allison napped. And we both finally opened our Kindles.

In this episode:

• Crossing safely into Yosemite after a stressful few days
• Glowing alpine reflections and photo stops at Donahue Pass
• Reuniting with Twiggy and hiking into Lyell Canyon together
• Our first early stop and real rest day
• Fishing with a broken rod, naps, and reading time
• The strange joy of doing nothing on trail
• The magic of warm-feeling creek water (maybe a hot spring?)

🎧 Tune in to hear how slowing down gave our feet (and minds) a chance to recover—and why Donahue might be our favorite pass of the whole JMT.

JMT Resources on the Blog:

• The Stress-Free Guide to John Muir Trail Permits
• The Ultimate John Muir Trail Planning Guide
• 15 Reasons I’m Excited to Hike the John Muir Trail

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.