I miss writing about the trail every day. I miss posting things on the Internet and having people read them. I'm not on a thru-hike right now, it's true, but there are still so many words inside me that are itching to get out. That's why I decided to start a newsletter! It's called Somewhere …
Continue reading I Made a Newsletter, and Here’s Why You Should Subscribe
June 4, 2022 Campsite at mile 722.2 to Dutch Meadow at mile 743 20.8 miles I am not in a good mood. DLT and Catless pack up so fast and it takes me forever to even get out of my tent. Yesterday scared me. I do not want to be that hungry again. I hate …
Hikers love talking about gear. I think the only thing we might love more than talking about gear is buying new gear. Believe me, I understand the impulse to purchase a whole new kit before another thru-hike. It's exciting to look back on past hikes and to tinker with the setup, upgrade items to newer …
Continue reading Why I’m Not Buying a Ton of New Gear for the PCT
There's a saying in the thru-hiker community: Either you do one of the Triple Crown trails, or you do all three. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019, nearly three years ago. This year, I am embarking on the second trail of my eventual Triple Crown. I am officially thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in …
Continue reading I’m Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022!
I've been distracted recently. I suppose in a way, everyone has been distracted recently, but I really feel all over the place. I'm normally very goal-directed, and I have, for the most part, always known what I wanted. It feels like I'm losing that, though, and I don't like the feeling. A friend recently asked …
Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park - Columbus, Ohio December 5, 2021 I spend a lot of time hating on winter. I had a rough adjustment back to Ohio and Kentucky winters after living in Arizona for three and a half years, and I think that first shock has stayed with me. But over the past …
7 miles - Ramshorn Lake to Buffalo Horn Trailhead The last day on trail is always the worst day on trail. Although I was ready to take a shower, wash my hands, and be done with rolling around in the dirt, I wasn’t ready to leave the woods. I love waking up as the light …
Continue reading Gallatin Crest Trail Day 4: Friday, July 16
10ish miles? - Windy Pass to Ramshorn Lake Although my GPS said it was about 8 miles to Ramshorn Lake from Windy Pass, I remembered reading a trip report that had today's mileage around 13. Classic Gallatin Crest. Nothing for certain, everything guesswork. 13 miles would be a long haul at this elevation, especially without …
Continue reading Gallatin Crest Trail Day 3: Thursday, July 15
10ish miles - Crater Lake to Windy Pass Wow, what a day. It started off with me sleeping in a bit, which isn’t in the least out of the usual. I woke up around 5:30, but didn’t get moving until 7:30. I had breakfast by the lake, and I also checked my maps, dug my …
Continue reading Gallatin Crest Trail Day 2: Wednesday, July 14
11ish miles - Hyalite Creek Trailhead to Crater Lake I woke up as it began to get light, around 6. It took me a while to get moving, because as usual for my first night of any backpacking trip, I didn’t sleep well. It was a beautiful morning, and I enjoyed a relaxed breakfast and …
Continue reading Gallatin Crest Trail Day 1: Tuesday, July 13
Sarahmarie Specht-Bird 