Valerie
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The time I survived a tornado while backpacking on the Appalachian Trail
As an avid backpacker and thru-hiker, I’ve spent the night outdoors in some pretty insane weather. From rain and snow to hail and lightning, I thought I’d seen it all. But the storm I experienced on the southern Appalachian Trail… Continue reading
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Lessons Learned: 7 things I did differently on my second thru-hike
When it comes to thru-hiking, sometimes you must learn by doing. This was certainly the case for me. I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail solo during my gap year before college. Though I was already a fairly experienced backpacker for my… Continue reading
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Understanding Zeros and Neros on the Appalachian Trail
Recently I’ve started reading through my old Appalachian Trail journals from my 2014 thru-hike, in preparation for upcoming adventures. I’m learning a lot from this walk down memory lane. There were many surprising things that I’d forgotten about my thru-hike.… Continue reading
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Reflecting on taking a “gap year” to thru-hike before college: 10 pros and 5 cons
Are you (or your family member) taking a gap year to thru-hike a long trail such as the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail? There are many great reasons to take a gap year to thru-hike before starting college. I… Continue reading
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Durable Backpacking Gear: 3 items in my pack that stood the test of time (and miles), and 3 that did not
I’ll start by saying I’m not sponsored by anyone and I’m not selling anything. These are just my opinions of my backpacking gear, based on 12+ years of backpacking including two thru-hikes. I hope this information helps other hikers make… Continue reading
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Ranking the Colorado Trail’s 33 Segments from Worst to Best
If you’re planning a thru-hike or section hike of the Colorado Trail, you may be wondering, “which Colorado Trail segment is best?” or “what are the worst segments of the Colorado Trail?”. Lucky for you, I’ve ranked all 33 segments… Continue reading
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The Collegiate East or West: a thru-hiker’s guide to picking the best route – from someone who hiked both twice
If you are planning a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail, you’ll need to decide between the Collegiate East or Collegiate West routes through the Collegiate Range. I’ve hiked both routes twice, and I’m here to help you make that decision!… Continue reading
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Trip Report: Hiking the Collegiate Loop in Under a Week
Since completing my 2016 Colorado Trail thru-hike, I’ve wanted to go back and hike the Collegiate Loop as a stand-alone backpacking trip. I felt hiking the loop fast could be a great way to push myself physically and boost my… Continue reading
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5 ultralight backpacking hacks I stand by! Plus 2 that go too far for me
Finding the balance between comfort while hiking and comfort at camp can be challenging for any backpacker. I’ve learned that striking this balance isn’t the same for every person – and it even looks different on different trips. Over my… Continue reading
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5 high-elevation weekend backpacking trips in Northern Colorado
I’ve lived on the northern Colorado Front Range for the last 10 years, and I love it for many reasons. One reason is that it’s easy to access some incredible backpacking areas without driving far. Whether you’re visiting northern Colorado… Continue reading
Adventures with Val 