by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | May 9, 2018 | Advice, camping, hiking, intro, quick start, Uncategorized
New to Backpacking? Try a Mock Overnighter 09 MAY 2018 Camping Backpacking Skills Many people find it challenging and scary to transition from dayhiking to camping on a backpacking trip. Because many students in my Thru-hiking 101 needed to be home to their kids for...
by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | May 15, 2017 | Advice, Uncategorized
I hear complaints all the time from climbers, runners, trail runners, mountaineers, mountain bikers about hiking: It’s slow. It’s repetitive. It’s boring. In a world of FKTs, GoPros, and Snapchat, the simple beauty of hiking can be lost. Robert Pirsig,...
by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | May 3, 2017 | Advice, Uncategorized
It’s no secret this is going to be a big snow year on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, too. It got me thinking about how I learned the hard way how to keep my feet warm in snowy “summer” hiking conditions. Distance hikers are going...
by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | Oct 24, 2016 | Advice, Uncategorized
At first, being home will be great after your long adventure. Endless food. Endless Netflix. No more foot/leg/back/what-have-you pain. Temperature control. Roof. Your family wants to hear about your hike and see photos. But after about 2-3 weeks, they’re over it....
by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | May 17, 2016 | hiking as a woman
Last week, I wrote in the High Country News about why closing the gender gap in the outdoors is important and steps women can take to reclaim the outdoors. This weekend, I joined women around the country (and world!) in an effort to do just that. Hike Like A Girl...
by Liz "Snorkel" Thomas | Jul 24, 2015 | Advice, Uncategorized
In the past week, this article posted on Gizmodo has been going around claiming the Sierra High Route is the hardest route in the Lower 48. My recent trip on the SHR really cemented in my mind an idea I’ve been toying with—that how difficult you find a trail or...
