Tag: solo hiking

JMT Day 2: Things Don’t Always Get Worse

Published on by Lauren2 Comments

Date: 8/19/17 | Miles Hiked: 17 (7 Half Dome, 10 JMT)

I woke up this morning at 5 a.m. to hike Half Dome, carefully adjusting my tent in hopes it would dry from last night’s downpour while I was gone.

With nothing but a light daypack filled with water and a few snacks, hiking this Yosemite classic was freeing.

The difficulty of steep switchbacks and rock stairs toward the end of the hike — even without my giant pack — caught me by surprised and wore me down just in time for the infamous cables section. Continue reading “JMT Day 2: Things Don’t Always Get Worse” →

How to Tell Your Family You’re Doing a Thru-Hike

Published on by Lauren1 Comment

Deciding to do a thru-hike is easy. But telling loved ones about such a trip? That can be a challenge.

After about a week of being denied a permit for the John Muir Trail, I was elated when the email came through granting me access to this incredible hike. As excited as I was, an uneasy feeling rooted itself in my gut: fear. Not of bears or getting lost or sleeping alone outside, but the looming anxiety of telling my parents.

Continue reading “How to Tell Your Family You’re Doing a Thru-Hike” →