One of the most epic adventures I've taken part in was on the Lost Coast Trail in northern California. I knew this trip was going to be like no other because from the very moment my friend Heather and I arrived in the parking lot, our plans began to change drastically.

      The Lost Coast Trail is a one-way hike that spans 25 miles. We had made reservations with a shuttle service to take us to the top of the tr...

Bears. We don’t like to admit it, but they’re out there. Personally I prefer to think of bears the least amount as possible. I know that they exist and I always hang a bear-bag whenever I overnight in the backcountry, but more because it’s just what you do than out of actual fear. I like to solo hike whenever I have a free weekend, and occasionally I get inside my own head at night when the woods seem to really...

Hitchhiking is often a necessary aspect of a successful long distance hike. Whether getting into town for a resupply or its your preferred method of getting back home, hitchhiking can be a bit intimidating. However, if you can pull it off, it may also be one of the more exciting adventures of your trip. A phrase I heard often used on the Appalachian Trail is "There's no adventure on the white blaze". This phras...

If you've never heard the term, "Hiker Trash" it might first be offensive to you. On my latest hike with Stephen Level, we felt insulted when a car drove by our camp and the driver shouted the phrase at us as we cooked our dinner. However upon further inquiry, I found it not to be a harsh term at all. In fact throughout the hiking community it might even be considered a compliment and a flattery. It recognizes...

        There are many long distance trails throughout the world such as the Appalachian Trail, Great Himalayan, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and many more, all over 500 miles long. Trails like these are what make serious backpackers stand out among the rest as they must overcome many obstacles ranging from life threatening weather, high elevations and...

“I’m super happy to be home, but for me…and I didn’t know I would have this response, but I do miss the trail.” - Stephen Level

About a week ago, the guys decided to end their trip early. After much thought, the two decided it would be best to head home. A few days after they came home, we all got together and debriefed about their trip, and they told me the highs and lows of their adventure.

A bittersweet end, n...

Since April 13th (the last blog post), a lot has happened with the boys. 

Here’s an exhaustive list of all the things they’ve been doing:

1. They hiked

2. They hiked some more

3. They kept hiking

4. They had moments of doubt, pain, suffering, enjoyment, laughter, hunger……….and then they kept hiking

All kidding aside, these two guys have amazed me. As of yesterday, they have walked a total of 384 miles. 384 miles! I r...

Trail names. For many of us normal folk, this isn't a term we would commonly use. But for two guys who decided to walk for 4 months straight, the term is quite normal. In fact, for many hikers, trail names are actually a thing. It's kind of like a nickname...only it's not.

Upchuck. What do you think of when you read that name? Do you think of vomit? Do you think of being sick? Do you think of Stephen Level?

I tho...

"A cool thing that might be worth mentioning is that a couple nights ago, at Pine Knob shelter we met a guy named Tom,

who lives in the area and was out for the weekend. We hung out with him for a while and we told him we were looking to stop in Waynesboro today, and he offered to meet us at the PA/MD border and give us a ride into town and a ride back to the trailhead tomorrow. So that's where we are now. At th...

Well folks, I regret to inform you that today, only four days into this hike, Stephen has officially snapped...

his trekking pole:

Stephen, being the beast of a man that he is was probably trying to spear a bear. The pole may have broken but Stephen's spirit is still intact...

Ok, but seriously, he broke it on a rock...not out of anger, but just by using it as a nice little walking stick thingy. And the worst part...

To anyone who has ever hiked the Appalachian Trail, the symbol carved into this log is I'm sure all too familiar. The symbol is "AT" which stands for Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian trail has other symbols as well. For example, white paint on trees. These markings run all 2200 miles of the trail marking trees roughly every .2 miles. Just to help hikers stay on course.

Isn't that nice? You learn something new...

Stephen Level and Wes Carter’s adventure began this morning in a coffee shop in Springfield, Ohio…Un Mundo Cafe, to be precise. They were accompanied by Duke Level—the driver (Stephen’s dad), heavy backpacks, broken in boots, and souls full of anticipation as they began their drive to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.

After months of preparation, the day is finally here. They will be hiking the Appalachian Trail fr...

1. Visit the Black Sand Beach in Vik Iceland

Visiting the black sand beach in Vik is definitely a must. The sand is crushed lava rock formed when it reaches the frigid ocean.  A beautiful beach to visit, but not where I chose to sun tan.  Half way down the beach is a large vaulted cavern called Hálsanefeshellir (obviously really easy to pronounce).  To read my full post on Vik Iceland click here.

2...

The John Day River, which zigzags north and west through Oregon's arid middle, is undammed for its entire length. This makes the river a sort of symbolic character to the state - the John Day is free, wild and unpredictable.

California's suffering from drought this year was well known around North America, but the effect of the same drought on Oregon went largely unnoticed. In Portland, the drought meant sunny...

Katie is a Pacific Crest Trail Hiker at hippietendencies.com. She captures her journey and everything she learned along the way on her blog! -Victoria

One month ago today, I finished hiking the PCT. I spent the day working at Donut Savant and at one point, someone asked me how my trip had been. This is a question I struggle to answer because it was so many things. Usually my answer is something lame like, “It...