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 incredible fatigue. Many of these long distance hikers would agree that one of the greatest challenges however, com

“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, no doubt, as they didn’t finish what they had set out to do. Or d

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 remember one time, I walked 9 miles. I didn’t enjoy it, so I d

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 thought so, and conveniently, it just so happens to be his "trail n

"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 the border waiting on Tom." These words were texted to me, by Wesle

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 is that they were brand spankin' new! Fortunately, he is still

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 every day, eh? Anyway, I've got a great update from the guys. Yes

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 from Harper’s Ferry (at mile marker: 1023.1) to Mt. Katahdin in Mai

Wild and White Blazing is a website run by Carla Robertson to train and equip women to hike the Appalachian Trail. The website is a community of women learning from each other and pushing each other. Read here about Carla's experience reaching Mt. Katahdin, the northernmost point of the Appalachian Trail! #appalachiantrail #trailreport #hike #women