I've heard many, many long distance hikers say that they consider the trail an apolitical space- that they go hiking to escape the news and any discussion of what's happening in the larger world. Everyone deserves to be able to just get away from the larger world for a while, but the issue here is … Continue reading Intersectionality and Long Distance Hiking/The wilderness is not an apolitical space

This trip is different than any other hike I've done in a few ways- we'll be going a month at a time between towns (although we'll have food resupplies dropped by bush plane so will only be carrying about a week's worth of food for each stretch), the mosquitoes will be consistently horrendous, there will … Continue reading Gear and food that’s new for the Brooks Range Traverse 2018

This summer, my friend Bunny and I will traverse the Brooks Range in Alaska. The Brooks is a mountain range that runs across the Alaskan arctic from the Alaska/Yukon border to the Chuckchi sea. Treeline in the Brooks is very low; for this reason, much of the range is treeless open tundra, with some impenetrable … Continue reading Brooks Range Traverse 2018

The coyotes have tried to dig up Pinto's grave, again. They made it all the way to the edge of the white cardboard box before giving up. They were exhausted, I imagine, from digging under all those rocks, the ones we piled on Pinto's grave when we buried him. I kick dirt back into the … Continue reading For Pinto, who is free

On January 17, No More Deaths volunteer Scott Warren was arrested and charged with felony harboring for providing humanitarian aid along the US/Mexico border. His arrest happened hours after No More Deaths released a report on Border Patrol's interference with humanitarian aid. (You can read the report here- http://www.thedisappearedreport.org.) I wrote about Scott's arrest for the … Continue reading Fundraiser for Scott Warren, who is facing felony charges for humanitarian aid along the US/Mexico border

Dear readers, things have been... intense in my life lately. Good and hard. I'm working on my second book in an airstream in the Sonoran desert and there are kind, wonderful people to hang out with here, and that is good. My dog Pinto Bean passed away a few days ago, and that is very … Continue reading Reddit AMA on r/ultralight

9/9/17 30 miles 184.6 miles hiked Getting up to Dumbbell Pass in the morning is chill- just some frosty grass and slabs- but once on top we find a long snowfield headed down, and since it's early in the morning the snow hasn't yet softened. The snow is too icy for our One Microspike Each … Continue reading KCHBR Day 16: sprint to the finish

9/8/17 10.6 miles 154.6 miles hiked In the morning we hike out of the towering lodgepole forest to a bowl, the source of White Fork, and above us is a narrow ridgeline made entirely from scree. Skurka's notes say to “look for the bronze band,” as that will lead one to White Fork Pass. We … Continue reading KCHBR Day 15: hunger

9/7/17 15.5 miles 144 miles hiked I sleep so hard and when my alarm wakes me it's so cold I can't get up. I forgot how meadows are freezing deathtraps. They seem so innocent in the daytime... Yesterday we made the tough decision not to attempt King Col. King Col has a very difficult snow … Continue reading KCHBR Day 14: JMT and White Fork

9/6/17 10.5 miles 128.5 miles hiked The full moon is like daylight and it wakes me again and again, in this magical meadow far removed from anything, and at 5:50 we pull down the tarp and watch the perfect silver moon sink into the pink and turquoise dawn, awed. Today is my birthday. I have … Continue reading KCHBR Day 13: Birthday blues