I’ll be giving another presentation next week for the American Long Distance Hiking Association – West (ALDHA-WEST) for their annual ruck on March 9.

This will be a one of several break-out sessions about using maps and apps on routes and trails. The keynote speaker will be from “LarryBoy” who hiked a 2,500 mile desert route connecting Arizona, Utah, and Idaho.

I’ve been participating in rucks for years…they are usually in person and help prepare hikers for the upcoming thru-hiking season, but because of COVID the event will be virtual this year.

What is a ruck you might be asking? Ruck is the German word for backpacking, and has been used through the trail community as a name for an event that helps you get out and backpack.

So join me on Wednesday, March 9 at 5pm PST.

The video of our panel presentation from Treeline Review is now up! Check out the webpage to find out more details about gear each of us carry, and watch the presentation here:

I had the pleasure of discussing the Blue Mountains Trail with Lori, founder of the Hike podcast.

Lori had me on a few years ago to talk about the Oregon Desert Trail, so it was fun to connect again about this new trail I’ve been helping with.

This year we are bringing back our group stewardship trips at ONDA, AND will continue to offer most of the independent stewards projects we developed because of the pandemic.

I’m going to be leading a variety of different trips this year including:

• South Fork Crooked River Riparian Planting (this will be a big party to celebrate ONDA’s 35th Anniversary)
• Beatys Butte Fenceline Retrofit Project (making fence wildlife friendly for migrating pronghorn)
• McDermitt Creek Lithium Mine Site Visit (learning about the environmental implications of a potential lithium mine to some very important sage-grouse habitat and an area near the Oregon Desert Trail)
• Trout Creek Mountains Group Monitoring Trip (walking and surveying fence lines for future removal or retrofit projects)

We’ll also have independent projects along the Oregon Desert Trail including:

• Badlands Wilderness Recreation Impact Monitoring
• ODT/Fremont Forest Recreation Impact Monitoring & Trail Work
• Alvord Desert Recreation Impact Monitoring
• Steens Mountain Wilderness Recreation Impact Monitoring & Trail Work
• Oregon Desert Trail Impact Monitoring

2022 will be a busy year! I’m also going hiking for a few months this summer…all good things!

See you out there?

Join me and some of my fellow long-distance hikers for an online live panel on Monday, February 7 at 5pm (pacific time).

Read more about our gear here: https://www.treelinereview.com/gearreviews/whats-in-my-pack

I gave a presentation for the Deschutes County Library this week, one I have given many times before, but now in the day and age of Zoom I can share the recording with all of you.

You may have heard about a new packrafting book on the market: The Packraft Handbook by Luc Mehl

Gear review website Treeline Review (and small business owned by two incredible women, friends, and thru-hiking powerhouses: Liz “Snorkle” Thomas, and Naomi “The Punisher” Hudetz) asked me to interview Luc on Tuesday, May 5 to discuss how to get started packrafting.

Here’s the video:

My newest logo is out! I am so lucky to have the opportunity to design the new Blue Mountains Trail logo.

BTW, don’t forget the Greater Hells Canyon Council May 8 Hellraiser is coming up in a few weeks, and there tons of awesome stuff going on with the event, but what can be better than helping to support and fund the newest long-distance trail around? Not much IMO 🙂

Back in 2018 I sat down with Emory from the By Land Podcast to talk about the Oregon Desert Trail. Our conversation ranged far beyond the route, and I really enjoyed the conversation, and think you will (did?) too.

Today he published the latest conversation we had about the Blue Mountains Trail, and again, the talk is far-ranging.

Give it a listen when you have a chance!

The Greater Hells Canyon Region is a critical wildlife connectivity corridor and refugia for climate change. Join me and the Greater Hells Canyon Council on Saturday, May 8, for Hellraiser, a virtual fundraiser to protect, connect, and restore this vital region.

As the first solo thru-hiker of the new Blue Mountains Trail, I will be giving the keynote speech…tune in for inspiration, education, and a wicked silent auction (including a hike with me!).

The event happens virtually at 6pm PT on Saturday, May 8; the silent auction starts on May 1. Learn more about the event and get your tickets today at the link below.

www.hellscanyon.org/hellraiser

I sat down with the Willamette Week (a Portland weekly paper) yesterday for a short video interview about the Blue Mountains Trail, and got to share my unexpected challenge of having a lake freeze solid overnight…denying me my coffee water in the morning!

Watch the interview and read the short blog post here.