From thru-hiking to moving our stuff into a box. Not your typical thru-hiker story.

Thruhiking isn’t always about hiking our long trails. Sometimes we have to wait for the snow to melt, so a trip is required. A group and I took an adventure to Arizona together.

Where the desert meets the mountains. We began to hike up into some elevation, found our first stream, and ran into some surprise snow. Due to health issues, we had to take a quick trip into Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Many hikers take the alternate route from Pie Town to Grants. It’s shorter and usually better for dodging tough weather. But we were craving something a little more adventurous and the chance to see the lava flows and ice caves was too tempting to pass up.

We made our way through The Gila and took a side trip into Reserve, New Mexico for some much needed rest and refueling.

The best days of all days on trail, are often days spent in our beloved trail towns. What does a day in the life of a thruhiker look like when they are out of the woods?

Exploring the contrast between living long versus meaningfully, the power of community, nature, and unexpected wisdom found on thru-hikes.

What the first 80 miles on a northbound thruhike from New Mexico through Montana looks like.

To properly prepare for your thru-hike, there are some essential parts to plan your gear for the trail. I have tested out my gear in various conditions, with these items making my CDT gear list for 2025.