It can be really exciting by getting to see what others are doing on trail. The internet has made it so easy to see photos and videos of other hikers exploring trails all over the country. I started watching Joey Coconato and Catherine Gregory a few years ago on YouTube and it really helped develop my passion for hiking, camping, and now backpacking. I also have been following some folks on their Appalachian trail thru hikes. I enjoyed watching Jessica “Dixie” Mills get her triple crown, Julia “Rocket” Sheehan thru hike the AT, and Outdoor Adventure’s “Frozen” Hike the AT and multiple shorter hikes. My ultimate goal is to hike the CDT as a thru hiker and I like doing research about trails I want to hike in the future. so that is why I am following several hikers this year. to see their trek unfold in front of MY eyes is exciting.
At this moment I am really utilizing a great website called The Trek. Basically if you are a blogger and want to share your hike, any hike, with the public, this is an easy platform to get your content out. Right now I am following several hikers on the CDT and one on the AT. As I have more time I will probably find a few more. First we have Jessica “stitches” Guo who is attempting to hike the CDT and continue thru the GDT. She is an experienced backpacker and has a gift of photography and writing. Next we have James Annable who is on the AT. He is new to backpacking and at 68 years old he decided that he would thru hike the AT. Well he is off to a great start and to watch his learning curve and perspective is enjoyable. Good writer, good video skills and what is best is that he is a fiddle player and has used his own recordings as his video music. It sounds so fitting for the scenery in the southern appalachians. Last but definately not least I’m following Catherine Turgy “STITCH” out of Canada who has come to tackle the CDT from Mexico to Canada! She is an experienced backpacker who has a great eye for photography and makes a lot of short videos so you feel like you are right there. She has teamed up with a fun group and they are progressing nicely thru New Mexico at this time. This group is even get drone footage which gives another great perspective of the CDT.
In short, check out The Trek and follow some thru hikers and support them as they embark on these great adventures! And for some of the BEST remote backpacking videos check out My Own Frontier with Joey Coconato on YouTube and Patreon and Catherine Gregory on Youtube and Patreon to see what’s it like to be an adventurous woman living out of campers, truck beds, and tents as she travels all over to show us some terrific sites. Drop me a comment if you have someone you follow that I should check out…
thetrek.co
