Alexa McRoberts thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2013, and the Wonderland Trail in 2016. From her home in Boulder, CO, she spends most of her free time outdoors—mountain biking, trail running and backpacking on the Colorado Trail. When she’s not playing outside, she works in the outdoor industry, representing several quality outdoor brands. This year, Alexa and her sisters, Kahla …
At his core, PCT Communicator editor Mark Larabee is an outdoor lover. He plainly admits that he would rather be out hiking, rock climbing, bicycling or playing in the water than anything else. He took his first hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1990 in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, in California. Larabee concedes that he didn’t know much …
Robert “Bypass” Barber, of Wilsonville, OR, has backpacked for most of his life. He spent his early backpacking years roaming around Yosemite and California’s Sierra Nevada. He especially enjoyed his time in the wilderness with his kids when they were young. After some time away from the outdoors, and following a significant health scare, he’s been seeking more opportunities …
Rachel Pawlitz is the new Community Engagement and Public Affairs Specialist with the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the scenic area encompasses 292,000 acres of mountains, canyons, rivers and wilderness along 85 miles of the Columbia River. Within the scenic area, there are more than 200 miles of National Forest System hiking …
Q&A With USFS Public Affairs Officer Rachel Pawlitz Read More »
At the tender age of five, Franziska Weinheimer (aka Turbo) was already a hiker. Together with her father, she roamed trails on the Oregon coast and around the McKenzie River. At just seven years old, she bagged her first big Oregon peak, South Sister. As she grew older, she racked up trail mileage in Alaska, the Smokey Mountains and on a …
In 1996, Sarah LaRue (aka TurtleGirl) almost gave up on hiking after a miserable attempt at climbing Mount St. Helens in Washington. It was early in the season and she was out of shape, unprepared and had never hiked or camped in the snow before. It took her a while to get back out on the trail again after …