Every couple of years I teach a 10 week class about the Pacific Crest Trail to students in 5th – 8th grades. Students explore a variety of topics using hands on activities, field trips, and media focusing on: navigation, survival, gear, environment, physical preparation, leave no trace principles, and nutrition. The students use a companion website I created to experience and learn about thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
This year’s 2018 tHInK outsidE class were enthusiastic and loved sharing their thoughts and ideas. Together, we enjoyed weekly hikes, working together as a team, and acting out new things that we learned.
A big treat of teaching the class each year is interviewing some pretty awesome long distance hikers. This year students gathered in groups to generate interview questions via Google Docs for Liz Thomas, author of Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike. The kids were very excited to interview a real author, a woman who has hiked thousands of miles, and they loved her trail name “Snorkel”.
Before teaching this year’s class, I was able to buy and read Snorkel’s latest book. I used the book and her website, Liz Thomas Hiking to acquaint the kids with Snorkel’s accomplishments and personality.
Rockin’s Long Trails Book Review
I am a weekend backpacker, long distance hiker, and mountain climber. I read the book from cover to cover and came away with new hiking ideas and a reinforcement of what I am currently practicing on trail. Reading Long Trails is like visiting an old friend and coming away energized and motivated to be better and do more. This book is for both new and veteran hikers.
The title is Long Trails, but if you are planning on backpacking more than one night this book is for you. It is valuable for backpackers that want to be safe, comfortable, environmentally responsible, and hike as efficient as possible. The book is well-written, informative and organized. It is packed with ideas and tips for gear, resupply, and safety as well as a comprehensive list of long trails.
I wish I would have had a book like this when I started seriously doing long distance hiking 8 years ago. If you are new to this sport, save yourself some time, money, and pain and go out and get a copy.
Interview with Snorkel, Long-Distance Hiker | Author | Speaker | Coach by middle-school class “tHInK outsidE” 2018
Why did you choose Snorkel as your trail name?
On my first long hike, it was very cold, so I stuck my head in my sleeping bag to keep my face warm. But over time, the moisture in my breath collected inside the fabric and insulation of the sleeping bag. Instead of being warm, fluffy, and lofty, my sleeping bag looked deflated and soggy. I couldn’t figure out why my bag looked so moist even though I had been taking care to keep it dry from the rain. An employee at a gear store joked that I needed to stick a snorkel outside of my sleeping bag to breathe. I learned to keep my head outside of my sleeping bag, even in cold conditions, but the name “snorkel” stuck.
How do you train for a hike?
I find hiking and walking everyday is the most important thing for me. It keeps my ankles and feet strong. The feet and ankles take the longest time to develop muscles and tendon strength, so keeping this muscles in good shape is the most important.
How long did it take to write your book?
It took a year and a half to write the book and then another few months until I had it in hand. During this time, I was sitting in front of a computer writing a lot more than I was hiking, which was hard for me. But I’m proud about how it turned out.
How does it feel to be away from your family and/or animals for so long? Do you like hiking solo or with other people better?
I miss and worry about my family. I know they are worrying even more about me, but they know that hiking is something I have to do. In some ways, being able to talk with others about my hikes has made us closer when I return from a trip. I like hiking solo and with other people. Hiking solo teaches me self-reliance and I enjoy getting to set the schedule and pace of the day without having to compromise. But I learn backcountry skills and about life from other hikers. When hiking with others, some more difficult tasks like crossing rivers or navigating become easier. But hiking with a bad partner who doesn’t respect my needs or won’t let my opinions be heard can be more stressful than being alone. It’s like going on a long car ride trapped in vehicle with someone who isn’t nice. The best hiking partners are people who I feel comfortable enough with to tell them my goals and hiking style before we set off on a trip and who is flexible enough to change based on my needs.
What do you like to eat on trail?
Right now, my favorite foods to eat on trail are: chocolate, cheese, and broccoli. I also carry nuts, dried fruit, energy bars, cookies, chips, crackers, and gummy bears. My dinners are usually dehydrated beans/soup/chili, ramen, and freeze-dried dinners. There are some foods I’ve eaten too much on trail to enjoy much anymore like oatmeal.
Since you are a solo hiker, what would you do if you were injured badly and had no source of communication?
I usually like to carry a way to communicate with the world like a GPS unit that works as an emergency beacon. On short hikes, sometimes a cell phone will get reception. If I had no form of communication, I would look at my maps to find the closest way to get to civilization. And then I would have to figure out a way to walk to that place to get help.
What is your favorite trail?
I can’t say that I have a favorite trail because each one that I walk has wonderful moments and has moments that have taught me about myself and improved my skills. True, some trails are more beautiful, some trails have more climbing, some trails have better weather, and some trails are hard to find. But each trail shows me something new and special. Each trail makes me appreciate all the wonderful things in this world and what it means to be alive. Each forces me out of a comfort zone and makes me think and see what is around me with new eyes. That’s what I love about hiking and that remains the same no matter what trail I am on.
How have your hikes changed you personally?
Before I started hiking for a long time, I had a lot of questions about what I wanted to do with my life. I was angry about some of my relationships with other people. I didn’t have much confidence. I didn’t believe in myself. The more I hiked, the more I realized what I was capable of. The more I appreciated what I did have in life. I stopped wondering or being angry about the things or relationships I didn’t have. I became happier and came to accept and appreciate the world around me. It grounded me and put my problems into perspective and it still does that for me today.
What is your greatest fear in hiking?
I worry about slipping off icy, steep mountain slopes. I worry about fording deep and fast-moving creeks and rivers. I worry about meeting bad people who will hurt me. But in the end, my love of hiking is much stronger than my fears. And the evidence that I’ve hiked so many miles without a problem is a big confidence booster.
Do you like urban or forest trails better?
I prefer forest trails but urban trails bring me to new places and let me understand what it is like to “walk in someone else’s shoes.” In some ways, they stick with me longer because of that.
What kinds of wildlife have you encountered? Did you make any animal friends?
I’ve encountered lizards, turtles, snakes, newts, marmots, pikas, black bears, grizzly bears, mountain lions, javalinas, wild boar, weasels, and even a very rare wolverine. I’ve made two animal friends.
What motivates you to keep hiking?
I find that love of an activity, sport, or subject can be the biggest motivator to do anything. For me, I love hiking. I love being in nature. I love focusing all my energy towards moving forward towards a goal on a hike.
Be sure and scroll down to the bottom of this post to view all our past hiker interviews. I encourage you to grab a beverage and sit down for a special treat and enjoy the unique interviews.
Both you and Liz Thomas are such huge inspirations to me! But teaching youth about all things backpacking and to “think outside” just makes me like you even more. 🙂 It’s a topic near and dear to my heart as I helped open a charter school in western North Carolina whose focus is on experiential education. We just hired a dedicated outdoor education teacher recently and I will encourage her to visit your site for curricular ideas and materials.
Thanks for all you do for the hiking community and if you’re ever visiting western North Carolina near Asheville, I’d love for our kids at the school to meet you and learn about how much you inspired our outdoor ed. journey!
Nancy,
Well, this made my week! I just visited your website and man you are simply amazing. What a find! Loved all of your resources.
I really need to devote some time to the tHInK outsidE website. It needs updating. You just might have given me the motivation to do that. 🙂
I have some big things happening in my life and ya just never know someday I might take you up on your offer of visiting North Carolina. Best to your family and getting outside!
Oooh, you’ve piqued my interest with the “big things” happening in your life.–can’t wait to see what unfolds and know you have a place to land as a guest (or guests, if you’re with others) in our home! 🙂
And thanks for your compliments about my blog–it’s definitely my happy place when I’m not out on a trail. Your posts (as well as Wired’s) on the Tahoe Rim Trail actually inspired my thru hike of that trail–hands down, one of the most meaningful trail experiences of my life.
Hi Rockin’,
Based on your astute comments, I’ve put this book on my WishList. Seems one can NEVER learn enough about the outdoors.
I can only imagine the joy you experience as you lead these young ones to an appreciation of the wilderness. I first got a touch of that from my parents, but it was my Scoutmaster that instilled that love in me, and though it has ebbed and flowed through out my life, has remained a place of solace and source of deep interaction with friends and the Savior. Wilderness is a place that can heal all wounds, if we’ll only let it.
Keep on Rockin’, Rockin’!
Hello Warren, Yep, another year down. I just hope some of the kids remember and apply what they have experienced and learned. It is my hope that I am that Scoutmaster to a few of the students. We all need one of those in our lives. Right? Thanks again for following and supporting me and my blog. You rock as always!
Thank You for introducing a new group of kids to the benefits of backpacking! I will pick up a copy of this book to share with my grand-kids. They need to get outdoors more!
Hello and thank you! The book would be good if you are taking them backpacking and really good for any adult that might like some new ideas. Yes I am with you on getting kids outdoors more! Thanks for your support.
Love this…great work Rockin’!
Thank you GoalTech! It is so fun to be a facilitator of this program. This year I really hit safety in the wilderness hard and took more time going over and over details. This is largely because we had a rescue on our local Tehachapi Mountain that could have been avoided easily. I’ll bet you are in full force planning for this summer. Best to your family.
Great blog and how fun that you were able to work with the kids on interviewing “Snorkel”! Also, I love the pictures – what a great group of students!
How fun I have a job that I can teach a class like this! It is a “wow” in my little world that busy people will take the time to communicate back to the kids. I think they came up with some really good questions for Snorkel. That says a lot for them and this generation. Thank you for commenting. It means the world.