A few weeks ago, we got back from a late-summer adventure in Big Sur with nine amazing women: authors, lawyers, nurses, techies, and entrepreneurs. It was *hot* out, and we spent most of our time hiking with insane ocean views.
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I'm beyond excited to publish our second Maven profile today on the blog, mostly because the woman it's about - Jennel McDonald - was an incredible inspiration to me and the other women on our adventure.
It might have been Jennel's first time backpacking, and we covered some very legit terrain, but her enthusiasm and easy laugh were a constant, and it just made her so darn fun to be around.
Why hike the JMT?
When asked why climb Everest in the 1920s, George Mallory famously said, “Because it’s there.” Implied: to be conquered. A classic expression of man against the mountains machismo if ever there was one. The thing is, for me, it’s not because they are there, it’s because WE are there. Or rather, here, on Earth. We spend so much of our lives trying to effect change (in ourselves, others, and our physical surroundings) that I like being reminded of how small we are, one tiny part of a grander landscape. To tread lightly, for once, and leave no trace.
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A couple weeks ago, brainstorming with the Trail Mavens board, we struck on a brilliant idea: to profile Trail Mavens alumnae who we feel are amazing, badass, and deeply emblematic of our culture and values. It's only fitting that we kick things off with Michelle, who joined us in early June for her first-ever backpacking trip.
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When most people hear 'California wine country,' they think Napa or Sonoma. Those two are nice and all, but we'll take the Anderson Valley's wine growing region anytime: it's unpretentious, grows some of the greatest white wine and Pinot Noir in America, and sits nestled among towering redwood trees, only 15 miles away from Mendocino's rugged coastline. In short, it's our favorite place in California.
Read MoreBooking campsites in Northern California is a little like finding a brand-new pair of hiking boots in your size at REI's monthly garage sale: three parts timing, one part luck. We can't help with the luck part, other than encouraging you to send lots of good karma out into the world and follow Leave No Trace principles, but we can help with the timing. Here's how to land campsites at some of Northern California's most sought-after campsites: Angel Island, Steep Ravine, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Yosemite, Kirby Cove, and Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes.
Read MoreWe're delighted to feature a guest post today from our lady pal Alyx Schwarz!
I never hit the trail without my favorite accessory: The Handkerchief. While it may look like a simple square of fabric, don’t be fooled. The handkerchief is an advanced tool for the Macguyvers of the wilderness.
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Anyone lucky enough to live in the Bay Area can't truly say they know the area until they've been to Angel Island. Situated what feels like a stone's throw from downtown Tiburon, the island features ideally-situated picnic areas, paved roads for cycling and trails for running and hiking, and views for days. Case in point:
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Groove is in the heart.
Now presenting our latest trip highlight reel, featuring January's epic snowshoeing adventure in the Sierras! It could be the best one yet.
Read MoreCold weather doesn't keep Trail Mavens indoors, no ma'am. That's why we were so excited to reserve seven spots at the Bradley Hut, one of the four Sierra Club backcountry ski huts dotted around Lake Tahoe's ski area. Nestled between Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley, the Bradley Hut sleeps fifteen, and provides an ideal jumping-off point to explore the bowls, ridges, and peaks of the Sierras above the lake, all while having a warm room and a wood-burning stove to return to at the end of the day.
Read More2014 was a great year. We went on our first trip, to the Pantoll Campground on Mount Tam, and experienced firsthand the microclimate that a eucalyptus tree over your tent can create. We spent a long late spring afternoon by a swimming hole in Henry Coe State Park, alternately dipping and lounging on the rocks. We tasted wine and explored sea caves in Mendocino. We were awed by the bioluminescence in Tomales Bay.
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We spent this past weekend in Big Sur scouting for our upcoming adventure there in December, and it was one of those weekends that makes you overjoyed to be a Californian: warm, breezy afternoons, crisp starry nights, and a glorious mix of turquoise ocean, dramatic cliffs, and towering trees. We're so pumped to head back in just a month with a passel of amazing ladies.
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This past weekend, a group of five Trail Mavens backpacked to Point Reyes' Sky Camp (check out the full trip details here). Sky Camp is overlooked among Point Reyes' backcountry campsites - you can tell because there are often Sky Camp sites remaining on recreation.gov well after all the Wildcat and Coast campsites have been booked - but all the better for the rest of us who are in the know.
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Skyline to the Sea is one of those trips that tops every Bay Area backpacker's must-hike list. The vistas on day one plus the huge redwoods on day two plus the gorgeous creekside trail on day three add up to an amazing adventure.
At 34+ miles over three days, Skyline to the Sea is also the most physically ambitious...
Read MoreWe just got back from our Food Lovers adventure in Butano State Park, and it. Was. Magical. First things first: a clarification on pronunciation. Though I've said 'Boo-TAH-no' for years, it is, in fact, 'BYOO-tuh-no.'
Read MoreYosemite is hard to get off the brain, which is perhaps why I've put off posting Field Notes from our Labor Day adventure there. Something about Yosemite makes you want to linger, to savor the feeling of being exhilarated, proud, exhausted, and satisfied all at once.
Read MoreYosemite National Park is the first place I camped as a grownup (if you can really call a 21-year-old 'grown up,' anyway) so it's always held a notable place in my heart. Whenever I'm there, I feel all:
Read MoreWe admit, we've been slinging the term 'Banana Pockets of Love' around pretty loosely, and even threw in a #bananapocketsoflove on an Instagram last week. It's high time we get down to brass tacks and make sure everyone out there knows how to create the magic of a Banana Pocket of Love on their own - it's too good not to share.
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