Backpacking Beyond

15/08/2025

📣Trip Report:

Yosemite 2025 – Heat. Miles. Courage. Triumph.

👉 10 backpackers
👉 4 guides
👉 4 nights on trail
👉 32 Miles

❤️ Sometimes it takes me a minute to pull my thoughts together after a trip—to really sit with what happened out there. This one… this one meant a lot. As a guide, my heart and soul went into finding the best Yosemite had to offer, and I’m so grateful I got to share it with these women.

We eased in with low miles from Glacier Point with an amazing view and headed into Ilillouette Basin, where we set up camp early and soaked in the cold water of Ilillouette Creek.🥾

Day two—Rolling hills and joining the John Muir Trail before treking into Little Yosemite Valley—where we cooled off with a swim in the Merced River, the cold water soaking away the dust and heat of the trail.

💪Day three brought the big mile push—hot, relentless, and packed with elevation gain—before we finally rolled into Sunrise Lakes.

We set up at Lower Sunrise Lake—reflections on the water we're perfect, reflections in the soul we're even better—a place to pause and think about the miles behind us, the challenges we’d already faced, and the grit it took to get to this point.

👀Then came the spine of Clouds Rest—narrow, exposed, and dropping thousands of feet into Yosemite Valley. It stole our breath in the best way and demanded that we dig deep, face the fear, and keep moving forward. The payoff? The best view in Yosemite National Park.

And still… we pushed further—bushwhacking to East Quarter Dome, a secret gem between Half Dome and Clouds Rest. The night there was pure magic—the kind of moment that stays with you forever.⛰️🔥

We ended with a 4,500 ft descent down the famous Happy Isles Trail, waterfalls thundering beside us, mist on our faces, and the roar of Yosemite’s power carrying us into the valley—legs toasted, spirits soaring.💦

These women didn’t just hike Yosemite.
They owned it. I am grateful to have had this opportunity!! 🙏

Thank you Yosemite! Until next time. 😍

With Unladylike Adventures

29/07/2025

On the Superior Hiking Trail, muddy boots are a badge of honor!

The S*T is famous for its mud. In a landscape full of rivers, lakes, and wetlands, mud will always be a part of being on Trail. When we try to go around mud, we cause damage to the Trail, forest, and water. For example, going around mud tramples the vegetation on the side of the Trail, killing sensitive plants and creating a bigger mud hole!

Exploring the Superior Hiking Trail is an amazing way to connect with nature, but it’s important to minimize our impact as we travel. One key principle of responsible outdoor recreation is Leaving No Trace by traveling only on durable surfaces. On the S*T, this means the constructed trail, or “tread.”

That’s why we walk straight through the mud, and not around. Muddy boots are a badge of honor!

To learn more about LNT on the S*T, visit: https://superiorhiking.org/leave-no-trace/

27/07/2025

Tramily(Trail Family) -

There’s something wild and beautiful about how fast you get to know people on a backpacking trip.

One minute you're strangers adjusting your packs… the next you’re talking about pooping in a hole 💩, blisters 🥾, and how many layers of dirt are currently caked on your legs 🧼➡️🟤.

You hike together through the hard stuff and the hilarious stuff 😂, share snacks🍫, fears 😬, stars for miles ✨, and bug spray 🦟.

You watch each other show up tired 😴, stoked 🤩, badass 💪, and real—and you leave the trail with a whole new kind of friendship.

👉It’s not always pretty, but it’s honest. And the people you meet out here? They just might end up being in your life for a long, long time.

There’s nothing quite like a tramley. 💚🏕️👣

17/07/2025

And that's a wrap! Yosemite 2025 was a success.

Stay tuned for the trip report!

24/06/2025

🚨 TRIP REPORT – Superior Hiking Trail 🚨
This one was something special. 💚

Over 4 days and 34 rugged miles, this group of badass women took on the Superior Hiking Trail — and crushed it. 💥

Let’s be clear: this trail is no joke. It’s steep, rocky, rooty, and way too often underestimated. But these women showed up strong and steady. We climbed Carlton Peak, Mystery Mountain, Moose Mountain, and Lookout Mountain like it was just part of the plan. 🥵🏔️

We filtered water, cooked our own meals, and learned what it really means to support each other on trail.

On night two, the skies let loose with a full-on thunderstorm — complete with some serious bangs. 🌩️ It dumped 2 inches of rain in 4 hours. Somehow every hiker stayed dry… though this guides sleeping bag ended up needing a good wring-out the next morning. 😂☔

We swam in Lake Agnes, hiked through so much mud, and never ran out of conversation. On our final night, we camped beside a raging Spruce Creek below the forest canopy, and as we gathered around, we shared stories, opened up, and connected in that real trail kind of way. 🌲💫

Huge shoutout to my new assistant guide, Hayley Dawn. She might be new to backpacking, but her calm energy, smart thinking, and steady presence made her a total rock out there. Always had my back — even when I didn’t know I needed it. So stoked to have her on the Backpacking Beyond team. 💛

👉👉To the women on this trip: you are strong, gritty, kind, and truly inspiring. I’m so proud of every single one of you. Until next time.😘

23/06/2025

Thanks to the team at Superior by nature! They can get you anywhere you need on the S*T, in the Boundary Waters, AND they provide dog sled adventures in the winter. Yep! They do. Check them out!

Look at this crew! We had a van full of packs and smiling faces this morning, which was the perfect way to start a beautiful day. Monica Wade, a local hiking guide, is leading this group of ladies on an S*T expedition. They all have different levels of experience and are coming from different parts of the country (and beyond! Hello Canada!). But what do they all have in common? An adventurous spirit! It reminds me of this quote:

“The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.” — Lady Bird Johnson

If you are interested in going on a guided hike with Monica, check out her website at www.backpackingbeyond.com. Even though she’s a local she does guided trips all over! We hope you seek out adventure wherever and whenever you can.

P.S. There was discussion about wildlife encounters in the van and how, since they’re a large group, they probably wouldn’t see too much on this hike. Well, when everyone was unloading their packs in the parking lot, two deer bounced right on by. You never can predict what you’ll see out on the trail!
www.SuperiorByNature.com

05/06/2025

Trip Report: Sleeping Giant Provincial Park 🥾🔥

Solo’d Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in Ontario 🇨🇦. Mid May - Temps swung from 30°F at night to low 60s during the day—crisp mornings, strong hiking weather, and exactly the kind of reset I came for ❄️☀️.

I was supposed to crush big miles and knock out a full loop. But on Day 1, I rolled into Tee Harbour and found the campsite on the west side of the peninsula—right on Lake Superior. Dead calm. No wind. Sunset over the water. Just too perfect to leave. So I didn’t. Fire going, gear down, and I called it early. No regrets.

Day 2, my 5:30 a.m. alarm didn’t stand a chance—I woke up at 10:30 😂. So I pivoted. Kept basecamp at that lakeside gem and slackpacked to the knees of the Giant and the gorge 🏞️.

Ate lunch with my legs hanging over a 330-foot drop, staring out at Isle Royale and the endless water beyond 🥪🧭. No rush. No noise. Just the edge of the world and a moment that stuck.

Day 3, I packed up and hiked out. Swung by Kakabeka Falls on the way home—raging water lit by a perfect sunset 🌊🌇.

Sleeping Giant is a 10/10 for views. Whether you're logging your first trail miles or your thousandth, this place delivers—especially if you’re willing to let the plan go and follow what the trail gives you.

23/05/2025

Backpacking Rule #1: Less is more.
Backpacking Rule #2: See Rule #1. 😎

New to the trail? Been at it for years? Same advice:
✨ Fewer zippers
✨ Fewer pockets
✨ No “just in case” gear
✨ No “what if I suddenly need a second headlamp, 3 books, and a cast iron skillet” energy
✨ And please—for the love of dirt—ditch the stuff sacks.
Your backpack is a stuff sack. 🎒💥

Stick to the basics. The joy of backpacking isn’t in your gear—it's on the trail. 🏞️💚

Backpacking Beyond

21/05/2025

🎒 Backpack Like a Pro: Ditch the Dangle! 🥾

Want to level up your backpacking game? It’s all about that sweet, efficient pack job.

✅ Keep it all inside – Your pack is designed to carry everything in it, not hanging off like a yard sale. Dangling gear throws off your balance, snags on brush, and just screams rookie.

✅ Heaviest stuff rides mid-back – Think food, water, bear canister. Keep it centered and close to your spine for the best weight distribution and trail comfort.

✅ No clanking pots, swinging shoes, or wet socks flapping like flags. Tuck it all in. Compression straps are your best friend.

💡 Bonus tip: Practice packing and repacking before your trip. It’s like backpacker Tetris—and yes, you’ll get weirdly good at it.

What's your favorite pack hack? Drop it below! 👇