6 weeks of live courses and coaching for a small group of future thru-hikers who are motivated to work hard and turn their dream into a reality.
You desperately want to thru-hike but you feel alone, afraid and overwhelmed with the logistics of planning?
You want to be a responsible adult and fitting your career around it seems impossible. You’re afraid it will derail other parts of your life, so you wait for the “right time.” Can you really leave your pet or partner at home for so long!?
Not only that, but you’re also terrified at the idea of freezing to death or running out of food… Hell, imagine falling into a creek! (Let’s just say that your mom’s worry is not helping the cause.)
You wonder if you like hiking THAT much? Everyone thinks you are MAD for wanting to do this. What if you put everything on hold and come home 2 weeks later? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate embarrassment?
I feel you. This has kept me up at night too.
What if you knew exactly what it takes to prepare for a successful thru-hike and you had a group of other motivated thru-hikers to plan your adventure with?
Their presence would be reassuring AND keep you accountable through the creation of a no excuse step-by-step action plan. (Otherwise we all know it’s waaay too easy to postpone until it’s too late!)
Imagine this : You could become stronger and more confident even BEFORE setting foot on the trail!!! You could develop tools to handle your anxiety and keep the naysayers at bay. Because let’s be honest : Thru-hiking is a mental game more than anything. So having the right mindset, and surrounding yourself with the right people, is as important as having the right pair of shoes. If not more.
Thru-hiking will make you grow as a person. It will show you how STRONG you can be, fill you with pride and make you feel like ANYTHING is possible, both on and off the trail.
Imagine a badge of honor to wear proudly for the rest of you life.
Don’t let this be one of those things you always dream about and never do. Find the courage to
Hike This Damn Trail.
Hike This Damn Trail is a 6-weeks program where a group of future thru-hikers meet with me for 2 hours every week to (finally!) make their dream a reality.
Overcome your fears and learn tools to develop mental strength
Develop the best step-by-step action plan for your needs
Prepare alongside supportive like-minded adventure seekers
How It Works
Sessions
We’ll meet once a week. In total, you will get 12 hours of group discussions and intensive learning with me.
Tools
Every session will come with a series of worksheets to fill in and add to your step-by-step personalized planning strategy.
Support group
Between the sessions, you can share your progress with the others on our private Facebook group and receive feedback from me.
What You Will Learn
WEEK 1
Develop the Thru-Hiker Mindset
Overcome your fears and limitations
Start getting used to discomfort now
Make good decisions and build confidence
WEEK 2
Clarify Your Goal
Outline a contract with clear parameters
Take the biggest decision of your life : The power of commitment
Build an accountability structure to make sure you follow through
WEEK 3
Solidify the 5 pillars
Save money before the hike and while you are on the trail
Make your thru-hike work for your career (instead of around)
Reassure your loved ones and deal with the naysayers
Gain the experience necessary for thru-hiking
Figure out what to do about your home while you’re away
WEEK 4
6 months to the big day
Get the necessary permits
Make your packing list and find the best gear for you
Make a training plan
WEEK 5
Eek! 3 months to go!
Make a resupply and mileage strategy
Book your flight, arrange your transport to the trail
Test your gear, weight your pack and make a last shakedown
Put your bills on hold and have a goodbye party!!!
WEEK 6
Build mental strength
Beware of self-sabotage
Obstacles you will meet on the trail and how to keep moving
Marie’s final advice for a successful thru-hike
Stop waiting for the right time.
Instead, make the time to Hike This Damn Trail.
$497
Put me on the waitlist
Includes
6 weeks of live sessions and group discussions
12 hours of learning
Private Facebook group access
30+ worksheets to help you plan your thru-hike
Longtime access to the recordings
Bonuses
First 10 buyers: 30 minute 1-on-1 coaching session between the end of the course and the start of your thru-hike!
Bonus module about Setting Goals in Uncertain Times
Upon completion of your final planning guide, you will receive the Hike This Damn Trail sticker. Apply it to the back of your phone or onto your water bottle as a reminder to keep moving through the tough times!
In an effort to make the outdoors more accessible to everyone, BIPOC and transgender hikers can apply for one of the 3 highly reduced spots.
I will randomly pick 3 names on September 15th, so make sure you apply by the 14th!
All I need is your name and email address.
Why Work With Me
When I learned about the existence of thru-hiking in 2017, my whole being lit up. The dream followed me everywhere from that day onward. But this is impossible, I told myself. I was a whimsical artist, my career was just growing well, I didn’t have the stamina or the cardio, I was probably going to die in a creek and break my mother’s heart forever… People like me just didn’t do stuff like that..
Slowly but surely, the whisper grew into a loud obsession... I went on short backpacking trips and started saving money (just in case!) I even attended a long-distance hiking course where I told the others I wanted “to hike the PCT one day.” The dream was becoming increasingly tangible, but I couldn’t find the courage to jump. I was too terrified to fail.
Meeting real-life thru-hikers is what changed everything for me. They called out my excuses for what they were. They put my fears in perspective. They showed me that ordinary people could do something extraordinary. They gave me the push I needed to make it happen. So in 2019, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. Despite the crippling fears.
This is what I want to do for you.
Featured on
What People Say About Me
*Blushing*
“The bravery with which Marie talks about her emotional journey makes it easy to connect with her. She is enthusiastic and she wears her heart on her sleeve. She is in awe of the trail, smitten with the trail community. I feel a kinship with her as someone who also loves working on my mindset and could ponder the minutiae of hiking gear and camp chores for hours.”
— Kirsten Lamb
“Marie uses her gifts as an artist and thinker to make some amazingly thoughtful content. She shares her experience and thought process and has such an amazing ability to speak to everything I feel. It’s refreshing to know we are not alone.”
— Shannon a.k.a. Hot Mess
“Marie’s perspective on life and what’s important is what keeps me engaged. I came for the hiking, but her genuine love for humanity and her open enthusiasm is inspiring. She weaves hiking, life, resilience, self growth and being a good human in her life and social platforms.”
— Kim Nalepinski
Ok.
I want to Hike This Damn Trail!
Who It’s For
It’s for you if…
You want to geek out with people who share your dreams
You are ready to show up and do the work
You can be vulnerable and don’t mind getting challenged
You believe in the importance of mental preparation
It’s NOT for you if…
You want to learn on your own time
You’re not comfortable opening up about your fears
You are looking to learn specific technical skills
Warranty
If you realize that this course is not for you, no worries. At least, you will have given it a shot. I will refund 75% of the total cost within the first 14 days. You have nothing to lose.
Not Quite Convinced Yet?
This sounds cool, but…
It’s quite expensive and I have to buy fancy UL gear.
My answer
I get it, and there’s 2 things I want to tell you:
One, I can (and will) give you tricks to save money before and during your thru-hike that will pay back the cost of this course.
Two, the value of HTDT is in the live sessions and the presence of the group. These 2 aspects will hold you accountable and make sure that your planning progresses.
(Sure, there are cheaper thru-hiking courses out there, but the drop-out rate for self-driven courses is 40-80%.)
This sounds cool, but…
I’m only going to be hiking in 2023!
My answer
That’s totally fine! It’s never too early to start planning and connect with others who share your dream. Plus, the content of the course will remain available for you. Take action now.
This sounds cool, but…
Everyone around me is supportive and I’ve already decided I was going to hike!
My answer
That’s wonderful! You can still get a lot of knowledge from the course, and be there to support the others and help them see through their fears and limitations.
Here’s a Summary
Hike This Damn Trail is an intimate and engaging program where we meet every week to learn, laugh and strategize together.
By the end of the course, you will have:
A clear step-by-step action plan to follow
The courage and the mental strength to reach your goal
A bunch of new friends to talk thru-hiking with!
Thru-hiking sounds outlandish to people that don’t understand.
Surround yourself with people who are as excited as you are to plan this adventure of a lifetime.