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The Big Agnes Thru Hiker Sponsorship made something I never could have dreamed, a reality. From my office window, the mountains stretched across the horizon, sometimes capped in snow, daring me to imagine icy trails winding through pine and granite; sometimes lit by the long, golden days of summer, when I’d spend every weekend chasing peaks before the sun slipped away; and sometimes burning with the fleeting colors of autumn, a season we don’t often get to experience in full in the land of palm trees and freeways, but one I cherished in the higher elevations where the leaves turned amber and gold. Just as those daydreams would start to pull me in, the sharp ping of a Microsoft Teams notification would snap me back to the glow of a computer screen, to meetings and deliverables, to KPIs and endless email chains.
I wanted to hike the PCT, more than anything, but I didn’t know how. Or, I couldn’t see how I could make this dream fit the life that I had already built. So, I spent my weekends in the mountains instead, bringing with me anybody with any passing interest in the outdoors. I spent my vacations climbing taller peaks and finding longer trails. I started planning trips that required a few days at a time out on trail, which then became weeks at a time and I craved an even longer adventure, but that would require lighter gear, more time off than I could afford after purchasing the prescribed gear, and, frankly, a lot of time spent researching the logistics. I let myself believe it was out of reach.
Long trails demand not only time, but also expensive gear that most of us can’t just pick up overnight. The idea of hiking hundreds or even thousands of miles remained something I kept tucked away in the “someday” drawer. Then I saw the Big Agnes sponsorship application on my social media feed. On a whim, I entered (fairly late, too, if I recall) — telling myself, if I get this, it’s a sign from something greater than me that I belong on the trail next year. When I got the email, I knew my “someday” had just turned into “now”. With their support, I shouldered a lightweight pack filled with gear that could stand up to every storm, every climb, every rocky mile of the Pacific Crest Trail. That summer, I hiked 1,000 miles. I learned what it feels like to truly rely on yourself, and your gear, day after day, night after night. We endured blisteringly hot days, freezing cold hailstorms, never-ending mountain climbs and witnessed the most beautiful sceneries you can imagine, sweetened by the effort it took to reach those vistas.
While I fully intended to finish the entire trail, life surprised us with another grand adventure: we found out we were expecting! Stepping off trail wasn’t an ending for us, it was a transition into a new kind of journey. And in many ways, the trail prepared me for this chapter too. Out there, I learned to trust my body, to listen to its limits and its strength, to find joy in small milestones, and to embrace resilience in the face of uncertainty. All of that feels like the best preparation possible for parenthood, which is just another magical adventure in its own right.
I came home changed. That hike wasn’t just a dream realized; it was a turning point, one I couldn’t have reached without Big Agnes. For anyone who has mountains sitting just outside their window and a dream they keep calling “someday,” this program could be the chance to make your “someday” finally happen. And though I stepped off the PCT before the finish line, I know I’ll return. My “someday” is still in progress, and now I’m even more excited about the possibility of making it a family endeavor, sharing the magic of the trail, together.
Blog and Photos provided by: Alyssa Munson, Big Agnes 2024 PCT Thru Hiker Sponsorship Winner
