2025 Recap

• 89 trail hikes
• 369 total miles recorded
• Over 43.5 thousand feet of elevation gain
• 13 sunrise/sunset hikes
• 5 hiking patch challenges completed — 
• Winter 100
• Ultimate Adventurer
• Belknap Grid
• Forest Reservation Challenge
• 5 Hikes Challenge
• 1 new hiking patch program launched — 
• “Alton Trail Chaser” 
• 1 Associate Degree, 4 certificates, and several academic awards earned
• 1 vacation in Ireland with Hawk, Hummingbird, and MomZ
• 1 year of progress on my land, now owned for 10 years 

2025 was a difficult year in many ways. But it also had its bright spots. I am grateful for what I managed to accomplish, and the support and connections I had along the way. I'm very glad to be done with school, excited to have finally launched my first hiking patch program, and happiest to have made some progress on my land. 

I really have no idea what 2026 has in store. All I can do is try to navigate the changes as they come, while focusing on new goals.

Recap video/slideshow on Instagram & Facebook @trailchaserofficial 

 

 

Supporting the "Little Guy/Gal"

We interrupt this irregularly scheduled hiking blog to bring you this semi-hiker-adjacent PSA... 😉

Small Business Saturday has passed, but #shoplocal & #SupportSmallBusiness takes more than one day to make a difference. 

I know very well that budgets are getting tighter. We can’t all afford boutique gifts, and we have to find deals wherever we can. (Hello #thrifting!) Unfortunately, perfect avoidance of “evil big box capitalism” isn’t necessarily realistic for many of us. But there are a lot of independent sources for affordable items! And if you can find things on your shopping list that are gently used or upcycled, you help the planet too! 🌎 

Where should we all shop this holiday season? Who should we support in the new year? SHARE your favorite vendors and your own small business or side gig with your friends - online, in person, however you can spread the word - and share theirs in return. 

Let’s all do what we can to help each other, the world we live in, and our finances by shopping small local markets and independent online vendors & artists whenever possible. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s how you can support ME:

🛍️ Various items for sale on my poshmark page. Clothing, accessories, artwork, miscellany… No need to download the app if you don't have or want it - you can also shop online and check out as a guest! Or if you see something you like and prefer to buy directly from me, I can take PayPal and ship it! 

Poshmark is an easy to use platform where I clear out an assortment of stuff from my closet & collections while making a little side cash. And certainly every little bit helps! 

Now and then I do have larger items that can't be poshed which I list on facebook. 

💧 I still deal in essential oils too. Here is a spreadsheet with my currently available bottles. Of course you can order straight from the doterra site as well (or I can do a custom order for you). I'll be testing other brands in the future, but I still love these quality products. Some of them are simply irreplaceable.

For around a decade, I've studied and used therapeutic essential oils for daily support with pain management, skin care, emotional & hormonal balance, immunity, and more. Nothing is a miracle cure, but I truly rely on and recommend aromatherapy. I'm always happy to offer guidance if you have questions about oils!

🌄 If you’re a NH hiker, check out my local hiking patch program, Alton Trail Chaser! 20% of “profits” go to conservation organizations!  

Experiences make great gifts! Team up with a friend to take on this fun hiking challenge, or make it a family affair. There's something for everybody in the ATC hikes!

🎨 Finally, I can do freelance graphic design, photo editing, pyrography (woodburning), or writing/proofreading/editing. Check out my portfolio for some examples of my work over the years.

I’m also on LinkedIn and I am still “real” job hunting! So if you have any leads, please do share!! 

 

Quannippi: researching the story behind a “mystery” trail…

Quannippi Trail has been giving some people a bit of trouble. While it’s one of the easiest “hikes” in the Alton Trail Chaser challenge, there is a significant lack of easily accessed information about it. I actually started second guessing whether I should take it off the list. However, the point is to include ALL of the official foot trails in town. Each one has a purpose or intention. So it shall remain for now.

In the past weeks, I have been digging up all the data I can about Quannippi Trail. I certainly had to dig deep! Most of what I finally uncovered came from published town meeting minutes. Alton Parks & Rec was kind enough to send me their brochure and map (see below) for the trail, which further confirms that it IS an official, active town trail. Although the town does not proactively maintain the footpath, they provide trail information and will replace signage as needed.

Tral Chaser in the News - Part Two!

Back in July, I sent out press releases about the ATC challenge. Soon our local newspaper The Baysider published my article. A month or so later, I got an email from the Laconia Daily Sun requesting an interview. The timing was perfect for another round of publicity, so I was grateful for the "late" opportunity. Also, much as I like having my own writing published, in a way it feels extra special to have a publication make the effort to cover the story themselves.

The Sun article was published on Sept. 2. You can read the full digital copy of it on their website.

I do need to make a couple small corrections, however... 

First, my original inspiration for earning hiking patches came from the Belknap Range peaks patch, not the LRCT challenges (which quickly followed). But in fairness, I did ramble (as promised/warned to the reporter) during the interview, so I can forgive that tiny mix up. LOL 

The first mention of Trask Swamp had a typo that I immediately caught - "Track" - which just proves that spellcheck/AI can't completely replace human proofreading & editing!

There is also the inconsistency of "red liner" vs. "redliner" - the latter typically being correct, although the Belknap redlining patch itself actually does seem have it embroidered as two words. Weird. But in this context, technically the single, compound word "redline" is grammatically correct.

Most importantly, I must address an omission near the end. The article stated "those with a Hike Safe card are not responsible for repaying costs if they need rescuing." While this is partially true, it should have clarified that if you are negligent (like hiking up the Presidentials gearless or attempting rock scrambles in flip flops), you are held responsible whether you have a Hike Safe card or not, which I made very clear in the interview. The statement without this detail could be misleading to readers, so it should not have been edited out. (Incidentally, that was the first mistake Hummingbird jumped on when she read the story, so it's definitely prominent.)

Personally, I also would have worded a few other things in the article differently, but everyone has their own writing style. Regardless of any of these mistakes or editing choices, I am ever so grateful for the publicity and support by my local newspapers! Anything that helps spread the word about the Alton Trail Chaser patch is awesome. 💖 So please share this blog with your hiking friends!

Note to publishers: I am available for proofreading or writing services! 😉

 

Cock-what?! … Another challenge complete.

Kicking off “5 Hikes” with a long overdue hike… 

Cockermouth Forest is part of the Forest Society’s Forest Reservation Challenge for the Lakes Region. However, as it’s over an hour drive from home, I had perpetually avoided it for bigger priorities or more convenient trails. All the other FRC hikes have been checked off for several years, except this one. 

I was determined to finish it this year. And at last Hummingbird and I tagged it today, just in time to count it as a dual checkmark for the annual 5 Hikes Challenge.  I am glad to finally have Cockermouth done, and as always was grateful for the company. 

Back to the Squams: Cotton & Livermore

We’ve been signed up for the Squam Rangers challenge for a few years, but it’s mostly been on the back burner while we wrapped up other hiking patch programs. This year we’re out of excuses… aside from logistics.

Trail Chaser in the News!

I've been so grateful for the support that so many have shown for my ATC patch! Hikers express interest in the program, applications roll in faster than I expected, and organizations publish information about it. 💗 LRCT recently gave me a shout out in their newsletter. And last week our local newspaper, The Baysider, published an article regarding the new hiking challenge. It's not my first time in the papers (I made the news repeatedly many years ago when active in grooming competitions & dog shows), but it's still a little thrill to be mentioned. 😉

You can read the whole paper online here or go to salmonpress.com, click on archives, and open issue 2025-07-17. There is some interesting news in there! But here is a copy of the section about Alton Trail Chaser for easier navigating (I threw together a quick layout in Adobe Illustrator). 😊

Thus ends my latest brag. LOL As always, keeping following me on social media for the most hiking updates. I will post any blog-worthy news here... which, in a couple weeks, I probably will have something new & exciting to share! 🍀

Vista, indeed!

Hiking = productivity…

Fluffy moss & abundant blueberries!

"Alton Trail Chaser" - the PATCH!

Three or four years ago, I had an idea to create a local hiking challenge and patch for hiking all of the various trails in Alton, NH. Within this single, "small" town's borders, we have over 14 hiking trails, from gentle footpaths to mountain climbs and everything in between. Certainly Alton deserves its own hiking patch! Add in my creative propensity and hiking patch addiction, and it only seemed fitting that I produce this permanent, year-round hiking challenge. 😊

It was a long journey that hit several speed bumps, but I am excited to finally announce the launch of Alton Trail Chaser, aka the ATC Challenge! Hike all 14 official trails/destinations in town and earn a patch. Get all the details here on my blog. 

20% of any net profits from patch or ATC merch sales will be donated to conservation funds, probably starting with LRCT. If you have another favorite charity for me to consider in the future, please drop me a note!

Thank you to everyone who offered advice and encouragement along the way! I was thrilled to already hear from several people who are interested in my patch program. I hope everyone enjoys adding it to their collection while exploring my hometown trails!

There’s a new hiking patch in town! Are you ready for some Trail Chasing?

The GRID - another challenge complete!