New Year, New Endeavor… I’m very excited to announce that I’m now officially a backpacking guide for Explorer Chick! In March and April, I’ll be leading backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon for this badass all women’s adventure tour company: Explorer Chick.

In addition to offering both front country/ glamping and backpacking trips all over North America, Explorer Chicks also travel internationally, with trips to Iceland, Norway, Croatia, Uganda, Jordan, Peru and Chile… if you identify as a woman and you’re looking for adventure, check out Explorer Chicks 2023 trip offerings!

I’ll still be making my living as a freelance science and travel writer (I just finished my third book!) but I’m excited to develop my guiding resume and get to meet and connect with people in person, something I often miss as a keyboard warrior.

As many of my longtime readers know, I do a lot of solo hiking and backpacking. But after Covid I was keen to reconnect with friends and adventure partners. In 2021, I set a goal to organize a group multi-day backpacking trip every month of the year. I recruited friends for trips to the Grand Canyon, Paria Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Gallatin, Madison and Beartooth Ranges of Montana, Glacier National Park, Grand Staircase and Bears Ears National Monuments.

Some of these friends were expert backpackers and some had never spent a night in a tent. Along the way, I realized how much I enjoy sharing my love for snacking and strolling in beautiful places (forever my favorite description of backpacking).

Getting to share the Grand Canyon–my favorite place on Earth–with small groups of intrepid women is a dream beyond a dream. I celebrated both my 30th and 40th birthdays in the Grand Canyon and have spent more than 50 days below the rims, including a 22 day rafting trip and six multi-day backpacking trips. Next year, I hope to ride my own mule in the canyon but until then, I’ll cherish every step I take in that astonishing, spectacular place.

Want to join me? There are still a few open spots! Or follow along on Instagram @theblondecoyote and @explorerchickadventureco.