127 Liz "Snorkel" Thomas- Her Story

Cascade Hiker Podcast - Backpacking and Hiking

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After her First Grade teacher took her class out on a nature walk, Liz “Snorkel” Thomas started asking her parents to take her hiking on a local trail. Her passion grew until she was hiking every weekend in College.

Snorkel’s first Long Trail was just out of college along the Tahoe Rim Trail, a loop trail which shares some mileage with the Pacific Crest Trail. She found a love for the thru hiker lifestyle on this 165 mile trek.

I asked Liz how she funded hikes, “There were some crazy years… One year I was in a sleep study where I learned a lot about my sleep cycles and earned enough money to fund a thru hike!” Most of her hikes were funded by her contracting work through the trail organization itself.

Her favorite times on the trail usually include other hikers, but also the wild flowers, animals on a ridge or ripened berries.

With over 15,000 miles of trail miles under her feet, Snorkel has grown to love the trails. They each have a different history and she loved learning how the different land managers worked together to keep them going today.

Liz is an ambassador for the American Hiking Society so we talked about what they do. Celebrating their 40th year of championing trails where it counts. Letting legislature know the hot topic issues they support to better public lands and trails.

When I asked Snorkel about any fears she may have had while hiking. She answered this question in a reassuring way. Though she was afraid of many things, she overcame most of them and so now she doesn’t necessarily consider them a fear. Being able to prove to herself how to overcome things in the outdoors makes her fears dissapear.

“Fear can not only hold you back from doing something you want to do, but it can also hold you back from even thinking about the possibility of doing something,” Liz Thomas talking about fear.

On the topic of thru hiking as a female, Snorkel said not to let your gender be the reason not to be out on the trail alone. On a long distance hike, you will not be alone all the time. There are smart ways to hike so make sure you sharpen your skills.

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/lizthomashiking/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/LizThomasHiking/

Website- http://www.eathomas.com

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