2 Sisters on Adventures

Carrie and Molly are excited to be back, bringing you stories from their fifth day in the Wind River Range! You’ll hear a ballad which Carrie deems an instant classic, inspiring your very own theme song for the Winds. Revel in the incredible granite peaks for a phenomenal alpineglow while camping at Shadow Lake. Then, without surprise, the rain is back! Bringing lightning, thunder, and hail. Mark...

The girls start off with a slow morning and bemoan condensation’s effects on a small tent. They head through beautiful passes and get rained on many times—even while it was sunny. They ford creeks and Carrie comes up with a new style of wearing rain pants. They meet people from their past and question the right route through the winds for themselves. They enjoy a dip in sandpoint lake and find the...

Join Carrie and Molly as they venture deeper into the Winds! The sisters compare the scenery with some of their favorite west coast locations. They meet an exotic group of hikers and Carrie reveals her culinary triumph. They commit to a rock hop and make a new friend in a coming-full-circle moment! Learn more about a “rat king” than you’d ever like to know and enjoy when backpacking feels like an...

An early morning surprise throws a wrench into the sister’s plans to begin the Alan Dixon route. Molly discusses an embarrassing incident. The sisters discuss the emotions of seeing a Pringles can that doesn’t belong to you. They find a slippery rock hop and talk through how they made tough decisions on this route. They make new friends with CDT hikers as well as others who were planning to join t...

The sisters admire the animals roaming through the basin as they make their way toward the Winds. Once they meet the shuttle, they give some tips on items to bring and items to leave before heading to the trailhead. One missed turn (& u-turn) later, their feet hit the trail and they discuss the unique scenery as they enter the Winds from Green River Lakes Trailhead. Work through first-day jitters...

The sisters reveal the location for their next podcast series: Wyoming’s Wind River Range! Carrie and Molly detail their journey to Wyoming as they prepare to set out on Andrew Skurka’s high route. Last minute jitters turn into a major pivot for the girls as they make decisions which will significantly impact their upcoming hike.

Join the sisters for their final day on the Wonderland Trail! At the beginning, they have a New Year’s resolution for you! Then, they give you a glimpse into their morning routine in camp. Molly gives herself a gift on Carrie’s birthday and Carrie finds herself in a creek. Molly bemoans the fact that they have yet to see a bear on the trip—guess what happens next? The girls discuss the beauty of S...

The morning begins with the sisters learning a leave no trace tip from Rachel. The group travels along and above glaciers and marvel at the stunning scenery. A lenticular cloud forms over the mountain, putting their weather forecasting skills to the test. They make an observation about Mystic Camp. A commentary about sitting on anthills. They relate Grey’s anatomy to this day on trail. The girls d...

During their second longest day on trail, the girls get an early start…not! They wake to cold temperatures and discuss procrastinating vs productivity. After literally taking candy from strangers, they discuss the phenomenon of every snack someone else brings being better than the ones you brought. Portions of the discussion lead to the real question: has Molly been cryogenically frozen? After lea...

The cool morning begins with Molly discovering an unpleasant surprise. The girls set out and are thankful to find a small water source before beginning a long, dry stretch of trail. The girls contemplate a “universal truth” which occurs whenever you haven’t seen a person a trail all day. They ascend into the clouds, facing some unfortunate realities when they get cell service. Forging on, the sist...

The girls hit the trail for the longest day on their trek around Mount Rainier. Right away, Carrie is met with an unwelcome surprise. The girls cross Kautz Creek and arrive in Longmire, where they complete their first resupply and sneak a little laundry. Back on the trail, the sisters recount a humorous encounter and their surprising company at lunch. The girls navigate a trail reroute and finally...

Join the sisters on trail as they discuss their favorite parts of camping at Klapatche Park and resolve their debate on the best place to pitch a tent in the rain. Molly and Carrie marvel in how close they got to Mount Rainier’s glaciers on this day, and catch their first marmot sightings. Molly reveals one of her favorite vistas from the trip while Carrie discusses the unique features left by gla...

The girls’ night begins with the sound of piercing screams, which initially is a cause for concern. After a rainy night, they emerge to begin their second day on the Wonderland Trail. The sisters contrast the pros and cons of pitching a tent under a tree in rainy conditions. After bemoaning the specific challenges of wet gear, they find an interesting approach to drying their soaking wet clothes....

Morning brings a beautiful day for the girls to begin the Wonderland Trail, but the forecast tells a different story. The sisters find humor in parking preferences prior to beginning by a long distance hike. Carrie and Molly talk all things trail, including elevation profile, river crossings, and their first day lunch and dinner strategy. Upon arriving at Golden Lakes, the girls find a surprising...

Carrie and Molly are excited to welcome you along on their new series about backpacking the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier! Join the sisters as they head to Washington to meet up with Rachel and begin a hike they’ve been dreaming of for years. They discuss the process of obtaining a permit to hike the trail and considerations for completing the trail in different months. The sisters discuss...

The summit is only half way!! In our final episode on Sahale, the group must come down from the summit. They learn crevasse rescue skills and practice them on the Quien Sabè glacier. They return to camp, hike back to the car and discuss a framework for debriefing from adventures with your adventure partner.

Carrie and Molly begin summit day early, traveling cross country up the slabs below the Quien Sabe glacier. They make an interesting discovery from years past and learn about a new mountaineering style for their soft shell pants. Lead by their guide, they travel on bare glacial ice and navigate a maze of crevasses. Molly experiences a revelation regarding snow bridges and the sisters compare their...

Molly and Carrie meet their guide at the wilderness information center and set off on their first mountaineering journey. They learn about the concept of risk tolerance vs risk acceptance, pacing considerations for mountaineering, and the three biggest risks to manage while traveling on a glacier. They are spooked by the reports of a grizzly bear near their campsite and drool over their guide’s un...

Carrie and Molly prepare to embark on a guided climb of Sahale Peak in the North Cascades. They talk about what a gear check is like, how the itinerary of the trip was planned, and their resting strategy for the day they had to relax between trips. They also discuss how they work to calm anxiety.

If you’re a backpacker who’s dreamed of climbing glaciated peaks, but doesn’t know how or if you should make the transition—this episode is for you! (Spoiler alert, it’s also for those who have no interest in mountaineering, but still love learning about different outdoor adventures!) Molly and Carrie talk about their progression from hiking and backpacking into the world of mountaineering. They t...

Molly & Carrie wake up in an oven….so to speak. They discuss the way they lessen their impact when camping on granite. Explore the lake basin with them as they prepare to return to their car. The trip down contains a fun swim and other stories. Come along!

Carrie and Molly head into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to explore the beautiful terrain. They discuss ways to reduce impact in popular areas and recount the climb up to Tuck and Robin Lakes. Stick around to hear about goat’s unusual dietary preferences and how to keep them from being unwelcome visitors to your tent at night.

In this final episode of the Loowit trail series, Molly and Carrie tackle the final miles of the Loowit Trail. They descend to the Toutle River via a long, steep drop and then use ropes to make the final descent. They discuss ways to stay safe descending these types of gullies. Join them as they slog uphill and reach the boulder fields. Hear about Carrie’s “27 hours” moment and experience the join...

Carrie and Molly wake up prepared to take on their longest day on trail ever. They get ready to head through the blast zone, but this is not without its challenges. They learn the importance of reading trail reviews, decision making in the backcountry, and are reminded that it’s better to focus on the present than dread things that turn out fine. Hear Molly’s helpful tip for preventing blisters wh...

Molly and Carrie reach the Loowit Trail and find themselves in a boulder field. The trail ascends quickly giving stunning views of the many PNW volcanoes. They reach the first gully crossing of the trail and learn some valuable lessons about crossing gullies, which they pass on to you! They discuss their journey to being comfortable with the exposure of the gullies, the Plains of Abraham, and what...