The Adventurous Reinvention

It's officially halfway through the year, and Allison is pulling out her 2026 adventure goals list for an honest gut-check. In this episode, she walks through everything from training her puppy Oliver for backpacking trips to her big goal of leading a 5.12 outside—sharing what's on track, what she's let go of, and why this kind of mid-year recommitment matters more than the goal-setting itself. Co...

Welcome to the Bougie Barr Camp to Pikes Peak Trail Series — a set of 2 mini episodes from a low-key, high-comfort backpacking weekend in Colorado with my friends Meg and Charlie. Day 2 was summit day — the whole reason for the bougie detour. We were up at 4am and on trail by 5:10, climbing through overnight storm leftovers, a sunrise cloud inversion that put us "in the meat of the sandwich" betwe...

Welcome to the Bougie Barr Camp to Pikes Peak Trail Series — a set of 2 mini episodes from a low-key, high-comfort backpacking weekend in Colorado with my friends Meg and Charlie. The premise: tackle Pikes Peak via Barr Trail over three days instead of one, with pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners built in, because if Barr Camp's going to cook for us, we're letting them. Day 1 was the hike in...

By now you've seen it. Some version of this plays out in every solo hiking forum, every Facebook group, every comment section where a woman dares to ask about going outside alone. 👉 "Just bring a gun." This advice is lazy. It's often irresponsible. And it completely misses what women are actually asking. Because the question underneath the gun question? It's not really about firearms at all. It's...

By now you've probably seen it. The TikTok videos. The comments flooding in. Women sharing their own versions of being left behind on a trail by someone they trusted. Alpine Divorce is real. But here's what nobody in that conversation is actually saying, and it's the thing I've been talking about since the very beginning of She Dreams of Alpine. Every single one of those stories has one thing in c...

In today’s episode, I’m taking you back to the solo backpacking trip that shaped me in all the best ways, my very first overnight alone on the trail. I share what inspired me to go solo in the first place, how I handled the fear, the unexpected snow that changed my plans, and the plot twist at the trailhead that almost stranded me. This trip wasn’t perfect, but it gave me huge confidence in myself...

This week's episode is a takeover — and a good one. Kellie, community manager at She Dreams of Alpine and coach inside the Backpacking Badass Program, steps in (while Allison is off with clients on a rock climbing retreat in Greece) to share something we think is one of the most important episodes we've published. A few years ago, we surveyed over 300 women about what was actually stopping them fr...

You had a goal. You were fired up. And somewhere between January and now… the momentum quietly disappeared. In this mid-year check-in episode, I'm breaking down the six real reasons women stall on their adventure goals, and none of them are what your brain is currently telling you. Whether you're stuck before you've started or losing steam mid-pursuit, this one's for you. In this episode, I share:...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Marissa , a past student of the Adventurous Reinvention Experience, to talk about what it looked like for her to navigate that really common (but rarely talked about) season of life… The “what’s next?” phase. Marissa wasn’t unhappy with her life. She had a solid career, a stable path, and had checked a lot of the boxes she thought she was supposed to check. B...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Nancie , a past student of the Adventurous Reinvention Experience, to talk about what it looked like for her to start backpacking at 58… and completely shift how she sees herself and what she’s capable of. Nancie didn’t grow up as a “backpacker,” and she didn’t come into this experience feeling fully confident or ready. She came in with curiosity, a deep pull...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Sunny , a past student of the Adventurous Reinvention Experience, to talk about what it looked like for her to step into leadership in the outdoors and become the kind of woman she didn’t always see represented there. Sunny didn’t come into this experience feeling like she fully belonged in the outdoor space. She came in with curiosity, a desire to grow, and...

In this episode, I’m joined by Kellie from the She Dreams of Alpine team for a raw, honest, and deeply personal conversation about what it actually looks like to reinvent yourself, again and again. We’re pulling back the curtain on our own reinvention journeys… not just the highlight reel, but the messy, uncomfortable, and transformative moments that shaped who we are today. Because reinvention is...

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Carey , a past student of the Adventurous Reinvention Experience , to talk about what it looked like for her to go all in on building community during a major life transition, and how that decision changed everything. Carey didn’t come into this experience needing backpacking skills. She came in craving connection, friendship, and a sense of belonging during...

In this episode, Allison and her team member Kellie sit down fresh off the trail in Allison’s van to recap the 2025 Adventurous Reinvention Experience Intermediate Backpacking Trip in the Eastern Sierra. After spending nearly two weeks in the mountains guiding both beginner and intermediate groups, they recorded this conversation while the memories were still fresh — sharing what actually happens...

Sometimes the most valuable adventures are the ones that don’t go according to plan. In this episode, Allison shares the story of a 2023 Adventurous Reinvention Experience backpacking trip that was supposed to summit Mount Whitney… until a powerful storm forced the group to pivot. What could have felt like a “failed” adventure ended up becoming one of the most valuable mountain experiences her cli...

If you've been doom-scrolling, feeling frozen, or wondering whether it's still okay to care about adventure and joy, this episode is for you. In this episode, Allison shares why aliveness isn't a luxury or an escape, it's actually how we stay strong, grounded, and capable of showing up powerfully in our lives and in the world. In this episode, we explore: Why doom-scrolling and freezing your life...

This final episode of the Escalante Route Trail Series comes to you from a hotel room—because we climbed all the way out of the Grand Canyon today. After a very early wake-up, we started hiking in the dark to avoid the heat, stopping for water and breakfast before committing to the long climb out. What followed was roughly 4,000 feet of elevation gain, endless switchbacks, Redwall crossings, and s...

This is Day 3 of the Escalante Route Trail Series , recorded under the stars at a dry camp high above the river. Today was a shorter-mileage day that packed in a lot of technical terrain. We left our beach paradise behind and made our way into 75 Mile Canyon, hiking high above towering walls before dropping down into the slot itself—a highlight for all of us. From there, the day became a series of...

Welcome back to the Escalante Route Trail Series —daily trail dispatches from our backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon. Day 2 delivered everything we love about canyon travel: mellow morning miles, ambitious side quests, and terrain that looks impossible until the route reveals itself. We eased out of camp through shaded river walking before climbing up toward Unkar Hill and the ruins, detour...

Welcome to the Escalante Route Trail Series —a special set of episodes recorded on-trail during a backpacking trip deep in the Grand Canyon. In this series, I’m bringing you along day by day as my friends and I hike the Escalante Route, sharing the real-time experiences, trail conversations, and behind-the-scenes moments from camp each night. Day 1 was all about the descent. After a shuttle shuffl...

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Sarah , a Backpacking Badass client whose story perfectly captures what it looks like to step into an Adventure Era after everything changes. Sarah didn’t grow up loving the outdoors. In fact, she openly admits she despised it. But after a major life upheaval, nature became a place of healing, and eventually, a doorway into something much bigger. Since joi...

My client Sherry didn’t grow up calling herself “adventurous.” She started backpacking in her mid-50s with borrowed gear, a lot of nerves, and a quiet pull toward doing something more for herself. After her first challenging trips, she realized she didn’t just want more adventure... she wanted to feel calm, capable, and confident doing it. That’s when she found the Backpacking Badass Program , beg...

What does it really mean to be a Backpacking Badass? In this episode, Allison breaks down why being a Backpacking Badass has nothing to do with being fearless, extreme, or summiting at all costs—and everything to do with self-trust, decision-making, and knowing you have your own back on trail and in life. If you’ve ever loved the idea of being “badass” but thought, that’s not me , this episode is...

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I’m planning my adventures in 2026. From big trips to mini getaways, client adventures, and everyday ways to keep the outdoors part of my life, this episode is all about setting the stage for a year filled with exploration. In this episode, you’ll hear: How I reflect on past adventures to shape my future plans The exciting client trips and r...

In this reflective end-of-year episode, Allison reframes why so many women experienced 2025 as a season of closure, identity shedding, and quiet endings, and why that space matters. Allison then explores why 2026 is uniquely positioned as a fresh start, a new cycle, and an invitation to step into your next adventurous identity with clarity, courage, and momentum. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why...