I, Montana, grew up in flatland Florida, a place far away from the state in which I was named after. I am an American of mixed Lebanese and European heritage who currently resides in Washington state.

I used to live near sandy beaches, cypress swamps, and a curious array of reptiles, but then I fell in love with rock climbing, and mountainous terrain, and decided to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Soon after receiving my degree in Creative Writing, I moved across the country to pursue place-based education within the Salish Sea.

In 2019, I graduated with a master’s in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. Now I work as a park ranger and get to share my love of nature with others daily. When I’m not at my day job, I’m either backpacking or curled up on the couch writing sapphic/queer stories that take place in the outdoors.

This blog was originally created to chronicle my Appalachian Trail adventure, as well as provide future thru-hikers a detailed resource. After grad school, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail with my partner (Tuna Butter) and tried my best to document our journey. Little did I know, blogs were becoming irrelevant (vlogs on the other hand…).

And of course, you can find me on the ole’ gram: @peakedcuriosity

Why I hike:

• Backpacking simplifies my life in a healthy way
• I love love love the community
• I feel very passionately about the National Trails System and increasing accessibility to the outdoors
• I’m a bonafide nature nerd
• I like learning about a place from the slow, intimate pace of walking – the people, the culture, the community, the plants & wildlife
• It’s a relatively affordable way to travel and has served me well as a transition through major life events
• I am happiest on Trail, with dirt between my toes and everything

I started this blog as a way to share stories. My goal is to inspire others to become acquainted with nature in whatever way makes sense to them.