(Psst -- Win trail prizes during Trailtober: a trail challenge supporting gender equity in October! Learn more here.)
Heather Anderson has hiked over 50,000 miles — including completing the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail multiple times, and often faster than anyone before her.
Heather shares why writing a memoir could feel as vulnerable and difficult as hiking alone for months. We talk about the mindset needed to write about your life (especially when it doesn’t follow a classic narrative arc), the challenges of maintaining a public presence online, and her tips for aspiring authors.
We talk about:
- Heather's early book and outdoor experiences (personal pan pizzas anyone?)
- The challenges of writing memoirs
- Self-identity after setting trail records
- The impact of social media on authors
- Balancing media consumption and writing
- Tips for aspiring authors
Love adventure books like Heather's?
Grit Lit is our quarterly subscription box meets book club, celebrating women and adventure.
Members get a box every quarter full of woman-created goodies, including a nature-inspired book.
Interested in becoming a part of Grit Lit? Head to cairnproject.org/grit-lit to join and get the fall 2025 box, plus a welcome box! It’s a great gift for a friend, too.
Join the trail fun of Trailtober, our October community challenge to spend time on trail, connect with others, and win trail shoes, electrolytes, gear patches and more! https://cairnproject.org/trailtober-2025-challenge
Find Heather on Instagram or explore her website. Make sure to read Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home.
Like this episode? Leave a 5-star rating and review on your podcast app!
Make sure you subscribe to the See Her Outside Podcast so you don’t miss a story!
Brought to you by the Alliance for Gender Equity in Outdoor Adventure (GEA Alliance).
Hosted by Angie Marie Lake, edited by Alyson Castonguay, research assistance by Danielle Peecher
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.