Allison is the founder of trailtosummit.com which she began as a way to track and share her first round of the NH 4000 Footers. Now on round 5 (the first round for her dog Ruckus) she has been honored to have taken part of many people’s firsts. She is an experienced trail maintainer, speaker, and passionate member of the outdoor community. In New England, Allison enjoys trekking along the highest peaks, bushwhacking to less traveled areas, and has a fondness for sunrise and sunset trips. Outside of New England Allison has also thru hiked the John Muir Trail and explored mountains in the German and Austrian Alps, Israel, and the Azores. Her goal is to share her passion for hiking and backpacking with others, especially with women, to inspire them to experience the freedom of the trail!
Julia is an avid hiker currently pursuing a master’s degree in natural resources at the University of Connecticut. She has been hiking and backpacking her whole life. She grew up hiking in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, but since college has been exploring New England. Her favorite mountains are the Whites, with her favorite hike being a winter summit of Mount Pierce. With her recent move to Connecticut, Julia is working to explore southern New England. In addition to hiking and backpacking, Julia enjoys competing in lumberjack sports, whitewater canoeing, and mountain biking.
Aubrey grew up in Wisconsin ( a proud cheesehead) and graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a degree in Zoology and Environmental Studies. She moved out to New Hampshire in April 2016 to work at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center as part of the Animal Care staff. She did not know anyone when she first moved out here but thanks to exploring the White Mountains and meeting other adventurous hikers, this place now feels like home for her. Aubrey is currently working on finishing the 48 NH 4,000 footers and also enjoys exploring less traveled trails!
Janice is a 40-something-year-old, young at heart, avid lover of the outdoors, wife, mother, and nurse! In 2016, life circumstances allowed her to complete the 48 4000 footers in NH. 32 of these peaks were done as solo hikes. During those many miles of solo hiking, She re-connected with herself and found hiking became a form of meditation. Janice is currently enjoying her quest to complete the highest peaks in New England on the New England 67 list!
Michelle Pignone has a spirit that is deeply connected to the great outdoors. She has hiked in different areas of the country, including the Pacific Northwest, the mid-Atlantic region, and New England. Currently, Michelle is chipping away at the NH 4000-footers, as well as section-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Her morning routine includes hiking up her local mountain to watch the sunrise, and she sees this as the most empowering way to start each day. When Michelle isn’t out skipping along the trails and hugging all the trees, she is a mother, wife, nurse, artist, and is in the process of starting a nature-based benefit organization.
Lyndsey started hiking when her daughter Aubrey was just a few months old. They have been hiking together for almost 4 years now and have made some impressive climbs over those years. They live in the Monadnock Region of NH so they have many small mountains to hike all around them and they venture the two hours north to the White Mountains as often as they can. They just finished their first 4K (Mount Jackson) together and cannot wait to hike another one! Lyndsey is also an Ambassador and Hike Host for Hike it Baby – an international non profit organization that focuses on helping families with young children get out into nature and on the trails. Hiking had such a huge influence on getting over Postpartum Depression that she wanted to help other local parents get out on the trails and build a community that if different from the other typical mom groups. Over the years she has learned so much about hiking with young children, from picking different carriers to choosing trails for toddlers. She wants to share her knowledge to help others, as this information was impossible to find when she was just starting out hiking with Aubrey! Lyndsey also writes for her own personal blog Summit Mommy that chronicles her and Aubrey’s hiking adventures together.
Kristin grew up in upstate NY going on farm calls with her dad, who was a large animal veterinarian. He also took her hiking, camping, canoeing, and fishing at a young age. This resulted in her strong love for the outdoors. While in college she spent 6 weeks in 2001 and 2003 backpacking through the Southwest. Kristin is an avid hiker with anemia, who is constantly trying to find ways be a more effective hiker. Kristin moved to NH in 2003. She has completed the NH 48 4000 footers. She is currently working on the New England 67 and the NH 52 With a View lists. When Kristin is not hiking or spending time outdoors she is an Academic Librarian and a voracious reader.
Sonya LeClair is an ecologist, writer, and certified health coach with a
focus on using time outdoors as a springboard to improve our physical and
mental health. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology, an M.S. in Biology, and
over 20 years of experience in ecology, conservation, and engaging people
with the outdoors. She resides in the Monadnock Region, and spends her
time writing, exploring the outdoors, and focuses her coaching on helping
others become healthy and fit enough to live their own versions of a rich
and meaningful life. You can learn more about her work at The Reluctant Enthusiast!