Just Hyke Podcast: Strong Knees & Smarter Trails with Alicia Filley, The Healthy Hiker

Ten women, three countries, and seven days of spectacular views, challenging trails, and shared adventure. In this episode of the Just Hyke Podcast, Wendy joins Melanie to share stories from a group hiking trip along sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy, and Switzerland. With women ranging from their early 40s to mid-60s, the adventure brought together different hiking paces, experiences, and personalities. As the lead organizer, Wendy shares insights into planning a self-guided trip with tour-company support and how the women worked together to navigate steep climbs, changing weather, transportation schedules, and an unexpected communication scare. We talk about: Training for mountain trails when you live somewhere flat. Managing different hiking paces and sharing responsibility. Hotels, luggage transfers, and meals along the way. Rain-gear lessons learned during a thunderstorm. Ladders, rocky terrain, and finding energy for those final miles. Celebrating with tandem paragliding over Chamonix. An honest, encouraging conversation about preparation, flexibility, friendship, and taking on new adventures together. Explore more hiking adventures, books, and resources at justhyke.com. Subscribe to Just Hyke and share this episode with a friend you’d love to adventure with! #JustHyke #TourDuMontBlanc #WomenWhoHike #HikingOver40 #HikingAdventures

What if spending time in nature could help us feel safer, calmer and more connected? In this episode of the Just Hyke Podcast, Melanie Michaelchuk talks with Elizabeth Browning, founder of Happy Camper Therapy. Elizabeth is a licensed professional counselor supervisor, registered play therapist supervisor and EMDR consultant who incorporates nature, movement and outdoor experiences into her work. Elizabeth shares how Happy Camper Therapy began as a camper-themed mobile play-therapy practice and grew into a greater focus on nature-assisted therapy. We discuss why walking side by side can make conversation feel easier, how natural environments may support emotional well-being and the difference between forest bathing, walk-and-talk therapy and nature-assisted therapy. Elizabeth also offers a simple nature reset: spend 20 minutes in a comfortable natural setting with nothing to accomplish. Pause and notice what you can see, hear, smell and feel. In this episode, we discuss: The story behind Happy Camper Therapy Why nature can help create a sense of safety and connection The benefits of walking and talking side by side Forest bathing versus walk-and-talk therapy What nature-assisted therapy means How movement may support the therapeutic process Connecting with nature without access to a forest A simple 20-minute nature reset Nature-assisted therapy training through the Happy Camper Institute Connect with Elizabeth and Happy Camper Therapy Website: happycampertherapy.com Elizabeth’s story and approach: Learn more about Elizabeth Happy Camper Institute: Nature-assisted therapy training Facebook: Happy Camper Child and Family Instagram: @happycampertherapy Connect with Just Hyke Visit JustHyke.com for hiking inspiration, outdoor resources, books and opportunities designed to help women get outside, build confidence and experience the benefits of nature. If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the Just Hyke Podcast, share the episode with a friend and leave a review. This episode is intended for general education and personal reflection. It is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health advice, diagnosis or treatment.

What does ultralight backpacking really mean, and why is reducing pack weight especially important for women? Solo backpacker Lee Warren shares practical ultralight backpacking tips for women over 40, including how to evaluate gear, reduce base weight and hike more comfortably. In this episode of the Just Hyke Podcast, Melanie talks with Lee Warren, a 57-year-old solo backpacker, outdoor writer and creator of Gen X Outdoors. Lee began backpacking seriously in her 50s and has since taken on trails including the Cranberry Lake 50, Trans-Catalina Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail and Colorado Trail. Lee shares how a 28-pound backpack inspired her to start weighing every item, evaluating what she truly needed and gradually building a lighter backpacking setup. Her approach isn’t about chasing the lowest possible number it’s about carrying less weight so hiking feels safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable. In this conversation, we discuss: Why ultralight backpacking can be especially valuable for women How pack weight affects the knees, ankles, back and shoulders Simple ways to lighten your backpack without replacing everything Why you should weigh and track your hiking gear How to decide which clothes and comfort items you really need Affordable ways to upgrade gear through sales and used marketplaces Backpacking food, calorie density and emergency cold-soak meals Camp shoes, puffy jackets and learning through experimentation Solo backpacking, confidence and making smart decisions on the trail Why it’s never too late to begin hiking or backpacking Lee reminds us that there is no single perfect gear list. Start with what you have, learn from every trip and take time to discover what works best for your body and your adventures. Resources from Lee Lee’s Colorado Trail blog on The Trek: https://thetrek.co/author/lee-warren/ Why I Think Ultralight Is More Important for Women: https://thetrek.co/ultralight-is-more-important-for-women/ Free LighterPack tool for evaluating your pack weight: https://lighterpack.com/welcome Lee’s Colorado Trail gear list on LighterPack: https://lighterpack.com/r/37jk5n About the Just Hyke Podcast The Just Hyke Podcast encourages women—especially women over 40—to get outside, explore more and build confidence through hiking and nature. We talk about trails, backpacking, outdoor gear, food, clothing, training, personal growth and the many benefits of spending time outside. If you enjoyed this episode, follow the Just Hyke Podcast, share it with a hiking friend and leave a review wherever you listen.

Meet the Women Behind Sweep: A Hiking App Built for Exploring What happens when two hikers see a better way to help people navigate and explore parks? In this episode of the Just Hyke Podcast, I sit down with Lauren and Katrina, co-founders of Sweep, a hiking app designed to put official park and trail information right at your fingertips. We talk about how the idea for Sweep began, what it takes to turn an outdoor idea into an actual app, and what makes Sweep different in a world already filled with hiking technology. Lauren and Katrina explain why they wanted to go beyond simply showing hikers a single trail. Sweep is designed to help you see the bigger picture of the park you're exploring—including trail networks and useful park features such as campsites, bathrooms, ranger stations, gift shops, and other points of interest. We also talk about the importance of using official park maps, some of the features they're working toward, and where they hope to take Sweep in the future. And because this is the Just Hyke Podcast, we couldn't talk about building a hiking app without also talking about hiking itself. We get into favorite trails, outdoor experiences, hiking gear, and the adventures that keep Lauren and Katrina wanting to explore. You'll also hear the story behind the name Sweep a nod to the person at the back of a hiking group who helps make sure everyone gets where they're going. And, in true podcast fashion, there's a little behind-the-scenes moment in this episode: I forgot to hit record! So we had to rewind and start our introductions all over again. Thankfully, Lauren and Katrina were great sports. In This Episode How Lauren and Katrina became co-founders of Sweep Where the idea for the app came from Why official park maps are an important part of Sweep How Sweep differs from trail-focused hiking apps Helping hikers explore an entire park not just one trail The story behind the name Sweep Building technology for people who love being outdoors What's next for the Sweep app Lauren and Katrina's own hiking experiences and favorite trails A little hiking gear talk along the way Connect with Sweep Website: sweep-app.com Instagram: @sweephikes Facebook: Sweep Hikes Email: [email protected] Sweep is available for Apple and Android, with more features and developments on the way. About the Just Hyke Podcast The Just Hyke Podcast is about hiking, adventure, and the people helping more of us get outside. Join me, Melanie Michaelchuk, for conversations with hikers, outdoor leaders, creators, entrepreneurs, and everyday adventurers who remind us that you don't have to be an elite athlete to explore somewhere new. Get outside. Explore somewhere new. Just Hyke.

From First Backpacking Trips to Big Trail Adventures with Wanda What happens when you say yes to an adventure, even when you’re not completely sure what you’re getting yourself into? In this episode of the Just Hyke Podcast, I sit down with fellow hiker Wanda, whom I first met while backpacking on the Ouachita Trail. Wanda’s hiking journey has taken her from local trails and a Boy Scout backpacking adventure at Philmont to sections of the Appalachian Trail, the Ouachita Trail, Eagle Rock Loop, and her ongoing goal of completing the Ozark Highlands Trail. Wanda shares some of the lessons she's learned along the way, including ambitious mileage plans, rocky trails, water challenges, changing plans when a hiking partner became ill, and even unexpectedly completing part of a backpacking trip solo. We also talk about how hiking has changed as she's gotten older and more experienced. At 55, Wanda says strength training has become an important part of keeping her body capable of carrying a backpack and continuing to enjoy the trails she loves. For her, hiking has also become about resilience, adaptability, accomplishment, friendship, and connection with nature. In this episode, we talk about: How Wanda discovered backpacking through her sons and their Boy Scout experience at Philmont Meeting new hiking friends and finding community on the trail Hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail Lessons learned from the challenging Ouachita Trail Why knowing your water sources matters Dehydration, electrolytes and knowing when it's time to change the plan Wanda's unexpected experience backpacking solo Why she prefers small-group backpacking Her goal of completing the Ozark Highlands Trail Building strength to continue hiking as we get older Planning mileage around terrain and elevation instead of simply chasing miles The importance of leaving room for a Plan B Why Wanda's advice to women who want to start hiking is simply: “Just do it” but do your research and start smart. And, of course, we get into a few of the really important trail questions—like Wanda's favorite hiking snack (a full-size Snickers!) and the lightweight piece of comfort she always makes room for in her backpack. A little trail wisdom from Wanda One of my favorite parts of our conversation comes near the end. Wanda describes hiking and backpacking as a way to quiet the noise of everyday life, enjoy nature, and discover beautiful places while remembering to do it safely. Her story is a wonderful reminder that you don't have to start with the biggest adventure. Start where you are, learn as you go, find people who encourage you, and keep exploring. Get outside. Take that first step. And see where the trail takes you. Until next time, keep exploring and Just Hyke.