Readers,

Thank you for taking the time to follow my travels. While I don’t expect you to read every word, I want you to know that your existence helps me feel accountable to write and to make forward progress every day. My journal tends to be a series of vignettes that capture a small snapshot into daily hiker life and help me reflect on the day’s events. Many of my ideas come from questions people ask along the way. If there’s something you want to know, ask! You can send me a message under contact me in the sidebar. I hope you enjoy being a part of the trip.

I got into long distance hiking by accident at age 23, when my best friend casually suggested we hike the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. It was a wild trip and I was hooked! On the trail, I am easily distracted by photo opportunities, scenic swimming holes, leisurely lunches, trailside huckleberries, and cold beers in town stops (hence the name 12 Ounce). Sleeping under the stars with friends and waking up to beautiful sunrises are some of the highlights of being out here. Mixed in with all the play, I also find it satisfying to put in big miles on the trail.

When I’m not hiking I work as a registered nurse in the emergency department. It’s fun, frustrating, bizarre, messy work that keeps me active in town. Hiking this summer will be a welcome break from the chaos of the ER and I will look forward to returning next fall.

Time will tell where I’m headed after the trail. My belongings are in Seattle, my family is in the San Francisco Bay Area, and my heart is somewhere in the mountains. I hope this hike will help guide me toward what’s next.

Hike your own hike,

Madeline Yacoe | 12 Ounce

Tahoe Rim Trail 2010
Pacific Crest Trail 2011
Wonderland Trail 2012
John Muir Trail 2012
Wonderland Trail 2015