Savannah’s passion for climbing and the outdoors led her to backpack the Teton Crest Trail in 2012, a pivotal experience that inspired her to further her expertise through a comprehensive 35-day NOLS Outdoor Educator course in Wyoming. Leveraging her extensive background in education, she was instrumental in teaching a variety of classes at REI Outdoor School.
Savannah has dedicated fourteen years to teaching, including ten years in the classroom. She guided high school and college students on the Appalachian and Vermont Long Trails, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative effects of long-distance hiking, observing how both successes and setbacks contribute to personal growth and resilience among hikers.
Savannah holds an undergraduate degree in music from Texas A&M – Commerce. She has a masters degree in Recreation Science & Sport Pedagogy, and another in Environmental Studies from Ohio University. She was the graduate Trips & Logistics Coordinator at OU for two years.
Savannah has thru-hiked the Long Trail, Lone Star Hiking Trail, Centennial Trail, Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Ouachita Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.
Savannah presents across the country and aims to give back what thru-hiking has given her – the confidence in her planning and her self-efficacy.
She hopes to break down the planning and logistics barrier to long-distance hiking and build community.
Information on her presentations and workshops can be found here. She also coaches hikers in a one-on-one format virtually and in person.
After finishing the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), she is finishing her first book, expected to be out in early 2024.