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Celebrating the culture, lifestyle and people of Southern Tier, N.Y.S.
Crazy Feather's Outdoor Adventures
by Melanie Wood
Follow the journey of Melanie Wood aka Crazy Feather, a business owner, digital influencer and nature enthusiast from New York State's southern tier, who's been training to thru hike the Appalachian Trail in June 2024.
Join Melanie (and friends) as they explore the woodlands and mountains throughout the region and beyond, helping Melanie condition her body and mind for an epic adventure that might just inspire you to embark on your own!
Join hiking and outdoor enthusiast Melanie Wood aka "Crazy Feather" and her partner "Sticky J" as they take a foggy winter hike to NINE Ithaca waterfalls. Learn all about these “well worth any weather” waterfalls in this video that Melanie created just for Southern Tier Life.
Melanie Wood ... on Social Media
Be sure to follow Melanie's adventures on social media for the latest updates on her training and hiking prep as her June 2nd (2024) southbound hike of the Appalachian Trail approaches. All photos on this page are provided by Melanie Wood.
If it is to be, it’s up to me. ❤️
38 days in the countdown.
And, I’m learning that my top statement in only partially true.
I’ve planned. I’ve trained. I’ve changed parts of my life completely. I’ve let go of a lot.
I’ve carved out new ways in my mindset. I’ve adapted to being ok with unknown and uncertainty (kicking and screaming at first!).
I’ve had to defy what is traditionally expected of me. I’ve had to learn that challenges and failures are not dead ends but opportunities to expand with gusto.
I’ve learned a quiet and steady resilience and commitment to cultivating and nurturing imagination into reality.
Most of all, I’ve learned about love. Receiving love. Accepting love. Being love. Giving love.
It’s not ALL up to me and I am so thankful for those stepping forward and loving me in a way that looks like AT support. ❤️
38 days to learn even more before the real learning begins.
#itsgettingreal #crazyfeather #dreamscometrue #iwalkthruit #blessedbeyondmeasure #thankfulforyou #thankfulforyoursupport #thankfulforlove #thankfulgratefulblessed #thankfulforlife
There are some new friends on this profile so it’s time to introduce myself again!
I am Melanie and my trail name is Crazy Feather. (The amazing man in the pic is Jeff, aka Sticky J…my number one fan, best support and keeper of my heart.)
Trail names are nicknames given to those who hike - and hike I do…A LOT!
Why Crazy Feather?
I have lost count of the number of times people in my life ask me where I am going and what I am doing and how many miles that will be and how much elevation and upping there will be just to say “THATS CRAZY!”🤪
And… feathers are something that fall from the sky and are placed perfectly and synchronistically on the trail for me to find nearly every hike I do. Call them Angel Feathers, call them Signs, call them Gifts From Nature…it’s magic and it makes me smile. 🪶
In June I will be heading to Maine to begin thruhiking the Appalachian Trail Southbound. At almost 2200 miles, covering 14 states to Georgia, this is my longest and (dare I say) most exciting adventure yet! I expect it to take 4-6 months.
My posts here, on my profile, are intended to share my hiking (and life in general!) adventures. Every time you look at, ❤️ or 👍, *comment* and SHARE my posts it helps me be on this crazy adventure and tell the stories day by day. I am incredibly blessed with a life full of love, so lucky to spend time in nature like I do, and I appreciate all of you being here to share it with me.
Thank you. Happy trails, my friends, wherever they may take you and whatever they look like for you. ❤️🥾❤️
#crazyfeather #stickyj #trailname #hike #hikerlife
#hikers #womenwhohike #crazy #feathers #angelfeather #iwalkthruit #appalachiantrail2024 #appalachiantrail #sobo #contentcreator #blessedbeyondmeasure #naturelovers #yoursupportmatters #thankyou
If not now, then when? Wish me luck!
A commitment is not official till it’s Facebook official, right? Well … here it is!
I have a hiker number! I’m registered to start the #appalachiantrail #SOBO (southbound) on June 2 after driving to Maine with Jeff, my love and number one fan and best support person ever, on the first.
157 days left to get ready…physically and with gear shakedowns.
My heart and mind are already on the trail.
#2024goals #thruhiking #OMG #opportunityofalifetime #love #igettodothis
Onward VIDEO Podcasts: The Journey
356 Days to go until Melanie embarks on her SOBO thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, and this video finds Melanie and friend, Jeff, setting off into the night to Cascade and Porter for technical terrain training with rock scrambles that lead to a 360-degree panoramic view. Remember to subscribe to Melanie's YouTube channel to stay up to date on her progress.
480 Days until hiker Melanie Wood leaves civilization AND her business for six months to hike the Appalachian Trail. This latest video follows her breathtaking (literally and figuratively) THREE summit hike in subzero temperatures. Check it out and subscribe to Onward's YouTube Channel.
Elmira's Melanie Wood introduces a video podcast that chronicles her training to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2024.
Subscribe to her Youtube channel here.
Hiking Q&A
Melanie Wood, of Elmira, NY, is training to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in June 2024, which will take approximately 6 months. Here, she answers the questions YOU have about her epic journey.
In Onward's third Q&A, hiker Melanie Wood shares how she preps to tackle the mountain trails during the winter as she trains to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in June 2024.
In her latest Q&A, avid hiker Melanie Wood shares her top 5 fears as she trains to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2024.
* If you've got a question for Melanie related to her hiking experiences, please email them to info.southerntierlife@gmail.com. We're happy to pass them along!
More media:
The Viewsroom on Zoom with Pfif & AWAC: An interview with Southern Tier hiker Melanie Wood, June 2023. Humor columnist and podcaster Jim "Pfif" Pfiffer and Cat "AWAC" White interview Southern Tier hiking enthusiast Melanie Wood, who plans to SOBO thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in June 2024.
Three hiking hot spots in the Southern Tier: Spencer Crest Nature Center and Steege Hill Nature Preserve, both in Corning, NY; and Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum in Elmira, NY.