© Heather Anderson
Unless you have a keen interest in thru-hiking, you might have missed the news that last year, Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson completed America’s Triple Crown of thru-hiking within in a single calendar year. That’s hiking the 2200-mile Appalachian Trail, the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail and the 3100-mile Continental Divide. It’s the third time Heather has completed the Triple, and the first time it’s been done by a woman within a single calendar year.
Heather, who goes by the trail name of ‘Anish’, also holds the outright self-supported Fastest Known Time record for the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which saw her hike an average of 44 miles a day for just over 60 days, often rising at 4am to start her hike and not finishing until gone midnight. Although known for her incredible hiking accolades, Heather has also completed six 100-mile trail races including the renowned Western States 100.
For an insight into Heather’s record-breaking PCT FKT record I’d highly recommend reading her book, Thirst – 2600 MILES TO HOME, which documents her journey, including near-death experiences and mountain lion encounters. In the meantime, here’s a quick Q&A with Heather.