Hiker | Author | Outdoor Educator
Hi there, I’m Nancy, a.k.a. Seal Mom.
I’m an avid hiker and backpacker in western North Carolina. I’m also a search and rescue team member in Haywood County, home to Shining Rock Wilderness and a sizable portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
I created this website to pay it forward to the hiking community by providing:
Take a look around and I hope you find the information useful and engaging! And head here if you’d like to know a little more about my background.
Happy Trails,
Nancy
Dear Casual Hiker, Thru Hiker, Weekend Warrior Hiker, Vacation Hiker...well, you get the point, My name is Nancy and I am a member of a search and rescue (SAR) team in Western North Carolina. We are a tight-knit group of outdoor enthusiasts who choose to put our own lives on hold and often at risk, to help folks find their way out of the woods if they're lost, or carry them out if they're injured (or worse). It's not a job for ...
15 miles (which included a 2.5 mile trek to Gooch Gap for Fresh Ground's Trail Magic!) After a 10/10 start to my NOBO Appalachian Trail thru hike the day before, I woke wondering how it could ever be topped. The only way to find out was to hike the miles and see what unfolded. But first, breakfast! I sipped on my coffee and ate a "healthy" pop tart while I packed up my belongings. The chilly winter air was a welcome gift ...
After three decades of dreaming about it, I started my Appalachian Trail northbound (NOBO) thru hike on February 9, 2026. I was delayed a week from my intended start date of February 2 by an epic ice storm in the southeastern United States, quickly followed by a sizable snow event. To make matters even more complicated, Larry's return flight from Italy, where he had been skiing with fellow ski patrollers for the past ten ...
Surprisingly, I slept well. I was scared to move for fear of inviting new cramps, but the water and electrolytes must have worked their magic through the night. The air was still and cool as I packed up as much as possible inside my tent. Surprisingly, the flies clinging to the tent mesh's exterior from the night before had disappeared. All the more reason to get moving and make some miles before they reappeared. I started ...
Saying I "woke up" feels inaccurate since my nerves kept me up most of the night. I peeked out the window of the van and the skies were clear which was a huge relief since Newfoundland fog would make navigation on the Long Range Traverse infinitely harder. Who knows what would evolve throughout the next few days though. I met my shuttle driver at 8 a.m. at the southern terminus of the trek—the Gros Morne Mountain trailhead. ...