“If you think that setting trail records is about speed and hubris, Nancy East will prove you wrong. It is not her success, but her vulnerability that will encourage you to keep moving forward when the next step feels impossible. It is not her impressive miles, but rather her insightful reflections that allow you to recognize feelings of gratitude and connectedness in the midst of pain and loss. And it is not her attributes as a hiker, but her roles as a mother, spouse, and friend that make this book a valuable resource for anyone who is trying to navigate through relationships – and adventure.”
Jennifer Pharr Davis, author of The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience
Chasing the Smokies Moon Summary
Two lives lost too soon. When a search and rescue member’s unresolved grief is triggered by tragedy, will a life-changing hike end in hope?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, September 2020. Nancy East was determined to make a difference. After a heartbreaking SAR mission ended in the discovery of a body, the woman still grieving her own mother’s passing felt compelled to help prevent more fatal hiking accidents. Partnering with a close friend, the middle-aged everyday athlete set out to cover the wilderness area’s 800 miles of trail faster than anyone before to raise money for safety and preparedness measures.
Struggling with early injuries and intrusive self-conscious thoughts, Nancy confronted insecurities about her career, parenting skills, and her mom’s fight with cancer. And as she persevered despite torrential storms and dangerous terrain, her crippling uncertainties began to transform into heart-healing peace.
In this moving account, Nancy East navigates her emotional aftermath following the death of Susan Clements, a loving parent to three children who succumbed to hypothermia. And as she guides readers through her month-long journey of endurance and triumph, her inspirational story promotes awareness while motivating all to believe in themselves.
Chasing the Smokies Moon: An audacious 948-mile hike–fueled by love, loss, laughter, and lunacy is a thought-provoking memoir. If you like true-life feats, sentimental contemplations, and stepping outside of comfort zones, then you’ll adore Nancy East’s strides of empowerment.
Order Chasing the Smokies Moon
Order a signed book which includes complimentary ebook version (a.k.a ultralight version) and an official $1 Map
The ebook version can be found at Amazon (Kindle) or other ebook retailers right here.
Praise for Chasing the Smokies Moon
This story is more than just a recounting of an incredible feat of endurance and perseverance, it is an insightful and revealing look into the mind and soul of multi faceted adventurous woman.” — Kevin Fitzgerald, former Deputy Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
“I have always thought of Nancy East as somewhat of a real life superhero — this harrowing and transparent account of her FKT attempt and SAR fundraising effort has certainly solidified that sentiment!” — Steven Reinhold, Backpacker Magazine, Brand Ambassador
“An amazing feat well-planned and superbly executed. Nancy East writes from the heart about each day’s challenges and joys. As exhausted as she is after hiking more than thirty miles a day, she finds the reward which makes every Smokies trail special. The reader will be with East and her hiking partner every step of the way. Chasing the Smokies Moon might inspire some to do more hiking in the Smokies.” —Danny Bernstein, author of DuPont Forest: A History
“Nancy P. East’s account of her and Chris Ford’s FKT attempt of hiking all the trails in Great Smoky Mountain National Park reveals superhuman efforts and dogged persistence. Equally impressive to the physical feat was the mental fortitude and self-examination that Nancy generously reveals in her book. It gives the reader hope that self-determination, persistence and plan- ning can help any of us overcome obstacles and reach our goals.” — Kathy Zachary, former director of Smoky Mountain Field School
“Chasing the Smokies Moon is a deep dive into the depths of a Fastest Known Time record attempt. East relays with humor, profundity, and humility the highs and lows of an intense journey through the Great Smoky Mountains and human connection.” — Heather Anderson, author of Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail
“There’s no disputing Nancy East’s competence as an outdoorswoman. She’s a member of a North Carolina search-and-rescue team that frequently responds to incidents in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
What’s also beyond dispute is East’s strength as a natural storyteller, which she capably demonstrates in her book about her record-setting achievement, Chasing the Smokies Moon. Instead of a tedious mile-by-mile recap of her nearly month-long odyssey, East’s descriptive style transports readers to the scene of the action and affords them the opportunity to experience vicariously what few people have actually accomplished and none within in a shorter timeframe.
East’s 30 chapters, each of which opens with an inspirational epigraph, sustain a compelling narrative drive while gracefully interlacing memories of past adventures, reflections on life and family, and descriptions of other hikers encountered along the way. As for the latter, East has little patience for those who enter the park’s backcountry ill-equipped and ill-prepared, having helped deliver a number of them—the more fortunate ones—to safety over the years.” — David Brill, author of Into the Mist: Tales of Death and Disaster, Mishaps and Misdeeds, Misfortune and Mayhem in GSMNP
“Like a friend sharing stories around a campfire, Nancy East invites readers to hear the tale of the 800-mile journey taken by her and her companion in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Olympic-sized athletic challenge not only became an adventure in self-awareness and a test of mental and physical fortitude, but also a valuable, charitable mission. While planting record-breaking, fast-paced bootprints in Smoky Mountain history, the pair captured the gold-medal prize by surpassing the fund-raising goals to support outdoor safety programs for the public. Zip up your fleece jacket, put another log on the fire, and listen in.” — Marci Spencer, author of Clingmans Dome, Highest Mountain in the Great Smokies; Potluck, Message Delivered: “The Great Smoky Mountains are Saved!” and books on the history of Pisgah, Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests
About the Author
Nancy East, an avid hiker and backpacker, is a firm believer that you’re never too old to be what you might have been. After a 23-year career as a small animal veterinarian, she retired to pursue her passion as a writer, hiking guide, and speaker. She is a member of Haywood County’s Search and Rescue Team, a founding board member of the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund, a Gossamer Gear Ambassador, and a Southern Appalachian Naturalist. Nothing brings her more joy professionally than educating her fellow hikers about how to stay “safe and found.”
In 2019, she and her good friend, Chris Ford, set the fastest known time (FKT) for a mixed-gender team on the Tour de LeConte Challenge. In 2020, they set the overall FKT for the Smokies 900 Challenge. Nancy has hiked all the trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park four times, and she continues going back for more.
When she’s not on the trail, Nancy is a mother to three children and a wife to her high school sweetheart. They live with their beloved dog in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Additional Retail Locations
Chasing the Smokies Moon is also available to purchase in-person at:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visitor Centers
REI (Pigeon Forge, TN)
MoonPie General Store & The Original Book Warehouse (Pigeon Forge, TN)
Nantahala Outdoor Center (Gatlinburg, TN)
Blue Ridge Hiking Company (Asheville, NC)
The Grove Park Inn (Asheville, NC)
Malaprop’s Bookstore (Asheville, NC)
Mast General Store (western North Carolina locations)
Mount Inspiration (West Asheville, NC)
City Lights Bookstore (Sylva, NC)
Cozy and Content (Franklin, NC)
Blue Ridge Books (Waynesville, NC)
Sassafras on Main (Waynesville, NC)
Bookshop (this online option supports the indie bookstore of your choice)
Amazon (I get it, Amazon is soooo easy, but the print quality is inferior to ordering it from me directly or in other retail locations. Also, and more importantly, Amazon doesn’t give a flip about indie authors and bookstores, so it’s better karma to make your book purchases elsewhere). 🙂