Ashley Manning

Hello everybody! My name is Ashley, trail name is Yardsale! I have made it to around mile 950 on the Appalachian Trail and plan on finishing it within the next year and a half. I'm leading an expedition down the Grand Canyon in December 2018. I also have plans to hike the John Muir trail in the next couple of years! Currently, I am raft guiding on the Chattooga River. I grew up hiking around the North Georgia mountains with my Father and my Uncle, so the love for the outdoors runs deep for me. I pride myself on breaking stereotypes and showing the world that people of all sizes can be outdoorsy!

Posts

I Was Made for This Outdoor Life

I Was Made for This Outdoor Life

Slowly, I make my way up the mountain. My trail family has already made it to the top of Spy Rock and has been waiting there for a while. They move

Jul 25, 2018 : Ashley Manning
Anxiety Ascent: Why I’m off the trail

Anxiety Ascent: Why I’m off the trail

I wake up in my room, surrounded by four walls and my black cat walking over my down comforter. The air conditioning is cool and my bed is soft. This

Jun 16, 2018 : Ashley Manning
Count on Friends to See You Through the Dark

Count on Friends to See You Through the Dark

"I'm a sensitive soul, though I seem thick skinned" -Pumba

May 24, 2018 : Ashley Manning
A Tramily Changes the Mood of a Hike

A Tramily Changes the Mood of a Hike

I lay in my tent, in a beautiful field, somewhere past Erwin, Tenn. I felt like absolute garbage. The day before it had snowed and I only made it

May 9, 2018 : Ashley Manning
North Carolina: A Not-So-Warm Welcome

North Carolina: A Not-So-Warm Welcome

I walked around the curving bend that snuck over the side of a mountain to see my AT partner, Lindsey (trail name: Dorothy), waiting for me at the

Apr 2, 2018 : Ashley Manning
I Forgot My Pants on the Appalachian Trail

I Forgot My Pants on the Appalachian Trail

A recall of my first three days on the Appalachian Trail...

Mar 5, 2018 : Ashley Manning
Big Girl, Big Hike

Big Girl, Big Hike

My last blog post in civilization...

Feb 27, 2018 : Ashley Manning
Tips And Tricks For Plus-Size Hikers

Tips And Tricks For Plus-Size Hikers

When you look through outdoor magazines, watch adventure movies, or even go into most outdoor stores, you typically don't see plus-size

Jan 16, 2018 : Ashley Manning
Question: Why am I hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Question: Why am I hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Why get a real job when you can live in the dirt for a few months?

Jan 7, 2018 : Ashley Manning