We are Maggie and Kyle and we are from Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Kyle works as a Computer Programmer and Maggie is a Physician Assistant. As anyone around us might attest to, we love backpacking. With that, in 2024, we are putting things down and backpacking the 2655-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada. While on trail, we are going to be raising money for a cause near and dear to us: helping out those struggling with mental health.
We have fallen in love with backpacking together in the last 5 years and have been trying to see as much of the amazing natural beauty this land has to offer. Some of our favorites include:
● sections of the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado.
● rim-to-rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
● sections of the PCT in the North Cascades of Washington.
● thru-hiked the full John Muir Trail in the Sierras in California.
● sections of the Wind River Range, including the Cirque of the Towers in Wyoming.
Outside of backpacking and hiking, we also enjoy snowshoeing, slow-pitch softball, cross-country skiing, and tailgating at Green Bay Packers games. Go Pack Go!
Like most Americans, we are not immune to mental health struggles. Maggie has struggled with anxiety, and panic attacks made worse after a life-threatening car accident in 2014 in which an impaired driver led to a head-on collision. Kyle has struggled with anxiety and depression in his life too. We both have also lost loved ones to mental health disorders.
We can attest firsthand to the power of therapy as a key treatment for mood disorders. In addition to therapy, we have found solace in retreating to nature to calm the soul and heal our minds. We believe we need nature, like air, food, and water; we should not be separated from it. For all of these reasons, we are so proud to be able to raise money for Bigger Than The Trail.
Bigger Than The Trail (BTTT) was created by De Pere Native, Tommy Byrne, to connect people with mental health resources – and pay for them.
Read More about nature's positive impact on mental health here 1
23.1% (59.3 million adults) and 19.5% (4.8 Million adolescents) in the U.S. experienced mental illness in 2022.2
5.2% (13.2 million adults) and 13.4% (3.4 million adolescents) had serious thoughts of suicide in the U.S.2
50.6% (30.0 million adults) with any mental illness received mental health treatment in the last year. 56.8 % (2.7 Million adolescents) of the adolescents with mental illness received mental health treatment in the past year.2
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10 -14 and the third leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 in the U.S.3
13.2 million adults had serious thoughts of suicide
3.8 million made suicide plans
1.6 million attempted suicide
10% of all funds raised will go to Pacific Crest Trail Association
