This article originally appeared on The Trek, which you can read here. Across four years and two thru-hikes, my pack tells a story without me saying a single word. Every scratch, patch, and carefully selected item reflects lessons learned over thousands of miles of experience: cold nights, sore hips, gear failures, and the realization that what…
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Anna is from western North Carolina and grew up romping through hollers and hills. Her love of the Appalachian Mountains drew her onto the Appalachian Trail in 2021, where she became “Magic.” The AT was her first thru-hike and the place she met her future husband, Truffles.
After completing the trail, the pair moved to Tennessee and spent three seasons working as backpacking guides in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Between guiding gigs, Magic and Truffles hiked the Arizona Trail in 2023 and the West Highland Way in 2024. In 2025, they left their jobs to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
After completing the PCT, Magic and Truffles set a Fastest Known Time on the Tour de DeConte in GSMNP. When she isn’t in the woods, Magic enjoys writing, playing disc golf, and teaching yoga. She and Truffles live in East Tennessee.
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Magic in the Mountains 