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 ...
When I was in veterinary school, Auburn University had a herd of alpacas that was used for research studies. One of my classmates accidentally left their pasture gate open one day, and chaos ensued when the camelids took full advantage of their newfound freedom. They found their way into every nook and cranny of the campus, one even showing up in a lecture hall during class. I laughed until I cried while we searched for and led ...
Hi there! If you've landed on this page, it probably means you purchased my book, Historic Hikes in Western North Carolina. If you haven't, I'd be honored if you did. Here is the link to printable maps and elevation profiles for each of the book's routes. The numbered folders correspond to the book's chapter numbers. I also included a downloadable GPX file for each route, if you use a navigation app such as Gaia GPS, and ...
Travel back in time on more than thirty thoughtfully curated hiking routes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, chosen for their rich natural and human history as well as their beauty. Ascend to the state's highest point, surrounded by ancient forests and historical controversies. Explore the ruins of homesteads and isolated cemeteries of former settlers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and honor the legacy of the Cherokee and ...
This post may contain affiliate links and I participate in the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program. If you purchase something through one of my affiliate links, it does not cost you anything more, but it helps fund the upkeep for this website. In 1997, I traveled to Fairbanks, Alaska, in the dead of winter to complete a two-month veterinary internship focused on—of all things—reptiles. Though I wasn’t particularly interested ...