On February 18, Nyle Sockbeson, our Project Venture Team Lead, began his 4-6 month thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT). The AT starts at Springer Mountain in Georgia and spans 2,198.4 miles to the northern terminus of sacred Katahdin in Maine. The trail goes through 14 states, all which occupy Indigenous lands. We hope to raise awareness for our relatives Indigenous lands which the AT occupies. We invite you to keep up with Nyle’s journey on our social media!
This is a journey that has been in the making since 2020. I am dedicating my hike to my late brother, Douglas Sockbeson, who passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest on December 16, 2020.
–Nyle Sockbeson, Project Venture Team Lead
Mileage completed: 109.4 | Location: S’atsoyaha (Yuchi)
In my first two weeks, I’ve been beginning to find my routine out here. In the mornings I break down camp, filter water, and eat breakfast. In the evenings I set-up camp, eat dinner, and hang my food (PCT Style). Of course, during the day, I hike. Life is simple and enjoyable on the Appalachian Trail (AT), but not exactly comfortable all the time. I’m beginning to learn how it feels to step out of my comfort zone, and it’s an empowering feeling. Thank you to everyone so much for their incredible support. It lifts my spirits up and excites me to think about more Indigenous representation in the backpacking world, as well as in other outdoor settings. Looking forward to continuing with updates and seeing where this project will go! Woli-Woni – Nyle
Mileage completed: 31.3 | Location: S’atsoyaha (Yuchi)
Nyle is also hiking to fundraise outdoor recreation opportunities for Wabanaki people. One of the goals of this project is to build WPHW’s outdoor gear library, which will allow for more outdoor recreation accessibility for Wabanaki People. If you would like to donate, please click here or mail a check to:
Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness Attn: WPHW AT Project PO Box 1356 Bangor, ME 04402
CLICK HERE to support Wabanaki people’s accessibility to outdoor recreation
Click here to learn more about Project Venture.
