The LivGreater Podcast

Meeting God on the Appalachian Trail: Heather McVey

Episode Summary

An Appalachian Trail journey that becomes a story of courage, faith, and rebuilding a life.

Episode Notes

Heather McVey set out to hike the Appalachian Trail with no hiking or camping experience—and with her Alaskan Malamute, Sugar, by her side. In this conversation with Shelley, Heather shares how the trail became a journey of faith, resilience, and personal renewal. A former professional fighter and real estate broker, Heather had become a stay-at-home homeschooling mom. After 20 years of marriage, she began hiking as she faced major changes in her life. She talks about learning trail life one step at a time, the kindness of strangers, the challenges of hiking with Sugar, and the experiences that strengthened her faith in God and humanity. Now traveling the country in an RV, Heather continues to embrace adventure and live out her faith every day. 

Connect with Heather:

Facebook: Basecamp and Puddles: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587367043721&sk=about

Connect with Heather on Facebook to Watch for her book "The Mountains Call Me Daughter" coming soon.

In this episode:

• Why Heather decided to hike the Appalachian Trail despite having no hiking or camping experience
• Starting with day hikes in Virginia and learning the basics of trail life
• Hiking during a difficult personal transition and finding strength on the trail
• Resupply stops, hostels, stealth camping, and life with everything in a backpack
• The challenges of hiking the White Mountains and navigating dangerous weather
• Why Heather had to send Sugar home for part of the hike—and how hard that was
• Finding faith, forgiveness, and a renewed sense of self through solitude
• Unexpected help from strangers and memorable moments of “trail magic”
• A dangerous river crossing during Hurricane Lee
• Heather’s RV travels and what she’s looking forward to next