The Journey Through Grief and Redemption on the Pacific Crest Trail // Cheryl Strayed's "Wild"

How can you find yourself? 
 
Cheryl Strayed recounts her transformative 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail following her mother's death and subsequent personal crisis. My friend, Lauren, and I discuss how through physical challenges and moments of profound clarity, Cheryl rediscovers her strength and finds healing in the wilderness.

• Cheryl's motivation to hike the PCT stemmed from profound grief over her mother's death
• Her unpreparedness—including too-small boots and an overpacked backpack—mirrors her emotional state
• Wilderness solitude forces confrontation with past traumas including her father's absence and failed marriage
• Encounters with fellow hikers and trail angels provide unexpected kindness and community
• Physical challenges like dehydration, lost toenails, and extreme weather become metaphors for emotional resilience
• Moments of natural beauty bring spiritual connection and healing
• The journey transforms from an escape into a path toward self-acceptance
• By journey's end, Cheryl realizes that moving forward doesn't require knowing her exact destination

"It was enough to trust that what I'd done was true. To understand its meaning without yet being able to say precisely what it was... It was my life, like all lives, mysterious and irrevocable and sacred. So very close, so very present, so very belonging to me. How wild it was to let it be."

Listener discretion advised: this episode includes adult language

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If you have any comments or questions, please connect with me on Instagram or email babesinbooklandpodcast@gmail.com. I’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback!

Link to this episode’s book:
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Other ways to support/connect with Cheryl Strayed:
Instagram
Personal Website

Transcripts are available through apple’s podcast app—they may not be perfect, but relying on them allows me to dedicate more time to the show! If you’re interested in being a transcript angel, let me know. 

This episode is produced, recorded, and edited by me.

Special thanks to my dear friend, Lauren. I’d go hiking/rock climbing/camping with you ANY day!

Xx, Alex

Chapter Markers:
0:00: Episode Introduction and Mother's Death
12:50: Relationships and Identity Before the Trail
22:10: Decision to Hike the PCT
37:23: First Steps and Early Trail Challenges
51:33: Meeting Fellow Hikers and Finding Community
1:02:39: Physical Transformation and Personal Growth
1:12:44: Dangers and Fears Along the Journey
1:19:36: The Bridge of Gods and Final Reflections