Into the Rugged Wild: Trekking the Pacific Northwest Trail with Dyana Carmella

Journey into the deep wilderness of the Pacific Northwest with Dyana Carmella as she recounts her 74-day, 1,200-mile solo hike across the Pacific Northwest Trail, one of the most remote and demanding long-distance trails in the United States. Stretching through Montana, Idaho, and Washington, the trail cuts through grizzly bear country, unpredictable weather, relentless climbs, and daily elevation shifts capable of making even the strongest hiker question every life decision that led them there.

Dyana will share hard-earned insight for anyone interested in tackling sections of the trail, including Glacier National Park, the Idaho Panhandle, Kootenai National Forest, the Selkirk Mountains, Pasayten Wilderness, North Cascades National Park, the Mount Baker area, and Olympic National Park.

Drawing from her book, A Walk Thru Neverland, Dyana will bring audiences inside the journey — the people who left a lasting mark, the challenges that pushed her to her edge, and the transformative power of disappearing into the wild. She’ll also reveal the unexpected person waiting at the end of the trail — someone who would change her life forever. Dyana will also touch on themes of releasing fear, holding onto hope, embracing the unexpected, finding beauty in struggle, the power of solitude, perseverance, and how going a little mad just might set you free.

Dyana Carmella is a writer and producer based in Los Angeles. In 2023, she published her debut nonfiction book, A Walk Thru Neverland, chronicling her solo journey along the 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest Trail. She is also the producer and co-host of Bush and Banter, an outdoor adventure podcast featuring explorers from around the world. A passionate advocate for solo exploration, Carmella believes in its power to spark self-discovery and deepen our connection to the world. She has thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail, Grand Teton Loop, and Colorado Trail; summited Mount Whitney six times; and trained in wilderness survival with the U.S. Military in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her travels have taken her across New Zealand, Australia, Greece, Spain, Croatia, and Iceland.

This program was organized by Reymundo Perez #1219.