2025 Virtual Hike-a-thon

I’m participating in the first TCT Hike-a-thon! It’s a global hiking challenge to bring together supporters of the Transcaucasian Trail and raise $15,000 to support the building and maintenance of the trail. I hiked the TCT north-south route in Armenia and Georgia in 2023, covering 1,600 km. The trail is the first long-distance route in the region and brings many benefits:

- Reversing rural decline by bringing sustainable tourist income.
- Providing an incentive to preserve natural areas, threatened by logging and other interests.
- Training local people in trail-related jobs.
- Promoting cooperation between nations that are not always on the best terms.
- Making opportunities for outdoor recreation, which is unknown to many people in the Caucasus.

If you would like to support this cause, please use the ‘Donate’ link on this page. If that’s not compelling enough for you, from May 1st–31st, I’ll be participating in various challenges, as well as helping towards the community goal of 3,000 km — the distance of the TCT once it’s complete! Here are some of the challenges I’ll be trying to complete:

Distance-Based Goals

    hike 100 miles in May for the TCT
    complete the challenging 31-mile Pemi Loop
    run a half marathon in support of the TCT

Elevation Gain Goals

    climb the equivalent of Mt. Ushba (4,690m) in May
    log 10,000 meters of elevation gain this month
    do your city’s steepest staircase 50 times

Destination-Based Goals

    run to every pizza place within a 10-mile radius of your house
    summit your dream peak
    visit 10 different local trails

Consistency Challenges

    hike every day in May– even if it’s just a kilometer
    walk 15,000 steps every day this month
    explore a new trail every weekend