Put Your Foot Down! Let's Hike Together for Racial Justice with Serena Ryan, Summits in Solidarity

Guides Gone Wild

Are you like me, struggling with the overwhelming urge to punch something about 25 times a day right now, for sure every time you read a news headline?!!? Time to put your foot down. Literally!

Today I'm catching up with Serena Ryan of Summits in Solidarity, to learn about the latest iteration of the grassroots hiking initiative she co-founded that continues to break down barriers to outdoor access by raising critical funds for BIPOC-led organizations.
The 2024 Summits in Solidarity Hike-a-Thon launched March 20th with an ambitious goal: collectively hiking 5,000 miles between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice to raise $50,000 for two remarkable organizations: MANA (Maine Association for New Americans), that supports immigrants in connecting with nature and community resources; and Unlikely Riders, that creates welcoming mountain sport spaces for BIPOC Vermonters in skiing, snowboarding, and beyond.

My 2025 hike-a-thon is underway, and I hope you’ll pop in @GuidesGoneWild on Instagram or Facebook to follow my progress this spring!

There will be no talk of FKTs or thru hikes or 24 hour traverses, and I might not even go to the White Mountains, because I honestly don’t have time for that right now! Instead, I’m going to be getting ALL of my 75 pledged miles on my local trail systems - a few of the hikes I intend to do are less than a mile long!

Whether you support my hiking efforts, do your own thing solo or with a team, or donate to win some swank raffle items, it’s all good! Join me in supporting Summits in Solidarity, Maine Association for New Americans, and Unlikely Riders this spring over at summitsinsolidarity.org.

A few more useful links:

• Solidarity Night - June 7th - Join me!
• The Notch Hostel (N. Woodstock, NH)
• Hear the origin story of the Notch Hostel and Summits in Solidarity from Serena on Guides Gone Wild
• Read more about white supremacy, the impacts of colonialism and privilege here
• “Me and White Supremacy” Challenge - save the date for February, 2026
• Kokanee Trail Half Marathon (CA)
• Hayduke Trail (UT, AZ)
• Hyperlite 35L backpacks
• Arc’teryx Boston
• ULA Circuit Backpack (Serena’s current favorite!)
• Stio
• ”Finding Philip” Carcia - @findingphilip
• Presidential (“Presi”) Traverse (NH)
• The Roost Hike in Evans Notch (ME)

Send us a text

Chapters

1. Welcome to Guides Gone Wild (00:00:00)

2. Introducing Summits in Solidarity 2024 (00:02:27)

3. Meeting the Grant Recipients (00:12:00)

4. The Hike-a-Thon: How It Works (00:19:31)

5. Raffle Prizes and Corporate Sponsors (00:27:06)

6. Solidarity Night and Community Celebration (00:32:33)

7. Final Thoughts and Utah Adventure (00:35:13)