A newsletter full of stories about life and running, dispatches from the wilderness, and essays about how it all collides.

Welcome to Trail Mix!

Hi, I’m Emily! I live, write, and run in Eugene, Oregon. I can often be found collecting stories on the trails and mountains around the Pacific Northwest, usually with my best friend, Dilly Pickle Chip. I’m a big fan of well-stocked chip aisles, women doing badass shit, and juicy ridgeline trails.

I’m the author of the national bestseller, To the Gorge, a memoir about running the 460-mile Oregon PCT to celebrate my mom and process the grief of losing her. The book uses stories from the eight days of the run, alongside stories from my mother’s life and death, to explore the complicated experience of grief - and what shines through it.

Some of my most notable outdoor shenanigans include setting the overall FKT on the Oregon PCT, finishing in the top-10 at Hardrock (x3), and traversing every Domino’s Pizza in Eugene city limits. Some of my less impressive outdoor adventures include showing up for a 27-mile trail run with two left shoes and an 8,748’ volcano ski with no ski boots.

My writing, which often explores the intersection of the outdoors and the human experience, has been featured in publications including The Guardian, CNN, The Washington Post, Salon, Outside Run, Trail Runner Magazine, and Backpacker Magazine. I can also be found on the internet at @emilysweats on instagram and on bluesky.