California native Joey Miller is the founding member of Telegraph Hiking Club, a group that meets monthly to day hike California’s peaks. She graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in Nutrition Science and began her career as a registered dietitian at Napa State Hospital. She currently works in disaster preparedness in Sacramento and has “peak bagged” 75 California summits with her group that welcomes women with varying levels of experience in backpacking, including complete beginners. Joey’s enthusiasm for the PCT is infectious, but sometimes earns her the trail name “Mountain Liar.” PCTA volunteer Lauren Cole Norton recently interviewed her.
What inspired you to start Telegraph Hiking Club?
I spent a year living in the Napa Valley. During that time hiking the Mayachama’s became part of my daily routine. When I moved back to the flatland of Sacramento, I was afraid I would lose that connection to the mountains. I started the hiking club to encourage myself and my friends to keep exploring.
Can you describe some of the challenges you’ve faced as a group leader?
So many! Commitment is one, but honestly, many of my friends “drank the Kool-Aid” pretty quickly. The mountains are contagious. Another challenge for me is effectively communicating the difficulty of a trail and what to expect. Since Telegraph is a peak bagging club, 90 percent of our hikes are challenging to say the least, but I try my best. I grew up in a competitive environment and ran track and field for 10 years. My idea of moderate is often not everyone else’s idea of moderate, hence the trail name Mountain Liar.
Have you ever felt afraid while on the trail?
As a group we stick to safety first. Many times on the trail you have the sensation you are not alone or you find a boulder or other hazard you should have avoided. The key is to know your terrain including its predators and to be as prepared as possible. With that said, I do spend a lot of my personal time in the backcountry and on trails alone. It’s not ideal, so as a precaution I post my trail and expected time out on social media and to family. If anything goes wrong, they’ll know where to look for me!
Your group is predominantly made up of women, what are the benefits for women to hike together? Do women face particular challenges on the trail?
We have a great mix in Telegraph but we are predominately female. One of the benefits for women is having constant support from your peers. It helps you push your limits and many great friendships have developed on the PCT. We are stronger together than alone and “Us Chicks” have explored regions of our country that seemed unattainable when we first started. Many men I have backpacked with “wing-it” which can cause all kinds of problems. As a woman, I am very detailed oriented which has saved many headaches for the group. My pack may be six pounds heavier but I want to be sure everyone is prepared for whatever we face on the trail, whether we need a first aid kit, or just an extra beverage for a fellow hiker we meet on our adventure.
Both sexes face great challenges on the PCT and we have shared many tears of joy and pain alike. Women may not have the same physical strength as men, but we can make up for that with endurance. It is important to recognize when a wall is coming. If someone in the group pushes too hard and crashes, it can put the whole team in danger. Before a big trip we make sure that everyone is ready. I have a mantra “if she does not train with me she does not backpack with me.”
As a nutritionist, can you give us a run-down of what you eat while hiking? Before, during, and after?
Hydration is crucial in the days preceding a hike. We joke, make sure that pee is clear. I eat hearty, but I’m careful not to overdo it, and I make sure I don’t consume anything out of the ordinary — the day before your hike is not the time to try out that new ethnic restaurant in your neighborhood.
Great trail foods include items that are shelf stable, light and nutrient dense. I have a unique challenge because I am a vegetarian with a life threatening tree nut and peanut allergy so all of our backpacking trips are nut free. To avoid hitting a wall, I pack carbohydrates like dried fruit. My favorite heavy mountain treat is a fresh apple. For protein I have learned the joys of Babybel cheese wheels and veggie-jerky. After a trip I always want fresh vegetables but my first priority is feeding my muscles good protein for growth and repair. Eggs make a great post workout snack.
How does being a regular hiker affect your life off-trail?
I probably annoy people with my trail stories and the never ending list of mountains in my near future but, honestly, it has been very advantageous in business. While I work in food and nutrition, my focus is disaster preparedness which tends to be male dominated. I have found that I can connect with people on another level and have gained respect from others in the industry with my adventures. We often share war stories of trail-life.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experiences on the PCT? If you could give the PCTA advice, what would it be?
There is something very romantic about any trip on the PCT, whether you’re hiking for a day, or committing to a long haul like Cheryl Strayed did in Wild. As a section hiker, every trip is magical. The only advice I could give the PCTA is keep up the good work. The trail is truly special and I am truly blessed to have it in my backyard.
