Hannah Abebe
Renowned thru-hikers and Mountaineers Books authors Derick Lugo and Heather Anderson are headed to BeWild on March 5 to celebrate their newest releases A Fabulous Thru-Hike and Farther.
A Fabulous Thru-Hike is the grueling, hilarious story of Lugo’s six-month hiking adventure on the Continental Divide Trail. Lugo confronts heat sickness, vertigo, and self-doubt — all with his trademark optimism. The book captures plenty of missteps and lessons learned, as well as moments of trail magic, natural beauty, and deep friendships.
Farther covers Anderson’s gritty effort to navigate physical hardship and deepen her mental resilience across nearly 8,000 miles of backcountry. Juggling logistics, challenging weather conditions, and emotional upheaval in her personal relationships, Anderson examines how grief shapes us, how we cultivate a sense of identity, and how we find the clarity of mind to persevere.
Ahead of their conversation, get to know Derick Lugo and Heather Anderson through a round of rapid fire questions.
What’s your current obsession?
Anderson: “I’m currently obsessed with slow travel and the goal of visiting 100 countries before I die. I'm at 27.”
Lugo: “Building momentum. Not just writing — but stacking wins: book tour stops, signed copies, media, website updates, getting A Fabulous Thru-Hike into more hands. I’m obsessed with forward motion right now. Trail energy, but applied to publishing. Same engine, different terrain.”
What’s your favorite or most essential self-care ritual?
Anderson: On trail, foot rubs every night. Off trail, nine solid hours of sleep every night.
Lugo: “Getting outside. Period. A hike, even a short one. Movement clears my head in a way nothing else does. It’s where my thoughts line up, my stress settles, and my storytelling sharpens. If I can pair that with a quiet morning and coffee? Even better. But the constant is movement in nature.”
If you weren’t a hiker, what would you be doing?
Anderson: “Sleeping?”
Lugo: “Still telling stories. Probably speaking full-time, mentoring, maybe hosting something — podcast, documentary-style storytelling, something that blends narrative and movement. I’m wired to connect. The hiking is the vessel. The storytelling is the constant.”
If you could teleport to one trail moment again, where would it be and why?
Anderson: “There are too many to choose from, but it would probably be on a summit of a Bulger Peak in the Cascades.”
Lugo: “If I could teleport to one trail moment, it would be my very first steps on the Appalachian Trail— the day I started my thru-hike. I didn’t even know if I liked hiking when I began. I just knew I needed a change. Everything felt unknown and electric: no trail legs, no clue what six months would do to me. I’d go back to that moment to feel that pure outdoor innocence again — before I knew the pain, the patterns, the transformation. Just wonder, nerves, and possibility.”
BeWild Speaker Series
Thru-Hiking Fabulously & Farther With Derick Lugo & Heather Anderson
Doors 6:30pm | Program 7pm
Thursday, March 5, 2026
The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center
7700 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98115
For more information about the full 2026 BeWild Speaker Series, visit our website.
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