We had the good fortune of connecting with Carly Moree and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carly, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I worked in the Hedge Fund space after college, presenting our financial products to some of the largest pensions and Hedge Funds in the world. The job was thrilling in so many ways – I went to Monaco and Miami for conferences and worked with some incredibly brilliant people, but ultimately I was unhappy. So I started walking to and from work (8 miles round trip) each day. I lived in Chicago at the time, so I had a rule that I walked as long as it was 12 below zero or warmer. Those walks to work brought me so much joy, that I realized I had to make a change. Naturally, I decided to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 2013. The empowerment I felt from that forever changed my view of myself for the better.

Fast forward to today and I was the first woman to attempt the *men’s* unsupported 72-hour run/hike on the 223-mile John Muir Trail (Nüümü Poyo). I’ve run the length of the Grand Canyon and back, and I’ve hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada), as well as attempted the women’s record on that trail.

When I first started hiking and running and experiencing the outdoors, I was really afraid of being alone. I didn’t feel like there was a place for me outside and I wasn’t sure I was safe – and that bothered me. I kept thinking, if I don’t feel worthy of pursuing my goals in the outdoors (whether it’s hiking up a nearby mountain, getting on a new trail, or going after a record) – how is that negatively impacting other choices I’m making in life? Such as people I’m dating or asking for a raise at work or setting boundaries for myself? It’s ALL connected.

My relationship status has also been “single” for almost all of my hikes and runs, and there tends to be such a stigma against single women in their 30’s or older. So after a traumatic breakup right at the start of the pandemic, I knew this was the time to launch Rocky Mountain Hiking Company. As a way to help people celebrate themselves through their experience in the outdoors, and to experience the trail on THEIR terms. You never know what one hike will do for you.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Rocky Mountain Hiking Company offers guided backpacking trips and hikes in Colorado and California…but it is so much more than guided hikes. We help people experience the outdoors on their terms and celebrate themselves. Whether you’re in your 30s or older and single, or just looking to get away from your day-to-day grind, you still can choose joy and choose to live. Life doesn’t have to stop just because you’re divorced or in grief or bored with your job.

I’m especially excited about our upcoming Single Ladies Backpacking Trip from August 12th – 14th. There’s something really life-changing about being around other single women to help create community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Golden, Colorado I would take them to Mt. Falcon for a day hike. You get close to 8,000 feet in elevation and some beautiful mountain views without having to work too much for it. Then we would go to New Terrain Brewing for beer and lunch or Cafe 13.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
All the women in my life have helped get me to where I am today. After my breakup at the start of the pandemic and at the age of 32, the women around me really rallied. They got me out on trail, we went on walks around the neighborhood at 6-feet apart. They shared stories of their own heartbreak and resilience, which therefore showed me a way out of my grief.

Talking with them motivated me to get out of bed each morning and put my sneakers on – It didn’t matter if I wasn’t even leaving the house that day, because the simple act of getting up and just putting on shoes showed me I was making forward progress. Before the breakup, I had planned on running the Grand Canyon out and back, so I knew this was something I needed to still do for myself. I had a friend who worked at the Grand Canyon as a Park Ranger, and she answered all my questions and concerns going into the run alone in the weeks leading up to it. The night before my run, she stopped by my cabin to wish me luck (and give me stickers that reminded me to drink fluids).

The next morning at 3am I stood at the lip of the Canyon in the pitch dark, alone, gave a howl, and descended. I ran the 45 miles that day and 10,000+ feet of gain, thinking of all the women in my life and their own grit and resilience. My Park Ranger friend had apparently told all the other Park Rangers what I was doing, so they cheered every time I ran by them. When I finished my run 13 hours later, my friend surprised me to pick me up and shuttle me back to my car. I had done the run solo, but I was never alone.

Website: https://www.rockymountainhikingco.com/

Instagram: @rockymountainhikingcompany

Other: You can also follow my personal account @carly.moree

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.