Tough Girl Podcast

Growing up near Boston, Sugar discovered hiking in her early twenties while exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire. After getting sober at 30, she found herself with the clarity, time and capacity to pursue the life she truly wanted. What followed was a decision to live authentically, prioritise long-distance hiking, and become what she proudly calls a professional dirtbag. In 2021, Sugar set out on the Appalachian Trail. While she knew she was a strong hiker, she also faced the uncertainty of what it would mean to walk the trail as a trans woman. Feeling the isolation of not seeing many stories like her own pushed her to begin writing, speaking openly, and becoming someone other queer and trans hikers could reach out to. Since then, she has become the first known trans woman to complete the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking, founded TrailQTs – a free mentoring programme supporting first-time queer and trans thru-hikers – and in 2024 pioneered the Divide to Crest Route, a 3,000-mile backcountry jou