A Real Hiker's Prep: The Rigby Sisters' Trail Story

In 2021, Gorgi Rigby turned 60 on June 22 — and days later, set out on a trip she'd been dreaming about for years: hiking the Appalachian Trail, this time with her older sister Melanie, who turned 62 that August and is the mother of five children and thirteen grandchildren.

Months of Preparation

The Rigby sisters spent months getting ready for the trip. Their research kept pointing to the same conclusion: one of the biggest factors in a successful long hike is packing food that's lightweight but still genuinely good to eat. Backpackers have long known that freeze-dried food solves that problem better than almost anything else, which led the sisters to freeze-dried meals as the backbone of their food plan.

Why They Chose to Freeze-Dry Their Own Food

Further research pointed them toward making their own freeze-dried meals with a Harvest Right freeze dryer rather than relying only on store-bought trail food. As they put it, the appeal was having "total control of the meals, ingredients, and amounts" when preparing everything themselves.

Packed and Ready

With their freeze-dried food packed alongside the rest of their gear, the sisters set out with a shared goal for that trip: hiking all of Maine together.

What Happened Next

Gorgi wasn't new to the trail — she'd made a previous attempt in 2016 that ended with a broken leg, followed by several years of section hikes as she worked back toward finishing it. Previous successes and failures on the Appalachian trail covers that full story, including how this 2021 Maine hike with Melanie fit into her longer journey on the trail.

More on Hiking With a Freeze Dryer

Why every hiker needs a home freeze dryer covers more of what makes home freeze-dried food work so well for long-distance trips like the Rigby sisters'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do long-distance hikers choose freeze-dried food?
It's lightweight and shelf-stable while still tasting good, which matters over a multi-day or multi-week hike when every ounce in a pack counts.

What's the advantage of making your own freeze-dried trail food instead of buying it?
Making it yourself means full control over the ingredients, portions, and flavors, rather than relying on whatever a pre-packaged trail meal happens to include.

Who were the Rigby sisters and what was their hiking goal?
Gorgi Rigby and her sister Melanie set out in 2021 to hike the Maine section of the Appalachian Trail together, with Gorgi having already completed multiple prior section hikes on the trail.