Ambassadors - Steven "Twinkle" and Grace Shattuck

Basecamp: Golden, Colorado

Trail Resumes: 

• Grace
• Hayduke Trail thru-hike
• Length of Scotland
• Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean
• Alta Via II in the Dolomites
• Three Pass Trek in the Himalayas
• Currently working on climbing all of Colorado's 14k-foot mountains, as well as just enjoying getting outside with my pup, Ama
• Steven "Twinkle"
• Many long distance trails
• Climbed the 100 tallest peaks in Colorado
• Completed thru-hikes in four different continents
• Completed nearly 100 technical slot canyons

What It Means to Us to #takelessdomore:

• Steven: To live minimally with ability to do more in life, and be of better service to others in the wilderness when needed.
• Grace: To take less and do more means that I look forward to backpacking. There's a sense of gratification and achievement when you're able to carry all your belongings on your back, and do that with minimal discomfort or suffering. It makes me excited to get out every weekend and feel free to do big days because I know I can go fast and enjoy the experience. Many thanks to Gossamer Gear for making that possible!

How We Got Into Ultralight Hiking: 

• Steven: The Freedom of the Hills :)
• Grace: I've always been a fan of traveling and seeing new places, but my husband Steven introduced me to the world of thru-hiking and climbing mountains. Having a partner to explore with and learn from increased my confidence in my own skills in the outdoors, and taught me that I am capable of so much more than I originally thought. Now we get out to the mountains of Colorado as much as we can, and I've been able to create my own goals using the knowledge I learned from Steven. It's been very rewarding!

Favorite Gossamer Gear Products: 

• Steven: The Kumo!
• Grace: I love the LT5 Three Piece Carbon trekking poles. They are so light yet durable, and comfortable to hold with the cork grips. I don't go on any hikes without them anymore!

Favorite Trail (so far!): 

• Steven: The Hayduke Trail is the best experience I've ever had. The JMT was my first thru-hike of noticeable distance, and the PCT the first of the triple crown. But, the Hayduke has been my favorite!
• Grace: My favorite trail I've been on so far has to be the Hayduke. It was my first long distance hike and really felt like an adventure. There were sections where we didn't see another person for a week while hiking through beautiful canyons and washes. I feel like in today's world it is rare to find that type of solitude. Plus, hiking the length of the Grand Canyon was unbelievably special!

Dream Trip: 

• Steven: I would love to hike the Sierra High Route, the Pfiffner Traverse (technical version), and the Great Divide Trail. Also currently working on the top 200 peaks in Colorado.
• Grace: I'd love to hike the Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit in Peru, as well as the Great Divide Trail in Canada. Steven and I have also gotten really into canyoneering and hope to explore more canyons in Zion.

Organizations We Support: 

• Steven: The Continental Divide Trail Coalition is doing great work to make the trial a more inclusive place, specifically with its "Faces of the Divide" initiative started in early 2019.
• Grace: I really like the organization SheJumps, which is designed to get girls in the outdoors through different classes and camping adventures. They teach girls about survival skills, leave no trace, navigation, first aid, and more through instruction from female mentors to help them spark a lifetime of passion for the outdoors.

Follow along with Steven and Grace via Instagram!