Setting Out Alone - My First Days Hiking the Hexatrek Trail

[@LaurenRoerick]

Super excited to share this journey and this brand new trail with y’all! Let me know what you want to see more of it if you have any questions I can answer :)

[@mars_hikes967]

Let us know what you think about the Hexatrek app. Some German friends say, it is not extremely useful at the moment because of missing entries but maybe it just doesn't meet German perfection, what do I know.

[@A-K_Rambler]

Treat Yourself!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Woah! Thank you so much!

[@robertbradley477]

Thanks!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks so much!! 🙏🏼☺️

[@GruntProof]

Outstanding

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@danbar32]

I have been looking forward to this, thanks for bringing us along.

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks for joining!

[@Imsierrabound]

What a fascinating trail! Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks for watching!

[@jackieniddrie1789]

So excited for you, looks beautiful!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks! It’s a great trail so far

[@robthewaywardwoodworker9956]

What a unique trail and landscape! Very cool.

[@LaurenRoerick]

Yeah it’s so interesting so far! Not like any trail I’ve done before :)

[@charlesdirken6653]

Best way to remove tiks. Use a qtip with some alcohol on it.

[@LaurenRoerick]

I got lucky and never had any on me! I did spray my shoes and backpack with permethrin which worked really well :)

[@rituka]

Interesting trek! Can’t wait to see more.

[@LaurenRoerick]

It’s so cool! I’m excited to see more too :)

[@weirdshibainu]

I hike and backpack in the U.S., never will be able to hike this trail. Looking forward to watching your journey. Be safe.

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks so much! Happy to share the journey :)

[@Iggylux]

Why not

[@khonsudevelopment]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thank you!!

[@RyansNextAdventure]

Awesome, looks like a great start to your hike. I’m going to be starting the Hexatrek in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait 😊

[@LaurenRoerick]

Oh heck yeah! It’s awesome. Best of luck!

[@outdoorjoerg]

Hey Lauren, nice first Episode! Its so different, if its green all around :D I wish you a great hike and im lf to the next Part!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thank you so much! And good luck on the next section!

[@cartapouille]

Great first episode, love how you appreciate that mix of nature and culture on the trail, and the numerous coffee breaks possible :D And damn you are so lucky to meet so many hexaTrekers, I did a completely solo traversee of Stage 1 soooooo. hope you'll spot more HexaTrek signs too!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks so much! It’s been really fun! And yes it’s so great that so many are out here- solitude is nice but it’s also nice to have some friends nearby. I found another Hexatrek sign just tonight! Gotta keep my eyes peeled 👀

[@matthewoconnor1621]

Looks amazing Lauren 👏 looking forward to the next vlog 😀

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks :) You’re in luck! I posted part 2 today!

[@matthewoconnor1621]

@@LaurenRoerick on it 😁

[@johanstapleton8462]

Loving it Lauren!!!❤

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thank you!!

[@fleurnutbey1461]

Aah, it’s so fun to see the first days through your eyes! Keep the clips coming! I just found out that I already whatched your pct blogs haha, really cool! Xx from a fellow HexaTrekker!

[@LaurenRoerick]

No way! That’s so fun! I was just checking out your Instagram :) the future looks bright haha

[@danrichardson4623]

Great start.👏 Looking forward to following along on your Hexatrek journey. I hiked the PCT in ‘21 also (3/23-9/1). Life changing!✨

[@LaurenRoerick]

Amazing! Such a gorgeous trail. Excited to experience this one :)

[@catfish452]

wooo hooo new hike and new video good luck stay safe

[@LaurenRoerick]

Woohoo!!

[@ambulowan]

Incredible how fast you are with editing. Very well done. Do you keep thinking about how to arrange the shots while hiking?

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thank you! And yes, I try to keep an eye out for what works in the vlogs :)

[@StepsbyKaatje]

Wow, you're overhere in Europe and hiking the Hexatrail! I have been looking into it as well, but don't have the time to do such a long trail. I have hiked quite a bit of this trail when I was doing the GR5. You'll be running into that one in the Vosges, the Jura and part of the Alps. You'll notice that hiking in Europe is quite different from the States. A lot less wild, but comfortable and good food, so you have to carry less food and water and your phone will have service almost all the time, not always! I'm going to try to follow your journey the whole way! You sure have better weather then I had on my bike trip in the beginning of May. Enjoy your trip! Kaat Greetings from Belgium 😉

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks for following along again! Yes the trekking in Europe different and so wonderful :) much better good haha I heard it was very wet in May! Hopefully you’ve dried out 😆

[@StepsbyKaatje]

@@LaurenRoerick yep, also back home and at work again. But I would like to finish my trip to Santiago de Compostela in October. We'll see... By that time you should have finished your hike. We hiked a week in the rain in the Vosges when we did the GR5. That wasn't much fun either. But also had many beautiful days and great memories!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Haha ooh yeah this would be a lot less fun in the rain!

[@Susan-bu3jf]

Hi Lauren, Can you make a video with the specifics of getting the long term travel visa for France? Where did you tell them you would be staying? What documents did you need? etc. I'm enjoying following your hike. I hope to do it next year. :) Thanks!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Ah yes! That’s probably something I won’t be able to make until I’m finished the trail because of time and logistics, but I plan to when I return :)

[@huntybabes]

Hey Lauren - planning my next thru hike. Just came back from Shikoku - I've done The Via Transilvanica / Camino too Would you recommend the Hexa over the TA? I just discovered this new trail and my head is now spinning haha

[@LaurenRoerick]

Ooh exciting! I loved the Hexatrek, and far preferred it over the TA. The mountains are much prettier and the trail is just better in my opinion. The TA definitely has its highlights, but overall, the Hexatrek was more enjoyable. (P.S. if you need help planning, this guide has everything you need: www.laurenroerick.com/store/p/hiking-the-hexatrek-the-complete-guide )

[@jaredlefkowitz]

Looks very cool so far and excited to follow along! How did you transport your trekking poles to Europe? Were they okay to take on the plane?

[@LaurenRoerick]

Thanks! I checked my backpack, since they don’t allow the tent stakes or poles as carry on. But it was fine as checked baggage, I just had the poles collapsed inside the pack

[@eddiesedventures...3106]

Hey Lauren hi! just came across your channel here (I know right?) and almost done with the CT series as I've done that trail, but was interested in what you use to shot/video with if you don't mind? TIA...

[@LaurenRoerick]

Welcome! Glad you found me :) 95% of these videos are shot on my iPhone!

[@danydietschin8701]

I came à cross ypur vidéo bye chance. I Like top much. I will definitely start Hexatrec for 3 weeks. I have already hiked a lot, but not in such conditions . I’m not very young 😂, so let’s try. Can you tell me which tent and backpack you have, they looks so good. So I will watch your vidéos. See you 😊

[@LaurenRoerick]

That’s so exciting! Glad you’re enjoying the videos. I have a hyperlite southwest backpack and a big Agnes tiger wall tent :)

[@robert44467]

Hi you probably did state but what date did u start . And with your new trail knowledge what date would u recommend. Many thanks "England"

[@LaurenRoerick]

I started May 31 and for that year it was perfect, but very much depends on the snowfall in the alps for the year. If you want all the info on this trail, I wrote a guide book! www.laurenroerick.com/store/p/hiking-the-hexatrek-the-complete-guide

[@scottiehikes]

Are the water sources shown in the video all potable? Have you had to filter yet?

[@LaurenRoerick]

The ones from the town are potable! But I’ve filtered from a few streams so far

[@b.s.4914]

Enjoy! Mic was picking up some windy wooshes but that was probably the phone footage

[@LaurenRoerick]

Yep. Nothing to when the wind is blowing like it was 🤷🏼‍♀️ thanks!

[@b.s.4914]

@Lauren Roerick makes sense, I like the phone footage too 😁 awesome starting place

[@paurkonyourfork]

Which Hyperlite backpack did you end up going with?

[@LaurenRoerick]

Southwest 42 litre I believe (if I remember right haha)

[@LordQuiche]

🖖

[@LaurenRoerick]

🤙🏼

[@robthewaywardwoodworker9956]

Do they call those French fries or just fries?

[@LaurenRoerick]

Pomme frites I believe haha or something like that

[@cartapouille]

Just fries obviously :) Des frites!

[@davidganrando9256]

Bienvenue en France et bon Hexatrek !!!!!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Ah so just the Germans call them pommes haha interesting!

[@LaurenRoerick]

Merci beaucoup!

[@Iggylux]

The trail is maybe nice, maybe very nice. I dont like that there are no signs and you always need a device for road finding. Terrible, terrible

[@fertilestallion]

This seems like a terrible decision tbh.

[@LaurenRoerick]

You’re right