The Dusty Camel

In 2009, we were contacted by a guy who was getting ready to hike the AT and was looking for a tent; not an unusual call for around here. But when the guy called from the trail asking to buy a larger tent because he had made some friends along the way, things started to get interesting. He later called to buy a Fillo and a Tuo pad. Since those first days, Ian has become a friend of NEMO. While we thought we might not hear from him for a while, after his successful AT hike, we were wrong. He's back with The Dusty Camel and I think this is just the beginning. ~Kate

In 2009, I journeyed out on a solo mission to complete the Appalachian Trail, like so many before me. 4 months, 5 days, 14 states, and 2,178 miles later, I was at the end. Regardless of the terrible weather, from the freezing cold to blistering heat, and bone dry to sopping wet, I had the time of my life.


I had kept a live journal for my family and friends to read along the way, and just gave daily accounts of my life on the trail as means to ease the worrying minds of those who care about me. Soon, I had strangers following along, meeting me on the trail, and helping out along the way. What I didn’t expect was, after I returned home, to get contacted by two people who told me because of my journal and ability to get a glimpse into the life of a thru-hiker, they had decided to hike the AT as well – and so The Dusty Camel was born.

Stemming from the trail name of my buddy (whom I met on the trail) and I, The Dusty Camel was created to bring adventure to anyone strolling on the Internet and inspire them to go out on their own, and have experiences that will change them for life. We realized through all the towns, and run-down parts of the trail we went through, that there was a very apparent need to protect the wild lands that America has left. Our theory is, the more people out in the wilderness, the more people there will be to protect it.

With this simple thought, we began to network our organization, and soon partnered up with Freedom to Roam – an organization that battles legislative barriers, and make wildlife corridors protected so that animals and humans alike can enjoy it.


With all the talk of adventure, protecting the wild, and having experiences, (but only after our feet stopped throbbing every morning) we decided to tackle the next beast – the Pacific Crest Trail.

I began reaching out to my favorite companies, and my friends at NEMO were the first to answer the call, and give their support to our sprouting organization. With their help, and the support from eight other companies, we are able to begin the next trek and put together a feature length documentary of our journey; if we can’t get people to read our journal every day for 6 months, we may as well give them an hour and half movie.

While all this was great, we realized we could not base an organization solely on our own adventures, so we put together the Camel Chronicles. This is a hub for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts to share their stories, document their travels, and help do their part to protect the lands they love.


As part of our organizations mission, we will document, and bring to the average American an adventure. An adventure that we hope will get them to use their legs and experience nature first hand – even if for a day. We want people to understand the true power that nature has, and learn to respect and appreciate it.

~Ian