Trails Magazine is filled every quarter with the words and photos of a small collection of writers, photographers, designers, and illustrators—they're the heart of this magazine. Our even smaller editorial team works hard to corral those contributors, gather and refine their very best work, and then piece it together to craft the magazine that makes it to your coffee table. 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RYAN WICHELNS

Ryan is Trails Mag's editor-in-chief, web designer, video producer, ad salesperson, shipping clerk, social media manager, and basically anything else that the day calls for. Ryan grew up in New York's Adirondack Mountains and became Backpacker Magazine's go-to Northeast expert while still in college. Eventually, as they almost always do, he moved out to Colorado where he became a full-time freelance journalist. Two weeks traveling the Northville-Placid Trail in his home of the Adirondacks are among his favorite days spent backpacking.

EMAIL RYAN

MANAGING EDITOR

STASIA STOCKWELL

Stasia, Trails Mag's managing editor, is a mountain dweller and writer currently calling Colorado's Tenmile Range (native Ute land) home. She's been an outdoors journalist for nearly a decade with bylines in 5280, Backpacker, and Treeline Review, among others. Her favorite backpacking campsite is right in her backyard, somewhere deep in the Gore (Nuchu) Range.

EMAIL STASIA

PHOTO EDITOR

EMILY SULLIVAN

Emily (she/they) is Trail's Mag's photo editor. She is a photographer and writer based in Alaska on Dena’ina lands. Before settling in Anchorage, she spent a decade working as a hiking and backpacking guide in and around Denali National Park, traveling, shooting photos, and learning to ski. Her photos and writing appear in The Ski Journal, Adventure Journal, Wilder Magazine, Trailbreak Magazine, Hi Hey Hello Magazine, and more. Emily's favorite backpacking trip was a solo trip in 2018: She spent a week hiking and packrafting near the Arrigetch peaks in Gates of the Arctic National Park.

EMAIL EMILY

ART DIRECTOR

MIKE COLAHAN

Mike is Trails' art director and designer. From spearheading an international creative team to crafting award winning designs, he has been a creative director and designer for over 20 years with experience in all aspects of branding and design. With a background in advertising agencies and in-house marketing teams, he's had the opportunity to work on projects across the outdoor, sport, and hospitality industries. Mike is a detailed-oriented, well-organized team player who can juggle multiple tasks at once and am always looking for ways to improve processes, design, and relationships.

HIKER BOX EDITOR

ANGIE STEVENS

Angie edits the Hiker Box newsletter. She currently resides along the Central Coast of California, finishing up a bachelor's degree in journalism at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Hooked on rock climbing since kindergarten, she has grown up with an ever-growing connection to the outdoors. On long weekends and breaks, she spends most of her time romping around the Eastern Sierras and Yosemite Valley, and has spent time climbing in Nevada, Utah, Mexico, Italy, and Switzerland. She works at the school's radio station as a DJ and content writer, and as a calendar editor for two of her town's local papers. When she's not writing or working, she's out finding ways to blend her love for backpacking, climbing, surfing, and exploring, always with a camera in hand. 

EMAIL ANGIE

Featured Contributors

Grayson Haver Currin

Grayson Haver Currin

Elizabeth Kwak-Hefferan

Elizabeth Kwak-Hefferan

Miranda Webster

Miranda Webster

Brendan Leonard

Brendan Leonard

Nora Neus

Nora Neus

Shannon Davis

Shannon Davis