Board of Directors Feature: Rochelle Altman

We’re excited to continue introducing the new members of American Hiking Society’s Board of Directors. Previously, you had the opportunity to meet Emmanuel Nolasco. Next up on the introduction trail is Rochelle Altman.

Rochelle’s connection to the trails, and the resilience and clarity that connection brings her, spurs her current professional research and commitment to green space advocacy. Rochelle teaches undergraduate public health at the College of Charleston’s School of Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the intersection of mental health and climate change and the environmental factors which impact psychological well-being.

“Trails are not just a physical space. They are not just a path. Trails are, for me, the connection to my emotional, mental and physical health, my connection to the outside, and my connection to other people and communities.”

“I’m a big advocate for outdoor equity, in part, because I find my balance of mental health on trails. It’s a critical part of what I do as a researcher, what I teach professionally, because it is something that showed me how to become more grounded – just through a simple act of walking outside.”

We are very thankful to have Rochelle join the Board of American Hiking and welcome her depth of knowledge regarding the positive impact spending time in nature has on personal and community health.

Highlights from our conversations with Rochelle:

What’s one of your favorite places to hike?“I love the Appalachian Trail. There are certain parts of the trail that help me understand the importance of my connection to trails. The Roan Highlands is one of these important areas. There are parts of the trail that dip through boulders, and it’s just otherworldly with this flora that you just don’t find everywhere. There are these special lilies (Gray’s Lily) that are rare and only bloom there. I just remember being there the first time and thinking, ‘How is this place here?’ That hike introduced me to the unexpected beauty one can find along the trail. It’s a really precious place.”

What is one of your favorite hiking memories, and how has it shaped your connection to the trail or the outdoors?

“There was a day I was doing the Tour du Mont Blanc. It’s a really well-marked trail, but the weather just sort of flipped. I remember being on this back end of the mountain in scree, ice was everywhere, and I didn’t know where the trail was going. There was no one in front of me, and I could no longer see the markers, and I just remember thinking to myself, ‘This is either going to be something that I stumble over or it’s going to be a place of transformation. I’ve got to kind of commit to what this experience is physically, emotionally, and mentally and if I do, I will get through it.’ The experience helped me understand that every day doesn’t need to be a perfect hike day. That day’s hike challenged me in ways I didn’t anticipate, and I learned how to lift myself up, coax myself through it to a place of accomplishment.

I like that memory because now, when I’m planning for other hikes, I’m not worried about having exactly the right week of sun and I don’t hold onto perfect expectations about what I want in the hike. Tour du Mont Blanc showed me that perfect is not really attainable, and these other challenging opportunities that present to you, you can get through them as well. 

I will tell you that even on my worst, and I mean worst, toughest trail day – I would take that hour of struggle over, if I could, most every day.”

What brought you to your decision to join the AHS board?

“I am interested in public health, mental health, and environmental access, and I was having trouble plugging into the advocacy role of sharing the importance of equitable access to green space and trails. I felt like inspiring others to take care of our vital green spaces and promoting access wasn’t something I knew how to do. The reason why I wanted to join AHS was because I read your mission and value statements and I thought, ‘Wow, they’re doing it. This is the strategic direction they’re going in.’ Through the JEDI work and through some of the volunteer extensions, even the language that you use, it has all been a critical piece of why I wanted to be a part of the group. I hope that through whatever skills I can offer, I can help advance those initiatives. I’m really excited about the work.”

How would you explain the importance of trails to someone who’s never set foot on one?

“My life is pretty noisy, and trails are a lifeline, a heartbeat connection to nature. When I’m on the trail, I’m able to be present and to connect to nature and with the people around me who also appreciate nature. I feel like I’m plugged into this energy that I don’t get elsewhere. I love my life, but on trails – when it’s quiet – it becomes this walking meditation. It is some of the most eased time in my life. My hope is that someone who has not experienced trails will have the chance to connect to them like I have and feel the solace they can bring.”

What role do you think trails play in building community and connecting people to nature? 

“In short, I think trails bring people together. It’s just that simple, whether it’s a planned group hike, you’re doing community cleanup or rebuilding, or you have those random and unexpected run-ins with people on the trail, there is a sense of fostering community and belonging.

I think that trails are not just a path, but a connecting bridge. You have people from urban and rural settings who go together into these pristine places, which remind us of who we are, but also of the responsibility we have to share and protect these green spaces and nature as a whole.”

Do you have a dream hiking destination in the U.S.?

“I’ve not spent enough time in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve had a couple of experiences in the Hoh Rainforest and Olympic National Park, but I feel like going through some of those sections of the Pacific Crest Trail would be really great. So that’s what I have my eye on. I don’t think I can carve out an entire thru-hike with my responsibilities at this stage of my life, but I feel like touching on that diverse beauty would be at the top of my list. I think it’d be otherworldly for me.”

Is there anything else you want to share with the community? Anything else you want them to know about you?

“I have a passion for stewardship of the trails, providing outdoor space for everyone, and making sure that access to nature is something that’s not just benefiting me or people in privilege – but everyone. My mission is to work to remove barriers for historically marginalized individuals to access green spaces, and I would welcome any opportunity to do that with anyone in AHS and the trail community. Also if you meet me on the trail with peanut M&Ms, I’m going to be pretty psyched!”

Please join us in welcoming Rochelle Altman to the AHS Board of Directors. We look forward to hearing more about her work and the benefits outdoor access has on public health, as we all continue to advocate for the protection of trails and their access. Get those trail snacks ready!