WAG Stories Anastasia Allison: Pursuing a Passion for Trail Hiking

In this WAG Original Series, watch how WAG Alumni Member, Anastasia Allison, trail-hiking, summit-seeking adventure-preneur, helps inspire others to courageously design their own path toward happiness and fulfillment.

In this episode, Anastasia takes us deep into her life as an adventure-preneur, while explaining how a near-fatal moment can offer both clarity and direction.

As a child Anastasia was bullied, leading her to discover the peace and acceptance offered by the beautiful wilderness. So, when it came time for her to consider a career, she chose a traditional one that would allow her to work in her beloved woods: park ranger. In this position, Anastasia quickly formed her identity—until the day she was laid off and felt as if she lost a piece of herself. She soon took a position as a police officer, but found the work challenging and intimidating. She felt trapped in a career that did not fit her.

As a police officer, Anastasia still looked forward to her time in the woods. On a day off, Anastasia and her husband and mother met for snowshoeing and a hike up Union Peak. On the way home from this amazing day, the roads were icy and their truck began to fishtail, drifting off toward a snowbank—beyond which was a cliff—and a semi-truck was heading directly for them. With brief flashes of disappointment for living a life unfulfilled, Anastasia braced for impact and for what she was sure would be death. But that impact never came.

In this moment, which shook her illusion of stability to its core, Anastasia discovered that moments that feel so achingly sad can also make our lives grippingly beautiful. In 2017, she left her position as an officer to pursue her dream of inspiring others to live adventure-filled lives.