Hailing from Colorado, Julianne Mahoney discovered hiking at age 18 after reading "A Journey North." That inspiration led her to the 1,600-mile, epic hike from Nevada's capital to the Canadian border along the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Quest highlights the newly minted Capital to Tahoe Trail as a gateway from Carson City to one of America's iconic long-distance hikes, the PCT.

Mahoney says her background as a runner and avid hiker gave her the experience she needed for this journey.

"It was nice to take a space and reconnect to who I am, and what I'm looking for and the things I can get out of my life," Mahoney said. "So, it was like this really nice experience, to feel a lot more grounded in the decisions I've made and the ways I decide to change and reinvent my life.

Growing up an avid outdoors person with a zest for adventure, Mahoney knew her calling early on.

She set her eyes on the Pacific Crest Trail, making hiking and backpacking her place of inner peace and source of strength.

She says her craving for mountains, trails, and fresh nature air gives meaning to life and she enjoyed each part of her journey.

Mahoney shares, "honestly I'm just a really active person, so I didn't have to do much, I started doing some PT on my it bands, but besides that I'm an ultra-runner, I backpack, I mountain bike, I rock climb, probably do other things that I can't think of right now, but I'm just super active in my daily life."

Making the cut out of 350 applicants, her journey in nature unfolded through mountains, backwoods trails and rivers.  Soaking in all the sights along the way, passing several bears during her route in one of the most epic areas across the country.  

Her zest for life is abundant, she says, "it ended up being a really good experience. In the end, like, it really challenged what I was looking for, cuz I was like, I'm out here for a little bit of solitude, and to really be with my thoughts and have this experience and that does involve the social aspect, I made so many amazing friends."

Upon Mahoney's return, Visit Carson City awarded her a $5,000 check for completing the remarkable feat.

"I really wanted a new chapter and like a transition period in my life, 28, so like a perfect, approaching 30 I wanted a fun experience to really challenge me, and this was exactly what I was looking for."