Mytrailpals

Alviso, Iceland vibes? ❄️😍

The plan was to walk the Alviso Slough Loop Trail, but the rain the night before had left it muddy. We still got to enjoy breathtaking salt pond views that looked like snow-covered valleys!

A little trail jugaad to clean our muddy shoes 😂, followed by a change of plans! Our host Prashant found an alternate route, leading us to an unexpected discovery — railroad tracks! 🚂

A little mud, a few detours, lots of laughter, and great company! 💚

Thanks, Prashant, for turning an unplanned detour into a memorable adventure!

Almost a year ago, I was celebrating MyTrailPals selected for the REI Path Ahead Ventures Embark 4th cohort.
On 0ct-28th, Path Ahead Ventures turns 5! Congratulations!

What a journey it’s been!

Building MyTrailPals has come with its share of learning, uncertainty, and pivots. And sometimes, the biggest challenge isn’t knowing which direction to take, but finding the courage to take it.

That’s what this community has given me. Confidence. Courage. And most importantly, COMMUNITY.

Founders who keep showing up for each other. Sharing lessons, opening doors, celebrating wins, and reminding each other to keep going.

Through it all, my vision remains the same: making the outdoors more accessible through local outdoor experiences led by passionate outdoor enthusiasts who love bringing others along.

Five years. 130+ founder-led brands. So many journeys and stories still unfolding.

Grateful to REI, the Path Ahead Ventures, Founded Outdoors team, mentors and these incredible communities for being part of MyTrailPals journey.

The outdoors is for everyone. The opportunity to build in this industry should be, too.

Not all climbs happen on mountains! ⛰️😅

Building MyTrailPals has been a whole different kind of adventure.

I thought building the platform would be the biggest challenge. Turns out, building a community marketplace is a whole different climb!

Getting people to discover something new, trust it, and take that first step. Encouraging others to share their passion for outdoors by hosting experiences. Bringing both sides together.

Some days are exciting, some frustrating, and many are filled with more questions than answers!

And yes, sometimes the laptop comes along even on a getaway. Not because I have to, but because I genuinely believe in what I’m building. 💚

But then there are real moments on the trail. The smiles, the conversations, the strangers becoming friends. And I’m reminded why I started.

I’m learning, experimenting, making mistakes, celebrating little wins, and figuring things out as I go.

Still climbing. Still learning. And grateful for everyone who’s part of this journey.

To my fellow founders and dreamers — what’s been your biggest unexpected challenge?

🎉 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 • 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋! 📸

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 — 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊!

We’re excited to bring this unique outdoor experience to life as part of Walktober, exploring a beautiful portion of the Crosstown Trail! Crosstown Trail

Together with our host, 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧 (Sachin B ), we’re bringing something special to the upcoming SF Crosstown Trail + Nature Photography experience — an opportunity to explore, learn, connect, and give back!

🎁 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄!

🌿 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊: Have your contribution donated to support the SF Crosstown Trail after participating.
💚 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊: Receive a 100% refund of your contribution after participating

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞:

𝟏. 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 for the experience on MyTrailPals by 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑!
𝟐. 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 MyTrailPals for more outdoor experiences.
𝟑. 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐄 this post with 2 friends you’d love to explore SF with!

Limited spots available!

👉 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 & 𝐑𝐒𝐕𝐏
https://www.mytrailpals.com/experience/explore-sf-crosstown-iconic-views-with-nature-photography-41d4ad28-2f67-4469-9212-4ffbcbe8deac

💬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 “𝐒𝐅” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐌 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤!

Let’s explore together and give back to the outdoors! 💚

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬:
This 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 promotion applies only to the SF Crosstown Trail + Nature Photography experience hosted on MyTrailPals. Register by 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT. Existing registrations are eligible. Attendance is required to qualify. Participants may choose to have their contribution donated to support the SF Crosstown Trail through crosstowntrail.org or receive a refund initiated within 5 business days after participation. The platform fee is non-refundable.

What better way to connect with a fellow outdoor founder than hitting the trails together? 🌿🥾

Preeti Suri , founder of AdventureTripr, and I had been meaning to connect for a while. And what better place to finally make it happen than on a trail!

What I appreciated most was how openly she shared her entrepreneurial journey, the challenges, learnings, failures, pivots, and everything in between. As a fellow outdoor founder who started this journey before me, she had so many valuable experiences and lessons to share.

There’s something special about conversations on the trails. No formal meetings, just walking, talking, learning, and connecting.

And then there’s her bright yellow Jeep with an iKamper on top! 💛🚙 A little reminder that she doesn’t just build a business around the outdoors, she lives it!

Thank you, Preeti, for your time, openness, and company on the trail.

From connecting virtually to sharing a trail in person — what a wonderful way to get to know each other a little better! Here’s to more trails and conversations! 🌿😊

A special morning at REI

Had the opportunity to join the REI team at their morning huddle and share the journey behind MyTrailPals—from building an outdoor community to creating opportunities for people to share their passion for the outdoors through experiences they lead.

A big thank you to Josh for facilitating this opportunity, and to all the wonderful REI employees for taking the time to listen, engage, and show interest in what we’re building. 💚

And a heartfelt thank you to REI PAV for continuing to create opportunities for emerging founders in the outdoor industry. As an alum of REI Path Ahead Ventures’ Embark program, moments like these mean so much.

Here’s to growing the outdoor community, one shared experience at a time! 🌲

😂 When you feed your hiking buddies chai + snacks, their creativity goes through the roof!

On one of our hikes, this happened… and apparently I got officially crowned “Chai Devi” ☕️👑 — Goddess of Tea. 😂

Do I love chai? Absolutely.
But I think I love sharing it with others even more. ❤️

And that’s exactly how I feel about the outdoors too.

I love trails. I love walking and hiking. I love camping and watching a sunrise or sunset.

But what makes all of them truly special for me are the shared experiences — the conversations, laughter, learning, chai breaks, silly moments, and memories we create together.

Because sometimes the best part of an adventure isn’t where you went…

it’s who you shared it with. 💚

And apparently, if you bring enough chai, you may even get promoted to a goddess. 😂☕️🙏