Philip Werner Bio

Philip Werner backpacking down the Moriah Brook trail in the Wild River Wilderness

Philip Werner is a full-time outdoor author and backpacker who resides in New England. The name of this site, Section Hiker, refers to Vermont’s 272-mile “The Long Trail” which I section hiked in 2008 in addition to hiking 1400 miles of the Appalachian Trail. I’ve also hiked and thru-hiked the TGO Challenge (Coast-to-Coast across Scotland) twice, and I’m currently section hiking the Cape Wrath Trail, also in Scotland.

But my heart belongs to New Hampshire’s White Mountains and Vermont’s Green Mountains, where I split my time and do most of my hiking and backpacking. I’m the 36th person to finish hiking all 1440 miles of the White Mountain National Forest trail system and the 3rd person to do it twice. I’ve also climbed all 48 of the 4000 footers in the White Mountains 12 times (576 summits) once in each calendar month of the year. While I love hiking trails and backpacking, I am also a compulsive off-trail hiker and enjoy spending the day Tenkara fly fishing on mountain streams you can only walk to.

Backpacking across Scotland in the TGO Challenge

Stewardship and Volunteer Activities

I’m a volunteer hiking leader and board member of the Green Mountain Club. I’ve also been a four-season hiking and backpacking leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Treasurer of the AMC Boston’s Hiking and Backpacking Committee, and a hiking leader for the AMC’s Cold River Camp in Evans Notch, New Hampshire.

Winter Ascent of Mount Moriah, White Mountain National Forest

Outdoor Certifications and Training

I am a Leave No Trace Master Educator. In addition, I am a former guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures and have WFA, CPR/AED, and Level 1 AIARE Certifications. I’m also certified to perform trail maintenance in the White Mountain National Forest with an axe.

Publications

This website, sectionhiker.com, has been in operation since 2007. During that time, I’ve published over 3000 articles, including gear reviews and instructional content. I’ve also had articles published by major magazines, websites, and newspapers, including Backpacker Magazine, Outdoors Magazine Online, and The Guardian Newspaper. In addition, I contributed two chapters to Hiker’s Stories from the Appalachian Trail, edited by Kathryn Fulton. In 2025, I published my first instructional book, available in paperback and as an eBook titled: Hiking Over 60: A Modern Guide to Hiking Gear and Techniques for Active Adults. A companion book is in progress.

More Biographical Information

Contact Information

If you’d like to ask Philip a backpacking, hiking, camping, or business-related question, please submit it using this form.

Note: Philip gets so many requests for help planning AT section hikes and hikes in the White Mountains that he can’t respond to them all.

If you need help planning a hike on the Appalachian Trail, most answers (parking, shuttles, campsites, etc) can be found in The Appalachian Trail Guide
If you need help planning a hike in the White Mountains, most answers (parking, shuttles, campsites, trails, etc) can be found in The White Mountain Guide.

If you are writing to me about one of the following topics, I’m likely to delete your email so don’t bother sending me a message.