Papa Bear Hikes After the Storm: Katie "Oats" Houston on Resilience and Rebuilding in Asheville
Host Martin welcomes back solo thru-hiker and outdoor advocate Katie “Oats” Houston, whose 3,000+ miles on trail and deep ties to the hiking community make her a familiar voice to Papa Bear Hikes listeners. This episode takes a personal turn as Katie opens up about the impact of Hurricane Helene, which struck her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina in 2024.
Katie shares how the storm affected her family and neighbors, and how the community rallied in its aftermath. A key part of that recovery was the donation of Sawyer water filters—critical in restoring access to safe drinking water amid widespread flood damage and water advisories. As Community Manager for Sawyer, Katie helped lead distribution efforts, connecting backcountry tech with urgent, real-world needs.
Through it all, she reflects on the role outdoor brands can play in disaster response and how trail values like self-reliance, stewardship, and community carry over in moments of crisis.
Learn more or get involved:
Sawyer Disaster Relief: https://www.sawyer.com/blog/stories-from-the-storm
Sawyer Products Homepage: https://www.sawyer.com
Follow Katie “Oats” Houston and explore more of her work at oatshikes.com/findmeonline.
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Get outside, have fun and be safe!
Martin Armitage,
Host of the Papa Bear Hikes Podcast
https://www.papabearhikes.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/papa-bear-hikes/id1541491746
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