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Alina “Abstract” Drufovka - Colombian-American artist and thru hiker

  • xtinecruzat
  • Apr 8, 2021
  • 3 min read

Renata Chlumska - Adventure athlete who became the first Swedish and Czech woman to climb Mount Everest and in 2005 did a circumnavigate of the lower 48 States of the United States by her own power.

Alina “Abstract” Drufovka is a Colombian-American painter and illustrator based out of Philadelphia, PA.

Alina has hiked the Appalachian Trail (2015 & 2017), the Pacific Crest Trail (2019) and the Israel National Trail (2018). Alina is an outdoor professional and hopes to inspire more women and people of colour to get outside and explore the trails!

Her Mission:

  • Help people reconnect with their journeys in wilderness through art.

  • Commemorate life on trail and the culture of long distance backpacking.

  • Promote diversity in the outdoors.



“One of the most beautiful parts of creation is that an Artist has the freedom to not just recreate the world as we know it, but to craft a portal to a new world. Perhaps a better and more equitable one. And that is exactly my intention. “ — Alina “Abstract” Drufovka

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Listen to Alina Now!

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Show notes

  • Growing up as a city girl

  • Going to a summer camp in New Jersey

  • How her life changed

  • Stepping foot on the Appalachian Trail

  • Knowing that she wanted a life of hiking and adventure

  • Getting into the book and the movie of “Into the Wild”

  • Growing up artistic

  • Not wanting to put herself out there in case she failed

  • Heading to college in Colorado

  • Getting injured on her fist attempted thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2015

  • Planning for the trip and taking a semester off college

  • Her first trail name “Swol”

  • Walking 1200 mils and having to leave the trail

  • Dealing with knee injuries

  • Getting through the tough time period of recovery

  • Heading back to the trail in 2017 and feeling nervous

  • Meeting her boyfriend of day 1 of the trail

  • Wanting to hike solo

  • Self reflection on the trail

  • Having 6 months of freedom

  • Getting though the not so good days

  • Living the dream and feeling very fortunate to be out there

  • Feeling gratitude

  • Doing art on the trail

  • The end of the trail

  • Heading to hike The Israel National Trail in 2018

  • Needing another goal in the diary

  • Working for 6 months to save up the money

  • Resupply, accommodation and water on The Israel National Trail

  • The amazing network of trail angels

  • Magical moments

  • Hiking the PCT with her boyfriend

  • The differences between the AT and the PCT

  • Flip & flopping on the PCT and the frustrations

  • Taking a step away from thru-hiking to focus on her art

  • Blogging and sharing on social media

  • Wanting to be present on the trail

  • Nutrition on the trail

  • Packing only 1 snickers!

  • Finishing a hike and what happens next

  • Writing a book!

  • Wanting to share her experiences from trail

  • The judgement on social media

  • Becoming a full time artist

  • Being stuck in Costa Rica at the start of the pandemic

  • Building up her on-line business

  • Connect with Alina and order her artwork

  • Looking at a new stage of life

  • Thinking about starting a family

  • Motherhood and settling down

  • Having a different dream to others

  • Live your own life

  • Accidental Van Life!

  • Figuring out where home is going to be

  • Wanting a simple life

  • Final words of advice - “being one choice away from living a different life”

  • The sliding doors moment by listening to a podcast and how it could change your life

Social Media

Instagram @abstract.hikes

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