About Me
Hiking the Arizona Trail was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life.
With very limited hiking experience, I set out on my 60th birthday to thru-hike the entire 800-mile AZT. It didn’t take long to realize that water—not miles—was the real focus of every day. Knowing where water was located and how to access it became the constant challenge.
Some sources were easy and quick. Others were anything but. Muddy cow ponds, deep rocky crevasses, or shallow springs filled with freezing water often slowed my progress significantly. More than once, the difficulty of reaching a water source forced me to move on without it—an experience that brought real frustration and anxiety.
It was during those moments that the idea for Camel-Up was born.
I realized that if I could use my hiking pole—or even a simple stick—to help retrieve water, the struggle would be dramatically reduced. Being able to collect water efficiently and safely would ease the stress of passing up critical water sources and allow hikers to move forward with confidence. Camel-Up was designed to solve exactly that problem.
The Arizona Trail also holds a deeply personal meaning for me. I had the privilege of working alongside Dale Shewalter—known as the Father of the AZT—as a fifth-grade teacher for over a decade. His passion for the trail and his commitment to education left a lasting impact on my life.
In honor of his legacy, I donate a portion of every Camel-Up sold to the Arizona Trail nonprofit, helping support the trail and inspire future generations of hikers.
Camel-Up isn’t just a piece of gear—it’s a solution born from real trail experience, created to make backcountry water access safer, easier, and less stressful for those who walk the long miles.
— Shanti Snail, 2025