How a St. Louis mom launched an inclusive hiking group that’s grown exponentially

A loose-knit hiking group that started with a single social post is celebrating its third anniversary and nearly 3,000 followers on social media. Mom of four Amber Strautkalns has the same advice any parent might give for better well-being: Get off the couch, leave work behind, breathe, drink plenty of water, get outdoors, and make friends. But on the weekly hikes Strautkalns leads, self-care takes on a more magical feel—and not because of the weed. Strautkalns recently shared how the Fat Stoner Babes Hiking Club has evolved since her fateful social post in May 2022.

How did you get started with hiking? I’m from north-central Montana. I grew up in the wild from the time I was a very little kid. Connecting with nature and being outside has always been a part of me. When I moved here, it was a huge culture shock—like, the town I’m from has five stoplights and gravel roads. It’s 40 miles south of the Canadian border. This place is huge and spread out and has people everywhere.

What are your goals for the club? I gauge my success by the amount of fun and how good people feel after the hike. That tells me it’s working. People get out of their house, have a great time, and feel good in their bodies and minds. That, to me, is a priority.

Who participates? All walks of people show up to the hikes. We have such a diverse group, from nurses and teachers to ex-military and unhoused people. It’s a very inviting and warm atmosphere.

It sounds like you can relate to people who might be nervous about joining. I have social anxiety, so I’m still super anxious every hike before we start. It’s hard to meet new people and to put yourself out there. But while hiking, this natural ease comes about for everybody.

Photography courtesy of Fat Stoner Babes Hiking Club

Photography courtesy of Fat Stoner Babes Hiking Club

Tell me about the hikes themselves. We hike at a leisurely pace and take breaks. It really lets people have the time and space to connect with each other and with the land. You see the community naturally forming. It’s so cool to watch these different relationships come out while hiking with strangers on a trail. 

What’s the level of hiking expertise? We often have new hikers, but most people have hiked a little bit. And then we’ve got our super-experienced hikers as well. I try to be very specific in the hike detail, so people can judge for themselves if they have the skill and endurance needed and also what kind of gear and clothing they need to have, so people feel prepared when they show up.

What are some of the mental and physical health benefits? We know that unplugging changes you all the way down to the cellular level. It’s almost impossible not to feel good and have fun moving your body in nature. The mental and physical impacts are immediate and long-lasting. You think about the little heart on Facebook—that feels good for such a short amount of time. But if you hike a 1,000-foot bluff on an easy, breezy Sunday afternoon, you are going to feel good about that all week.

It sounds like an experience we could all use—and learn something from. I love the diversity of the group because we all have these niche interests and hobbies and things we’re really good at. We all learn so much. Being able to share with each other is the fabric of community.

You’re a busy mom. How does your family support this group? They are amazing, especially my husband, Nate, who has given me so much space and support—not only to go hiking all day every week, but also the time in the evenings to put the posts together, do flyers, and answer questions. It’s fun to watch his eyes twinkle when I come home and he asks me how many people showed up and where did you go and how much fun was it.

How would you describe the “stoner” aspect? “The “stoner” part of the name is like a bat signal to like-minded people. It’s an immediate way to know it’s a safe place to be who you are, judgment-free, while exploring these strange new lands. Joining groups can be intimidating, so when you say Fat Stoner Babes Hiking Club, if you fit that bill, you’re gonna want to hang out!

And what about consumption? We’re all stoners, and we’re pretty liberal about that. But when it comes to consumption, we try to be mindful of trail and park rules and Missouri law. Because adventures in nature often entail unexpected surprises, I have this deep personal sense of responsibility to keep people safe—and an innate protectiveness of the land.

What’s your go-to after hiking? I really love Cheetah Piss from Sinse. And the Triple Burger [from Amaze]. And a blueberry one. All from Swade—I love going there.