In this episode of North of Normal, Amanda sits down with Forrest Chess, co-owner of Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln, NH, for a wide-ranging conversation about burnout, reinvention, and what it really means to build a life—and a business—around the outdoors.
Forrest shares his unlikely path from the music industry and high-pressure production work in Boston to taking over a beloved White Mountains book and map shop that nearly closed. Along the way, he reflects on burnout, listening to internal signals, and why the woods became less of a hobby and more of a lifeline.
The conversation weaves through hiking stories, conservation values, community trust, solo versus group hiking dynamics, and the responsibility that comes with helping people engage more thoughtfully with wild places. There are moments of humor, vulnerability, and insight—plus an unexpected cameo from two guinea pigs named Badger and Bubbles.
This episode is about slowing down, paying attention, and choosing a more intentional way of living—on the trail, in business, and in community.
