Andrew Marshall is a writer, illustrator, and photographer living and adventuring in the Smoky Mountains. His work across all three disciplines has earned Excellence in Craft awards from his colleagues in the Outdoor Writers Association of America for two years in a row.
Born and raised in the southern Appalachians, Andrew recently returned to his beloved home range after 10 years in the American West. He’s relieved to once again have access to a decent pulled-pork barbeque sandwich with South Carolina-style mustard sauce, but the weather is more humid than he remembered. You can find him on the web at www.andrewmarshallimages.com, on Instagram @andrewmarshallimages, or on Twitter @pawn_andrew. Fair warning: social media content is frequently cat-related.
Title: AllGear Staff Writer Email: amarshall@loladigitalmedia.com Location: Maggie Valley, North Carolina Social Media: Twitter: @pawn_andrew, Instagram: @andrewmarshallimages
Expertise
Topics of Expertise: Long-distance backpacking, ultralight philosophy and gear, trail running, mountain biking, bikepacking, flat-water paddling
Years in This Expertise: 20+
Number of Products & Number of Hours Expert Has Tested: 250+ products, 1,000+ hours
Education & Certifications
Education: Bachelor’s of Fine Art, Film and Television, Savannah College of Art and Design
Years of Writing: 16
Certifications: CPR
Club or Association Memberships: Outdoor Writers Association of America
Awards or Recognitions: Excellence in Craft Awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America for photography and illustration (2022), writing and illustration (2023)
Previous Publications: Backpacking Light
Experience
Andrew Marshall trained for four years to make wildlife documentaries at the precise moment National Geographic and the Discovery Channel decided to toss all their eggs into the reality TV basket. Languishing in a Georgia office building instead of filming cheetahs in Africa, Andrew was sufficiently depressed that he was fired. Determined never to wear khaki slacks and a polo shirt ever again, he lit out for the woods.
After thru-hiking the Appalachian trail SoBo in 2012, Andrew got married and moved to northeast Ohio, where he and his new wife took on the responsibility of dorm parenting 30 middle-school-aged students at a boarding school. Here he learned to cross-country ski, dipped a toe into road biking, and rekindled his love of running.
Several more moves followed: first to El Paso, Texas, where he remembered how fun mountain biking was. Then to Carnelian Bay, California, on the north side of Lake Tahoe. In Tahoe, Andrew learned to ski, improved his mountain biking chops, picked up paddleboarding, and ran his first trail marathon, followed by his first ultra.
All the while, Andrew was experimenting with different storytelling disciplines. Eventually, he landed on a combination of writing, illustration, and photography, a trio he continues practicing to this day.
Recently Andrew and his family moved to North Carolina, where they live in a small cabin on the fringes of the Great Smoky Mountains. A new father, Andrew is excited about showing his son the same hollows, creeks, and lush mountains where his own father first took him backpacking.
Ran 36 miles on snow on 36th birthday, gaining between 15 and 20K of elevation
Recently earned Nidan (2nd-degree black belt) rank in Aikido
Stories routinely generate traffic, engagement, and awards thanks to slightly off-kilter takes, lighthearted voice, incisive commentary, and stunning visuals.
A Word From Andrew Marshall
“Empty your cup” is an old Zen saying that I find increasingly useful as my career as a writer, visual artist, outdoor athlete, and martial artist progresses. It means to kill the ego, always be learning, and never assume your knowledge is complete.
By employing this mantra at every opportunity, I’ve developed a diverse knowledge base that serves me well as a storyteller. I like to think I can write about anything because almost everything interests me at least a little.
In previous phases of my career, I’ve been a gear editor and managing editor — positions I found most rewarding for the opportunity to mentor and coach developing writers. But I’m happiest as a work-a-day wordsmith and visual artist — slinging ink and finding new and interesting ways of looking at the world.
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