OUR STORY
A Bucket-List Dream Turned Global Adventure Company
Hobnail Trekking Company didn’t start in a corporate boardroom. It didn’t come from years of experience in the travel industry or an MBA business plan. It started with a simple dream—one that seemed out of reach.
Back in 2004, Mark and Holly Johnson read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, a gripping account of the 1996 Everest disaster. Like so many others, they were captivated by the idea of Everest. But they had no idea that “normal people” could trek to Everest Base Camp. It remained a pipe dream, a far-off bucket list item, filed under “maybe someday.”
Fast-forward to 2016. A family trip to Walt Disney World of all places—specifically the Everest-themed attractions at Animal Kingdom—reignited their obsession. A few months later, an email from outdoor retailer REI detailed an Everest Base Camp trek, making the idea feel surprisingly attainable.
But the real turning point came through a chance Lyft ride. When Mark needed a ride to pick up his truck, his driver turned out to be a real-life Nepali Sherpa — Dawa Jangbu Lama Sherpa — who had guided dozens of Everest Base Camp treks. That 10-minute ride changed everything. A few days later, Mark and Holly met with Dawa over coffee. By the end of that meeting, they had the spark of an idea that would soon evolve into something bigger than they ever imagined.
From One Trek to a Thriving Business
Six months after their chance meeting with Dawa, Mark and Holly officially launched Hobnail Trekking Company in January 2017. At first, they thought it would be a small side project—just a way to help others experience Nepal. But as interest grew, so did their vision.
In March 2018, the inaugural Hobnail Everest Base Camp trek set off with Mark, Holly, and 14 other clients. The experience was unforgettable, proving that trekking to Everest wasn’t just for elite athletes—it was for anyone willing to take the leap.
Then, in 2020, the business expanded in a major way. When REI exited the international adventure travel space, several of their former global partners reached out to Hobnail to help fill the void. This led to an expansion beyond the Himalayas into Peru, Patagonia, the Alps, the Balkans, Scotland, Morocco, Tanzania, and more.
What Makes Hobnail Different
Unlike large, corporate adventure travel companies, Hobnail remains deeply personal.
- Owned and operated in Tennessee by a couple who once thought trekking to Everest was out of reach, just like many of their clients.
- A personal connection with every trekker — Mark and Holly personally communicate with all clients before their trek, helping them train, pack, and prepare.
- Partnerships with expert local guides—so every trek is led by people who were born and raised in the mountains you’ll be exploring.
- A culture of accessibility—you don’t have to be a millionaire, a hardcore athlete, or a seasoned traveler. You just need the passion and courage to try.
Why “Hobnail”?
When choosing a name, we wanted something retro, rugged, and memorable. Enter hobnail boots — old-school mountaineering and military boots with nails in the soles for traction. They’ve been worn by soldiers, explorers, and climbers for centuries.
George Mallory, the legendary British climber who attempted Everest in 1924, wore hobnail boots. (Okay, bad example — he didn’t make it. But we promise that wasn’t the boots’ fault.)
The word “hobnail” represents strength, dependability, and traction in uncertain conditions. It also just sounds cool. And let’s be honest—you won’t forget it.
The Adventure Continues
Since its founding, Hobnail Trekking Company has built partnerships across the globe, expanded its destinations, and helped countless adventurers check off their bucket lists. But at its core, Hobnail remains the same: a company built on passion, trust, and the belief that life’s greatest adventures are meant for everyone.
More About Mark
Mark, here.
You could say that I took the circuitous route to ownership of an international adventure travel company. After growing up on a North Carolina Christmas tree farm in the Appalachian Mountains, I spent 15 years as a musician and singer-songwriter before pivoting into a career as a freelance writer, magazine editor, and communications director for a large wildlife conservation nonprofit in Tennessee.
During these years, Holly and I had developed a keen interest in trekking in Nepal — specifically, to Everest Base Camp — but dismissed the idea as something entirely out of reach for “normal” folks.
On August 17, 2016, I found myself in need of transportation to my auto mechanic’s shop in Nashville, so I downloaded the Lyft mobile app and requested a ride. I was shocked when the driver who picked me up turned out to be a Nepali Sherpa. This chance meeting would lead to the creation of Hobnail Trekking Company six months later.
We had no idea that Hobnail would develop into what it’s become, and that we would meet so many great people. Amazing!
Since November 2018, I’ve written and published three books — two memoirs and a novel. The first memoir has become standard reading for anyone interested in the Everest Base Camp trek. Check them out below.
“Blow the Man Down: How I Navigated the Sailboats and Station Wagons of the Music Business”
Holly and I live in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. We have three kids — Sam, Ava, and Pete.
More About Holly
Hi, this is Holly! Here’s a little about me:
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC, and spent weekends at my family’s place in the country, fishing, riding bikes, and swimming in lakes with leeches. (No, really. YUCK!)
I graduated with a degree in Public Administration and Political Science and received my Master’s degree in nonprofit management. I worked with refugees for 21 years, and in 2008 was named State Refugee Coordinator for the State of Tennessee.
In my work with refugees, I had the good fortune to meet thousands of people from all over the world whose circumstances were far different from my own but brought them to the same place – Nashville, Tennessee. Some of those refugees hailed from Nepal. In early 2020, I left my long-held position for the opportunity to focus on Hobnail and freelance work from home.
I didn’t spend much time thinking about Everest until reading the 1997 John Krakauer novel, “Into Thin Air,” later made into the motion picture, “Everest.” This book captivated me in a way that no other book had ever done. I found myself dreaming, several nights each week, about Mt. Everest. After I insisted Mark read the book too, we were both hopelessly hooked.
The story mentioned Base Camp, and I remembered reading about a friend on Facebook who had made an EBC trek. Having no desire at all to climb the mountain, I thought a trek was a fascinating idea and quickly entered it into my section of “Mark and Holly’s Bucket List,” a real live document that still exists on my Google drive. (I put it in Mark’s section, too, without his knowledge, because of course I’d want him to come with me!)
Shortly thereafter, I put the trek out of my mind, believing that my Facebook friend had a) tons of money, b) expensive gear, c) was in fantastic shape (she was a marathoner, after all), and d) did this kind of thing all the time – all things I thought were required for an Everest Base Camp trek, and unfortunately, all things that I did not have. All of those assumptions were wrong.
Imagine my surprise the day I received an excited phone call from Mark that began like this: “You’ll NEVER believe who just gave me a ride to the mechanic’s shop!”
Hobnail Trekking has been the most amazing and wonderful surprise of our professional lives. I hope you’ll consider traveling with us because I’d love to meet you!
Mark & Holly Johnson
Lukla, Nepal, 2018.
