In 2017, Jason was teaching an epic intro to backpacking workshop at Bear Mountain and Liz, never one to be under-prepared, was taking as many intro to backpacking courses as she could. A year and a half later, Liz signed up for one of Jason's Appalachian Trail hikes at the NY/CT Border. Secretly Jason's friends knew right away that these two were a match, but never said anything to him. Meanwhile, Liz left thinking, "Wow, this guy's friends REALLY like him!" After another year, Liz showed off her competence on hikes featuring everything from light hypothermia, hyponatremia, and waist-deep snow and Jason started texting her. Three months later, they were on their first official date...only two and a half years after their first meeting.

In between a backpacking trip and a canoe camping trip in Southern Maine, Jason and Liz drove to Screw Auger Falls in Grafton Notch State Park. As the trail turned from pavement to rocks, Jason went back to the car to change into sturdier shoes...and to get the ring that he had hidden inside a pair of socks in his backpack. Liz and Jason had been talking about marriage, so it wasn't a surprise when Jason said, "Hey, wanna get married?" and Liz said, "Yeah!" But then Jason patted his pocket for the ring (momentarily thinking that he had lost it!), and Liz was in disbelief. Eventually, she realized that this was really happening, and said a very happy "Yes!"