A professional surfer who achieves her dreams in despite of a shark attack that resulted in the loss of an arm, and a New York Times bestselling author chronicles the impetus and discoveries on an 1,100-mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.

These are the topics of upcoming Squaw Valley Institute events.

The celebrities behind the stories appearing at these lectures include Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton, on Dec. 22 at Olympic Village Lodge in Squaw Valley, and author of “Wild”, Cheryl Strayed, on Jan. 13 at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn.

Both lectures include a book or DVD signing; tickets are are available online.