Hiking influencer Hannah Moody was carving out a new path for herself before her sudden and mysterious death earlier this month.
Moody’s body was found hundreds of yards away from the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 22. She was 31 years old.
An avid outdoorswoman, Moody had amassed nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram, where she routinely shared videos and photos from her many hikes.
Given her proficiency, Moody’s family is still seeking answers about what went wrong.
“It’s like a mystery to us right now,” Hannah’s mother, Terri Moody, told Arizona’s Family on Wednesday, May 28. “We’re trying to piece it all together.”
Terri added, “We’re all assuming it was heat-related. But that’s inconclusive. There were no signs of foul play.”
It was 102 degrees in Arizona when Hannah set out on her hike. She was reported missing on May 21 after failing to show up to a meeting with friends.
The Scottsdale Police Department confirmed Hannah’s body had been found in a press release on May 22 and that an investigation was ongoing.
“The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Air Unit located Hannah’s body around 12:05 p.m., about 600 yards off-trail,” the release said. “Scottsdale detectives and crime scene personnel will now conduct a thorough investigation to piece together what happened to Hannah and how she died. Our investigation will be in cooperation with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, which will ultimately determine the cause of death.”
Keep scrolling for more things to know about Hannah:
Hannah Had Recently Moved Back to Arizona“Can’t believe it’s been 6 months since I moved back to AZ ????????☀️????????,” Hannah shared via Instagram on April 27.
Hannah said life had been “so good” with “lots of sunsets, nature, friends, good food, solo dates.”
“More than anything I’ve been challenged to be present,” she wrote. “To not rush through this season. To be here, now. Soak up the moments, the days, the experiences, and learn as much as possible from all of it – but to also just enjoy it. Life gets to be fun. Easy. Playful. Full. It doesn’t always have to be so serious ????.”
She added, “AZ has my heart! Feeling so grateful ????????.”
Hannah Was Passionate About Her FaithHannah routinely posted about the role religion played in her life, which was evident just days before her death.
In a video posted on May 18, she explained how switching to the day shift at her new restaurant job would mean she’d be forced to do more hiking at night.
“I just realized God is literally blessing me with the day shift because he knows how much I freaking love the sunset and I love being able to go for sunset hikes,” she said. “I haven’t really been able to do that and it’s just so sweet and so thoughtful.”
Hannah shared details about her faith journey in a January post via Instagram, saying, “The more I’ve gotten to know God, the less afraid I am to give up control to Him.”
“Learning to trust God started with me learning WHO He is,” she wrote. “What are His characteristics and attributes? How has He displayed these things throughout history?”
Hannah added, “It’s all there, in His Word. His unchanging, immovable character. He is consistent. & He’s in control, so we don’t have to be ????????????.”
Hannah Was an Exotic Dancer for Nearly a DecadeHannah often posted on social media about her life as a dancer, which she said she was “letting go” of in June 2023.
“It’s not just quitting a job, or moving on from a certain lifestyle,” she explained via Instagram. “I’ve clung to this as a piece of my identity for almost 10 years. I honestly didn’t expect to get this emotional, but throwing all my dancer stuff away was like throwing away a piece of myself. Like finally shutting the door and closing the chapter.”
In September 2023, Hannah reflected on her past career, revealing she was making “thousands a night.”
“Partying for a living,” she wrote. “Getting attention from men. Traveling and exploring new places. Buying myself whatever I wanted. Living life on my terms.”
Hannah continued, “I’m sure it looked like I was ‘living my best life’ from the outside.”
However, she said her life “wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine” and eventually she “only knew how to be confident through my sexuality and body.”
“I had to give it all up,” Hannah shared. “Release all control of my life and circumstances and surrender to Him. And it was only then that He could meet me in my weakness and give me strength to move forward. It’s almost been a whole year since I’ve given up that life and that identity — and it has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done — but the MOST rewarding.”
Hannah Was an Ardent BodybuilderIn addition to her love of hiking, Hannah spent a lot of time working on her fitness inside the gym.
“It’s…My safe place,” she wrote in May 2022. “My playground. My therapy. My escape. My second home ????Forever grateful for this lifestyle ????.”
That same month, Hannah posted about her “fitness journey” with some helpful keys to success.
“You have to recognize that results don’t come overnight — anything worth having doesn’t come easy (or everyone would have it),” she shared. “If you want quick results ???????? do it the “easy” way — get a BBL, lipo, do a juice cleanse, don’t eat….and while these things may get you quick results, they don’t change your character.”
She continued, “If you take the ‘easy’ route, you will still be the same person — and eventually, those ‘fast’ results will fade and you’ll find yourself exactly where you started. Approach your journey with patience – with yourself and with the process — but also be persistent in your pursuit of greatness — and you WILL get there. It’s worth it to become everything you’re capable of becoming ????????.”
Hannah Was a Foodie
Hannah routinely shared her favorite recipes and food hacks on social media.
In February, she posted a video via Instagram of her making sourdough bread from scratch. “Let me tell you, it has been such a beautiful and rewarding experience,” she said.
She often gushed about her “solo dates,” which she also posted about via Instagram in February.
“Nothing better than happy hour on a beautiful patio in 75 degree weather, enjoying your own company ????,” she wrote. “I’ve always been pretty independent and don’t mind doing things alone, but being more intentional and actually dating myself is something I am working on this year!! Like actually treating myself and doing the things that I would want to do with a man.”
