Backpacker Radio

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are re-re-re joined by listener favorite and our pal, Clay Bonnyman Evans, aka Pony. We catch up on all that Pony's been up to since his last appearance on the show including a thru-hike of the Cape Wrath Trail, which he refers to as the AT of the UK, his trek from Edinburgh to Glasgow, his stint as a caretaker at Woods Hole Hostel, and his latest section hike of the Continental Divide Trail, which he cites as his most psychologically challenging hike to date. In typical Pony fashion, this chat is wild- we get an extended Scottish accent, some explicit poop stories, and we are introduced to the erotic world of hedging. You might be able to guess what that is, either way, you're soon about to find out. We wrap the show with a feature from a Trek blogger about how backpacking made her less independent, a triple crown of bummer places to be, and Chaunce triggers the internet. Vargo Outdoors: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 20% off at vargooutdoors.com. Katabatic Gear: Use code "BPR15" for 15% off at katabaticgear.com. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. [divider] Interview with Clay "Pony" Bonnyman Evans Pony's Instagram Pony's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:03:48 - Reminders: Check out our new merch, submit your poop story for a chance to win a BPR RTIC mug, and apply to be a blogger! 00:05:35 - Introducing Pony 00:06:02 - Tell us your poop story 00:10:20 - Tell us about caretaking at Woods Hole hostel 00:12:25 - Tell us a second poop story 00:14:38 - Discussion about the murder you got interested in 00:17:35 - Did you consider writing a book about it? 00:19:38 - Tell us about the Cape Wrath trail 00:26:46 - What are the pros and cons of going south or north? 00:28:50 - Are you planning on doing the West Highland Way? 00:29:25 - Did you notice the accent change as you got further north? 00:31:03 - What was resupplying like? 00:33:28 - What was the camping like? 00:38:00 - Anything else you want to share on this hike? 00:40:12 - Do you remember any legends? 00:42:50 - Tell us about hiking from Edinburgh to Glasgow 00:46:33 - Which city would you return to if you could only pick one? 00:47:16 - What's the hiking culture like? 00:50:24 - Did you do anything between Scotland and going back to the CDT? 00:51:20 - Tell us about hiking alone for the most part 00:58:30 - What constitutes a bad day on the CDT? 01:02:03 - What other things did you do to make you realize you were losing your sanity? 01:05:52 - Is it surprising to you that you're still learning a lot about yourself? 01:07:54 - Did you have any standout favorite days? 01:11:07 - Did you do any uncommon alternates that you think more people should do? 01:14:15 - What do you attribute red line fever to? 01:17:18 - What led to you still needing to mop up some miles? 01:21:32 - Tell us about recovering from giardia 01:25:02 - How does overdoing it manifest for you? 01:30:00 - Discussion about the weather 01:31:13 - Tell us about the Glacier permit system 01:35:08 - Why don't the national parks all use the same system? 01:39:30 - Did you have any gear you loved or loathed? 01:43:30 - Do you have any hot takes for us? 01:51:40 - What's next for you? Segments Trek Propaganda: How Thru-Hiking Made Me Less Independent by Gillian QOTD: What is something you've been doing recently to intentionally annoy your partner? Trigger the Internet Triple Crown of bummer places to be Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Matthew Spence, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Dr. Nick Brandehoff and Dr. Bryan Wilson of The Asclepius Snakebite Foundation to of course talk all things snakes. We cover everything you could want to know about dealing with snakes and snake bites including what to do if bitten by a snake in the backcountry in a variety of circumstances, what to do if your kid or dog is bitten by a snake, common myths about snakes and snake bites, a fornicate marry kill of snake species, what resources people ought to be aware of in dealing with snake safety, and much more. We wrap the show with the best excuses to get out of work, a triple crown of items over $1,000 that aren't living, and are small enough to be manually lifted, a new segment, trigger warning, a horseback DUI, and more! Vargo Outdoors: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 20% off at vargooutdoors.com. Katabatic Gear: Use code "BPR15" for 15% off at katabaticgear.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Dr. Nick Brandehoff and Dr. Bryan Wilson Snakebite Foundation Website ASF Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:30 - Reminders: Check out our new merch, submit your poop story for a chance to win a BPR RTIC mug, and apply to be a blogger! 00:08:40 - Introducing Dr. Brandehoff and Dr. Wilson 00:10:00 - Tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to your current roles 00:13:27 - Why does Denver have a high concentration of toxicologists? 00:15:10 - How many snakes do each of you own? 00:15:55 - When you think of snake people, what is the stereotypical snake person? 00:17:15 - Have either of you been bitten by venomous snakes? 00:18:07 - What makes a snake venomous but not dangerous? 00:27:35 - If you get bit by a snake while out hiking, how do you get it to let go of you? 00:29:15 - How far do snakes lunge? 00:31:50 - Have snakes evolved not to rattle? 00:32:12 - If you get bit while hiking, what should you do? 00:35:00 - Discussion about the myth of using electricity to denature venom 00:36:55 - First aid tips 00:38:43 - Is it okay to move to get to medical care? 00:40:20 - Does it make more sense to hike or run? 00:41:48 - Is it a bad idea to try to slow the circulation or elevate the area? 00:42:54 - How does your knowledge impact your outdoor experience? 00:47:11 - Myth busting: are baby rattlesnakes more venomous than adults? 00:50:27 - What kind of venomous snakes are most prevalent in the United States? 00:52:00 - Can you rank the 4 snakes according to how bad it is to get bitten by them? 00:54:05 - Which of the 4 snakes would you most want to get bitten by? 00:57:05 - After you're bit, how long do you have before a snakebite becomes lethal? 00:59:40 - Tell us about the Appalachian snake people 01:02:00 - Discussion about the long term impacts of snake bites 01:04:40 - Is antivenom the same for all snakes? 01:07:02 - How is antivenom made? 01:09:07 - Why do the antibodies have to be taken from other animals? 01:11:45 - Are you optimistic about the technology of antivenom evolving? 01:12:08 - Is it true that not all hospitals have antivenom? 01:13:50 - Discussion about poison centers (800-222-1222) 01:16:20 - What's the craziest thing you've seen with the poison center? 01:20:57 - What should you do if a child or dog gets bit by a snake? 01:24:56 - Do you have any snake jokes? 01:25:30 - Fuck Marry Kill: water moccasins, rattlesnakes, copperheads 01:26:45 - If you could see any snake in the wild, what would you pick? 01:28:25 - What snake would come out the victor in a bracket? 01:29:55 - What are some rapid fire snake facts? 01:32:30 - Have you ever done any snake pranks? 01:33:35 - Why are people so afraid of snakes? 01:35:00 - Where can people learn more about you and your organization? Segments Trek Propaganda: A Camera as Company: Thru-Hiking in Scotland with a Panoramic Camera by Laura Partain QOTD: What's your go-to excuse for getting out of work? Triple Crown of non-living, liftable items you'd want over $1,000 Triggering the Internet Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Saw

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are giving you an in depth run through on how to choose a backpack for thru-hiking. We are joined today by The Trek's Managing Editor, serial thru-hiker, and certified gear nerd, Owen Eigenbrot. We walk you through all the features, terminology, material types, sizing tips, and more to give you a foundational knowledge on making an educated decision when purchasing a pack for the purpose of a long-distance backpacking trek. We then share some of our top tips and offer a few specific product recommendations at the end of the panel. Whether you're just getting started in the world of backpacking, you're looking to level up your gear for future trips, or you're just curious to expand your knowledge in the world of backpacks, this podcast has got something for you. We wrap the show with a shoutout to the class of 2023 AT thru-hikers, a new segment - poop news of the week, a miserably embarrassing stupid thing of the week, and a triple crown of our preferred caffeine sources. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Katabatic Gear: Use code "BPR15" for 15% off at katabaticgear.com. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. [divider] Panel with Owen Eigenbrot Owen's Website Owen's Trek Profile Time stamps & Questions 00:03:38 - Reminder 1: Get an exclusive monthly episode by supporting us on Patreon! 00:05:20 - Reminder 2: We have new merch! 00:06:28 - Reminder 3: Submit your Pooping in the Woods story! 00:07:22 - Reminder 4: Apply to be a Trek blogger in 2024, take the AT survey if you hiked in 2023, and make sure to use our sponsor discount codes when buying gear! 00:08:47 - Introducing Owen 00:09:51 - Give us an overview of your backpacking experience 00:14:31 - Can you introduce the Eastern Continental Trail? 00:17:19 - Introducing the structure of today's show 00:19:05 - Sizing a pack properly and how to measure your torso 00:25:00 - Adjustable versus fixed-size packs 00:26:55 - Sizing cottage gear packs versus larger manufacturers 00:28:52 - Volume/capacity 00:33:17 - Internal frame vs. external frame vs. frameless 00:37:23 - Men's vs. women's vs. unisex 00:40:12 - Traditional vs. ultralight 00:43:28 - Suspension 00:50:24 - Pockets 00:56:00 - Hip belt 01:00:23 - Extension collars 01:01:55 - Closure styles: roll-top vs. cinch cord vs. others 01:06:15 - Straps and buckles 01:10:45 - Price range 01:12:24 - Waterproofness 01:14:25 - Material options 01:24:35 - Bear canister compatibility 01:27:35 - Zach's Pack Tip #1: Of the big 3, the weight of the backpack is the least important 01:28:47 - Chaunce's Pack Tip #1: Consider the weight your pack is designed to carry 01:30:48 - Owen's Pack Tip #1: Use a pack liner 01:34:09 - Zach's Pack Tip #2: Zach's overall pack recommendation 01:36:22 - Chaunce's Pack Tip #2: Chaunce's overall pack recommendation Segments Trek Propaganda: Congratulations to these 2023 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers: Part 4 by Kendra Slagter Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of caffeine sources 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Matthew Spence, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Al Marriott, known on trail as Lookout. Lookout is a 2023 PCT thru-hiker, and one of the very few who was able to connect their footsteps on a continuous northbound hike through the Sierra. This is the main course of our conversation today as we learn all about the wild conditions Lookout and his crew of 6 fellow hikers endured, including some very close call water crosses, how slow and draining the snow travel was, what snow traction worked best for his group (and it might not be what you expect), the energy requirements for this style of trekking, and the group dynamics of traveling in such close proximity for such a long time through such stressful conditions. This one is a doozy. We wrap the show with a quick overview of how much experience is needed to hike the AT, things that get less appetizing as we get older, and a triple crown of the best places for people watching. CTUG: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at chickentrampergear.com. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Al "Lookout" Marriott Lookout's Instagram Lookout's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:04:02 - Reminders: Apply to be a 2024 Trek Blogger, submit your poop stories, and follow us Patreon! 00:06:59 - Introducing Lookout 00:07:27 - Tell us about your photography setup 00:08:23 - Where are you from? 00:09:56 - Did you do any long distance backpacking in Britain? 00:11:45 - How did you come to bounce between Australia and Thailand? 00:13:16 - What permits did you need to come to the US to hike the AT? 00:17:10 - Did you feel pressure on the AT to make sure your schedule worked? 00:19:27 - What snow hiking experience did you have prior to starting the PCT? 00:20:18 - When you started, did you know you wanted to maintain a continuous footpath? 00:21:55 - Did you run into issues before getting to Kennedy Meadows? 00:26:15 - How did you find a group to enter the Sierras with? 00:31:17 - Did you use snow gear going through Apache Peak? 00:32:25 - What was your start date and when did you reach Kennedy Meadows? 00:32:46 - What was the atmosphere of other hikers on trail? 00:33:49 - Tell us about who you entered the Sierras with 00:38:42 - To what extent did your group plan out your strategy ahead of time? 00:41:38 - Picture of the South Fork San Joaquin Bridge damage 00:42:00 - Were you disappointed to skip that section? 00:45:50 - Narrate your Sierra crossing 00:57:38 - Was bringing the snowshoes a good idea? 01:03:54 - How much dry ground did you see in the Sierra? 01:05:19 - Describe the obstacles you encountered before getting to Bishop 01:06:26 - Tell us about the sketchiest water crossings 01:13:54 - Did those close calls affect your confidence or strategies going forward? 01:15:33 - How much of the Sierra was Type I vs. Type II fun? 01:18:21 - Did having a limited time visa impact your thought processes? 01:21:50 - Tell us about sketchy parts of the next stretch 01:30:16 - Tell us about getting trail magic in the Sierra 01:33:40 - Discussion about conveying what it was like to others 01:37:40 - Story about Stitches 01:44:47 - Did the group stay together or break up after the Sierra? 01:49:55 - Story about getting into Tahoe 02:01:18 - What did you get out of this experience? 02:08:04 - Are there any other gaps in topics related to snow that we could cover in the future? 02:14:16 - What was the longest stretch between resupplies? 02:16:40 - Where should people go to follow you? Segments Trek Propaganda: Can You Hike the Appalachian Trail with No Backpacking Experience? by Diane Duffard QOTD: What's something that gets less appetizing the older you get? Triple Crown of the best places for people watching Mail Bag 5 Star Review Patreon Austen's Hike Update [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jea

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are giving you a thorough breakdown on all things backpacking tent related. We are joined by The Trek's Managing Editor, accomplished thru-hiker, and gear encyclopedia, Owen Eigenbrot. We introduce today's panel by giving you a thorough run-through on everything you need about backpacking tents, including the various types of tents, feature sets, terminology, material options, and more. We then do a roundtable offering our top actionable advice for picking a tent, considerations to make, and a few of our favorite specific models. Whether you're new to backpacking, are looking to level up your gear, or are curious about the various nuances of the world of tents, this podcast has something for you. We wrap the show with a triple crown of Taylor Swift songs (Owen is a certified Swiftie), we share some of our strangest beliefs, and we offer a not-so-happy update on the status of Backpacker Radio's Iceland Trip. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. CTUG: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at chickentrampergear.com. [divider] Panel with Owen Eigenbrot Owen's Website Owen's Trek Profile Timestamps & Questions 00:03:49 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon, Iceland is off, leave us a voicemail, and apply to be a Trek blogger! 00:06:48 - Introducing Owen 00:08:07 - What's your backpacking background? 00:10:44 - What are the basics of the Eastern Continental Trail? 00:12:32 - Introducing the structure of today's show 00:16:10 - Tent capacity 00:21:00 - Tarps and bivvies 00:23:50 - 3 vs. 4 season 00:27:25 - Single vs. double wall 00:35:05 - Trekking pole vs. (semi) freestanding 00:46:06 - Tent weight variations 00:53:18 - Common materials 01:14:25 - Bathtub floor 01:16:05 - Door location 01:19:42 - Height 01:22:55 - Bug protection 01:23:32 - Pockets 01:24:38 - Stakes 01:31:52 - Tent terminology 01:36:30 - Footprints 01:41:36 - Zach's Tent Tip #1: If you're new to backpacking, go with a semi-freestanding tent 01:48:54 - Owen's Tent Tip #1: Don't give up on 1-person shelters 01:51:10 - Chaunce's Tent Tip #1: Measure how tall you are when sitting straight up 01:52:30 - Zach's Tent Tip #2: Broadest audience tent recommendation 01:55:03 - Owen's Tent Tip #2: Have realistic expectations about tents in general 01:57:00 - Chaunce's Tent Tip #2: Consider the terrain you'll be hiking in 01:58:01 - Owen and Chaunce's tent recommendations Segments Trek Propaganda: The 15 Best Long-Distance Trails in the US by Diane Duffard QOTD: What is the strangest thing you believe in? One Minute Gear Review: Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie Triple Crown of Taylor Swift songs 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Matthew Spence, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Jonathon Stalls. Jonathon is a wildly interesting character who, in 2010, in search of meaning and healing, decided to walk across the length of the country. We learn all about this transformative journey, some of the standout stories along the way- including some instances of the unforeseen kindness of strangers, his alter ego of Cate Blanchett flaring up through the desert, how he was able to fund this journey, an epic poop story, how this expedition turned into his book "WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour." and his current advocacy work in making urban spaces more pedestrian friendly. This is a deep and honest conversation- and we'd like to offer a trigger warning to listeners that the following interview touches on talks of suicide. We wrap the show with a triple crown of TV shows and movies we've watched recently, a brief comparison of the Colorado Trail vs. the John Muir Trail, and a stupidest thing of the week- Zach losing his mind due to sleep deprivation edition. CTUG: Use code "Backpackerradio" to save 15% on your order at chickentrampergear.com Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com [divider] Interview with Jonathon Stalls Jonathon's Instagram WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles per Hour by Jonathon Stalls Intrinsic Paths Website Intrinsic Paths/Jonathon Stalls Patreon Jonathon on TikTok Time stamps & Questions 00:03:53 - If you can only go to one burger spot in Colorado for the rest of your life, where are you going? 00:05:22 - Reminders: If you have a good poop story, submit it here. We are now accepting 2024 blogger applications for The Trek. Apply today! 00:09:05 - Introducing Jonathon Stalls 00:10:15 - Tell us about your dad playing in the NFL 00:13:00 - Are you a football fan today? 00:13:58 - Would Zach let his boys play football? 00:15:06 - What was your sports background? 00:16:58 - How did you get into beach volleyball? 00:20:23 - How much of your life was portrayed in the movie Point Break? 00:20:40 - Where does walking come into play? 00:26:31 - What in Ireland brought out the new approach to life? 00:29:30 - What was your reaction to what you were learning in Ireland? 00:34:57 - How did your mom respond to you coming out? 00:37:23 - How should others approach the conversation? 00:40:45 - Did you know nature was healing to you prior to this hike? 00:42:12 - Walk us through deviating from the American Discovery Trail 00:46:37 - Did you have to pay the funding back? 00:47:30 - Do they give you feedback on what businesses you help? 00:49:42 - How did you select your walking route? 00:55:28 - Let's hear a poop story! 01:06:40 - How did you balance wanting to be in nature and wanting to engage with communities? 01:10:25 - Did you also find healing in the interaction with others? 01:12:37 - Explain the practices you used to find kinship with nature 01:16:20 - Do you have a favorite tree? 01:19:29 - Do you have a desire to reinvent yourself on a long trail? 01:23:25 - Do you find it frustrating to see the direction of society today? 01:26:13 - What are some wins you've witnessed in your work? 01:29:42 - What parts of Denver are most walkable? 01:33:29 - Have you walked the full length of Colfax? 01:34:30 - Tell us about "Walk to Connect" and "Walking Leaders" 01:38:37 - Was there a stretch of trail that wasn't enjoyable? 01:45:23 - Do you have a specific term for your cross-country walk? 01:45:55 - Was there a specific moment where you felt you were healing on your journey? 01:48:38 - Is there anything about the journey or the book you'd like to relay to listeners? 01:50:32 - What do we need to know about pedestrian dignity? 01:52:54 - Zach Anner & The Quest for the Rainbow Bagel 01:57:00 - Impact of TikTok 01:59:00 - Wrap up: Where to find Jonathon Stalls Segments Trek Propaganda: The Colorado Trail vs. The John Muir Trail: Which Trail is Better? By Katie Jackson Thing of the Week Triple Crown of shows/movies you've watched recently 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, S

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are talking all things ultralight backpacking. We're joined by our pal and thru-hiker extraordinaire, Carl Stanfield aka "Professor", as the three of us share some of our top tips for reducing pack weight. The advice in this episode covers the full spectrum, from broad-based philosophical ways to approach what should and should not be in your pack, to more granular tips for simple and cost-effective ways of going UL. Whether you're hoping to thru-hike a triple crown trail or lighten the load a bit for your weekend outing, this one has insightful and practical pointers for you. We wrap the show with a quick overview of a new ultralight material being used for tarps and tents- and the relative pros and cons, but more importantly, we do the triple crown of the top benefits of an alien invasion which devolves into the most insane debate in Backpacker Radio history. Chaunce goes pure red face. CTUG: Use code "Backpackerradio" to save 15% on your order at chickentrampergear.com Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. [divider] Panel with Carl Stanfield Carl's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:03:58 - Reminders: Join us in Iceland for Summer of 2024! Support us on Patreon! Lastly, if you have a good poop story, submit it here! 00:09:34 - Welcoming Carl "Professor" Stanfield 00:09:49 - What have you been up to lately? 00:13:23 - What do you do with your short break? 00:14:39 - How many days did you get off? 00:17:24 - What was your day-to-day? 00:20:24 - Tell us about your new girlfriend! 00:22:21 - Can you give us a brief overview of your hiking resume? 00:23:30 - Panel introduction: Ultralight Backpacking 00:26:30 - Chaunce's #1: Get used to doing less 00:31:03 - Professor's #1: Be adaptable 00:34:41 - What does everyone do when you don't have a utensil? 00:38:11 - Badger's #1: Don't carry too much water 00:49:59 - Chaunce's #2: Compare weights when shopping for gear 00:53:38 - Professor's #2: Of the big 4, invest in a lightweight tent 01:09:30 - Shelter satisfaction results from The Trek's hiker survey 01:12:24 - Badger's #2: Remove redundancy 01:36:00 - Chaunce's #3: You don't need to bring your hobbies with you 01:48:17 - Professor's #3: Dial in your food consumption 02:07:11 - Professor's Hot Take: Make up for calories in town 02:10:47 - Chaunce's Final Thoughts: Eat your dinner to get your dessert 02:17:00 - Zach's #3: Use Smart Water bottles instead of Nalgenes 02:24:00 - Panel wrap-up Segments Trek Propaganda: UltraTNT: The Newest Material for Ultralight Tarps & Tents By Joal and Jenny Triple crown of alien invasion benefits [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Matthew Spence, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by long-distance thru-rider Gillian Larson. Yes, thru-rider. Gillian has more than 10,000 backcountry wilderness miles via horseback, including two thru-rides of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail. Gillian was the youngest person to solo-thru ride the PCT in 2014, and became the first person to thru-ride both the PCT and CDT. We of course ambush Gillian with an onslaught of ignorant questions of what it takes to complete one of these long trails via horseback. We went into this chat assuming the logistics of a thru-ride were tough, and oh boy, did we underestimate that. A fascinating conversation, we think you'll really dig this one. We wrap the show with a recap and some of Badger's top takeaways from his recent 3-night trek through Washington's Goat Rock Wilderness, a triple crown of things that float, and what range of times are appropriate for dinner. Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! Goodr: Use the code "Backpacker" for a free shipping discount at www.goodr.com/backpacker Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER20" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. Interview with Gillian Larson Gillian Larson Instagram Gillian Larson Website Time stamps & Questions 00:04:02 - Reminders: We're still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here! Join us in Iceland for Summer of 2024! 00:08:30 - Introducing Gillian 00:09:11 - What got you into the horse life? 00:10:50 -Did your mom ever nudge you in the direction of competitions? 00:12:18 - Was your mom excited about your thru-riding adventures? 00:14:10 - Do you have siblings? 00:14:34 - How old were you when you completed your solo ride? 00:17:08 - How did you prepare for a thru-ride? 00:21:09 - How do you manage two horses at a time? 00:24:32 - What differentiates a pack horse from a riding horse? 00:25:50 - When you get off to walk, what is generally the reasoning? 00:27:05 - Do horses sweat? 00:27:34 - Are they at risk for dehydration? 00:28:40 - Do you have to hide the water caches off trail? 00:29:31 - If you walk with the horses, do you have to guide them with a leash? 00:30:27 - Do horses respond to their names? 00:32:34 - Are horses spooked by thunderstorms? 00:32:58 - How much is a horse's personality nurture vs. nature? 00:34:25 - How much does it cost to feed a horse a day? 00:35:40 - After the desert, are you able to rely on grass for feeding? 00:39:34 - How did you handle finding routes with the low meadow access? 00:42:53 - Tell us about the camping experience 00:44:52 - Do you have the same permit system as hikers? 00:46:36 - Do you have to change horseshoes? 00:49:20 - Can you replace shoes on trail? 00:50:30 - How much does it cost for shoe maintenance? 00:54:08 - If you didn't have support, how did you manage trail towns? 00:56:10 - Do you have any instances where you'd go to town without any support? 00:57:36 - Would you say thru-riding prevents you from having a social experience on trail? 00:58:20 - Is it ever tricky to rely on help from online fans? 01:03:15 - Is that the common way to self-support? 01:04:10 - Do you feel compelled to complete the whole trail, in a purist way? 01:06:22 - Is there etiquette around horse poop on trail? 01:08:40 - Horse poop not smelling like horse poop 01:10:54 - Were you able to connect all the miles on the PCT in 2014? 01:13:15 - Have you ever let hikers ride your horses? 01:14:14 - Any wild animal encounters? 01:16:48 - Do the horses have any favorite snacks? 01:17:42 - How do horses react when seeing a moose? 01:19:31 - What animals are horses afraid of? 01:20:25 - Can a horse outrun a cougar? 01:22:11 - Do you carry bear spray? 01:23:57 - How does your bond change with your horses when thru-riding? 01:33:42 - What other gear do you carry that a backpacker wouldn't? 01:37:21 - What trail is most horse-friendly? 01:39:11 - Is there a reason you picked the PCT for a second ride? 01:40:48 - If someone wanted to do this, what should they budget for? 01:43:09 - How long does a saddle last? 01:45:48 - Do you know you share a name with someone on Survivor? 01:47:17 - What does "retiring" a horse consist of? 01:48:32 - What should people do if they see a horse on trail? 01:51:16 - Is there a standard distance that a hiker should stand away from the horse? 01:52:08 - Can you get a DUI on a horse? 01:52:25 - What are your favorite horse-girl movies? 01:55:08 - Where can people get in touch with you? 01:57:05 - What is an FAQ that we haven't asked? 01:58:18 - Thank you Gillian! Segments QOTD: What timeframe is appropriate for dinner? Thing of the Week Triple Crown of things that float 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Sara Leibold. Sara is a solo adventurer, thru-hiker, writer, and vlogger with more than 10,000 human-powered miles under her belt. Her adventures include several thru-hikes, for which we zoom in on her hikes of the AT, Benton MacKaye, and most recently, the Hayduke. We also learn about her wild adventure of rowing the length of the Mississippi River, from source to sea. And we get a run down on Sara's many odd jobs, including ridge running on the AT, working in production for ESPN, and more. We wrap the show with sad news of an AT hiker who turned up deceased in Vermont, the triple crown of worst appetizers, and what petty hills we are willing to die on. But first. Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Interview with Sara Leibold Sara Leibold Instagram Sara on YouTube Sara's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:03:38 - Reminders: We're still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here! Join us on Patreon for more chaos! 00:07:27 - Welcoming Sara 00:08:01 - How did you get your trail name, Tide? 00:8:48 - Tell us about your Master's thesis 00:10:14 - Why focus on the Arizona Trail? 00:11:41 - Were you able to capture cause and effect? 00:12:50 - Did your interest in low impact travel stem from your graduate program? 00:13:45 - How do you define low impact travel? 00:14:38 - Is there a style of outdoor adventure that's lower impact? 00:15:08 - Who did you pull your low impact inspiration from? 00:15:50 - Can you give us your trail resume? 00:18:30 - When was your AT start and finish date? 00:19:29 - What put the AT on your mind? 00:20:00 - Did you complete it in four months? 00:20:26 - Did you have a light pack at least? 00:20:38 - What was the response to doing the AT in 2011? 00:21:44 - Did you let your hair grow throughout your hike? 00:22:00 - Any big highlights from the AT? 00:22:47 - Tell us about your river trip 00:23:54 - What was your sport in college? 00:24:10 - Tell us about the Suwannee river 00:24:40 - What was it like traveling with your dad? 00:25:17 - Did you do the full length of the river? 00:25:40 - How did you plan for your river trip? 00:26:30 - Tell us about the Natchez Trail bike ride 00:27:19 - How long did it take you? 00:27:44 - Are you a fast swimmer as well 00:28:10 - Are all of your trips intentionally low impact? 00:29:09 - What brought you back to that AT after your bikepacking trip? 00:30:56 - Did you encounter a lot of weekend warriors? 00:32:04 - What type of crash course tips could you give a new hiker? 00:33:20 - What is that smell experience like? 00:35:12 - What's the turnover rate for ridge runners? 00:36:36 - How often did you encounter bears in the Shenandoah? 00:38:03 - What are the redeeming qualities of ridgerunning? 00:40:10 - Do you have housing for ridgerunning? 00:40:34 - What's the time commitment? 00:41:57 - Do you have insider names or terminology? 00:44:59 - What was the best culinary experience of the Camino? 00:46:24 - Tell us about the Anna Purna Circuit? 00:37:31 - What was drawing you to international hikes? 00:48:07 - Did you ever feel a pull to go do the PCT or CDT? 00:49:15 - How did you sustain a lifestyle of year-round hiking and traveling? 00:50:12 - Did you ever have doubts living your lifestyle? 00:51:56 - Do you have any advice for people stuck in the comparison phase? 00:53:09 - Do you foresee yourself settling for a different lifestyle? 00:55:13 - Where do you think you gained your independence? 00:56:13 - Tell us about your source-to-sea adventure 00:58:18 - What did you do for butt padding? 00:58:45 - Was it similar to college rowing? 00:59:35 - Are there stretches where you could swim? 01:00:17 - How do you manage going through a lock and dam? 01:02:29 - Was any of this Type 2 fun? 01:03:12 - What's the safety like? 01:05:30 - How long did it take you? 01:05:53 - What job opportunity presented itself? 01:06:48 - How did you fall into this job? 01:09:58 - What are your top favorite seasonal jobs? 01:13:19 - Do you ever take souvenirs from the US Open? 01:16:51 - Anything else notable about your Mississippi voyage? 01:18:36 - What was on your gear list for the Mississippi trip? 01:19:52 - What do you eat? 01:20:10 - What are redeeming qualities of cold soaking? 01:22:09 - What do you cold soak in your resupply boxes? 01:24:12 - How did you land in the hospital? Ramen overdose? 01:27:30 - Tell us about the Netherlands/Belgium bikepack trip? 01:31:18 - How much time are you spending on the bike vs. exploring cities? 01:31:55 - What would you recommend for those hoping to do a similar trip? 01:33:12 - Tell us about your Benton MacKaye hike 01:33:50 - What is a census job? 01:36:15 - How di

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Heidi Nisbett aka Sketch. Heidi is a thru-hiker, hiking guide, and an exceptionally talented artist, having recently been commissioned to paint a giant mural at the Trail Center in Damascus. Heidi gives us the lowdown on why she loved the Foothills Trail, the Superior Hiking Trail, Pinhoti Trail, and more. We also go in-depth on Heidi's journey as an artist, how she fell in love with it as a kid, fell out of love with it post-college, and rekindled the flame during her time hiking the AT. She shares her top advice to aspiring trail-focused artists, we learn about a CDT thru-hike that went wildly awry, and we chat the best and worst beer styles. This is another fun chat guaranteed to bring a smile to your head. We wrap the show with reasons why the Florida Trail is actually awesome, I'm shamed for liking things I'm good at, we do a triple crown of hiking things we just don't get, a Florida Man segment, and much more. Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Heidi Nisbett Heidi Nisbett Instagram Sketching Summits website Sketching Summits TikTok Time stamps & Questions 00:03:05 - Reminders: Chaunce is unwell & we're still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here! 00:08:54 - Introducing Heidi Nisbett 00:09:42 - Is it safe to say you're a beer connoisseur? 00:09:55 - What's the style of beer you're into now? 00:10:07 - Do you have a favorite wheat beer? 00:10:24 - What is your trail name and the origin? 00:11:10 - Why didn't you like the name Picasso? 00:11:56 - What did Picasso do for art history? 00:12:45 - Were you sketching at all shelter logs? 00:13:58 - How long do the paintings take you? 00:14:58 - Was it hard to maintain a social group if you stop to paint? 00:15:40 - Do most people break up with art after their degree? 00:20:07 - When did art stand out as something you were talented in? 00:20:50 - Do you come from artsy people? 00:22:58 - At what point were you getting positive feedback on your art? 00:23:40 - What role did social media play as you re-entered the art world? 00:26:13 - What happens between your art career and hiking the AT? 00:29:11 - How does a paint and sip class work? 00:30:44 - What tips do you have for amateur artists? 00:34:00 - Tell us about your style of art now 00:35:08 - How would you describe the style of art? 00:37:36 - How did you transition from art girl to hiking girl? 00:40:28 - What was your hiking experience prior to the AT? 00:42:06 - Tell us about the evolution of your art as you hiked along the AT? 00:44:46 - How did you decide to make your art your full-time business after hiking? 00:47:20 - What draws people in the most? 00:48:40 - How do you overcome imposter syndrome? 00:49:50 - Tell us about your work with the ATC 00:52:52 - Was that your first mural? 00:54:40 - How does it work when painting around features in the room? 00:55:44 - Is this the piece of art that has consumed the most amount of your time? 00:55:52 - What is the second longest? 00:56:51 - What's the most popular piece of art? 00:57:22 - What do you mail most often? 00:59:07 - How do you determine what to turn into a sticker? 01:00:23 - Have you asked if the Pinhoti has any mural needs? 01:02:10 - How was the Pinhoti? 01:04:30 - Why pick the Pinhoti over other trails? 01:05:48 - How does the difficulty compare to the AT? 01:06:54 - Is there a bad time of year to hike the Pinhoti? 01:08:01 - Would you pick Pinhoti or Superior Hiking Trail? 01:09:42 - How was the Foothills Trail? 01:11:57 - What's the hiking culture in North Carolina? 01:12:56 - Are you familiar with the Overmountain Trail? 01:15:23 - FMK…Beer styles 01:16:53 - FMK…Landscape, Animal, or People Artwork 01:18:30 - FMK…Watercolor, Oils, or Acrylic Paintings 01:19:07 - FMK…Pinhoti, Superior Hiking Trail, or Mountains to Sea trail 01:20:36 - How did the CDT attempt go? 01:23:24 - Tell us about the double helicopter evacuation you witnessed 01:30:33 - Were you able to enjoy fun van activities? 01:31:27 - What's the proposal story? 01:35:40 - Tell us about guiding 01:38:12 - How do you experience a hike differently as a guide? 01:39:19 - If someone wants you as their guide, how do they request that? 01:40:53 - Tell us about your watercolor trips? 01:43:11 - Did your art background play a role in getting hired as a guide? 01:44:16 - Do you have any advice for someone who is trying to find their start in the art world? 01:46:25 - What was your top hike in Guatemala? 01:47:53 - What did you say your husband does? 01:48:15 - Thank you, Heidi! Segments Trek Propaganda: 11 Reasons T

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by new Executive Director at the Colorado Trail Foundation, Tisha McCombs. Tisha gives us a rundown on her journey to becoming the head at the CTF, what her vision is for the Colorado Trail moving forward, all that goes into maintaining the CT and where help is most needed, and much more. We also chat a bit about the role mountain biking plays into sustaining many trails throughout Colorado, what her top advice is to aspiring adventurers - coming from the perspective of an adventure and life coach, and a fuck marry kill of the sections of the Colorado Trail. We wrap the show with a triple crown of ways to insult thru-hikers, a review of the updated version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite from a former guest of the show, and a new segment, plug me. PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER20" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Tisha McCombs Tisha McCombs Instagram Colorado Trail Foundation Time stamps & Questions 00:05:02 - Reminders: Find us on YouTube and Patreon 00:06:03 - Introducing Tisha McCombs 00:06:24 - Does Tisha give us Mims vibes? 00:07:22 - Packing resupply boxes 00:13:16 - Walk us through your previous work prior to your new role with the CT 00:15:45 - Check out the CTF store 00:16:45 - Should we treat this as trading cards? 00:17:37 - Between CA and CO, what are some National Park recommendations you'd give? 00:19:20 - Tell us about your other non-profit experience 00:20:04 - Were you responsible for the Palisade Plunge? 00:20:50 - Were you primarily managing people at COPMOBA? 00:21:37 - What are some of the challenges with volunteer work? 00:23:36 - Have there been any oopsies with volunteers? 00:25:08 - Are the trails for hikers as well, or only mountain bikers? 00:25:46 - Is there any tension between mountain bikers and hikers? 00:29:24 - Do mountain bikers think e-bikers are lazy? 00:29:46 - How much do e-bikes and dirt bikes impact trails compared to mountain biking? 00:33:36 - What are the rebates that CO is giving on e-bikes? 00:36:30 - If you could only bike or hike the rest of your life, what would you pick? 00:37:15 - How does the spine injury impact wearing a backpack? 00:38:35 - Do you have a favorite pack that helps? 00:39:41 - The CT is a multi-purpose trail. How do you make decisions that benefit all uses? 00:43:34 - Do you get funds from dirt bike tags? 00:45:19 - How does trail maintenance differ between mountain biking and hiking? 00:46:33 - What would you like to do differently as the new Executive Director of the CTF? 00:51:53 - What type of money does it take to maintain trails? 00:59:15 - Why do you think there is so much interest in making the CT the best maintained trail in the US? 01:02:18 - How do you increase volunteer interest? 01:06:26 - Did you go through similar feelings with your son? 01:08:09 - Did you ever get resistance from your son when trying to bring him to your activities? 01:11:17 - What are some specific needs of the CTF? 01:15:17 - What's one of the best trail crew meals you've had? 01:16:22 - If options were endless, what would you do for the CT? 01:17:40 - What logistics would go into removing road walks? 01:18:55 - What are your two other wishes for the CTF? 01:21:59 - Are there any transportation recommendations? 01:22:58 - What about park & ride options? 01:24:01 - Are there apps for private parking spaces? 01:26:16 - What are top business ideas for someone who wants to offer value to the trail? 01:29:18 - Is there anywhere along the trail to do mail drops? 01:31:39 - Is there a shuttle into Lake City? 01:33:59 - Tell us about your work as a life coach 01:37:33 - Is there one element that merges adventure, career, and trauma? 01:40:23 - Are there any go-to fly fishing spots along the CT? 01:41:51 - Is it catch-and-release along the trail? 01:42:20 - FMK for Colorado Trail Segments 01:45:15 - Thank you, Tisha! 01:45:43 - Visit www.coloradotrail.org Segments QOTD: How old are you in your mind? Trek Propaganda: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad Review Thing of the Week QOTD 2: What's the most unethical thing you'd do to save money? Triple Crown of ways to insult thru-hikers Mail Bag/Plug Me: The Unseen by Mike Clelland 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by fellow Goldenite, Andrew Terrill. Starting in 1997, Andrew walked more than 7,000 miles from the southernmost point of Italy to northern Norway, an 18-month journey across the wild parts of Europe. Needless to say, learning about this unique and fascinating trek is the focus of today's chat, as we learn what inspired Andrew to take on this route that no one had ever done previously, how he was received by locals throughout his journey, standout stories from his adventure- including running into the Italian mafia, his favorite stretches of trail, and how this journey helped him overcome his social anxiety. This hike is unlike anything we've ever featured on the podcast, and we think you'll really enjoy learning more about Andrew's story. We wrap the show with news of a giveaway The Trek is hosting, featuring nearly $15,000 worth of backpacking gear, what our "liked it before it was cool" brags are, the Triple Crown of things that are the modern-day cigarette, and an epic listener email on the legality of stabbing people who enter your tent. Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER20" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Andrew Terrill Andrew Terrill Website Andrew's Instagram Andrew's Facebook Time stamps & Questions 00:04:55 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon 00:05:54 - Introducing Andrew Terrill 00:06:31 - Tell us about living in Golden, CO 00:07:04 - Why Golden instead of other Colorado cities? 00:07:59 - How did you meet your wife? 00:10:23 - Were you appreciative of the email addresses? 00:11:14 - What was the inspiration for your journey? 00:14:25 - What were you doing for work at the time? 00:15:28 - Did you get any support in quitting your job to hike? 00:17:10 - Can you tell us the scary story from the Pyrenees? 00:20:36 - What injuries did you get? 00:22:58 - How did that experience not make you shy away from hiking? 00:23:50 - Did you dread sharing the news of your fall? 00:25:02 - It's 1997, how did you plan the logistics? 00:27:58 - How many times was the lucky coin unlucky? 00:29:26 - Did your fall make you want to pursue risk more? 00:31:07 - Tell us about being warned of the mafia 00:34:10 - Do you speak Italian? 00:34:32 - Was the threat of the mafia present through the full trip? 00:36:32 - Tell us about your gear back then? 00:39:30 - What happens when you leave Calambria? 00:40:51 - What mistakes did you think you made? 00:42:12 - Tell us about getting lost? 00:45:42 - What were the logistics of camping on this journey? 00:48:26 - Why did you get turned away from the hotel? 00:50:52 - Tell us about the shepherds you met along the way? 00:55:28 - What there a specific turning point? 00:56:25 - Tell us about your encounter with wild boars 00:57:41 - Any bear or wolf encounters? 01:01:23 - How did you overcome your social anxieties? 01:08:12 - Do you attribute your hike to resolving those anxieties? 01:09:22 - Tell us about hiking through the Dolomites 01:11:36 - Were there other historic sites you stumbled upon? 01:12:30 - Can you give us more specifics about the route you took? 01:13:50 - How do you handle the Alps in the winter? 01:20:41 - Is it challenging to plan food resupply? 01:22:15 - Were you ravenous after this journey? 01:22:45 - Did you have any unique culinary experiences? 01:23:54 - What types of freelance work were you doing for money? 01:25:03 - Did you ever lose any film? 01:25:38 - If you could highlight a 50-100 miles stretch in each of the countries, which would you recommend? 01:28:14 - Are there polar bears in the arctic? 01:29:08 - What kind of wildlife is there? 01:30:01 - Did you deal with short days in Norway? 01:30:36 - Did you have trouble sleeping? 01:30:52 - What should we ask you? 01:33:34 - If someone wants to follow your route, what advice would you give? 01:35:00 - Books: The Earth Beneath my Feet and On Sacred Ground SEGMENTS QOTD: What was your "I liked it before it was cool" brag? Trek Propaganda: It's Still Summer Giveaway Stupidest thing of the week Happy National Raspberry and Cream Day Triple Crown of things that are the modern day cigarette Cinnamon Court Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big than

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by Mandy "Veggie" Redpath and Kevin "Karma" Savage. Combined, the pair have accumulated more than 30,000 trail miles, and an endless number of stories to boot. We get a detailed breakdown comparing a few different variations of Camino de Santiago- Frances, del Norte, and Primativo, a serendipitous hitchhike which kick-started their romantic journey, their first shared trek on the Pacific Northwest Trail, the Hayduke Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, Low to High Route, Scottish National Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, and more. In a nutshell, if you like trail stories and beta, you will dig this chat. We wrap the show with a Trek propaganda presented by today's guest on why you should thru-hike trails other than the AT PCT or CDT, the triple crown of things that you eat when you're sick, and the ways in which we align with the boomers. Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. PACT Outdoors: Use code "TREK20" for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Mandy and Kevin Mandy's Instagram Karma's Instagram Mandy & Karma's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:04:42 - QOTD: What makes you go, "I'm with the boomers on this one"? 00:06:18 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon! 00:07:42 - Introducing Veggie and Karma 00:08:27 - Give us your trail resumes 00:11:47 - We Love Love: tell us about how you met 00:15:40 - Tell us more about falling in love 00:18:08 - Tell us about the start of the Pacific Northwest Trail 00:19:50 - Was the spark there on the CDT? 00:21:56 - What did you do after the Pacific Northwest Trail?00:23:56 - Tell us more about the various Camino routes you've done 00:27:46 - How much do the different routes overlap? 00:29:00 - Give us a pitch for each of the routes you did 00:32:11 - What did you use the trail guide for? 00:34:06 - Describe the water situation 00:35:00 - Describe the lodging 00:37:40 - What's the language barrier like? 00:39:13 - What drew you to doing the Camino multiple times back to back? 00:42:02 - What did you do your thesis on? 00:43:00 - What type of injuries do people get? 00:44:51 - Give your best elevator pitch for the Camino 00:48:50 - Tell us about hiking the AT 00:51:00 - How did the AT compare to the Camino? 00:54:30 - What standout story do you have from the AT? 00:58:20 - Do you have any beginner mistake stories from the AT? 00:59:35 - Tell us about the Colorado Trail 01:05:37 - How did you get accustomed to dealing with afternoon thunderstorms on the CT? 01:06:14 - Tell us about the Pacific Crest Trail 01:08:09 - Describe PCTAZDKO 01:09:04 - Did the ice ax lessons come in handy? 01:11:00 - How did you navigate the PCT in 2012? 01:13:02 - Do you have any strong feelings about people's dependence on Far Out? 01:15:03 - Have you ever needed a compass in addition to paper maps? 01:17:20 - Discussion about wildfires on the PCT 01:19:00 - Any standout stories from the CDT? 01:22:32 - How bound to the red line were you coming from the AT? 01:25:07 - How did the CDT last year compare to 2015? 01:27:15 - Why is the Wyoming Basin awesome? 01:29:35 - How did you first get into wildlife photography? 01:31:38 - Why do you like bird watching? 01:34:00 - Discussion about bird songs 01:37:21 - What is the best part about hiking with your partner? 01:39:30 - How do you help the other person when they're having an off mental day? 01:43:58 - Any standout stories from the Hayduke? 01:46:00 - Zach and Chaunce have a fight 01:49:07 - What made you decide to do the Oregon Coast Trail? 01:51:55 - Tell us about the remoteness of the Oregon Coast Trail? 01:54:23 - How does the scenery change as you progress along the trail? 01:55:08 - What section of the trail would you hike again if you could? 01:56:12 - Tell us about the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii? 01:58:57 - Is the permit process difficult? 01:59:54 - Tell us about the Wonderland Trail 02:01:45 - Tell us about the Low to High Route 02:06:05 - Tell us about your scorpion encounters 02:08:40 - Has anyone gotten stung by a scorpion? 02:10:15 - What was the weather like on the Low to High Route? 02:13:01 - How did the AT compare going sobo instead of nobo? 02:14:35 - Any standout stories from the Arizona Trail in 2019? 02:16:04 - Tell us about the Scottish National Trail 02:18:18 - What is the Scottish take on Braveheart? 02:20:00 - Give us the pitch for the Scottish National Trail 02:21:32 - How often did you resupply? 02:22:00 - Tell us about being vegan and finding food options internationally 02:25:14 - Why did you decide to become vegan? 02:29:20 - Do you adhere to vegan gear and apparel as well? 02:30:25 - What is the most annoying thing about hiking with the other person? 02:33:14 - What's your best gear idea? 02:33:52 - Tell us about the Grand Enchantment Trail 02:37:35 - Give us your top wildlife

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Matteo Volpi, the CEO of Volpi Outdoor Gear, the Mexico-based UL gear company. We talk about what it's like to run a cottage gear company out of Mexico, a country without much of a long-distance backpacking culture. We learn about what goes into starting and running a new business, how he designs the products he uses and sells, the challenges of managing a team, and much more. We also talk about Matteo's hikes on the PCT and Colorado Trail and his love affair with backpacking in the US. We wrap the show with a brief overview (and hopefully some foreshadowing) of the UK's 230-mile Cape Wrath Trail, the Triple Crown of activities that aren't but feel like sports, and some further education on the subject of real people who exist that don't have internal monologues who are real people that really exist. Range Meal Bars: Use code "THETREK" for 20% off at rangemealbar.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER20" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Matteo Volpi Matteo's Instagram Volpi Outdoor Gear Instagram Volpi Outdoor Gear Website Time stamps & Questions 00:03:39 - Support us on Patreon! 00:05:14 - Introducing Matteo 00:06:05 - How did you get your trail name? 00:09:05 - How did you first get introduced to thru-hiking? 00:09:58 - Tell us about Guadalajara 00:12:35 - Are there any long trails or public land in Mexico? 00:14:48 - Is there any sort of backpacking culture in Mexico? 00:16:40 - Discussion about gear access and outdoor retailers in Mexico 00:20:40 - What's the process for getting a visa for hiking the PCT 00:23:30 - What was it like starting at the Mexico-US border? 00:25:10 - Did you face any sort of racism or unpleasant behavior? 00:26:40 - Tell us about your early days on the PCT 00:30:28 - What are the top three non-obvious places to visit in Mexico? 00:37:00 - What highlights do you have from your first days of the PCT? 00:40:40 - When did you start your gear company? 00:42:11 - How did you get started with your gear? 00:45:13 - How do you make the packs? 00:48:24 - How do you source the fabrics? 00:55:40 - What led you to start your gear company? 00:57:11 - How hard is it to ship internationally? 00:59:00 - Tell us about hiking the Colorado Trail with your pack 01:00:03 - What are your favorite features of your backpack? 01:02:50 - How many miles do you typically do a day? 01:04:52 - How do you manage your time hiking, running a company, and going to school? 01:06:19 - What are you hoping to accomplish by going to college and studying GIS? 01:08:07 - How big is your team? 01:08:45 - What are your ambitions for the company in the future? 01:11:28 - What is the biggest, non-obvious challenge for your company? 01:14:52 - What advice would you give to yourself about starting a company? 01:16:07 - How do you approach taking risks? 01:18:03 - Rolf's celebrity question: what are your plans right now? 01:19:52 - Do you have a favorite section of the CT? 01:21:18 - Where can people keep up with you? SEGMENTS QOTD 1: What's the shelf life of leftover sushi? QOTD 2: Are mashed potatoes just Irish guacamole? Trek Propaganda Going Stoveless: The Pros and Cons of Cold Soaking by Diane Duffard The Cape Wrath Trail: The Wild, Wonderful, 230-Mile 'AT of the UK' by Clay Bonnyman Evans Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of things that aren't sports but feel like sports Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, DoGoodPantry, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Matthew Spence, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Lyla Harrod. Lyla is is a sober, queer, transgender woman currently on the last leg of her triple crown and has accrued an absurd amount of trail miles in just the last 2.5 years. She swings by the studio in the midst of her CDT thru-hike to share her journey of coming out as trans, how that's interfaced with her many thru-hiking miles, establishing the FKT on the Bay Circuit Trail, her love affair with the Hayduke, setting the women's White Mountains Direttissima FKT, her hikes on the AZT, Florida Trail, and much more. We wrap the show with some tips on scoring a walk-up permit at some of the most high-demand backcountry destinations, how we'd waste our money if we were billionaires, a very old guy centric stupid thing of the week, and the triple crown of failed candle scents. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKESHELTER20" for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Lyla Harrod Lyla's Instagram 7 Ways to Be "Trans Competent" on Trail by Lyla Harrod Trans hikers to follow this season Aubri Drake Stephanie Cawley Oliver Henderson Jordan Pinneke Time stamps & Questions 00:01:50 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon! 00:02:48 - Introducing Lyla 00:03:08 - What got you into backpacking? 00:04:41 - Tell us your trail name origin story 00:08:55 - What got you into thru-hiking? 00:10:20 - What was the AT like in 2021? 00:12:31 - What would you like to tell us about your background pre-transitioning? 00:19:10 - What was the reaction when you started to come out? 00:21:41 - Where did you get information from after you came out as trans? 00:23:47 - Did you ever fear you were wrong or would regret your decision? 00:24:58 - What was your mindset like before starting the AT? 00:26:53 - How did your on trail experience compare with your expectations? 00:28:35 - Did anyone use slurs at you? 00:32:00 - Did you experience a difference between hikers and people in towns? 00:33:41 - What are the most common things people get wrong? 00:35:45 - How do you interact with someone who has transphobic views? 00:37:09 - How often do people not believe you when you say you're trans? 00:38:28 - How do you handle always having to have a positive front and decompress? 00:41:33 - Do you have a general piece of advice you offer to people who reach out to you? 00:43:42 - If you had an FAQ page, what would the top questions on that page be? 00:47:47 - Are hormone medications difficult to manage on trail? 00:49:04 - Are there any other modifications you made that make hiking easier for you? 00:50:54 - Are you still hurt when someone makes a mistake you can tell was unintentional? 00:54:08 - At what point did you know that thru-hiking was your new thing? 00:56:03 - Tell us about doing FKTs as a trans woman 01:00:00 - Tell us about the Bay Circuit Trail 01:03:00 - Tell us about doing the White Mountains Direttissima FKT 01:05:37 - How well did the PCT prepare you for the White Mountains? 01:06:41 - How do you train for something like that? 01:07:29 - How did you handle the rules about camping in alpine zones? 01:09:08 - Any advice for someone looking to set an FKT on the Bay Circuit Trail? 01:09:57 - What was your biggest newbie mistake on the AT? 01:11:44 - What 3 day stretch of the AT would you like to go back and relive? 01:12:55 - Have you ever shit your pants? 01:13:55 - Tell us about going from the AT to the AZT 01:16:34 - Tell us about your social experience and interactions on the PCT 01:20:00 - Why did you start the PCT in mid-March? 01:22:30 - What differences have you noticed in the continuous footpath mindset across the three Triple Crown trails? 01:25:49 - Can you define redlining? 01:27:00 - Tell us about the increasing popularity on the CDT and whether you've noticed it 01:28:38 - Do you think your PCT struggles enhanced or detracted from your experience? 01:29:55 - What were your highlights from the Hayduke? 01:32:24 - What's the most difficult aspect of the Hayduke? 01:37:20 - What are your top moments from all the trails you've done? 01:46:30 - How have the San Juans compared to the Sierras in April? 01:49:01 - What's making people decide to flip up to Glacier on the CDT this year? 01:52:08 - What will it mean for you to finish your Triple Crown? 01:54:56 - Tell us about your gear 01:58:50 - What parting message do you have for our listeners? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda How To Score a Walk-Up Backpacking Permit Anywhere by Katie Kommer QOTD: If you woke up tomorrow morning a billionaire, what's the most extravagantly lavish thing you'd waste your money on? Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of failed candle scents The Candle Daddy: Shart 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcas

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by the Daley Family. Marketa and David Daley have been avid backpackers for many years, and have not let the addition of their three kids Sequoia (age 6), Joshua (age 4), and Standa (age 3) slow them down in the slightest. Their recent treks include thru-hikes of the Tahoe Rim Trail, 1,300 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, and 250 miles of the Appalachian Trail this year. Although we've interviewed thru-hiking families in the past, we cover some new ground here, including managing breastfeeding while backpacking, an honest portrayal of the challenges that come along with backpacking with three young kids and how that gets more challenging as the family grows, the events that are most likely to trigger meltdowns, dealing with critiques from the online community, and why they still wouldn't have it any other way. This is an insightful chat for anyone who's curious what it's like to backpack with multiple youngsters. We wrap the show with a story of a woman who was bitten by a black bear on the Appalachian Trail, the triple crown of backpacking-specific compliments, and an impromptu interview with a Patreon Chuck Norris Award Winner about backpacking on the Centennial Trail. Do you want to hike with Backpacker Radio? Fill out this survey to indicate your interest! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Marketa and David Daley Daley's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:02:48 - QOTD: Rank who gets the most excited when a pregnancy is announced 00:07:25 - Support us on Patreon to get bonus content! 00:11:20 - The TrovaTrip is happening! 00:13:30 - Introducing the Daley family 00:14:33 - What are everyone's trail names? 00:16:22 - How did you two get into backpacking? 00:18:19 - Where did you move to America from? 00:20:31 - What was it like growing up in a PCT town? 00:22:22 - How did you both get into trail work? 00:23:14 - What was your thought process when you first got pregnant with Sequoia? 00:24:18 - What is the toughest age of kid to backpack with? 00:25:23 - We Love Love: tell us more about how you met and fell in love 00:31:00 - Was Sequoia a surprise? 00:32:03 - Walk us through the evolution from not wanting kids to having 3 of them 00:34:22 - Have all three of the kids adapted to the outdoors easily? 00:35:56 - At what point did the prospect of a long backpacking trip become feasible? 00:37:41 - What is it like to adopt a child and did backpacking play a role? 00:40:00 - How did Sequoia adapt to gaining a sibling? 00:42:40 - What was the main difference between backpacking with one kid versus two? 00:43:40 - Tell us about water crossings with kids 00:45:45 - Tell us about the Tahoe Rim Trail 00:47:40 - What does your backpacking schedule look like? 00:48:56 - How has hiking with kids changed your relationship with each other? 00:50:25 - Does any part of you feel like you're sacrificing the way you want to hike? 00:52:31 - How do you gauge whether your kids are enjoying the hiking or not? 00:55:18 - Relative to their peers, what attributes do you think your kids have gained? 00:56:35 - Have you ever freaked out on trail about the kids? 00:58:02 - Tell us about breastfeeding and food on trail 01:00:30 - Tell us about hiking the PCT in 2022 01:03:00 - What is your gear setup? 01:04:50 - How did you ration water? 01:06:29 - Are the kids comfortable with night hiking? 01:07:28 - How do you prepare kids for dealing with rattlesnakes? 01:09:17 - At what age did you feel like you can cohesively communicate dangers to them? 01:10:22 - Tell us your best kid poop stories 01:12:32 - Is there a common meltdown trigger, and how do you deal with them? 01:15:40 - Tell us about your experiment on the last day of the AT 01:17:52 - What caused you to get off the AT? 01:20:25 - What has the feedback been on social media versus in real life? 01:25:37 - What's the most common question you get? 01:28:22 - Do you feel pressure to set records as a hiking family? 01:30:00 - Would say either the PCT or AT is more kid friendly? 01:31:06 - How do you handle the threat of ticks on the AT? 01:32:00 - What's next? 01:33:19 - Is there a non-obvious question related to kids hiking that we haven't asked? SEGMENTS Chuck Norris Award Winner Interview Trek Propaganda A Woman Was Bitten by a Bear on the AT Last Month. Here's What Happened by Bloodhound Triple Crown of backpacking-specific compliments Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Alina Drufovka aka Abstract. In addition to being a thru-hiker and adventurer, you're likely already familiar with the name Abstract because of her incredible and unique outdoor-themed artwork. We learn all about Alina's transformation from thru-hiker to now full-time artist, her time on the AT, PCT, and Israel National Trail, her current gig as an Ambassadors on the Get Outside Tour where she travels the country in a van alongside her boyfriend, attending outdoor events, leading clinics, and overall spreading joy to the people. Abstract is nothing but good vibes and this is a spirited interview that will elicit smiles. We wrap the show with a chat about why cell phones don't appear in dreams (or do they?), a story about a PCT hiker who was bit by a rattlesnake, a triple crown of people who are probably serial killers, and more! Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Do you want to hike with Backpacker Radio? Fill out this survey to indicate your interest! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Alina "Abstract" Drufovka Abstract's Instagram Abstract's Website REI Embark Program Get Outside Tour Time stamps & Questions 00:04:01 - QOTD: Have cell phones ever appeared in your dreams? 00:09:55 - Reminders: Is it or is it not Rachel's birthday? 00:13:25 - Introducing Alina 00:14:20 - Tell us about hiking the AT 1.5 times 00:17:20 - We Love Love! 00:22:16 - Discussion about being half Colombian, half Jewish 00:24:52 - How did your love blossom along the trail? 00:26:10 - How did you learn about the AT at age 13? 00:27:57 - What was it like retracing your steps two years after being injured? 00:28:40 - Tell us about the St. Patty's party trail magic 00:34:00 - Does your mom fit the stereotype of a nervous Jewish mom? 00:37:40 - What are the cornerstones of your grandma's book? 00:41:10 - What was it like to get past the point where you got off trail the first time? 00:43:10 - Discussion about expressing interest in someone without being creepy 00:44:22 - What's the story behind the Wonder Woman outfit? 00:46:15 - At what point did art intersect with thru-hiking? 00:48:00 - Discussion about Abstract's art style 00:51:28 - Tell us about hiking the Israel National Trail in 2018 00:54:35 - What are towns like on the Israel National Trail? 00:55:44 - Discussion about making Aliyah and Birthright 00:58:02 - Did you feel safe on the Israel National Trail? 00:59:50 - What advice do you have for people interested in the Israel National Trail? 01:02:30 - Interlude: Rachel's birthday! 01:05:15 - Tell us about the PCT in 2019 01:08:24 - What was it like to live in Colombia? 01:10:30 - What were the biggest differences between Colombia and Israel? 01:11:15 - How did you turn your art into a business? 01:15:45 - Tell us about the Embark program 01:16:27 - Have you experienced imposter syndrome? 01:19:57 - How do you decide when to release something new and price your art? 01:20:55 - What's been your biggest business challenge? 01:22:53 - How do you deal with having your designs ripped off? 01:28:21 - What's your inspiration for a new painting these days? 01:29:29 - What is the Get Outside tour? 01:33:58 - How many events will you attend? 01:35:01 - Did you get to customize the van? 01:38:40 - What events are coming up on the tour? 01:39:40 - Fuck Marry Kill: Appalachian Trail, Pacific Trail, Israel National Trail 01:40:10 - What piece of art are you most proud of? 01:41:31 - Describe your art to the listeners 01:43:30 - Where can people follow you? 01:44:14 - Tell us about living on a commune 01:50:37 - Are you interested in polyamory? 01:51:30 - If you could bring an aspect of commune life into your regular life, what would it be? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda PCT Hiker Hospitalized After Rattlesnake Bite by Kelly Floro Stupid Thing of the Week Listener Voicemail Triple Crown of people who might be serial killers Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McD

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are re-joined by friend of the show, Renee "She-ra" Patrick. She-ra is a triple crowner whose backpacking experience you heard all about in episode 44, today we catch up on all she's been up to since last being on the show, including hikes on the Blue Mountains Trail, the Corvallis to Sea Trail, re-visiting the AT as a southbounder, and more. Renee also walks us through her latest endeavor and mission to help long-distance organizations improve the trail experience for hikers and to bring awareness to conservation efforts on trails across the country. We wrap the show with things our parents told us that we're now pretty sure is a lie, the triple crown of ways we're turning into our parents, a few ways to save money in town as a thru-hiker, and more. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Renee "She-ra" Patrick Renee Patrick Consulting Renee's Blog Renee's Instagram Long-Distance Trail Consulting | Hiker Survey Blue Mountains Trail | Greater Hells Canyon Council Greater Hart-Sheldon: Sagebrush Stronghold Story Map Time stamps & Questions 00:03:28 - QOTD: What's something your parents used to tell you that you're now pretty sure is a lie? 00:06:30 - Introducing She-ra 00:07:05 - Catch us up on your last 4 years 00:08:48 - Tell us about the Wallowa Mountains in Oregon 00:10:20 - Discussion about managing the Oregon Desert Trail 00:12:30 - What kind of issues occur in that area? 00:14:11 - What is the number one challenge with building a trail? 00:16:00 - What's your trail resume? 00:18:00 - What was it like hiking on the AT 20 years after your first thru-hike? 00:20:30 - What is your favorite thing about route hiking? 00:21:40 - Fuck Marry Kill: Trails, Routes, Consulting 00:22:28 - Do you have suggestions for approachable routes? 00:26:00 - What does the research look like for the first person to hike a route? 00:28:30 - What are common mistakes people make when starting routes? 00:32:10 - Tell us about the Corvallis to Sea Trail 00:37:20 - Discussion about the Three Sisters Trail and the Up North Loop 00:41:38 - If someone wanted to start their own trail, what roles do they need to fill? 00:47:16 - Can you estimate how long it takes to make a trail based on the mileage? 00:49:09 - What is a National Recreation Trail? 00:51:30 - Tell us about your consulting business 00:56:00 - Do you work with both trail organizations and hikers? 00:58:15 - What practical things can organizations recommend to hikers? 01:04:08 - Zach's pitch idea for Renee 01:04:55 - Where can people fill out your survey? 01:05:56 - How do you narrow down your focus? 01:09:00 - Tell us about your logo design work 01:12:00 - Tell us about the dabbling you've done in GIS 01:15:28 - What parting messages do you have for the listeners? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Top 10 Ways to Save Money in Town by Eloise Robbins Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of ways you're turning into your parents Mail Bag (artist mentioned) 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Briana DeSanctis aka Rocky Mountain High. Briana is currently hiking the 6,800 mile American Discovery Trail and upon completing this trail, she will be the first solo woman to ever accomplish this feat. We obviously swan dive deep on everything to do with hiking the ADT, including the specifics of the route, how much of it is on single track vs road, some of the highlight stops along the trail, how she manages resupply and water, what's to love and hate about the trail, and more. Briana is a riot and has no shortage of fun stories from this very wild endeavor. Grab your popcorn, strap in, and enjoy. We wrap the show with a story about a mom hiking the AT alongside her 15 kids, the triple Crown of people who ought to be on the first rocket to Mars, and we opine if people without inner monologues actually exist. Do you want to hike with Backpacker Radio? Fill out this survey to indicate your interest! Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Briana DeSanctis Briana's Instagram Briana's Facebook American Discovery Trail Time stamps & Questions 00:05:04 - QOTD: Are people without internal monologues more likely to quit thru-hikes? 00:09:07 - Reminders: Check out updates from the PCTA here! 00:10:00 - Introducing Briana 00:11:15 - What got you into the outdoors? 00:13:40 - Where should people visit in Maine? 00:15:30 - Are you a lobster snob? 00:17:30 - Tell us about starting the AT 00:21:00 - Did you feel prepared for the AT? 00:23:07 - How did the hike compare with your expectations? 00:25:01 - What were your best meltdowns on the AT? 00:31:00 - How did you adjust your interactions with strangers after that? 00:31:57 - What are your tips for hitchhiking? 00:35:22 - Give us the highlights of what you did between the AT and ADT 00:41:05 - What are the basic fun facts of the ADT? 00:46:41 - What are the selling points of either the northern or southern routes? 00:50:57 - Discussion about walking through cities 00:54:39 - Tell us about how you navigate the trail 00:56:20 - What drew you to hiking the ADT? 00:59:50 - Will you be the first woman to thru-hike the ADT? 01:02:30 - What kind of carts do people push? 01:04:20 - How many people have hiked the ADT? 01:04:54 - How much of the hike is on road versus single-track? 01:08:19 - Why did you almost die from heat exhaustion? 01:13:02 - What is cell reception like on the ADT? 01:14:09 - Fill us in on your timeline? 01:16:39 - How often do you resupply? 01:18:20 - What keeps you motivated to continue on this trail? 01:20:40 - Are you taking notes or journaling? 01:23:00 - What's a good story that will definitely be included in your book? 01:24:45 - Tell us about shitting your pants 01:32:05 - Zach's AT poop story 01:33:05 - Briana's creative shits 01:40:08 - Discussion about sleeping in bathrooms 01:42:35 - Discussion about planning mileage and places to camp 01:45:04 - Discussion about Briana's interactions with police 01:50:00 - Discussion about people giving Briana things 01:52:22 - If you could pick one chain to eat at for the rest of the trail, what would you pick? 01:54:51 - What one town stands out to you? 02:01:30 - Fuck Marry Kill: the states you've been through thus far 02:05:55 - Fuck Marry Kill: road trails, rail trails, trail trails 02:06:53 - Is there one restaurant experience that stands out to you? 02:12:15 - Discussion about staying with people in towns 02:15:04 - Discussion about the common questions people ask 02:18:14 - What sort of takeaway do you think you'll leave the ADT with? 02:19:24 - How has this experience changed your perspective on our country? 02:25:03 - What's the deal with your flip flops? 02:31:30 - What's your best elevator pitch for the American Discovery Trail? 02:34:05 - Where can people follow you? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda 32 Feet Up: A Single Mom and Her 15 Kids Hike the Appalachian Trail by Bloodhound Triple Crown of people who should be on the first rocket to Mars [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, T

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Warren Doyle. Warren is a legend. With 18 traverses of the entire Appalachian Trail accounting for more than 38,000 miles, no one on earth has completed the AT more times than Warren. In addition to his vast knowledge and infatuation with this trail, Warren is a fascinating character, with outspoken beliefs on culture, disobedience, and philosophy. Chaunce and I really enjoyed our chat with Warren and we think you will too. We wrap the show with a triple crown of things that are better than sex, thru-hiking artists you need to know about, and a few of our most nerve-wracking hitchhikes. Do you want to hike with Backpacker Radio? Fill out this survey to indicate your interest! Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Warren Doyle Warren's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:04:25 - QOTD: What is a boring fact about you? 00:08:30 - Reminders: Listen to our Patreon-exclusive Q&A episodes by becoming a supporter! 00:10:17 - Introducing Warren 00:11:22 - What is the full origin story for you and the AT? 00:12:16 - What was the trail like in the 1970s? 00:14:43 - What is your approach to teaching prospective AT hikers? 00:17:20 - What made you return to the AT over and over? 00:20:25 - Discussion about questioning authority 00:22:48 - What are some examples of laws protecting us from the land? 00:24:30 - Discussion about the ferry service 00:31:56 - Are there other stories of trail changes? 00:38:06 - What was the better way to go about that? 00:42:30 - What do you attribute to your group trips' 100% success rates? 00:45:05 - What are the keys for prospective AT hikers? 00:49:17 - What litmus test can people use to know if they're prepared? 00:56:25 - What were some of the advantages and disadvantages of hiking the trail at different ages? 00:58:32 - Was there a particular age where you crossed that threshold? 01:02:03 - Did any injury play into that decision? 01:04:48 - What is one of your favorite stories from one of your trips? 01:09:04 - Is it upsetting to you to see the hikers of today? 01:11:26 - What's the meaning behind the Circle Hikes? 01:14:30 - Walk us through your very first day on trail 01:20:21 - What message do you want to convey to the listeners? 01:21:40 - Where can people learn more about you? 01:22:22 - What do you want your legacy to be? 01:24:48 - What's your strategy when someone wants to quit? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda 10 Incredible Thru-Hiking Artists Inspired by Long Trails by Katie "Oats" Houston Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of things that are better than sex Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Sawyer Products, we are bringing you a certified smorgasbord of backpacking goodness. We kick off the show with a somewhat impromptu interview with Instagram and YouTube sensation, Little Skittle. We learn about the last leg of her triple crown, how she embraced the brutality of the CDT, and of course the requisite fuck, marry, kill of the triple crown trails. We then catch up with Travis Avery of Sawyer Products to geek out on all things related to insect repellants, water filter technology, and how a Chicago Bears running back played a crucial role in Sawyer's early success. We wrap the show with a series of AT Hiker submissions for "Stupid Thing of the Week", with a very natural slant toward shit stories guaranteed to entertain. As if that weren't enough, Chaunce and I give a rundown on our favorite moments from Trail Days, what adventure plans we have on the docket for this summer, and the typical chaos. Sawyer Products: Check out Sawyer's Permethrin Pump at REI. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Little Skittle Little Skittle's Instagram Little Skittle's Youtube Interview with Travis Avery Sawyer Product's Instagram Travis's LinkedIn Time stamps & Questions 00:05:02 - QOTD: What summer hiking/backpacking/adventuring plans do you have? 00:12:48 - Reminders: Listen to exclusive Q&A episodes on Patreon! 00:15:08 - Introducing Little Skittle 00:17:33 - How's it feel to be in the middle of your Triple Crown? 00:17:55 - How is the AT after completing the PCT and CDT already? 00:19:34 - How have you enjoyed the AT culture? 00:22:00 - Have you gotten backlash for your pace? 00:23:15 - What sketchy moments stand out from the CDT? 00:25:37 - Do you have any standout scary animal stories? 00:30:00 - Fuck Marry Kill: AT, PCT, CDT 00:31:20 - Little Skittle's Stupid Thing of the Week 00:35:45 - What's luxurious about your quilt? 00:37:03 - What has been your favorite thing about your AT experience so far? 00:38:10 - What's been the most epic trail magic you received? 00:39:20 - What do you hope for at trail magic and what don't you want? 00:40:35 - What's after the Triple Crown? 00:43:13 - Introducing Travis Avery 00:46:02 - Tell us about the company history of Sawyer Products 00:47:28 - What is an extractor? 00:49:58 - How exactly does permethrin work? 00:51:47 - Can dogs get Lyme? 00:54:11 - If you were hiking the AT, how often would you apply permethrin? 00:58:50 - Can you spray permethrin on your underwear? 01:00:10 - Does permethrin present any risk when directly touching human skin? 01:01:10 - Do you have any tips and tricks for applying permethrin? 01:02:32 - What else is effective against ticks? 01:04:41 - Does picaridin help protect against flies? 01:05:41 - Describe the difference between DEET and picaridin against mosquitoes 01:08:00 - Are you uneasy using DEET? 01:08:56 - Discussion about mosquitos preferring different blood types 01:10:15 - Discussion about using permethrin around cats 01:11:55 - What are some other non obvious suggestions for using permethrin? 01:13:17 - Can you lock in the treatment using a hotel hair dryer? 01:14:14 - How do you know if your Sawyer Squeeze is broken? 01:16:10 - When did the Sawyer Squeeze come out? 01:16:50 - Tell us about the decision to make the filter compatible with standard water bottles 01:20:27 - Give us the elevator pitch on what makes the Squeeze superior to the competition 01:23:14 - Fuck Marry Kill: Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Alpha-gal Syndrome SEGMENTS Stupid Thing of the Week: AT Thru-Hiker Edition Abby "Shitwater" Evans Major Fun Guy Hamilton Dead Dad [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Sawyer Products, we are joined once again by Darwin Rakestraw, of Darwin on the Trail YouTube fame. We catch up on the past year of Darwin's adventures, including learning all about his new gear company, Evolved Supply Co., the inspiration for how he builds products, which products he chooses, what offerings might be in the pipeline, and more. We also learn about a brand new documentary featuring Brew and Jennifer Pharr Davis and their kiddos, which chronicles Sawyer's initiative to bring clean water to the non-resort portions of Fiji. We wrap the chat with a preview of the forthcoming chapter in Darwin's thriving media career, one all fans of adventure should be excited to learn more about. We wrap the show with a triple crown of "you might be a new hiker if...", an overview of a new inclusive product line from REI, and quite possibly the most off the rails ad read of all time at the end of the episode. Sawyer Products: Check out Sawyer's Permethrin Pump at REI. Backpacker's Pantry: Use code "TWINSFORWINS" for 25% off at backpackerspantry.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. [divider] Interview with Darwin Darwin's Instagram Darwin's Youtube Evolved Supply Co Time stamps & Questions 00:05:20 - QOTD: If you could redo your bachelor party, where would you have it? 00:13:06 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon! 00:16:14 - Introducing Darwin 00:18:33 - Fill us in on what you've been up to for the past year! 00:21:08 - Tell us about your gear company 00:23:12 - What about your gear separates you from the other products available? 00:28:20 - Walk us through your backpack design 00:32:04 - What have you learned about gear that you didn't know while hiking? 00:36:12 - Are there concerns about people trying to steal your business information? 00:39:57 - Tell us more about your sun hoodie 00:46:00 - Give us the full rundown on your project with Jennifer Pharr Davis 00:53:30 - Discussion about Sawyer's philanthropy work 00:55:50 - What is your role in the project? 00:58:10 - What is Jenn and her family's role in the project? 01:01:05 - Do Fijians know it's Sawyer providing the filter? 01:04:45 - Where can people watch the film? 01:10:35 - How do you manage your busy schedule? 01:12:40 - Fuck Marry Kill: Thru-hiking, your media company, and your gear company 01:14:38 - What else are you up to that you want people to know about? 01:19:30 - Discussion about Darwin's travels to Nepal 01:20:52 - Are you going to start adding more travel content to your Youtube? 01:25:40 - Thank you! SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda The REI Trailmade Collection: Top Picks From REI's New Inclusive-Sizing Technical Line by Stacia Bennett Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of you might be a new hiker if… Leave No Trace Ne-ne-nes Listener Voicemail (and leave us your own!) 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Liz Seger, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Anna McKinney. Anna is an AT thru-hiker (where she met her fiancé), a hiking guide in the Smokies, a Trek Writer, and an all around giver of good vibes. We get the full scoop on how her budding trail romance evolved to impending wedding bells- and Chaunce gives us a detailed breakdown on the stages of love on trail, we learn about some of the more interesting flora and fauna in the Smokies, battling imposter syndrome, and her recent LASH on the Arizona Trail. We wrap the show with me getting angry about spiders and octopi, a triple crown of things serious thru-hikers don't compromise on, and also other stuff! Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Backpacker's Pantry: Use code "TWINSFORWINS" for 25% off at backpackerspantry.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. [divider] Interview with Anna McKinney Anna's Instagram Anna's Trek profile Anna's blog Time stamps & Questions 00:06:07 - QOTD: Excluding water, what's the difference between spiders and octopus? 00:08:40 - Reminders: Suggest a guest! Fill out our listener survey by June 15! 00:09:35 - Introducing Anna 00:10:35 - What's your trail name and origin story? 00:12:53 - Do you have any standout trail magic stories? 00:15:06 - What got you into the outdoors? 00:16:30 - What was your big girl job? 00:17:30 - What was it like going through your own backyard on the AT for the first time? 00:20:20 - How steep was your backpacking learning curve? 00:22:23 - Discussion about losing people on the trail 00:24:29 - Did a zero degree bag with a liner prove to be excessive? 00:26:11 - What was your process of working your pack weight down? 00:29:00 - What's your base weight nowadays? 00:32:35 - We love love - tell us about meeting your fiance on the AT! 00:36:45 - When you're into someone, how do you let them know without creeping you out? 00:39:27 - When did the physical aspect come into play? 00:41:27 - How did he ask you to be his girlfriend? 00:44:08 - What was finishing the trail like for your relationship? 00:45:50 - Did you ever feel like the relationship was in jeopardy after the trail? 00:47:09 - What did you learn about him off-trail that you didn't learn on-trail? 00:49:19 - Ask your on-trail romance these questions! 00:52:43 - What are the stages of a trail relationship? 00:54:07 - Chaunce's stages of a trail relationship 00:59:22 - Tell us about working with Blue Ridge Hiking Company 01:01:53 - Tell us about caretaking the AT bunkhouse in Hot Springs 01:04:05 - What was the vibe when it's not only thru-hikers but some thru-hikers? 01:05:31 - Tell us about your experience with imposter syndrome 01:08:38 - Tell us about underrated sections of the AT 01:12:50 - What is it like to guide in the Smokies? 01:15:55 - Discussion about interacting with thru-hikers within the National Park on guiding trips 01:19:14 - What are some fun facts about the Smokies flora and fauna? 01:23:21 - What are some trail highlights in the Smokies that aren't on the AT? 01:25:57 - Tell us your engagement story! 01:29:13 - Where did you get your rings made? 01:31:32 - Tell us about the Arizona Trail! 01:35:22 - Discussion about the snow on the AZT 01:38:00 - Did you know at the beginning things could change due to the snow? 01:39:19 - Tell us about how your travel plans changed 01:41:01 - Which day of your National Parks trip would you revisit? 01:42:11 - What differences did you notice hiking with a partner between the AT and AZT? 01:44:45 - Did you get in any major fights? 01:46:54 - Have you lost any fights? 01:49:44 - Where can people go to follow you? 01:51:45 - What's next? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Italian Hiker Discovers 2,000-Year-Old Buried Treasure by Rachel Shoemaker Triple Crown of things serious thru-hikers don't compromise on Pupdate Twin Update Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champion

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Rue McKenrick. Rue is an accomplished long-distance hiker and the Executive Director of the American Perimeter Trail Conference, an ambitious project to create a 14,000 mile loop that circumnavigates the continental U.S. We learn all about Rue's scouting of this trail- as he's hiked 12,000 miles of the route in search of the best course already, his inspiration for this project, the challenges he anticipates in completing this, the role partnering with other trail organizations will play, and more. We wrap the show with Chaunce's very stupid thing of the week, additional details of our attendance at Trail Days, and the hikers we would most like to eliminate from the trail. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. [divider] Interview with Rue McKenrick Rue McKenrick Instagram American Perimeter Trail website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:15 - QOTD: If you could eliminate hikers from the trail, who would they be? 00:12:36 - Reminders: We're going to Trail Days! Come visit us on Saturday (you might see Elise there too)! Guest Recommendation form, bonus points if you're local. 00:15:35 - Introducing Rue McKenrick 00:16:15 - Tell us about growing up near the AT 00:17:28 - When did you realize you wanted to make backpacking a focus in your life? 00:19:16 - How have hikers changed over the years? 00:29:35 - What hikes have you completed? 00:34:36 - What attributed to the lack of enthusiasm? And what brought you back? 00:37:50 - What were your roles with the non-profit organizations and how did it lead to creating your own trail? 00:40:52 - Any insider stories you have from working with AMC or ATC? 00:48:51 - Give us the fast facts on the American Perimeter Trail 01:01:00 - Could you go through the flow of the American Perimeter Trail map? 01:14:30 - What is the undertaking of this project? 01:24:14 - How do you legally secure corridors for the American Perimeter Trail? 01:30:00 - Have you encountered anyone that has interest in thru-hiking the trail? 01:33:03 - Wrap up SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Outdoor Exercise Might Be Better for Your Brain Than Hitting the Gym by Rachel Shoemaker Stupid Thing of the Week Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jake Landgraf, Jeanne Latshaw, Jeff LaFranier, Joann Menzer, Keith Dobie Jr, Kelly Heikkila, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston of Project Lyme to discuss all things deer ticks and Lyme disease. We dive into just about everything one would want to know including Lyme disease prevalence, prevention strategies, treatment for Lyme and chronic Lyme, the latest in medical advancements including prospects for future vaccines, where Lyme is most problematic geographically, how to manage your pet on trail, and much more. We wrap the show with a Backpacker Radio update regarding a certain AT festival, the triple crown of animals you'd let murder you, some news for PCT and JMT hikers, and also Zach had twins. Sawyer Products: Check out Sawyer's Permethrin Pump at REI. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Backpacker's Pantry: Use code "TWINSFORWINS" for 25% off at backpackerspantry.com. [divider] Interview with Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston Project Lyme Project Lyme Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:22 - QOTD: Have you heard of soft hiking? 00:07:56 - Reminders: We're going to Trail Days (author page link here)! Take our Listener Survey! 00:15:25 - Introducing Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston 00:16:34 - Can you explain the basics of Lyme disease as if we're in fifth grade? 00:19:37 - Does everyone get some form of a rash when infected? 00:20:20 - What are the most common regions of the body for tick bites? 00:20:56 - What's the timeframe between a tick climbing onto you and biting you? 00:22:24 - How do you know that a tick hasn't already bit you? 00:23:50 - What's the prevalence of that particular virus? 00:24:20 - Discussion about the timeline of Lyme infection 00:26:20 - Are there ever instances when someone's immune system fights off the infection? 00:28:00 - Tell us more about chronic Lyme disease 00:32:42 - Is a vaccine for Lyme disease on the horizon? 00:34:14 - What was the reaction to the previous vaccine? 00:36:52 - In what regions of the country should people be the most vigilant about Lyme? 00:39:53 - What would your recommendation be for someone struggling with chronic Lyme? 00:41:04 - Is there a particular set of medications or supplements that help these people? 00:45:45 - Would it make sense to include antibiotics in your first aid kit as a thru-hiker? 00:48:44 - Can someone get Lyme disease more than once? 00:49:32 - How do you differentiate between chronic Lyme disease and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome? 00:50:25 - What's up with the red meat thing? 00:53:15 - Are there any other medical advances that you see coming related to Lyme? 00:59:00 - What's the best estimate of the prevalence of Lyme disease? 01:01:44 - What eats ticks? 01:03:25 - Discussion about a vaccine to prevent tick attachment 01:04:39 - What about the vaccine makes the tick unable to attach? 01:05:32 - What other methods of prevention would you recommend? 01:09:45 - Can animals get Lyme? 01:11:39 - Discussion about the Lyme disease vaccine for dogs 01:11:56 - If dogs can get Lyme disease, don't bears all have Lyme disease? 01:16:35 - Is there any risk in eating venison that's been infected with Lyme disease? 01:19:22 - How intelligent are ticks? 01:21:52 - Where do ticks hibernate? 01:23:45 - What happens when a tick comes in contact with permethrin? 01:26:00 - Do you know the efficacy of oil of lemon? 01:27:24 - What role does hair play in terms of the likelihood of tick attachment? 01:29:20 - Discussion about tick prevention while camping 01:31:19 - Are ticks active at night? 01:34:00 - Project Lyme resources 01:36:27 - What type of outlook is there for someone with chronic Lyme? 01:42:54 - Tell us more about your background and how you came to be at Project Lyme 01:49:04 - Where should people go to get more information? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Major PCT Bridge Failure Expected To Cause Detours for PCT, JMT Thru-Hikers in 2023 by Rachel Shoemaker Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of animals you'd let murder you Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, P

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we get the full rundown on Chaunce and Fireball's recent thru-hike of the Ozark Highlands Trail. Not only do we get a day-by-day run-through of this adventure, but we learn all about the trail's unique features, including the intense water crossings, its extremely remote nature, how they handled resupply, what they liked and didn't like about the trail, an epic trail angel stay, and more. We wrap the show with some news that affects all trekkers in the country of Nepal, a triple crown of things that get your goat, and a new gross or not gross. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Chaunce & Mims Fireball's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:50 - QOTD: What's it called if you hike near/with someone solely because they have an awesome dog? 00:07:10 - Introducing Chaunce & Mims! 00:10:40 - Would you say someone should skip the northern section? 00:13:16 - What was the inspiration to hike this trail? 00:15:00 - Discussion about the trail conditions and weather 00:15:58 - Does the time change affect you on trail? 00:17:44 - Overview of the trail logistics 00:19:45 - How did you cache/store food? 00:23:40 - Discussion about the trail itinerary 00:24:37 - How hard are the miles on the OHT? 00:27:16 - Is it nerve wracking to hike separately during the day? 00:32:00 - Have you heard of anyone being attacked by a boar? 00:35:02 - What was the weather like? 00:37:40 - Discussion about Day 3 00:38:52 - Would you hike it again? 00:40:15 - Discussion about the water crossings 00:52:53 - Discussion about Stan the trail angel 00:58:25 - Story about Big Bertha the massage chair 01:02:51 - More about Stan 01:06:30 - Discussion about Chaunce's birthday on trail 01:16:42 - Discussion about latter half of the trail 01:19:04 - Discussion about Chaunce's shoes 01:21:30 - Discussion about the second to last day of trail 01:29:00 - Discussion about finishing the trail 01:31:40 - What was the cell service like? 01:33:45 - Would you bring a dog on the trail? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Nepal To Ban Solo Trekkers Throughout the Country (Yes, That Includes the Annapurna Circuit) by Kelly Floro Triple Crown of things that get your goat Gross or Not Gross Premature Gear Evaluations Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Catra Corbett. Catra is an accomplished ultrarunner, former meth addict, author, and overall force for positivity. We go through Catra's many long distance accomplishments including being the first American woman to run over 100 miles on more than 100 occasions, her fastest known double time for the 425-miles John Muir Trail, and her streak of running every day for the last 10 years. We learn about the process of overcoming addiction and starting a new life, how Catra maintains a positive mindset while managing her depression and anxiety, her favorite trail races, including a fuck marry kill of the best 100 mile races, and much more. This was a fun lively chat, you will enjoy it, or else, we will find you. We wrap the show with a triple crown of random facts, reasons why you should SOBO thru-hike the CDT, a new patent-pending, and some last minute thoughts before Chaunce hits the Ozark Highlands Trail. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Catra Corbett Catra's Website Catra's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:09:57 - QOTD: Predictions for Zach with twins! 00:11:58 - Reminders: Take our listener survey! Trail 00:13:30 - Introducing Catra 00:14:16 - Give us your full background on getting into sports 00:18:44 - Did you have any trauma that turned you towards substances? 00:21:37 - Is it almost a benefit to have gone through past hardships while being an ultrarunner? 00:23:00 - Tell us about being a go-go dancer! 00:25:40 - Do you think you needed to process your trauma prior to starting running? 00:26:48 - Can you talk about how hard it was to stay clean and focus on running? 00:30:28 - How did you cut ties with your former friends? 00:32:02 - Tell us about setting the JMT yo-yo FKT 00:45:50 - What did the FKT culture look like in 2002? 00:49:55 - Have you had any hallucinations? 00:54:26 - Tell us about the Triple Crown of 200s 00:57:18 - Have you noticed a change in the 200-mile race scene since Courtney's win? 01:01:45 - What would you say is the line between oversleeping and undersleeping? 01:06:25 - Do you have any general advice for people looking to learn from you? 01:07:46 - Is it possible for running to become too much of a good thing? 01:12:17 - Is there an established time for a JMT triple? 01:12:45 - How do you get a permit for an FKT on the JMT? 01:14:35 - How does your approach differ based on the length of your race? 01:16:10 - Fuck Marry Kill: 100-mile races 01:18:45 - How did you get your trail name? 01:21:44 - Tell us about your shoes 01:23:06 - Tell us about getting stalked by animals and nearly dying 01:30:55 - Do you alter your course if you see storms coming? 01:31:43 - Tell us about writing the book 01:33:33 - Trigger warning: do you want to tell us about when you attempted suicide? 01:38:30 - What mindset skills do you use? 01:41:30 - Where can people go to follow you? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda 9 Reasons You Should Hike the CDT SOBO by Jenn Wall Stupid Thing of the Week Patent Pending Triple Crown of random facts Mail Bag (submit a guest for the show!) 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by Tim Ernst, renowned wilderness photographer and the founder and former president of the Ozark Highlands Trail. This one is dedicated to the Ozark Highlands Trail, serving as an in-depth trail profile of this 200-mile(ish) backpacking trail through the state of Arkansas. We learn all about what makes this trail special, the best time of the year to hike, who it's for, some of the trail's highlights, wildlife, resupply strategy and more. We wrap the show with our ride or die beer choices, a new stupidest thing of the week, a brief preview of the lost sierra trail, the triple crown of things we do that we're ashamed of, and more. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. [divider] Interview with Tim Ernst Tim's Website OHT Website Show notes photos credited to timernst.com Time stamps & Questions 00:05:28 - QOTD: What one beer would you drink for the rest of time? 00:07:30 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon to listen to our exclusive Q&A episodes! 00:09:50 - Introducing Tim 00:10:35 - What got you into the outdoors and photography? 00:13:50 - You hiked across the state with no maps? 00:14:57 - How long did the first traverse take? 00:16:07 - Tell us more about your background in photography 00:23:37 - What is the basic layout of the Ozark Highlands Trail? 00:28:40 - What do people do for that 16 mile gap? 00:33:35 - Discussion about reasons to hike the OHT 00:36:44 - How do you decide how long a trail should be? 00:41:56 - What's the official distance of the trail? 00:44:08 - What's an overview of the trail's terrain? 00:50:00 - Trail history 00:52:50 - What type of pace and water crossings should thru-hikers expect? 00:56:00 - When's the best time to hike the OHT? 00:57:50 - Is the guidebook the recommended form of navigation? 01:00:00 - Discussion about how busy the trail is 01:01:42 - What is the camping situation like? 01:05:13 - What are the resupply options like? 01:12:12 - Do you hike with the bear can that you use to stash food? 01:15:07 - What would you say is the highlight stretch of the trail? 01:20:05 - What kind of wildlife should someone expect to see at different times of year? 01:23:15 - What could someone expect as highs and lows for each season? 01:31:16 - Can this hike be done in full with a dog? 01:34:00 - Sell someone on the Ozark Highlands Trail! 01:36:55 - Where can someone get more information? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda The Lost Sierra Route Plans to Connect 15 Mountain Towns Over A 600-mile Stretch by Colleen Goldhorn Gross or Not Gross Listener Voicemail (and leave us your own!) Triple Crown of things you do you're ashamed of Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Felecia Moran, known on trail as Dora the Explorer. We talk about Dora's many thru-hikes, including the PCT, Wonderland Trail, Colorado Trail, CDT, AT SOBO, and more. We touch on what it's like to backpack with an eating disorder and body dysmorphia. Dora is especially candid about this subject and we hope it provides value to others who may be battling the same or similar issues. We wrap the show with a quick overview of some of the best down jackets for thru-hiking, a triple crown of hipster baby names, a premature gear evaluation of a popular hiking boot, and more. OnX Backcountry: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO20" for 20% off a Premium or Elite Membership at onxmaps.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Dora the Explorer Dora's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:01 - QOTD: What's the appropriate celebration for spring equinox? 00:10:30 - Introducing Dora 00:11:47 - What got you into the outdoors? 00:14:16 - What made you pick the PCT instead of the AT? 00:15:26 - What went wrong in 2012? 00:16:30 - Have you had different trail romances? 00:19:31 - Was it love at first sight with thru-hiking? 00:20:20 - What hardships did you go through on the PCT? 00:21:20 - Tell us about hiking in sandals 00:25:30 - Discussion about treating water 00:27:08 - What gear have you added back in that you might have trimmed in the beginning? 00:30:05 - What gear do you still want to upgrade? 00:35:27 - Did you know right after finishing the PCT that you'd thru-hike again next year? 00:36:32 - How do you make thru-hiking sustainable from a job perspective? 00:41:48 - Tell us about the Wonderland Trail 00:44:15 - Tell us about the Timberline Trail 00:45:50 - What were your experiences like with the water crossings? 00:46:40 - Tell us about the Colorado Trail 00:47:33 - How would you differentiate the Colorado Trail from the CDT? 00:48:30 - Tell us about your section hike of the PCT in 2015 00:49:08 - At what point did you move into the minivan? 00:51:30 - Discussion about going back and forth from the trail to nannying 00:53:22 - Tell us about your relationship with Instagram in the context of backpacking 00:58:40 - Tell us about the Continental Divide Trail in 2016 01:01:40 - How do eating disorders and body dysmorphia interact with backpacking? 01:04:00 - In what way has thru-hiking been helpful? 01:07:19 - Do you have any advice for someone who struggles with eating disorders? 01:09:57 - Anything else you want to share on this subject? 01:10:44 - Is the binging culture on trail potentially triggering? 01:13:10 - How did the spirit of your hike change once your partner joined you? 01:15:50 - Why did you need to upgrade your mental game on the CDT? 01:18:22 - What do you attribute to the Colorado Blues? 01:19:08 - Tell us about the AT 01:23:40 - How many bugs did you experience? 01:25:13 - How did you feel about completing your Triple Crown? 01:26:30 - Why do you think you've gotten less social while hiking? 01:28:00 - Tell us about the bikepacking routes you've done 01:31:35 - Talk someone into bikepacking 01:33:52 - What parting messages do you want to share? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Best Down Jackets for Thru-Hiking of 2023 Triple Crown of hipster baby names Premature Gear Evaluation Listener Voicemail (and leave us your own!) Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Cameron Brown, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined once again by Quadzilla. We of course go deep on his calendar year triple crown from last year, getting a play-by-play of his standout highlights, lowlights, and everything in between from his epic 8,000-mile adventure. Much like Quadzilla's first appearance, this one is full of sage advice for on trail and off, including how he handles isolationism, dealing with the doldrums, and the importance of staying present. This one of course does not disappoint. We wrap the show with the Triple Crown of previously held backpacking convictions you've changed your mind on, some news on Mt Washington's recent -108 degree day, and a new stupid thing of the week. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "EETREK10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Jack "Quadzilla" Jones Quadzilla's Instagram Get Quadzilla's coffee table photography book! Time stamps & Questions 00:04:53 - QOTD: Should Kraft mac n' cheese be eaten with a fork or a spoon? 00:07:15 - Reminders: Future of BPR :( 00:12:20 - Introducing Quadzilla 00:13:45 - Introduce us to the Calendar Year Triple Crown and what inspired you to do it 00:15:44 - Have we crossed any boundaries talking about your quads? 00:17:27 - Tell us about your ideal weight and your trail diet 00:19:40 - Give us some background on the general CYTC facts 00:22:18 - Tell us about the winter weather you experienced on the AT 00:27:44 - Did you have anything to self-arrest with? 00:28:26 - Did your weightlifting background give you an advantage in the snow? 00:29:14 - Was Vermont the first place you consistently saw winter weather? 00:31:01 - Was there any part of you that wished you got off and switched trails? 00:32:28 - What was your camera setup? 00:34:57 - Have you ever considered making a quads calendar or OnlyFans? 00:36:35 - Do you have any trail photography hacks? 00:38:07 - Tell us about your wildlife encounters and photos 00:40:56 - Why did you also take video clips? 00:44:05 - Were you intentionally more introspective in what you shared about your journey? 00:47:28 - How do you process everything publicly? 00:49:30 - Tell us about battling isolationism 00:53:38 - Do you have thoughts on what a cure could be? 00:57:39 - Tell us more about recognizing when you're in the doldrums of a hike 01:01:36 - How would you compare the AT? 01:04:10 - Did you consider timing where you would be during a potential low point? 01:07:00 - What are your top "holy shit" moments from the CYTC? 01:09:08 - Quadzilla's poop story 01:10:00 - Did you hike with other people at any point? 01:12:45 - How did you then pull away from the social aspect and return to hiking solo? 01:14:36 - How often did you get recognized? 01:18:02 - Did that experience make you rethink the next hitch? 01:21:03 - If you could go back and relive a day from each of the trails, which would it be? 01:23:10 - When you got past the San Juans, was there a big sigh of relief? 01:25:27 - What kind of gear did you carry over the course of the year? 01:29:22 - Do you have the layering company to hike in cold temperatures? 01:31:25 - Discussion about waterproof socks 01:31:50 - Days Quadzilla would relive on the AT and CDT 01:34:16 - Discussion about smashing watermelons 01:38:40 - How did the CDT this year compare to the first time you hiked it? 01:41:40 - Are there certain restaurants or towns you knew you wanted to visit a second time? 01:44:42 - Did you keep track of your food or macros while hiking? 01:45:53 - Did any particular food item keep your interest for the entire journey? 01:47:23 - Did you take any supplements? 01:50:24 - What did your 5,000 calories consist of? 01:52:16 - Did you intentionally drink a certain amount of water? 01:53:50 - Tell us about getting sponsored for your hike 01:55:08 - Did you find any romance on the trail? 01:58:01 - What plans do you have for this year? 02:01:00 - Where can people buy your book? 02:02:30 - Anything else to share before you leave? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Mount Washington's -108 Degree Wind Chill Breaks US Record by Rachel Shoemaker Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of previously held backpacking convictions you've changed your mind on Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radi

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Lt Cookoo Bird. Cookoo's a name you've heard on this podcast before, he's been a hiking partner of Jabba's for many years and he was the third member of our Wind River High route trek in 2019. Today's episode is a certified marathon, as Cookoo delights us with tales from trails all over the country, including the time he got a hitch from a prostitute, tindering his way along the West Coast, cycling from Oregon to Maine with his mom, befriending countless strangers, and much more. This one is an instant Backpacker Radio classic. We wrap the show with a triple crown of non-traditional burger toppings, confirmation that boxers are in fact the dumbest dog breed, and some tips for hiking in the rain on the Appalachian Trail. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. [divider] Interview with Lt. Cookoo Bird Bruce's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:35 - QOTD: What is the appropriate amount of time to wait to ask to eat someone's pickle? 00:08:20 - Reminders: Vote for BPR in the Sports Podcast Awards! 00:09:25 - Introducing Bruce 00:10:08 - Tell us your trail name origin story. 00:13:40 - Why did you start with the Long Trail? 00:15:45 - Would you say the Appalachian Trail was your most formative hike? 00:16:30 - Tell us about your vow of silence on the AT. 00:21:39 - What was Jabba like in 2013? 00:23:10 - Any other standout stories from the AT? 00:25:02 - Give us the background on hiker gangs. 00:28:15 - Discussion about Riff Raff 00:36:39 - What are the different groups like? 00:38:48 - What is the interaction like between groups? 00:40:40 - Tell us about the Adirondack 46ers. 00:45:00 - How did the Adirondacks compare to trails you'd done before? 00:46:02 - Was the Sierra High Route next? 00:47:00 - Getting to the Lost Coast Trail 01:01:50 - Tell us about the Lost Coast Trail 01:05:50 - Getting to the Sierra High Route 01:12:20 - Tell us about the Sierra High Route. 01:16:54 - What is camping like on the Sierra High Route? 01:18:15 - How much is on trail versus off? 01:19:44 - Tell us the story of almost getting kicked off a bus. 01:26:55 - Tell us about the bike tour with your mom. 01:30:45 - What did you learn about your mom while biking from coast to coast? 01:32:02 - How would you describe your relationship to your mom prior to the trip? 01:34:22 - Did your relationship change over the course of the trip? 01:38:17 - How did the bike trip compare to your thru-hikes? 01:41:24 - Anything else to share from the ride? 01:42:30 - Tell us about your adventures in 2017. 01:52:00 - Discussion about Mt. Washington 01:53:58 - Biking around Lake Superior 02:00:50 - Disassembling a barn in Iowa 02:02:00 - Trying MCT oil 02:04:30 - Discussion about Bruce's love life 02:06:30 - Tell us about the first attempt of the Hayduke in 2019 02:14:30 - Story about burning his foot on the Hayduke 02:27:10 - Switching to hike with Jabba in Escalante 02:29:40 - Interview pause: twin update 02:32:49 - Tell us about the Wind River High Route 02:43:00 - Story about bailing off the Wind River High Route 02:50:00 - Tell us about redeeming yourself with a class 5 climb in the Tetons SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda 12 Helpful Tips for Dealing With Rain While Hiking the Appalachian Trail by Kelly Floro Patent Pending Triple Crown of non-traditional burger toppings Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are yet again talking all things hiking the PCT in a high snow year. This episode was recorded in early March, now that we have a clearer picture of what the 2023 hiking season will look like, and it is historically snowy. Today's episode features a pair of interviews- first we are joined by Daniel Winsor, 2017 PCT NOBO thru-hiker and author of "Crunch: A Million Snowy Steps Along the Pacific Crest Trail". Daniel was one of the first people through the Sierra in 2017, another historically high snow year, and shares in detail what his experience looked like, including his preferred traction, how to safely navigate high water crossings, the importance of traveling with a group, the schedule necessary for making miles, his close calls, and more. We are then joined by Ned Tibbits, founder of Mountain Education, a non-profit, public charity wilderness school that has been teaching people how to safely backpack year-round since 1982. Ned gives us even more nitty gritty detail about his advice for navigating the Sierra in high snow, including the safest time to enter the Sierra, the proper traction equipment, managing water crossings, and more. A lot of Ned and Daniel's advice overlaps, some of it deviates. Importantly- the advice issued in today's show is for informational purposes only. This is not intended to and should not be relied upon solely for how to navigate dangerous, backpacking conditions, which the PCT is sure to offer this year and beyond. Please seek the guidance of a skilled instructor for learning how to backpack through high snow and do not rely solely on any podcast, this one included. We wrap the show with two very embarrassing stories for ole Badger. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Treecard: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 1,000 free reward points at treecard.org. [divider] Interview with Daniel Winsor and Ned Tibbits Daniel's book: Crunch: A Million Snowy Steps Along the Pacific Crest Trail Daniel's Instagram Ned's Courses: Mountain Education Mountain Education Facebook Page Time stamps & Questions 00:05:54 - QOTD: Do you prefer dry food or wet food? 00:09:42 - Reminders: Take our listener survey! Support us on Patreon! 00:11:23 - Introducing the episode and Daniel 00:13:47 - Tell us your outdoors experience. 00:16:52 - What prep did you do before hiking the PCT in 2017? 00:20:19 - How much of your prep was self-taught versus watching tutorials? 00:23:50 - Tell us your start date and when you reached Kennedy Meadows. 00:26:00 - What was your mindset at the start of the Sierra? 00:29:49 - What were other people's mindsets at the start of the Sierra? 00:36:10 - Did you encounter sketchy parts of trail prior to reaching the Sierra? 00:39:05 - Which conditions are better for crampons versus microspikes? 00:43:30 - What are your opinions on snowshoes or skis? 00:48:08 - What other gear changes did you make going from desert to snow? 00:55:00 - What were the snow conditions like given that you were so early in the season? 01:03:10 - Discussion about 2017 Sierra incidents 01:18:30 - Can you talk about your approach to water crossings? 01:23:06 - Was there a chain of command within your group? 01:27:38 - What other non-obvious advice do you have? 01:29:42 - Walk us through the schedule of your typical day in the Sierra. 01:32:30 - What other elements were particularly difficult to deal with? 01:36:15 - What signs did you look for to indicate if you were walking over water? 01:39:23 - If someone was on the fence about the Sierra this year, what should their thought process be? 01:42:25 - Where to find Daniel's book 01:44:15 - Introducing Ned Tibbits 01:45:53 - Tell us about hiking the PCT in 1974. 01:51:00 - How did you plan your PCT hike? 01:54:18 - Were there other people on the trail? 01:55:20 - How did you stay so connected to the trail all this time? 01:59:15 - Have you ever estimated how many hours you've spent traveling on snow? 02:01:35 - Can you put into context what we're looking at for the 2022-2023 winter? 02:09:38 - Is March the right time to start, or no? 02:15:58 - Do you have thoughts on the safest window for entering the Sierra? 02:20:28 - What day would be Ned Day? 02:24:14 - What are the requisite skills a PCT hiker should have before arriving at Campo? 02:29:50 - Can you talk about an ice ax versus a whippet? 02:38:00 - Is using a whippet ever risky during water crossing scenarios? 02:49:10 - Discussion about traction 03:01:10 - What's your take on the appropriateness of snowshoes? 03:06:27 - Can you talk about pitching a tent in snow? 03:11:30 - What's your top advice for dealing with water crossings in a high snow year? 0

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Alex Brown, known on trail as GPS. In addition to thru-hiking the CDT- with a Nolans 14 bonus- and more recently, the Pfiffner Traverse, we go deep on gear talk with GPS, as he is a certified gear nerd with a passion and deep knowledge of material sciences. We talk about some of the drawbacks of Dyneema Composite Fabric, what gear fabrics he's most excited about, when ultralight goes too far, and more. We wrap the chat with a discussion around the Ethics of Geotagging on Social Media. We close out the show with a new patent-pending, the triple crown of small things that are never not funny, and a new stupid thing of the week. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Treecard: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 1,000 free reward points at treecard.org. [divider] Interview with Alex "GPS" Brown Alex's Instagram Alex's Trek Profile Time stamps & Questions 00:04:48 - QOTD: What's something you can't find at a store that's been driving you crazy lately? 00:11:18 - Reminders: Vote for BPR in the Sports Podcast Awards! 00:12:53 - Introducing GPS 00:13:27 - Tell us about architecture! 00:16:15 - Why did you want to become an architect? 00:17:26 - What got you into backpacking? 00:19:00 - What did you learn in the Boy Scouts? 00:20:38 - Where did the Long Trail come on your radar? 00:22:52 - What made you decide to hike the CDT as your first thru-hike? 00:24:18 - How did you prepare for the CDT? 00:25:19 - How did you decide to use a tarp tent? 00:27:30 - Is DCF overrated? Read Alex's Trek article on the subject 00:30:12 - How does your interest in this overlap with your architecture skills? 00:32:19 - Is it bad to fold up your tent? 00:33:10 - What tents would you recommend for a modest budget? 00:34:37 - Do you think there will be a future material that surpasses what's currently available? 00:38:55 - Are there any companies that are using the ultra fabric? 00:40:54 - How do you recommend people store their tents? 00:43:28 - Did you get a chance to test the Big Agnes DCF tent? 00:46:05 - Tell us about your CDT pack 00:51:23 - Tell us about your sleeping bag and pad 00:55:25 - Tell us about the Nolans 14 portion of the CDT 00:56:01 - Give us the Nolans 14 basics 00:57:55 - What was the inspiration for making the CDT more difficult? 00:59:04 - Discussion of the Wind River High Route 01:00:12 - Were you surprised by how smooth things had gone? 01:00:48 - How did you manage your weight and diet on the CDT? 01:03:30 - What did your town days look like? 01:05:30 - How would Chaunce eat 5,000 calories in a day? 01:07:57 - What were the highlights from New Mexico? 01:09:08 - What was your longest mile day on the CDT? 01:11:19 - Tell us about the Pfiffner Traverse 01:15:07 - Was it nerve-wracking to do your first solo trip with paper maps? 01:16:05 - Who would you recommend to the Pfiffner Traverse? 01:17:03 - What are you planning for 2023? 01:17:40 - What do you do on the weekends near Aspen? 01:19:25 - What's your stance on geotagging? Read Alex's Trek article on the subject 01:25:10 - Discussion about age and use of social media 01:29:09 - What do you love about the X-Mid? 01:30:50 - Have you thought about designing your own gear? 01:31:27 - What does your ideal kit look like? 01:35:26 - Tell us about shoes 01:39:58 - What are some examples of stupid light? Read Alex's Trek article on the subject 01:42:38 - Why do you say you don't need to overplan for a thru-hike? 01:45:41 - How did you get your trail name? SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda The Top Sleeping Bags, Quilts, and Pads on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey by Kate Richard Patent Pending Triple Crown of small things that are never not funny 5 Star Review New Chuck Norris Award Patron Benefit [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are chatting all things Pacific Crest Trail, round two. We are joined by our pal and two-time PCT thru-hiker, Michael "Grizzly" Ivey to talk through our top advice for hiking the PCT, with a special emphasis on doing so during a high snow year, which 2023 is shaping up to be. We go through suggestions for traveling through a snowy Sierra, including estimating food carries, how to approach water crossings, grouping, self-arresting skills, and more. We also chat through some more general tips including how to budget zero days, evaluating what type of hiker you are, and how to mentally approach the hike overall during a year with a large potential for chaos. We wrap the panel by breaking down how our gear changed from one section to the next during our own PCT hikes. If you like the PCT, we think you'll love this episode. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Good To-Go: Use code "TREK25" for 25% off at goodto-go.com. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] PCT Panel with Chaunce, Badger, and Grizzly Grizzly's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:04 - QOTD: If you worked in fast food, would you prioritize the drive-thru orders or the in-store orders? 00:08:20 - Reminders: Vote for BPR in the Sports Podcast Awards! Replace sweet sweet Leah and become our video person! 00:12:53 - Introducing Grizzly 00:15:33 - Zach Tip #1: Be ready for everything that comes with a high snow year 00:18:10 - Daniel's 2017 High Snow Year Trek post 00:21:10 - Zach Tip #1a: You can't carry too much food 00:25:38 - Zach Tip #1b: Creek crossings in swift water above your mid-thigh are dangerous 00:30:26 - Discussion about snow bridges 00:33:01 - Zach Tip #1c: Avoid hiking solo, especially at water crossings 00:39:31 - Chaunce Tip #1: Know your own limitations 00:43:27 - Grizzly's trail resume 00:47:10 - Grizzly Tip #1: Identify what kind of hiker you are and how that will affect your hike 00:50:51 - Zach Tip #2: Go into your hike with a flexible mindset 00:59:00 - Chaunce Tip #2: Learn how to self-arrest and practice it before getting on trail 01:05:25 - Grizzly Tip #2: No matter how dialed in your gear is, you'll learn something new 01:14:03 - Chaunce Tip #3: Budget your zero days 01:23:37 - Zach Tip #3: Sun umbrellas are the shit 01:29:03 - Shoutout to Rachel! 01:29:20 - Grizzly's PCT gear swaps 01:36:25 - Discussion about shoes 01:39:35 - Chaunce's PCT gear swaps 01:40:50 - Zach's PCT gear swaps 01:46:00 - Favorite spots in the desert 01:52:00 - Discussion about trail angels near the southern terminus 01:54:44 - Favorite spots in the Sierra/NorCal 01:59:20 - Favorite spots in Oregon 02:02:40 - Favorite spots in Washington SEGMENTS 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Brian Tanzman, known on trail as Buck-30. Buck-30 has amassed more than 45,000 trail miles since getting into backpacking two decades ago. We go through his immense trail resume, including all the trails you've heard of and some you haven't such as the Bigfoot Trail, Israel National Trail, the Hot Springs Trail, Great Himalaya Trail, the Desert Trail, the Deseret Hiking Route, and more. Much like Buck-30 himself, this interview covers a lot of ground- if you love thru-hiking you will get some solid insight and entertainment from this conversation. We wrap the show with the top sleeping bags and quilts used on the Appalachian Trail, the triple crown of features of a dream house, a new stupidest thing of the week, and more. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Good To-Go: Use code "TREK25" for 25% off at goodto-go.com. Treecard: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 1,000 free reward points at treecard.org. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Brian "Buck-30" Tanzman Buck-30's Postholer Buck-30's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:24 - QOTD: What do you wish you knew more about? 00:07:28 - Reminders: Apply to blog for the Trek, check out our latest merch, and support us on Patreon! 00:09:00 - Introducing Buck-30 00:09:55 - How did you get into the outdoors? 00:12:05 - At what point did the appeal of long distance hiking sink in? 00:15:19 - Did 9/11 have anything to do with starting hiking? 00:16:58 - How do you make this lifestyle work with your career?00:21:23 - What standout stories do you have from the Triple Crown trails? 00:24:30 - Why do you call yourself "old, grumpy, and opinionated"? 00:28:45 - Tell us about marrying and divorcing another Triple Crowner. 00:33:30 - Discussion about the Arizona Trail 00:35:17 - Discussion about the Australian trails 00:39:20 - Did you see any interesting wildlife in Australia? 00:43:20 - What does the terrain look like in Australia? 00:44:10 - Tell us about the San Diego Sea to Sea 00:46:23 - Did you hike both islands on the Te Araroa? 00:49:30 - Is there an exclusive group chat for people who've hiked all of the Scenic Trails? 00:50:32 - Backpacker Radio Missed Connection! 00:52:18 - Tell us about the Pacific Northwest Trail 00:55:22 - What did you hate about the Ice Age Trail? 01:01:13 - Tell us about your experience of the Hayduke 01:02:17 - At what point in your hiking career did you start using a GPS device? 01:05:50 - Tell us about the Bigfoot Trail 01:06:30 - Tell us about the Finger Lakes Trail 01:08:33 - Tell us about the Lowest to Highest Route 01:11:25 - Tell us about the Israel National Trail 01:14:42 - Tell us about hiking in Patagonia 01:17:35 - Tell us about the Hot Springs Trail 01:21:42 - Are the hot springs right along the trail or off-trail? 01:23:20 - How much nudity did you see on this trail? 01:24:40 - How much of the route is trail, road-walking, or route-finding? 01:25:45 - If someone wanted to do a 300-400 mile section, what would you recommend? 01:27:00 - Tell us about the Great Himalaya Trail 01:30:30 - Discussion about not treating water and getting sick in Nepal 01:33:45 - Tell us about the New England National Scenic Trail 01:35:26 - Ranking the National Scenic Trails 1-7 01:43:22 - Discussion about encountering angry dogs on trail 01:46:00 - Ranking the National Scenic Trails 8-11 01:50:29 - Tell us about the Mongollon Rim Trail 01:51:20 - Tell us about the Desert Trail 01:53:37 - Do you have any tips for people new to hiking in the desert? 01:56:02 - Tell us about the Oregon Coast Trail 01:59:45 - Tell us about the Desert Hiking Route 02:03:54 - Tell us about the Great Basin Trail 02:05:34 - Buck-30's poop story 02:10:15 - Tell us about the Desert Winter Thru-Hike 02:13:37 - Buck-30 convinces Zach that thru-hiking is way better than cycling SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda The Top Sleeping Bags, Quilts, and Pads on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey by Kate Richard Triple Crown of features in a dream house Stupid Thing of the Week Listener Voicemail (and leave us your own!) 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Produ

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Christine Reed. Christine is a backpacker, climber, runner, and author. Her book, Alone in Wonderland, is a memoir covering not only her thru-hike of the Wonderland Trail, but also the emotional and gripping story of her life and foray into backpacking. Today's subject matter is vast, including but not limited to Christine's mom unexpectedly passing during her attempted AT thru-hike, polyamory, van life, logistics of thru-hiking the Wonderland Trail, and how Christine deals with POTS- a medical acronym that I refuse to butcher but it pertains to reduced blood volume and makes exercising much more challenging. We wrap the show with advice from AT ridge runners, a triple crown of old people's names, a fresh stupid thing of the week, and more! Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Treecard: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 1,000 free reward points at treecard.org. [divider] Interview with Christine Reed Christine's Instagram Alone in Wonderland Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:05 - QOTD: How's dry January going? 00:12:24 - Reminders: Check out our Stay Feral shirts! 00:16:07 - Introducing Christine 00:17:55 - How and when did you get interested in the AT? 00:19:42 - What was your preparation strategy? 00:20:44 - What were the circumstances in your life at that time? 00:22:10 - How did you handle your parents not being supportive of your hike? 00:26:11 - What did the right gear look like in 2013-2015? 00:28:18 - Did your parents eventually warm up to the idea? 00:30:52 - What was it like to get back on trail after that? 00:33:00 - Tell us about the end of your hike and how you felt about it. 00:37:23 - What did your life look like after the AT? 00:39:33 - Have you ever considered going back to hike more of the AT? 00:41:05 - What was the inspiration to hike the Wonderland Trail? 00:43:45 - How many caches do you need for the Wonderland Trail? 00:44:34 - Tell us about the themes of isolation and loneliness in your book. 00:47:28 - Tell us about polyamory. 00:56:30 - How did polyamory interact with your hiking experiences? 00:59:25 - Were you always good at setting boundaries? 01:00:12 - Is there a difference between perceptions of men and women in polyamory? 01:01:52 - Tell us about the process of getting a walk up permit for the Wonderland Trail. 01:04:23 - Discussion about the Wonderland Trail campsites 01:06:10 - What led you to make this hike the subject of a book? 01:10:00 - Tell us about getting your spine fused. 01:13:21 - Is the PT all you needed to hike without issue? 01:14:34 - What is POTS and how does it affect your hiking? 01:18:36 - Does POTS put you at higher risk for a cardiac event? 01:21:57 - Are there any medications for POTS? 01:26:00 - How did the Ouachita FKT attempt go? 01:31:26 - Can you compare and contrast the physical experience of doing a FKT or a 50K? 01:33:13 - What are some of your favorite hiking foods? 01:35:23 - What should someone know about vanlife who's considering it? 01:37:40 - What challenges often catch people off guard? 01:42:08 - Do you have any other vanlife hacks? 01:44:03 - Do you have any simple products you recommend for vanlifers? 01:46:06 - What's on the horizon for you? SEGMENTS Backcountry Meal Critics: Bushka's Kitchen Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda 4 Ridgerunners Share Their Top Advice for AT Thru-Hikers by Ann Marie White Triple Crown of old person names Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, DoGoodPantry, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Morgan Luke, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to you by Good To-Go, the studio is transforming into a love lodge as we interview not one but two Hiker Trash couples. Liz and Matt (aka Chuckles and Frisky) and Nat and Matt (aka Bart and Party Tart) give us a glimpse into how their relationships came to be, the highlights and lowlights of thru-hiking with a significant other, and some of their top trail-tested advice for maintaining a relationship on trail and off. The format for today is chaotic yet fun, as we kick things off with a round of The Newlywed Game and transition into rotating sessions of seven minutes in heaven. I promise that will make sense here shortly. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Good To-Go: Use code "TREK25" for 25% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Liz, Matt, Nat, and Matt Liz's Instagram Matt's Instagram Nat & Matt's Instagram Nat's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:45 - QOTD: How frequently do you have dreams that your relationship ends and wake up panicked? 00:09:45 - Introducing the interviewees 00:11:52 - The Newlywed Game: Nat and Matt 00:29:07 - The Newlywed Game: Liz and Matt 00:30:30 - Outa Ware pants 00:41:20 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 1: Nat and Matt 00:43:08 - Give us the full rundown of your PCT hike in 2019. 00:47:04 - Were you apprehensive going into the PCT? 00:48:30 - What is it like prepping for a thru-hike as a couple? 00:50:49 - Walk us through rearranging who would carry what? 00:54:26 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 2: Liz and Matt 00:55:02 - Tell us your trail name origin stories. 01:03:08 - Frisky and Chuckle's origin story 01:10:22 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 3: Nat and Matt 01:19:33 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 4: Liz and Matt 01:20:20 - What's your most embarrassing partner story from trail? 01:30:30 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 5: Nat and Matt 01:31:04 - What was your biggest fight on trail? 01:33:04 - How do you avoid fights on trail? 01:37:00 - What made you realize you were being competitive? 01:38:29 - Do you have a conflict resolution strategy? 01:44:08 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 6: Liz and Matt 01:44:56 - What was your biggest fight on the PCT? 01:50:07 - What was your biggest fight on the CDT? 01:56:57 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 7: Nat and Matt 01:57:10 - Guiding for Skurka 01:58:33 - What is your most R-rated trail story? 02:05:40 - When was the first time you had sex in a tent? 02:08:33 - Seven Minutes in Heaven Round 8: Liz and Matt 02:12:25 - Were there any other questions you were expecting? 02:15:38 - If you had one piece of advice for someone going on a thru-hike with a partner, who would it be? 02:24:18 - What are other things that should go on a pre-trail couple's contract? SEGMENTS Triple Crown of bad or embarrassing date moments [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Good To-Go, we are joined by Chris Priest and Duncan Say, authors of "Forty years, sixteen days: Will two old friends walk the Pennine Way - again?" As the title implies, Chris and Duncan hiked this 268-mile trail in the UK twice, forty years apart. We learn all about this trail, including why the duo thinks it's the best long-distance trail in all of the UK, how it's changed over the years, the culture that surrounds the trail, some of the standout highlights along the trail, and considerations for those who choose to travel from abroad to hike it. We also get some fun, standout stories from these journeys and the book. Prepare to expand your trail bucket list. We wrap the show with our irrational fears, a triple crown of our most unpopular opinions, the top tents on the Appalachian Trail, a voicemail from an international listener about which cell carrier is best for the AT, and more. Good To-Go: Use code "TREK25" for 25% off at goodto-go.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Chris & Duncan Chris & Duncan's Instagram Chris & Duncan's Blog Forty years, sixteen days Time stamps & Questions 00:04:43 - QOTD: What is your irrational fear? 00:16:38 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon! Apply to blog for the Trek! 00:19:12 - Introducing Chris and Duncan 00:20:12 - How did you two meet and become friends? 00:22:11 - Tell us about your backgrounds and careers. 00:27:14 - What is the English terminology for hiking? 00:27:57 - Give us a primer on the Pennine Way. 00:30:30 - Is green the normal aesthetic across all of England? 00:34:12 - Is there an advantage to hiking the trail in a certain direction? 00:35:53 - What could someone expect weatherwise on this trail? 00:38:00 - Discussion about the popularity of English trails over time 00:39:35 - What are some advantages of the Pennine Way over the Coast to Coast Trail? 00:41:06 - How often do you walk through towns? 00:43:25 - Are there specific 'can't-miss' pubs or sights along the trail? 00:48:26 - Tell us about the difficulty of the terrain. 00:51:00 - Tell us about the accommodations and camping on trail. 00:54:28 - What is the cost of the accommodations? 00:56:35 - How much did you have to budget for the full trip? 00:57:56 - What meals did you crave in town? 00:59:55 - Did you book accommodations in advance or the day of? 01:00:53 - What was the range of temperatures that you experienced? 01:03:00 - Discussion about wind 01:04:53 - Are there any historical places along the trail? 01:07:44 - Describe the designated campsites and wild camping 01:13:45 - Fuck Marry Kill: Pennine Way, Coast to Coast Trail, West Highland Way 01:18:00 - Discussion about British culture on trail 01:19:01 - If you could go back and relive one of the hikes, which would you pick? 01:23:36 - Is it true that you wore jeans and sweaters the first time? 01:25:20 - Tell us about the WhatsApp message. 01:29:33 - Tell us about the Bristol Stool Chart. 01:32:00 - What types of wildlife do you see on the trail? 01:35:50 - Are there any good English wool companies for hiking apparel? 01:37:55 - Are there rules about shitting on someone's private property? 01:39:42 - Where should listeners go to learn more? SEGMENTS Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda Top Tents and Shelters on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey by Kate Richard Triple Crown of unpopular opinions Mail Bag Listener Voicemail 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are breaking out the champagne and bringing you a super juicy show in celebration of Backpacker Radio's 5 year anniversary. We catch up with six of your and our favorite guests over the past handful of years, we reminisce on our favorite memories of the podcast (including the time Chaunce almost got fired), and give you a bit of a behind-the-scenes of how the sausage is made. In typical Backpacker Radio fashion, this episode is an ultra-marathon. Sorry in advance. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Goodr: Use code "BACKPACKER" for free shipping on your first order at goodr.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Time stamps & Questions 00:05:20 - QOTD: Are you willing to make a bet? 00:13:10 - Reminders: Badger sponsorship launches today! Buy our Stay Feral merch! 00:15:45 - Structure of this episode 00:21:30 - A random podcast memory 00:24:20 - Guest 1: Weezer 00:27:20 - Weezer's love interest update 00:30:20 - What's your advice for romance on trail? 00:35:34 - Guest 2: Professor 00:37:40 - What happened after we last spoke to you? 00:40:50 - Do you have any standout stories since we last spoke? 00:44:10 - What were your emotions when you finished the PCT? 00:46:15 - What's next for you? 00:51:38 - Are you still excited to do more trail things in the future? 00:54:55 - Guest 3: Nancy East 00:57:10 - Tell us about the Superior Hiking Trail! 01:01:10 - What was the town experience like? 01:02:33 - How is your book doing? 01:04:10 - What are your hiking plans for 2023? 01:04:55 - Tell us about the Centennial Trail. 01:08:29 - Guest 4: Kevin Conley 01:10:30 - What are you up to? 01:14:20 - Sing your song for us. 01:21:46 - What reception did you get from your interview? 01:25:15 - What else do you have planned for this year? 01:26:48 - Get Kevin's book. 01:29:41 - Guest 5: Matt "Pretzel" Mason 01:36:00 - Tell us about climbing the ranks in the fire world. 01:39:33 - Tell us about the snow sports you're doing. 01:43:30 - What is an avalanche pit? 01:44:33 - What's scarier: fire or snow? 01:45:35 - What's your advice to thru-hikers considering fires? 01:47:20 - Do you see anything in the thru-hiking world you think could be improved? 01:52:20 - What do you have planned for the future? 01:56:30 - Zach gives Pretzel an honor! 02:03:50 - Reminiscing about the start of the podcast begins 02:43:54 - 2019 reminiscing 02:55:11 - Guest 6: Elise "SOS" Ott 02:59:50 - 2021 reminiscing 03:19:20 - What are Elise's big plans for 2023? 03:24:00 - 2022 reminiscing 03:28:40 - Chatting with Rachel 03:38:17 - Chatting with Leah [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are once again joined by Patricia Cameron. We catch up on all that she's been up to since our last interview, including a NOLS mountaineering leadership course in Alaska, a 2022 LASH on the PCT, and a hiker trash prom hosted by her organization, Blackpackers. Patricia also shares a distressing story of her being the victim of a hate crime during her PCT hike in Lone Pine, California, in which she caught the entire encounter on video. We play the audio from this incident, get Patricia's take on exactly what went down, some of her thoughts on the risk and reception of being a hiker of color through these rural towns, and despite this incident, why she has no plans to stop long-distance backpacking anytime soon. A warning to listeners that the audio from this video is triggering, but I do believe that it's important for everyone in the community to hear this and get a sense of the depressing reality that still persists for many of our fellow hikers. We wrap the show with a few reasons why a flip-flop thru-hike might be the way to go on the AT, a triple crown of non-dog pets, a superb listener poop story, and more. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Patricia Cameron Blackpacker's Website Patricia's Twitter Patricia's Instagram Blackpackers Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:06:50 - QOTD: Would you take 5 years off your life to talk back and forth with your dog for one hour? 00:11:45 - Reminders: subscribe to the Trek newsletter for news about the Badger Sponsorship 00:12:20 - Introducing Patricia 00:13:14 - What have you been up to since March of 2021? 00:14:54 - What does a person do on a glacier for 2 weeks? 00:18:41 - What inspired you to take the class and learn these winter skills? 00:20:03 - How does a day on a glacier compare to a day of backpacking? 00:22:02 - What skill were you most excited to learn? 00:24:35 - How did you transition from Alaska to Kennedy Meadows? 00:25:30 - Tell us about starting on the PCT 00:26:40 - Discussion about cold soaking and food planning 00:28:33 - What made the PCT harder than you were expecting? 00:33:27 - Tell us about hiking after injuring your leg. 00:35:11 - Did you consider getting off trail? 00:36:01 - Tell us about the incident that happened in Lone Pine. 00:40:25 - *Trigger warning: Audio clip starts* 00:41:22 - *Trigger warning: Audio clip ends* 00:42:30 - Were you scared at that moment? 00:42:45 - Were you more or less scared going back to trail after that? 00:45:38 - Tell us more about Nicole and Girls Fight Back 00:46:43 - Is there a part of you that feels vindicated by capturing the incident on video? 00:50:18 - What will it take for you to feel safe going to Lone Pine? 00:53:48 - What do you want the listener to take away from hearing this? 00:56:48 - How did the incident impact the rest of your hike, particularly in trail towns? 01:00:30 - Any parting messages related to this? 01:01:04 - Where did your LASH end? 01:03:30 - Discussion about Amtrak ride from Truckee to Denver 01:06:00 - Discussion about the Tahoe Rim Trail 01:08:20 - Would you recommend the TRT to others? 01:10:00 - Tell us about your Good Morning America interview 01:14:15 - Discussion about public speaking 01:15:40 - Tell us about Hiker Trash Prom 01:17:48 - What's coming up for Blackpackers in 2023? 01:20:00 - Thank you! SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda 6 Reasons a Flip-Flop Thru-Hike of the Appalachian Trail Is the Right Way To Go by Richard "Crossword" Guenther That's all, Folks. by MG Hibionada Triple Crown of non-dog pets Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined once again by Andrew Skurka. In his fourth appearance on the show, we cover some uncharted territory here, including an overview of a guided trip from last year that went less than according to plan, how to best scout the weather for where you're backpacking (and why relying on trip reports can be a mistake), his thoughts on the Durston X-Mid, how someone who lives in the flatlands should train for a backpacking trip out west, why he was able to PR his marathon time in his early 40s (which is a handful of years past the traditional running prime) and why he's gifting Juliana a trash bag. We also go into why Andrew got into hunting, what tips he has for new hunters, gear advice, and why he butchers his own meat. Skurka's episodes are always full of practical advice for the backcountry and this one is certainly no exception. We wrap the show with the top footwear from the Appalachian Trail in 2022, the triple crown of gaming consoles, and the most exciting thing we've learned in the new year. Good To-Go: Use code "TREK25" for 25% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Andrew Skurka Skurka's Instagram Skurka's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:25 - QOTD: What's the most exciting thing you've learned in the new year? 00:10:49 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon! Badger Sponsorship goes live January 30! 00:13:20 - Introducing Andrew 00:14:27 - What have you been up to since you were last on the show? 00:15:05 - Discussion about marathons and athleticism 00:17:52 - Discussion about shoe technology, shoes for hiking vs. running, and shoe life length 00:23:18 - Will you be going for another personal record? 00:24:12 - Have you sustained any major injuries related to running? 00:24:50 - What's your exercise routine? 00:25:37 - Tell us about the guiding year you had. 00:29:46 - How did you pick the ideal location within Olympic National Park? 00:32:13 - What portion of the trips were off trail? 00:33:15 - Discussion about group dynamics and reactions to non-optimal trip conditions 00:36:00 - What went well on the trips to the Olympics? 00:36:55 - Will you modify fitness expectations for 2023 trips? 00:39:25 - Any other lessons from the 2022 session? 00:40:22 - Discussion about Skurka's guides 00:41:55 - What components go into a "good" guiding service? 00:43:11 - What is your minimum threshold for new guide hires? 00:47:25 - Were there any standout new hires from this year? 00:50:27 - Do you find it challenging to get on trail for personal reasons? 00:53:04 - What do you see being more realistic moving forward: hiring out the administrative side or the in-person guiding side? 00:55:43 - How do you recommend getting backcountry weather forecasts? 00:59:53 - What do you think about the iPhone satellite SOS communication feature? 01:03:31 - Did anything else come out over this year that you're really excited about? 01:06:00 - Did you change any of your gear this year? 01:07:20 - Discussion about the Durston X-Mid 01:09:00 - Discussion about DCF and gear improvements 01:12:44 - Discussion about the lifespan and waterproofing of tents 01:16:00 - What's the most underdeveloped piece of gear that cottage companies are missing? 01:19:05 - What are your training tips for people living in low-elevation, flat areas? 01:23:18 - Backpack rain cover or no cover? 01:27:00 - Zach & Chaunce's gear over time 01:27:44 - How many bear vaults can a ULA Catalyst fit? 01:28:38 - What was your interest for getting into hunting? 01:29:45 - Discussion of elk versus mule deer and meat amounts 01:30:48 - Have you gotten pushback on hunting from your followers? 01:32:47 - Discussion about elk herd management in Colorado 01:35:35 - Discussion about butchering and processing the elk meat 01:37:43 - Is there a leave no trace element of hunting? 01:40:10 - How did you learn what to do? 01:46:40 - What are the chances of there being a Skurka guided hunting trip in the future? 01:48:40 - Do you have any resources to recommend? 01:50:04 - Have you had any funny encounters with animals while hunting? 01:52:14 - What fabrics are ideal for being quiet and invisible while hunting? 01:53:00 - What lessons have you learned since beginning hunting? 01:54:44 - Do people hunt mountain goats or big horned sheep? 01:55:50 - What do you want people to know about the 2023 guiding season? 01:56:42 - Tell us about your scholarship program. SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda The Top Footwear on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey by Kate Richard Triple Crown of gaming consoles Pupdate Mail Bag Use code 'BACKPACKER RADIO' for 15% off Kevin Conley's book! 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Mackenzie Fresquez. Today's interview focuses on neurodivergence in the outdoors, as Mackenzie has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We get Mackenzie's experience with how this has interfaced with her long-distance backpacking trips- including a NOBO LASH on the PCT in 2021, what unique challenges someone with ADS faces in the context of a large on-trail community, and what advice she has to offer others with ASD who aspire to get into backpacking. We wrap the show with a packed array of segments, including some tips for UL backpacking with a baby, the triple crown of best drunks, a couple of very juicy stupidest things of the week, a new cinnamon court submission, and more! Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. [divider] Interview with Mackenzie Fresquez Mackenzie's Instagram Embrace Autism - Assessments Time stamps & Questions 00:04:26 - QOTD: How long are dog's memories? 00:11:32 - Reminders: Monthly Patreon Q&A episodes! Become a Patreon supporter! 00:14:44 - Introducing Mackenzie 00:15:19 - Tell us some nature trivia! 00:17:28 - Give us your backpacking resume. 00:19:33 - What made you want to start the PCT after leaving the CT? 00:20:20 - Introduce us to the topic of neurodivergence. 00:21:19 - Why do you think there is a lot of attention about neurodivergence content on social media right now? 00:22:10 - What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? 00:25:45 - What made you go from masking your symptoms to seeking a diagnosis? 00:28:00 - Discussion about insurance coverage for autism assessments 00:29:10 - What was the tipping point to answers and how has the diagnosis helped? 00:31:12 - Do you consider your diagnosis a benefit or hindrance for backpacking? 00:35:30 - What do you know now that you wish you'd known before starting your hikes? 00:36:36 - Discussion about social situations on trail 00:40:02 - DId your symptoms manifest in any additional ways? 00:41:36 - What separates general social anxiety from ASD? 00:42:15 - How did you prepare for the PCT? 00:44:56 - Will you prepare for future backpacking trips differently? 00:45:52 - Which backpacking routine is your favorite? 00:46:36 - Do you have a superpower? 00:47:40 - How was the response to your facebook posts? 00:51:00 - Discussion about self-diagnosis versus clinician diagnosis 00:52:33 - Why is being able to label something important? 00:53:55 - What was the negative bi-product of faking extraversion? 00:54:40 - What else do you recommend for someone considering their symptoms? 00:56:33 - Why are GI issues common in people with ASD? 00:58:22 - Discussion about "curing" autism 01:00:35 - Did you have a lot of social discomfort on the PCT? 01:02:05 - Thank you! SEGMENTS Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda Ultralight Backpacking With a Baby by Sunney Mahalak Mom Gross or Not Gross Cinnamon Court Triple Crown of best drunks Mail Bag 5 Star Review Listener Voicemail [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

This is a sneak peak into a new monthly Q&A episode we'll be running, available exclusively on Patreon. You can get a taste for what these episodes might look like moving forward, or if you want to get in on the fun now, head on over to patreon.com/backpackerradio. You can get access to these shows for as little as $5 per month. This one covers Chaunce and Badger's thoughts on cooking in your tent vestibule, the pros and cons of sharing your thru-hike on social media, comparing the Timberline Trail vs. the Tahoe Rim Trail, whether the ATC should recognize 2020 Appalachian Trail thru-hikes, integrating into the hiking world, and more. Become a Backpacker Radio Patreon supporter! We are nothing without our wonderful listeners and supporters. Your financial support enables us to improve the audio quality of the show (equipment is expensive!), travel to interview guests, and encourages us to continue recording new episodes! Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Ethan Greene, who is the Director at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. We of course dive deep on everything related to snow safety in the backcountry including some basic tips people need to be safe during avalanche season, the most common mistakes people make in the backcountry related to avalanche safety, what to do if you're caught in an avalanche, and much more. We wrap the show with a new backcountry meal critic (mac and cheese edition!), we go over some of the details from the first article from our 2022 AT thru-hiker survey, we do a triple crown of our top backpacking predictions for the new year, a glorious listener poop story, and more. Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "TREKPOD10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Ethan Greene Colorado Avalanche Information Center AVALANCHE.ORG Time stamps & Questions 00:04:51 - QOTD: What hopes do you have for 2023? 00:10:57 - Reminder 1: Subscribe to the Trek's newsletter to stay tuned for the Badger sponsorship 00:11:47 - Reminder 2 & 3: Apply to blog for the Trek and shop our shorts! 00:12:36 - Introducing Ethan 00:13:20 - Tell us about your background in outdoor sports 00:14:01 - Have you always had a fascination with snow in particular? 00:15:47 - Can you tell us about ski joring in Leadville? 00:17:28 - Have you lived in the Rockies your entire life? 00:19:00 - How do you go from knowing you like snow to getting a doctorate in snow? 00:22:08 - Is there a rough estimate of how many people in the world have PhDs in snow? 00:23:33 - How have winters in the Rockies changed over the past 30 or 50 years? 00:24:54 - When are avalanches at the greatest risk for happening? 00:25:52 - If you're a backpacker, what are the safety basics of avalanches? 00:29:37 - What is the data about who gets trapped by avalanches? 00:31:08 - What resources do you recommend people look at? 00:33:10 - True or false: if you're covered by snow, spit to see which way is up 00:35:03 - What steps should you take if you're in an avalanche? 00:37:45 - Describe what movement through the snow is best 00:39:38 - Is a certain type of activity more likely to trigger an avalanche than others? 00:43:30 - What are some standout moments from your childhood or career? 00:45:28 - Have you ever been in an avalanche? 00:48:55 - Are there any myths about avalanches that aren't accurate? 00:49:37 - How common are avalanches that haven't been forecasted? 00:50:45 - What area is notorious for frequent avalanches? 00:53:12 - Do the icier conditions in New England change the avalanche likelihood? 00:54:12 - Does the direction of the mountain face impact the avalanche likelihood? 00:56:07 - Can you talk at all about dangerous snow features like cornices and crevasses? 00:58:37 - What conditions made 2019 such a big avalanche year? 01:01:15 - What kind of manpower goes into cleaning up avalanche debris? 01:04:04 - Should we consider avalanches when skiing and snowboarding at big resorts? 01:05:29 - If someone is interested in getting into the avalanche field, what's a good path for them? 01:08:48 - Do you feel a profound sense of boredom in the summer? 01:10:29 - What is some avalanche lingo the commoner wouldn't understand? 01:12:02 - Is there any question we didn't ask that we should have? SEGMENTS Backcountry Meal Critics: Backpacker's Pantry Trek Propaganda The 2022 AT Thru-Hiker Survey: General Information by Kate Richard Mail Bag Triple Crown of predictions for 2023 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined yet again by our resident yeti, Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking aka The Hiking Viking Liking Biking. Jabba gives us the full rundown on his recent 5,000 mile bikepacking trip on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and The Western Wildlands Route. We learn how this journey came to form due to a pair of injuries early on in the year, how bikepacking compares to thru-hiking in Jabba's eyes, legs, and heart, the biggest pros and cons of bikepacking vs. thru-hiking, a story of how Tom bunked up with a 73 year old thru-hiker for a few nights, and much more. This goes without saying anytime Jabba is on the show, but this one is wild, and doubly so today as the team was fighting a round of nasty hangovers inspired by Palooza weekend. We wrap the show with a triple crown of the worst jobs to be hungover for, we pin Mara vs. Rachel in a new game show to test their knowledge of Backpacker Radio history, people chug raw eggs, and more. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "ULTRALIGHT10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Jabba, the Real Hiking Viking Jabba's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:19 - QOTD: Did you lose any bets recently? 00:12:37 - QOTD 2: Did you have a designated popcorn/vomit bowl? 00:15:45 - Introducing Jabba, kind of 00:16:42 - Tell us about how you started your adventures in 2022. 00:18:29 - What was your injury at the start of the CDT? 00:19:18 - Jabba's motel room bunkmate 00:24:04 - Was biking originally part of the plan? 00:27:57 - Where was the fun part of bike packing? 00:28:43 - What are your personal pros and cons of bike packing? 00:32:24 - Tell us about your bike and fixing equipment. 00:36:15 - Can you describe what a tubeless tire is? 00:38:36 - Story about the first two days of biking 00:41:19 - Would you describe your brand partnerships as a net negative or positive? 00:44:50 - Discussion about biking technique 00:47:35 - Discussion about overuse injuries and healing 00:49:35 - Do you have future hiking plans? 00:53:28 - Tell us about your Patagonia trip in 2023. 00:56:50 - Biking vs hiking: big mile days 01:00:45 - Discussion about making biking comfortable 01:05:15 - Quadzilla's quads 01:05:57 - What did you add or upgrade during the trip for comfort or hygiene? 01:09:01 - Story about Eureka 01:12:09 - Tell us about the 9 day stretch when you weren't alone. 01:15:38 - Biking vs hiking: being solo or with others 01:17:15 - Describe the Western Wildlands Route 01:23:29 - Did you veer off the route? 01:25:20 - Any other standout days or moments? 01:29:30 - Biking vs hiking: adrenaline rushes 01:32:38 - Biking vs hiking: budget and costs 01:34:31 - Fuck Marry Kill: thru-hiking, bike packing, college football 01:36:58 - What was your worst injury from the trip? 01:41:00 - Did you wear clip in shoes? 01:43:47 - Would you recommend thru-hiking or bikepacking to someone more? SEGMENTS Triple Crown of worst jobs to show up to hungover Trivia: Mara vs. Rachel Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy "Trigger" Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Joshua and Amber Niven. Joshua and Amber are the co-authors of "Discovering the Appalachian Trail: A Guide to the Trail's Greatest Hikes." Appropriately, we chat all about the AT including some fun historical facts, their favorite day hikes, the most underrated spots on the trail, the hardest hikes on the trail, and much more. We wrap the show with a triple crown of things we're NOT looking forward to this holiday season, a preview of some QA episodes we're putting together, 10 things someone ought to know before hiking the CDT, and more! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "ULTRALIGHT10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Amber & Joshua Niven Amber's AT Day Hikes Trek Post Amber's Website Joshua's Website Discovering the AT Book Website Get the book at REI Asheville Fine Art Printing Time stamps & Questions 00:04:58 - QOTD: What things baffle you about the opposite sex? 00:16:27 - Reminders: Patreon Q&A video episodes will be coming out in 2023 00:17:37 - Introducing Amber & Joshua Niven 00:18:20 - How long was Joshua in Germany? 00:19:40 - When did Zach and Joshua first meet? 00:20:19 - How did Amber and Joshua meet? 00:22:26 - Tell us about the printing shed and business. 00:24:19 - What's the strangest thing you've ever printed? 00:25:37 - Where in the journey did hiking the AT happen? 00:28:20 - Was it hard to get off trail? 00:30:30 - Tell us about your old log cabin and building a new one. 00:33:02 - Discussion about kids and parenting 00:35:36 - What is The Thru Project? 00:38:14 - Discussion about how the Thru Project transformed into the book 00:40:46 - What are some wheelchair accessible hikes along the AT? 00:43:50 - Joshua's 'what not to do on trail' story 00:48:20 - Did you two ever butt heads in the process of writing the book? 00:50:10 - What would you say is the most underrated day hike along the AT? 00:55:35 - Give us a second underrated day hike! 00:57:26 - What do you mean by secret camping? 00:59:40 - What are some really difficult day hikes? 01:03:43 - What are some easier day hikes? 01:04:55 - What's a good hike for stargazing? 01:07:07 - Tell us some interesting history facts about the AT. 01:11:55 - How much did you travel to write the book? 01:14:00 - Legend about Frog Town 01:14:52 - Discussion about hiking with kids 01:17:40 - Are you still able to appreciate nature while hiking with kids? 01:19:32 - Fuck Marry Kill: McAfee Knob, Dragon's Tooth, and Grayson Highlands 01:21:00 - Discussion about the trail in Virginia 01:22:56 - The history of Tinker Cliffs 01:23:43 - Fuck Marry Kill: New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania 01:29:00 - Duncannon stories 01:33:41 - What camera setup are you using? 01:35:50 - What are your best photography tips for thru-hikers? 01:39:23 - Do you still do your own photography? 01:40:32 - What are your favorite yoga poses and breathing techniques for hikers? 01:44:10 - Where can people get the book and follow you? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Hiking the CDT by Jenn Wall Triple Crown of things we're NOT looking forward to this holiday season Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Greg Mac, Tracy "Trigger" Fawns, Mike Poisel, Kristina Diaz, and Dayne. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Niki Choo. Niki, alongside her partner, recently completed an expedition across Canada from ocean to ocean (Pacific Ocean in Alaska to the Arctic circle) via canoe. We learn quite a bit about what goes into this style of adventure, as this is our first interview foray into extended paddle adventures, including the challenges of canoeing upstream, through waterways with limited and sometimes inaccurate intel, doing so in such remote country, and much more. Whether you're interested in paddle adventure sports or not, we think you'll get a kick out of Niki's insane stories from this adventure. We wrap the show with a preview of the 2023 Badger Sponsorship, a triple crown of hikes not on our bucket list, we have a couple of listener voicemails, including a Chaunce pat on the back for her improved comfort with poop talk, and more! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Good To-Go: Use code "BF30" for 30% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "ULTRALIGHT10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Niki Choo Niki's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:45 - QOTD: Do you feel like you're doing something incredibly naughty when you venture into the bakery section of the grocery store? 00:10:01 - Reminders: Badger Sponsorship launches on January 30, 2023 - subscribe to our newsletter! 00:11:12 - Introducing Niki 00:11:49 - How does someone get into whitewater kayaking at 14 years old? 00:13:38 - Tell us more about your background growing up. 00:15:50 - What makes Whistler such a special destination? 00:17:50 - Give us the basic plan of your trip and discussion about leaving Niki's dog behind. 00:22:17 - How did you move if you didn't ski? 00:23:42 - What were the weather windows and the mileage you did? 00:25:20 - Were you the first ones to do this trip? 00:27:48 - What was the inspiration for the trip? 00:30:25 - Did you have experience doing pioneering trips like this before? 00:31:42 - Discussion about the length of days in the Arctic and sleeping in the light 00:33:30 - Discussion about wildlife 00:36:00 - Tell us about your gear and canoe modifications. 00:39:38 - What would you do if your canoe breaks? 00:42:53 - How did you go about finding emergency contacts in small towns? 00:45:35 - What is the culture like where you were? 00:51:37 - Tell us about the upstream section and returning to Dawson. 00:56:16 - What were some of the high consequence moves you had to make? 01:05:46 - How do you portage a 1,000 pound boat? 01:07:45 - Discussion about muskeg 01:10:24 - How did you ultimately get out of that situation? 01:11:22 - What did the route look like from there forward? 01:12:40 - Discussion about upstream paddling 01:17:50 - What did your diet look like on this adventure? 01:20:37 - What were some of your treat-yourself meals? 01:22:30 - Did you send a lump of coal to the person who gave you bad beta? 01:23:56 - Tell us about the scariest night of the trip. 01:33:04 - How well did you sleep that night? 01:35:17 - What were the redeeming qualities of the trip? 01:38:54 - How did your relationship fare during the stressful parts of the trip? 01:41:40 - The proposal story! 01:44:55 - Tell us about your startup. 01:47:48 - Do you have any ambitions to bring it back sometime in the future? 01:49:28 - Tell us about pingos and the effects of climate change you saw on your trip. 01:51:07 - Discussion about human behavior and helping the environment 01:54:17 - Any parting words? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda 10 Reasons why the AT is Better than the PCT by Eloise Robbins Triple Crown of hikes NOT on our bucket list Listener Voicemails (and leave us your own!) Mail Bag 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac, Tracy "Trigger" Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Leonard Adkins. Leonard is a backpacking legend and author of more than twenty books, including several guide books, a book about the flora, fauna, and geology on the the Appalachian Trail, and his most title, "All About the Appalachian Trail" the first and only book for children grades 4-8. We go in depth on Leonard's backpacking history, which includes more than 20,000 miles dating back to the early 80s. We learn what it was like to be one of the first to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the first (alongside his wife) to hike the Allegheny Trail. We learn some fun facts about the plants along the AT. And we get the ultimate endorsement for this interview from Leonard himself, who says, "I enjoyed that more than I was expecting." We were flattered. We wrap the show with the worst all-time Christmas songs, the triple crown of baked goods, a new stupid thing of the week, and more. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code "BACKPACKER" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "ULTRALIGHT10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "TAKELESSTREKMORE" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Leonard Adkins Leonard's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:15 - QOTD: What is the all-time worst Christmas song? 00:13:52 - Reminders: Hiker Meetup, Saturday December 10! 00:17:08 - Reminders: apply to blog in 2023, shop the Trek's new shorts and hats! 00:18:34 - Introducing Leonard 00:19:19 - What's your origin story? 00:22:56 - How popular was the trail in 1980? 00:26:18 - How was the trail or route different in 1980? 00:29:14 - Did you hike the trail to research for your books or did your books result from hiking? 00:31:55 - How much time did you spend on your first book? 00:33:33 - Tell us more about hiking the AT in 1980. 00:37:50 - If you could backpack the AT today or in the 80's again, which would you pick? 00:40:11 - Do you remember your original backpacking gear? 00:44:29 - Tell us about the Allegheny Trail. 00:50:42 - How long do you think it would take the average thru-hiker to complete? 00:54:30 - What was the Pacific Northwest Trail like in 1983? 00:57:54 - How did you know about these trails to hike them before they were completed? 01:00:22 - How did you plan your hikes without guide books or maps? 01:03:30 - Discussion about hiking the Continental Divide Trail in 1987 01:05:26 - How many maps did you carry on the CDT and how did you get them? 01:07:37 - What does your navigation setup look like today? 01:10:05 - What shorter trail stands out from the ones we haven't talked about yet? 01:11:54 - Would you describe your hiking experience as Type I or Type II fun? 01:12:50 - What was your most challenging day of backpacking? 01:14:58 - What percent of your time is spent hiking, researching, and writing books? 01:16:21 - If you could hike one of your international trails again, which would it be? 01:21:39 - Did you re-hike sections of the trail to write your books? 01:25:37 - What's your favorite story about nature that's in your books? 01:27:44 - What's your favorite story about the animals you researched? 01:29:43 - Tell us more about your educational and professional background. 01:32:08 - What are the best overnight hikes on the AT? 01:34:06 - Are the ponies in Grayson Highlands wild or feral? 01:35:41 - Tell us about your wife getting struck by lightning. 01:40:14 - Was the pain localized to her foot? 01:42:00 - Laurie's perspective on the story 01:42:55 - What was the inspiration for writing a book for kids? 01:45:42 - What feedback have you gotten on the book? 01:47:50 - Do you have a larger mission for writing books? 01:48:53 - Where can people follow you and get your books? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Trek Propaganda 5 Stupid Light Gear Choices That Take Ultralight Too Far by Alex Brown aka GPS Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of baked goods Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac, Tracy "Trigger" Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by our long lost former intern turned Production Assistant who ABANDONED the podcast to go for a silly little hike, called thru-hiking the CDT, Elise "SOS" Ott alongside her fiancé, Josh "Kid" Gribble. This is a Sunday morning interview, which of course means mimosas are involved, setting the mood perfectly to learn all about Elise and Josh's adventures on the CDT. We chat in depth about their epic proposal (spoiler alert), the highs and lows of their trek, we get a thorough primer of fly fishing, especially in the context of backpacking, and much more. It goes without saying, but this is a fun conversation amongst pals and if you disagree you are wrong. We wrap the show with a triple crown of spices, our top food buzzwords, and some details of the Holiday Hiker Meetup Extravaganza that we're hosting on December 10th in Golden (head to our Instagram to get the full deets). RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code "backpacker" for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "trekit20" for a 2 day head start to 20% off and free shipping on November 3 and November 17 at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "takelesstrekmore" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Elise & Josh Elise's Instagram Elise's Youtube Josh's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:24 - QOTD: What are your food buzzwords? 00:14:28 - Reminders: Hiker Meetup, Saturday December 10! 00:15:34 - More Reminders: Badger Sponsorship launching in January - sign up for The Trek's newsletter! 00:16:20 - Introducing Elise & Josh 00:17:08 - The engagement story 00:19:00 - The engagement story actually starts 00:31:16 - How did Josh get the ring size? 00:33:02 - Discussion about trail runners 00:35:22 - Who's taking whose last name? 00:37:20 - What is Zach's wedding advice? 00:40:14 - What are your honeymoon ideas? 00:43:37 - Elise's trail resume & BPR resume 00:46:41 - Josh's trail resume 00:47:35 - Josh's trail name story 00:51:44 - Tell us about fly-fishing on the CDT. 00:55:28 - What are the appropriate questions to ask people who fish? 00:58:27 - Tell us about the rod you used. 00:59:21 - Tell us about backcountry fishing gear. 01:02:09 - What's the difference between fly fishing and regular fishing? 01:07:50 - Floating versus sinking bait 01:10:01 - What's the appeal of fishing? 01:13:25 - Are there certain fish that are notorious? 01:15:44 - Do you have any universal backcountry fishing truths? 01:16:44 - Tell us about bait and flies. 01:21:40 - How do you gut and cook a fish in the backcountry? 01:28:03 - Do different types of trout taste different? 01:30:12 - Tell us about the fires in New Mexico. 01:44:42 - Tell us about the National Forest fire closure and getting to Colorado. 01:47:50 - Tell us about hiking through the snow in the San Juans. 01:55:12 - Did you ever consider skipping the snow section? 01:57:02 - Did you seriously consider quitting the trail? 01:58:33 - Discussion about cow/grizzly closure in Glacier 01:59:20 - Quadzilla's quads 02:00:46 - Discussion about grizzlies on the CDT 02:07:43 - What thoughts about gear did you take away from the trail? 02:14:19 - How does the CDT compare to the PCT and AT? 02:15:49 - Josh, what are the best and worst things about hiking with Elise? 02:17:45 - Elise, what are the best and worst things about hiking with Josh? 02:19:30 - Can you give us some impromptu trail related vows? 02:20:49 - How did your pre-trail anxieties live up to your expectations? SEGMENTS Triple Crown of spices 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac, Tracy "Trigger" Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by friend of the podcast, renaissance woman, and Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Teresa Martinez. Teresa feeds us prickly pear margaritas and shares some of the key achievements of the CDT since our last chat, including the recent National Monument designation of Camp Hale in which she got to meet President Biden. We get the full story of her interaction with the POTUS, including some well-earned water works, she reflects on what work has gone into growing the CDTC into thriving organization that it is today, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, the process of turning trail towns into gateway communities, how climate change is impacting the thru-hikability of the trail, and much more. Teresa is the best and this conversation offers a very clear reminder of why this is true. We wrap the show with some new segments! We introduce backcountry meal critics, where Chaunce and I sample new dehydrated meals and offer our reviews. We also introduce "Stupid Thing of the Week", which likely needs no explanation. We check in with some former guests of the podcast. And we get another update from MG! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Good To-Go: Use code "BF30" for 30% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "trekit20" for a 2 day head start to 20% off and free shipping on November 3 and November 17 at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "takelesstrekmore" for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Teresa Martinez CDTC Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:04 - QOTD: How was Mexico? 00:12:53 - Reminders: apply to blog for the Trek, check out our new stretch shorts, apply to be the Trek's Youtube personality, Hiker Trash Meetup December 10! 00:17:53 - Introducing Teresa 00:22:38 - What does the 10 year anniversary of the CDTC feel like? 00:24:31 - Tell us about meeting the President. 00:29:39 - How have your fears for the organization changed? 00:25:47 - What are some of the things you're doing that could be considered risky? 00:39:48 - Are there certain organizations you're modeling the CDTC after? 00:44:11 - What elements of your ATC work did you bring to the CDTC versus improve upon? 00:52:31 - Tell us about the Camp Hale designation. 00:59:00 - What are the primary benefits of it becoming a National Monument? 01:04:29 - What would you consider some of the other major accomplishments of the CDTC? 01:08:19 - Do CDT purists get mad when signs are added? 01:13:40 - What's your take on mapping and navigation? 01:18:28 - How did the Imbibe the Divide events go? 01:20:23 - What is your favorite pie flavor in Pie Town? 01:24:45 - How much of building a trail community happens organically versus planned? 01:29:47 - Is community fostering getting easier with people migrating into the mountain west? 01:34:48 - How has the percentage of completed trail increased since we last spoke? 01:38:09 - What does it take to galvanize communities to maintain remote sections of the trail? 01:41:55 - Tell us about the 10 for 10 Themes and October's theme of hunting. 01:46:20 - Tell us about climate change impacts to the CDT. 01:49:00 - What's your take on the future of thru-hiking? 01:52:45 - Tell us about the floods. 01:56:02 - Does water used to put out a fire ever cause flooding? 01:57:17 - Fuck Marry Kill: snow, fire, flood 01:58:33 - If we wanted to open a hiker hostel for CDT hikers in Colorado, what areas or towns would you recommend? 02:00:11 - Would the CDTC consider making a "trail alert" social media page for current trail status? 02:01:30 - Is it better to NOBO or SOBO? 02:02:25 - Does the CDTC have any professional full time trail crews? 02:03:33 - Any parting messages? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Backcountry Meal Critics: Packit Gourmet Trek Propaganda Tips for Flying With Your Backpack from A Flight Attendant by Sarah Lesiecki Stupid Thing of the Week Previous Guest Voicemails (leave us a voicemail!) Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @headnodculture. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac, Tracy "Trigger" Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.