Backpacker Radio

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Shayla "Kiddo" Paradeis. Shayla is a very accomplished backpacker, with the triple crown just scratching the surface of her hiking resume, but it's her approach to backpacking that makes this conversation stand out. We chat about what it's like to backpack in today's age without a smartphone, including the differences of keeping in touch with hikers, navigating on trail, tracking the forecast, and more. Shayla also shares her experience of healing on trail, and how her experiences as a sexual assault survivor have played a major role in her desire to be in the backcountry. Another warning to listeners, if the subject of sexual assault is especially triggering to you, we encourage you to skip ahead about half way into today's interview. We wrap the show with the triple crown of reasons to go to a baseball game, we check in with MG as she's just hiked through the 100-Mile Wilderness, we discuss things that feel like a scam but aren't

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by RTIC, we are joined by Kathryn Miles. Kathryn is an award-winning journalist, science writer, and the author of five books, most recently "Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders", which is the focus of today's chat.  We go deep on everything to do with this case, including the gruesome details of the murders, why this was not a random act of violence, why this case has yet to be solved, who Kathryn believes to be the perpetrator, and much more. A warning to listeners, this one goes into some pretty horrific details on the subjects of sexual assault and murder. If either of these subjects are especially triggering to you, we encourage you to skip ahead to the segments for this one.  We then pivot from rape and murder to the triple crown of ice cream toppings.  Typical backpacker radio stuff. RTIC Outdoors: Use code “backpacker” for 10% off your order of $50 or more at rticoutdoors.com Gossamer Gear: Use code “li

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by no one! Today's episode is all about the Tahoe Rim Trail and Badger's recent experience thru-hiking this trail. This one covers everything you'd want to know about hiking the TRT, including the trail's basics, my experience and advice for resupply, gear, pacing, permits, bear storage, the best time to hike this trail, bugs, dealing with snow, navigation, funny stories, cell service, worst chafes, best poops, and much more. We wrap the show with a very weird and impromptu segment- healing your holes with Badger and Chaunce, we touch on the sad news of a hiker who recently passed in the White Mountain National Forest, we get a ridiculous poop story from our pal Paul Packman Sealy, and Backpacker Radio sponsorship winner MG gives us her first update from the AT! Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by RTIC, we are joined by Mickey aka The Virtual Sherpa. The Virtual Sherpa runs a successful website and youtube channel dedicated to sharing tips, trail overviews, and more from some of his favorite trails around Colorado and the greater Southwest. We chat about what some of the most underrated 13,000 ft peaks are in Colorado, and why they might be even better than many of the state's 14ers, some of his favorite hikes without hoards of people, his philosophy on gatekeeping and responsibly promoting trails, and much more. We wrap the show with a backpacking trip in Zion National Park that deserves to be on your bucket list, a Q&A touching on a range of subjects including but not limited to good hiking spots for late fall, what life is like with a budding toddler, the scent of tent sex, and more. RTIC Outdoors: Use code “backpacker” for 10% off orders over $50 at rticoutdoors.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 1

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by RTIC, we are joined yet again by our pal, Clay Bonnyman Evans, known on trail as "Pony". Pony is fresh off the New Mexico stretch of the CDT and full of hot takes, including a renewed interest in all things dealing with sex on trail, why he thinks the "brutality" of the CDT is overstated- at least through New Mexico, we learn all about Clay's new book, "Adrift on the Pacific Crest Trail: A Thru-Hiking Story", and why Pony decided to do his first long distance backpacking trip sober. For those who've listened to previous interviews with Pony, you already know that conversations with him are a wild ride, this one is certainly no exception. If your children are listening to this episode, probably turn it off. We wrap the show with a detailing of the dumpster fire that is Chaunce's toilet and we do a triple crown of reasons why Zach's Tahoe Rim Trail hike will get canceled. RTIC Outdoors: Use code “backpacker” for 10% off orders over

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to by RTIC, we are joined by Lauren Capone.  In addition to being an accomplished triathlete and runner herself, Lauren holds a Master of Science in Applied Nutrition and works as a Functional and Integrative Health Practitioner at Flatirons Integrative Health & Nutrition in Boulder, CO.  Our conversation covers a ton of ground on all things nutrition and health for backpacking and beyond, including why people end up gaining the weight they lose on a backpacking trip so quickly post-trail (and what can be done to prevent that), the metabolic effects of long distance endurance exercise, how to know if you're getting the right amount of calories during your hike, her thoughts on eating keto, vegan, or paleo on trail, what supplements a backpacker should consider using, how to stay properly hydrated on trail, and much more.  Simply put, you will walk away from this interview with a ton of useful information.  Get the notepad ready. RTIC Ou

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by goodr, we are joined by more AT Hiker Trash!  This is volume II of our thru-hiker interviews from AT Trail Days 2022.  This one concludes with a trail name origin story that is borderline too insane to believe. We wrap the show with some very sad news of a hiker's tragic fall from McAfee Knob, a Triple Crown of Passive Aggressive Statements Used in Work Emails, and how Badger's TRT plans almost fell through once again, as per tradition. Goodr: Use code “backpacker15” for 15% off at goodr.com/backpacker15. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Enlightened Equipment: Use code “thetrek10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com.  Point6: Use code “point6trek” for 30% off point6.com. [divider] Interview with more current AT hikers! Time stamps & Questions 00:04:17 - QOTD: What was the highlight from your Memorial Day weekend? 00

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by goodr, we are joined by peakbagger, author, search and rescuer, and all around awesome human, Nancy East.  We go through Nancy's impressive list of thru-hikes, how she manages all the backpacking with a family who only sometimes joins her, we chat in depth about her search and rescue experiences and what advice all hikers can glean from the perspective of someone trying to rescue you, and we learn all about Nancy's book "Chasing the Smokies Moon: An audacious 938-mile hike fueled by love, loss, laughter, and lunacy". As recent guest Caet Cash put it, Nancy East is a beast. On the trail, this is 100% true.  In talking with Nancy, the opposite is the case- Nancy is one of the nicest people you'll ever encounter and we had a great time chatting with her. We wrap the show with some more highlights from Trail Days, the triple crown of board games, and that the first and biggest magazine for Backpackers is significantly scaling back it

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to by Goodr, we are joined by a gaggle of AT Hiker Trash.  Today's episode comes to you from Trail Days, where we go through a series of rapid fire questions with hikers who are in the midst of their 2022 AT thru-hikes.  This one is the predictable amount of chaos. We wrap the show joined alongside Mara and Leah for our favorite moments from the AT road trip, a triple crown of fast food restaurants, and a listener educates us on plant water. Goodr: Use code “backpacker15” for 15% off at goodr.com/backpacker15. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Greenbelly: Use code “trek2022” for 10% off at greenbelly.co. Interviews with current AT hikers! Time stamps & Questions 00:04:47 - QOTD: What was your favorite moment from Trail Days Day 1? 00:16:48 - Scavenger hunt discussion 00:19:21 - Interview with Painkiller 00:24:35 - Interview with Platinum 00:32:14 - Interview with El Humidor and Footloose 00:44:1

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to you by Goodr, we are joined by Caet Cash.  Caet first discovered backpacking back in 2014 and has been on an absolute tear ever since.  We chat about why she prefers to hike SOBO, including some SOBO specific elements of both the AT and PCT, her insane list of peakbagging feats in the Adirondacks and southern Appalachians, redlining (aka mapping) the Smokies, and much more.  Caet also details how her backcountry goals have shifted since being diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, how she manages EDS, and why she thinks it's important to be vocal about this chronic condition.   We wrap the show with an overview of our AT road trip thus far including Chaunce's absurd sun burn, a triple crown of emotional high points on trail, a listener voicemail, and a listener educates us on the Philmont Poop Rating. Goodr: Use code “backpacker15” for 15% off at goodr.com/backpacker15. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by YouTube sensation, Darwin.  We learn all about Darwin's rise to fame, including the turning point from when he went from a novice content creator to a full-blown trail celebrity, his advice to aspiring YouTube trail personalities, and why he ultimately fell out of love with the platform. We also learn about Darwin's new media company, Outdoor Evolution, and the plethora of projects currently coming from OE, and what lies ahead. We wrap the show by sharing the news of a gent who's about to finish walking around the world with his pup and we opine on whether we'd rather have a boring, stupid, or ugly offspring. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Greenbelly: Use code “trek2022” for 10% off at greenbelly.co. Interview with Darwin Darwin's Youtube Channel Darwin Goodbye Trek Article + Goodbye Video Outdoor Evolution Time

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Carly Moree.  Carly is a thru-hiker, the co-author of Pacific Crest Trials, an OG Writer at The Trek, entrepreneur and a long time friend.  We chat about her transition from the cushy world of finance to backpacking, her personal pitfalls of getting into a relationship on the AT, some hilarious hallucinations during her JMT FKT attempt, and learn all about her new guiding company, Rocky Mountain Hiking Company. We wrap the show with a brief overview of some of the top day hikes on the AT, some more details of our upcoming road trip, and a dad joke of the week. Gossamer Gear: Use code "littledonkeygirl" for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Greenbelly: Use code "trek2022" for off at greenbelly.co. Enlightened Equipment: Use code "thetrek10" for 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com.  [divider] Photo credit: "Stephanie Weezer" (@stephlotus_ on IG) Interview with Carly Moree

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by author, mountaineer, and keynote speaker, Dr. Jon Kedrowski.  Dr. Jon's list of accomplishments are staggeringly long, including sleeping at the summit of all the Colorado 14'ers, multiple Everest summits, playing D-1college basketball at Valparaiso, guiding and befriending Mike Posner, and much more.  We catch Dr. Jon very off-guard with a well-timed, fuck, marry, kill, we learn about the standout geography features of each of the Colorado mountain ranges, and what it's like to encounter death on Everest. We wrap the show with a triple crown of minor injuries that hurt like fuck and we bring back a listener favorite segment — would you rather.   Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Greenbelly: Use code “trek2022” for off at greenbelly.co. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “ultralight10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Qui

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Hazel Platt known on trail as Platypus.  In addition to thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Northwest Trail, Hazel also serves as the Volunteer Engagement Associate for the PCTA.  Hazel is also a queer/trans hiker, going by the he/they pronouns.  We go deep in this interview, learning about Hazel's emotional journey of coming out as a trans hiker during the height of lockdown in the less than welcoming environment of a conservative community in West Virginia.  We also learn about the differences of Hazel's thru-hikes, where they had come out as queer prior to the AT, and trans shortly before embarking on the Pacific Northwest Trail.  We chat about Hazel's love for off-trail hiking, including the highlights and lowlights of navigating on the PNT.  We conclude the interview with an overview of Hazel's work at the PCTA, the importance volunteers play for the Pacific Crest Trail, and what the future beholds for the non-

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Nika "Early Bird" Meyers.  Nika is a backpacking badass.  Not only is she a triple crowner, but Early Bird has set a pair of speed records, including the unsupported FKT on the Long Trail and the self-supported FKT on the Colorado Trail, which she set last year with a time of 9 days 14 hours, and 19 minutes (keep in mind, this takes most people a full month).  We get a full chronology of Nika's backpacking career, when and where the idea of attempting FKTs first entered her world, her background in competitive skiing, the most important lesson she's learned when attempting thru-hikes, her incredible artwork, and much more. We wrap the show with a series of Elise-centric segments (as she's sitting in for Chaunce today), including how she's preparing, what gear she's using, how she's budgeting for the CDT, and much more.  We also chat about some 4-6 day backpacking trips in the West to put on your bucket list, how thru-hiking has cha

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Linnea Delucchi, known on trail as Otter.  Otter is a 2017 PCT thru-hiker, has a Masters in Adventure Education, and now serves as the Assistant Director at New Treks, an organization that teaches outdoor education to underprivileged youth.  This convo covers a lot of ground, including the cognitive effects of spending time in nature and hiking specifically (and how wearing headphones could potentially negatively impact that), we get an overview of some Denver-based non-profits focused on the outdoors- including an in-depth work of Linnea's organization, and Linnea blesses us with an all-time poop story from her PCT thru-hike.  We wrap the show with a rapid fire Q&A with The Trek's new intern, Rachel, we do a triple crown of things people complain about as they get older, and Chaunce reveals herself as an Oscars slap truther.   Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Greenbelly: Use code “tr

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by former Trek Vlogger, Sophia "Wheelz" Garber.   Wheelz was a member of the AT NOBO turned NOGO class of 2020, due to the pandemic- duh.  Her shot at redemption didn't have to wait too long, as Sophia ended up completing her mission to hike the AT the very next year.   We learn what it was like to be on trail during the early days of the pandemic, how it felt to deal with social media trolls when trying to decide whether to stay or go (and the challenge of even getting off trail), the role Sophia's recently deceased friend played in her motivation to hike, and how thru-hiking compared to Sophia's 4,000-mile bikepacking trip just a couple years prior. Things fall off the rails a bit in the segments, as we answer a couple of listener voicemail questions, do a triple crown of thru-hiker no-no's, and a listener accuses Chaunce of having stinky privates.   Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Organi

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Peter Bergman.  In a nutshell, Peter is the ultimate wildcard.  His hiking resume, which includes a completed section hike of the PCT and a cross country hike from his front door in Denver to Mt. of the Holy Cross- doesn't even begin to tell his story.  We learn about the life of an art professor, some of most ridiculous projects, which toes the line between art and prank, and his latest release, PaCT, a series of projects related to his two-part section hike of the PCT, the first chunk as a 23-year-old, and the rest at twice the age of 46.  Chaunce and Badger were thoroughly entertained during this one, you will be too. We wrap the show with a special triple crown, Elise edition, some surprise birthday wishes to Chaunce - including a voicemail that had us LMAO'ing, and much more. Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enli

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Andy Laub.  Andy is a thru-hiker, documentarian, cinematographer, director, editor, visual effects artist...basically all things under the sun dealing with making videos.  His work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, BBC World, Amazon Prime, Hulu & PBS World Channel.  His first trail documentary, As It Happens, has more than a million views on YouTube.  We chat all about his backpacking career, what goes into a professional video production, juggling his adventures while being a parent of two youngsters, and we go deep on his latest project, THRU, a six-part series featuring his 2018 thru-hike of the Pacific Northwest Trail.  Whether you nerd out on video stuff or not, I guarantee you'll enjoy this chat.  It's a fun one.  We wrap the show with a more formal announcement of the winner of the Backpacker Radio Sponsorship, we get a fan submission patent-pending about drinking sunscreen, and do a triple

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are running back the Appalachian Trail panel.  This time, your favorite cinnamon connection are working in tandem to share some more of their top, trail-tested advice for hiking the AT.  This includes how to prevent against the biggest threat presented by the Trail, the right resupply strategy (or lack thereof), how to train for the Trail, and much more. We wrap the show with a triple crown of traits you'd want in a hiking partner and we chat about some of our favorite down jacket options.    Gossamer Gear: Use code “littledonkeygirl” for 15% off at Gossamergear.com.  Enlightened Equipment: Save 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket with code “ultralight10” here.  Bedrock Sandals: Head to www.bedrocksandals.com today!  AT Panel with Chaunce & Badger Time stamps & Questions 00:03:48 - QOTD: How do you feel about mint chocolate chip ice cream?  00:10:40 - BPR Announcements: WE ARE GOING TO TRAIL DAYS!  00