Episode 62B: Backpacker Feud

In Episode 62, we discuss a dozen ways to die in the backcountry - based on an article published in Backpacker magazine and recently updated on their online website. In the show, Beer Run and Therm Rider join me for a "Backpacker Feud" (patterned after the TV game show) to name the top ten killers in the backcountry. Not to make light of the top dangers in the wilderness ... but they are worth knowing and you'll most certainly be surprised by what is NOT on the list. This podcast was … [Read more...]

Episode 48: The Inca Trail

In Episode 48, Cardiac and Drone Boy discuss their summer backpacking trip on the Inca Trail in Peru.  Their four day hike took them over ~14,000 feet peaks in the legendary Andes Mountains and culminated at the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu - which is one of the most photographed tourist destinations in South America. In the show, we talk about what it costs to hike the Inca Trail, the logistics of getting to the trailhead, and we discuss the history of this ancient city. Cardiac … [Read more...]

Episode 47B: Your Screwed Dude! (B301)

In Episode 47, Beer Run and Therm Rider join me from the mountains surrounding Lake Burton to sit fireside and discuss more rookie mistakes.  In this special "Your Screwed Dude" episode we talk about overconfidence, getting your friends lost in the backcountry, inadvertently smuggling banned items on airplanes, editables, dork moves, and backcountry crimes of fashion. “Backcountry 301” is the third installment in this series, and in the show we debate some of the "52 Common Mistakes" … [Read more...]

Episode 44: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

In Episode 44, we delve in to The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - our best and worst experiences from the Trail.  Recorded live in the Black Hills of South Dakota, I sit "lantern-side" in the backcountry with long-time hiking friends BeerRun, The Camel, Therm Rider, and the Weasel.  Each signed up to accompany me on a quest to complete 50 hikes in 50 States - which ended this month near the defunct goldmines of Lake Sheridan in the Black Hills National Forest. We only scratch the … [Read more...]

Episode 42: Most Significant Backcountry Gear?

In Episode 42, we discuss a March 2017 article that appeared in Outside Magazine titled "The 40 Most Significant Tools & Toys Ever Designed".  In honor of the magazine's 40th anniversary, the editors choose 40 products that "stood out for their sheer inventiveness" and their general impact on the outdoor community. Tonight we sit fireside on the South Carolina side of the Chattooga River and debate the merits of some items on the list.  Our group rarely reaches a consensus on … [Read more...]

Episode 41: Trail Days 1995

In Episode 41, we revisit Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia on March 13, 1995.  The town has hosted the biggest event on the Appalachian Trail for over 30 years and most of these interviews were recorded live at the annual festival.  If you have ever wondered what it was like to thru-hike the A.T. in the early 90's - now is your chance.  The podcast is a remix of interviews that I did with ten hikers that were on the Trail in 1994. Yes there were far fewer backpackers on the … [Read more...]

Episode 39: Hiking News 2016 (Grand Canyon)

In Episode 39, Therm Rider and I do a live winter show from the Yavapai Lodge at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  After a day hiking on the Arizona and Rim Trails, we kick back a cold one and discuss some of the major hiking news events of 2016. In the show, Therm Rider and I recap and debate some of the U.S. news events that were heavily publicized in the outdoor community last year - including epic fails with drones, lost lives from selfies, and wildlife issues and encounters.  … [Read more...]

Episode 37: Thirty At Thirty (P2)

In Episode 37, we continue the conversation with 30 Pack.  During the second hour of our interview, we discuss his summer rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon, the resulting hallucinations, ultra-marathons, and working with troubled teens in Utah.  30 lived out of his car for 2 1/2 years and tells us some of the craziest things that happened to him during this time - including hiking with the Navajo and hearing and seeing ghosts on the trail in Arizona. You might recall 30 Pack from … [Read more...]

Episode 32: Advanced Rookie Mistakes (B201)

In Episode 32, the conversation on Rookie Mistakes continues as we sit fireside on Justus Creek along the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia. In this discussion, Beer Run, PokeyBo, and Therm Rider talk about some classic rookie moves: taking the wrong gear, hiking above your skill level, and taking too much. “Backcountry 201” is the second installment in this mini-series where we sit around the campfire and discuss the fundamentals of backpacking.  In this episode, we go "off trail" … [Read more...]

Episode 25: Flip Flop Flippin’

In Episode 25, Scott "Squatch" Herriott talks about his three part series Flip Flop Flippin'.  The films were shot on the Appalachian Trail during the summers of 2011, 2012, and 2014 and they follow the thru-hiker community as they make their way along the nearly 2200 mile trail. In the show, "Squatch" talks about his first ventures in to the wilderness, some of the thru-hikers and trail angels that he met on the A.T., and his experience as a filmmaker in the backcountry.  His … [Read more...]