BirdShooter's Backpacking Blog & Podcast Series
In Episode 52, it's a first on the N2Backpacking podcast because I speak with a fellow podcaster - Rudy from the Cascade Hiker. He approached me for an interview, but we end up trading questions and discussing a range of hiking and backpacking topics. On the show, we talk about how we got in to backpacking, why we started podcasting, how we integrate our families in to our backcountry adventures, and the drastically different climates of the Pacific Northwest and Southern … [Read more...]
In Episode 49, the Camel, Pixie, and I review a few of the major U.S. hiking news events of 2017. Some of the topics we discuss include nails on trails, backcountry treasures, girls joining the Boy Scouts, and the hardest partiers on the A.T. And in the spirit of giving you reasons to hike more in the New Year, we offer up the 52 hikes in 52 weeks challenge. We also find inspiration in the youngest person to complete the triple crown (at age 9) and the oldest person to hike the … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
In Episode 34, Alex "Money Shot" Maier talks about his film "A Sense Of Direction" which documents his travels on the Pacific Northwest Trail in the summer of 2015. Alex chose the PNT for his first thru-hike (and first hiking film) to explore one of the newest trails in the National Scenic Trail system - which earned the status in 2009. Only a few hundred backpackers have thru-hiked the 1200 mile trail to date, and all have had the fortune to experience the PNT while it is still in … [Read more...]
