Off the Trails

For many hikers, Glacier National Park is the adventure of a lifetime. Towering peaks, turquoise lakes, and seemingly endless miles of alpine wilderness makes it one of the most beautiful places in North America. But hidden among those postcard views are routes that require experience, careful planning, and a healthy respect for just how dangerous these mountains can be. Today we're looking at two...

On an August night in 1968, the sky over Maine did something that still doesn't have a clear explanation. By morning, one camper was dead, several others had suffered burns, and more than 100 people woke up feeling the physical effects of whatever had passed through during the night. It wasn't the only time something like this had happened in Maine. Although these events are rare, this was far fro...

A Tennessee man heads to his family farm for what should have been an ordinary weekend. His truck is left behind, his valuables are untouched, and his ATV is eventually found in a place that makes almost no sense. More than fifteen years later, despite massive searches and thousands of volunteer hours, no one has ever found a trace of him. Sources:  WBIR , Perfex , Charley Project , Strange Outdoo...

In October 2024, a man in Idaho saw a skunk and his kitten about to rumble. He did what most of us would do- he stepped in and grabbed his cat. In the process, the skunk scratched him. He didn't think much of it. It was just a scratch, so he didn't seek medical treatment. Weeks later, he collapsed and died from what initially appeared to be cardiac arrest. However, his cause of death came into que...

Two men. Two familiar places. Two routine outings that should have ended like any other… but didn’t. One would be found days later, his life ending in a place he knew well. The other would vanish without a trace, leaving behind only questions that still haven’t been answered three decades later. Today, we’re heading into the forests of Pennsylvania—where rugged terrain, quiet trails, and a single...

A video called "Son of an Area 51 Technician" was making the rounds on Youtube. Someone shares something that stops people mid-scroll. People want to know more and suggest he go back to a location and film his adventure. And that's where this story starts going wrong. Sources KTNV Kenny's YouTube Channel StrangeOutdoors Medium Reddit Wikipedia   Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a month,...

There are places so vast and unforgiving that a single wrong turn can quickly become something much bigger. Today’s story is about one experienced hiker, one desert he loved… and a mystery that lingered for more than a decade before answers finally began to emerge. This is the story of Bill Ewasko. Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier! Follow us...

*Enjoy one of our earlier episodes this week and we'll be back with a new episode the week of 5/12/26* Many hikers dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail in full, yet very few see that come true.  A few unfortunate souls have seen their dream end in a nightmare. Join us as we discuss how stepping away from the trail ended in tragedy for Geraldine Largay. Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a...

*Enjoy one of our earlier episodes this week and we'll be back with a new episode the week of 5/12/26* In a world where timing is everything, we often hear about being at the "wrong place, at the wrong time", but as search and rescue volunteer Pam Bales hiked Mt Washington one fall afternoon, the power of being in the right place at the right time was revealed.    Support us on Patreon  for as lit...

In August of 1996, twenty-year-old Michael Madden packed his car early, left a note for his family, and set off toward the mountains with his dog. Only one of them would return. Sources: StrangeOutdoors , CharleyProject , ModBee , OAG CA , BIVY , Reflections. Live , FS USDA , The Dyrt , Yelp , Uncovered Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier! Foll...

It only takes a moment… One turn around a bend… one step just a little too far ahead… And suddenly, the person you were just walking beside… is gone. In the open expanse of the desert, where visibility stretches for miles and silence carries farther than sound- you wouldn’t expect someone to simply disappear. But in July of 2019, that’s exactly what happened. Sources: Inside Edition , Sacramento B...

In August 2007, a 12-year-old girl found a shoe on the beach in British Columbia. There's a foot inside. Six days later, another shoe washes up thirty miles away. Different location. Different shoes. Different size but one major similarity - another foot inside. That was just the beginning. Over the next fifteen years, more than twenty detached human feet washed up on the shores of the Pacific Nor...

In November 2020, an experienced hiker reached the summit of a remote peak in the Pyrenees and sent a quick message to her partner. It was the last time anyone heard from her. What followed was a massive search across rugged mountain terrain… and an eventual, devastating discovery. Sources: Wikipedia , BBC , BBC_2 , Daily Mail , Explorers Web , AllTrails Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1...

Sometimes the most dangerous places don’t look dangerous at all. They don’t always come as a sudden storm or  an obvious cliff or anything that screams danger. Sometimes they look peaceful. Beautiful even. A smooth blanket of snow in the warm spring sun. But on Mount Washington, especially in a place like Tuckerman Ravine, the hazards aren’t always obvious and when something happens there isn’t al...

A hard truth of heading out into the wild is that sometimes the biggest danger isn’t the weather, an animal or environment itself. The biggest danger can be our own choices and the decision not to heed clear warning signs. Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier! Follow us on  Instagram  at offthetrailspodcast Follow us on  Facebook  at Off the Tra...

Kauai is often described as paradise. It’s the oldest island in Hawaii, known as The Garden Isle for its lush jungles, dramatic cliffs, and emerald valleys that plunge into the deep blue Pacific. Every year, hikers from around the world travel there to explore its legendary trails. But paradise can also hide secrets. Since 1975, more than 80 people have gone missing on the island of Kauai, many of...

Glaciers are more than frozen ice. They are both time capsules and archives. Increasingly, they are revealing secrets long buried in their depths. Sources: National Geographic , CBS News , The Guardian , Wikipedia , Stripes , War.gov Support us on Patreon  for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier! Follow us on  Instagram  at offthetrailspodcast Follow us on  Facebook  at...

When people talk about climbing Everest, most of us picture the iconic summit image. The snow, the flags, the breathtaking view. What we don’t picture is that getting there takes about two months, tens of thousands of dollars, weeks of slow suffering, and a real risk of never making it home. Sources: Seven Seas Media , Wikipedia 1 , Wikipedia 2 ,  Himalayan Recreation , D Magazine , Britannica , W...

It was supposed to be a quiet morning in the mountains- just a father and son, a morning fishing session, and the promise of one last summer memory before school started. But sometime after 8 a.m., a twelve-year-old boy turned to walk back to camp... and was never seen again. This is the disappearance of Garrett Bardsley. Sources: Bizarre Unsolved Cases , AllTrails , KUTV , Missing Kids , KSL News...

On a national holiday five kids headed out to play with their friends. Their parents assume they’re out in the neighborhood like any other day. Yet, by the next day, an entire nation is searching for children who seem to have vanished. This is the story of the Frog Boys and of how sometimes a normal day can quickly transform into decades of unanswered questions. The five boys were Woo Cheol-won, J...

Most of us go into the woods looking for a break from day-to-day life- a soft reset, a chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and disappear into nature for a while. But on an October afternoon in Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a 19-year-old musician with a budding career stepped onto one of the park’s most popular trails… and never made it back. This is the story of Taylor Mitche...

Perfect conditions can’t promise a perfect outcome. On November 14th, 2021, the skies over Suffolk, Virginia, were clear, the winds were calm, and everything about the day said go. For Jordan Hatmaker, it was supposed to be just another jump and one step closer to a skydiving license. What started as a perfect day would end in disaster. Sources: Readers Digest , Drive Medical , Drive Medical 2 , D...

He was a doctor, a father, and an experienced outdoorsman on a long-planned trip into Colorado’s backcountry. It started off according to plan- until he continued on alone. What followed was a disappearance that sparked a massive search and left behind more questions than answers. Sources: Reddit , Edmonds and Evans Funeral and Cremation Services , Historic Fix , Cleveland Clinic , Post Independen...

Compassion is caring enough to see the person, not the mistake, even when you disagree with the choices they made. As I share today's story, you will have opinions. Likely strong ones. About what they shouldn’t have done. About what they could’ve done differently. About what you would’ve done if they were your family, but passing judgement doesn't bring anyone back to life. Sources Reddit CBS News...

Yosemite is a place people go to disappear into nature. Granite walls, endless forests, and trails that seem to stretch forever. But for some, disappearing quickly changes to missing. And in September of 2016, that’s what happened to one hiker. A remote campground. A solo hike. And no answers. This is the story of Peter Fancher Jackson. Sources: NamUs , NPS , Charley Project , Your Central Valley...