Backpacker Radio

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, Smiles and I sit down with author Ken Ilgunas. To put it simply, Ken is a guy who marches to the beat of his own drum. We talk at length about his time hiking the length of the Keystone XL Pipeline both where it was developed and supposed to be developed, where had to not only trespass for much of this hike, but knock on complete strangers doors for help on...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by adventuring legend, author, blogger and backcountry guide, Andrew Skurka.  This is a very meaty show, we touch on a huge number of subjects including his ridiculous backpacking endeavors, his favorite backcountry routes, his bear bagging recommendations, the current state of rain gear, specific gear recommendations for...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we're joined by Peter Downing, a modern day renaissance man.  We chat about his history as an ultra runner (including his four wins at the Buena Vista 50), his time in the Peace Corps, his career as a lawyer, and now, his latest undertaking, Suffer Better, a community of ultra runners whose mission is to give back.  It's a fun, freewheeling convo where Peter...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we're joined by Justin Helmcamp, aka Two Taps, who was kind enough to extend his layover in Denver to record this show.  We chat about his Flip Flop thru-hike of the AT, his hike on New Zealand's Te Araroa, and his work as a wilderness therapist.  We do a patent pending.  And we commence the #ChaunceDontChafe hashtag. [divider] Subjects discussed in today's...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by Gummy Bear, a 2018 PCT hiker and all around awesome dude.  We do a deep dive on his experience of being a gay and plus size hiker in the trail community.  We chat some about his upcoming Arizona Trail hike.  Chaunce and I deliver the PCT class of 2019 a warning for what they can expect to see in the Sierra this year and why you might want to...

Today's show is a special edition, an experiment, and a community-sourced show, all rolled into one giant tortilla, hiker trash style. A few months ago, we put a call out to The Trek's bloggers and vloggers to share their top tips for someone who's about to embark on a thru-hike. Tis the season. As you will see, this advice runs the gamut, and can often even be contradictory to one another. The re...

In today's special Valentine's Day episode of Backpacker Radio, we sit down with Grizzly and Jenna, a couple due to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and Colorado Trail this year.  We learn about how they plan to keep the love alive in the midst of 3,000 miles of backpacking.  We also breakdown how to hike 30 miles in a day, and talk a whole lot about orgies on trail. It's a very sexy show, so grab the...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we sit down with Teresa Martinez, the executive director at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.  We talk all things CDT, including the future of the trail, the biggest threats to its continued development, Teresa's favorite stretch of trail, and way more.  We also talk through some layering strategies for the Appalachian Trail, and Chaunce gives us a pri...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, the Cinnamon Connection catches up with Bill Manning, the Executive Director at the Colorado Trail foundation. We do a deep dive on all things Colorado Trail related, including the best time to hike the trail, the biggest mistakes aspiring thru-hikers make, and the inner workings for keeping such a beautiful trail afloat. Chaunce lets us in on a mega surpris...

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, Chaunce sits down with famed PCT trail angels, Scout and Frodo. We get an in depth look at Scout's new book, " The Continental Divide Trail: Exploring America's Ridgeline Trail ", his passion for writing, and we learn about the first person to hike the Continental Divide. We also cover the most popular tents used by 2018 Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, and ge...

A life changing adventure is merely a decision away. That's the takeaway lesson from today's interview with Bethany Hughes, who just a few years ago, was running the books at her local H&R Block and miserable for it. Fast forward to December 2018- she just completed trekking the length of South America- just the first piece of her goal to travel the length of the Americas by non-motorized means. ...

Starting a thru-hike without any prior backpacking experience, although not entirely rare, is a brave endeavor.  To string  three  consecutive thru-hikes back-to-back-to-back is a whole other level of insanity.  Today's guest accomplished just that.  Without any prior backpacking experience, Mike "Kickstand" Papadatos decided that instead of starting with the AT, PCT, or CDT, that he'd string them...

This is it. The end. Our final episode of the season. A thru-hike is- typically speaking- a half year adventure. In the midst of this journey, that feels like a very long time. Certainly long enough to adapt to an entirely different way of life. In the spectrum of one's life, however, it's just a blink of an eye (God willing). Which is why I think today's episode might be my favorite yet. Today we...

Today's guest is very fitting for our 23rd episode, since she is arguably the Michael Jordan of backpacking.  In a world where setting just one FKT (fastest known time) is a lifetime achievement, Heather "Anish" Anderson has set the self-supported FKT on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Arizona Trail.  She is also in a small, exclusive club of triple triple crowners- those who've hi...

If this episode doesn't give you goosebumps, seek medical attention.  Today we hear from our hikers at the end of their journeys.  More specifically, they give us two different check ins- the night before their last day on trail, and from the summit itself.  As you can imagine, this is an emotional moment for any thru-hiker.  Although the journey is the destination, the destination is the goal, to...

What's it like to build the most ubiquitous in the hiking community?  Today we learn that answer as we're joined by Ryan Linn, more commonly known as Guthook, one of the people behind the "Guthook App", the uber-popular navigation app, especially amongst thru-hikers.  He shares his background in backpacking and thru-hiking, the inspiration for the creation of the app, his coding background, and wh...

Diversity on the trail is a heavy, but important subject. It's impossible to do this subject justice in the span of an hour long podcast, but it's a conversation worth having nonetheless. Our correspondents share their thoughts about the diversity -or lack thereof- that they've encountered on trail.  Our hikers also ponder ways the community can encourage under-represented groups to get onto the t...

What does it take to turn a thru-hike turns into an 18-month adventure?  That's the central theme of today's show, as the Cinnamon Connection is joined by Nathan "Puma" Bauman- who, after hiking the Appalachian Trail, next hiked on the Continental Divide Trail, Long Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail within a year and a half span.  We talk about the differences between the three triple crown trails, w...

In today's show, our hikers discuss the evolution of their hiking groups over the course of their journeys.  Injuries occur, people grow apart, paces differ, life happens.  You get to learn the ins and outs of how and why this happens directly from the mouths of our hikers.  Also, we say farewell to another of our trail correspondents.  You'll get to hear who's getting off- and why- at the end of...

Reoccurring guest The Real Hiking Viking joins the Turmeric Team to chat about his recent attempt at an FKT ( fastest known time ) on the Colorado Trail.  The interview kicks off with a short discussion we had before he left for his yo-yo hike- to get a feel for his nerves going into this ambitious undertaking.  We chat about what ultimately went wrong (spoiler alert), what he would do differently...

Before leaving for a long distance trek, it's common for people to envision worst case scenario. For Piers Ellison, on his 2016 PCT hike, this fear became a reality when he was bitten by a brown recluse spider.  In episode 19, we talk in depth about this nightmare, how he hiked the entire PCT while carrying his guitar, the challenges an international hiker must confront in order to trek one of the...

  Technology on a thru-hike.  Combining these words tends to rouse some heated debate.  Some people abstain entirely from technology during their hikes, opting only to keep in touch with loved ones while in town.  Some are nearly constantly plugged in, listening to music and/or podcasts all day, posting Instagram updates every time they get service, constantly checking Guthook's app , even watchin...

What's in store for the future of the Appalachian Trail?  This is one of the primary topics in today's episode of Backpacker Radio, as the Cinnamon Connection are joined by Andrew Downs, the Central and Southwest Virginia Regional Director at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy .  We also talk about the unintended negative consequences of trail magic, thru-hiker entitlement, Leave No Trace, bear can...

Many people's perception of the thru-hiking lifestyle comes via social media, where people are more likely to portray the the cheery, positive aspects of this undertaking. You see the breathtaking views, the smiling faces, the slender bodies, and the hiker camaraderie. What you often don't see is the chafing, the injuries, dehydration, never ending rain, the heat, the cold, what it's like to get s...

A sad, yet seemingly inevitable byproduct of long distance backpacking is pain and injury.  Though it's not a guarantee, to escape a long distance trek without one of the two or both is a rare feat. Consequently, two popular questions for thru-hikers are how to prevent injury while on trail and what to do about it once an injury manifests.  In episode 17 of Backpacker Radio, the Paprika Pals are j...