Trail Tales - Thru-Hiking & Backpacking

Sintax77 joins me again to talk about our hike of the Devil's Path in the Catskill mountains of New York. We did this hike in mid-August of 2020... and it absolutely kicked my butt. We were successful but I certainly underestimated the trail, so it was a humbling experience! In this episode we cover all the logistics of hiking Devil's Path, and much more!  Please consider supporting my 46Climbs te...

My good friend Kayla joins the show this week to talk all about her FIRST THRU HIKE EVER in which she completed MY FAVORITE TRAIL EVER i.e the Vermont Long Trail! The Long Trail is tough, and hiking it in a group of 4 is even tougher, so I think it's awesome that she was able to crush it! We talk about group hiking, some of her favorite spots on the trail, and at the end of the episode she shares...

Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker joins me this week to talk about our thru hike of the Monadnock to Sunapee Greenway Trail! This trail is a 50-mile HIDDEN GEM in southwestern New Hampshire. We talk about why this trail is so amazing, how we got woken up by an ATV in the middle of the night, and much more! Go check Taylor's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0DfoZBEMHImEf5CMkktt6Q Please c...

Amy "Slider" Hunsucker joins the show this week to talk about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail! Not only did she complete the Appalachian Trail, but she did so carrying a plastic trombone! Tune into this light-hearted episode to hear all about her adventure. Also, sorry about the audio quality on this one!   Thanks to Sawyer Products for sponsoring this episode. Go learn about their internat...

The one and only Kraig Adams joins me this week to chat about his wildly successful YouTube channel. Kraig started out as a more 'traditional' YouTuber and has transitioned his content into that of a hiking channel. This is very much a rapid fire episode, with me asking many questions that were submitted on Instagram. We cover a lot, so buckle up!   Huge thanks to CS Instant Coffee for sponsoring...

Baker is back, and for this episode we blatantly rip off Backpacker Radio's patent pending idea. We spent the entire episode discussing our ideas for new backpacking gear inventions. From Bear Spray trekking poles to a poop trowel which doubles as a spork, this one was a riot.  Huge thanks to CS Instant Coffee for sponsoring this episode! Go check them out through my affiliate link:  https://cs-in...

Philip Werner is the creator behind SectionHiker.com, one of the first and most popular backpacking blogs on the internet. His website has been an important source of information to me since I first began hiking, so I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to chat with him. We talk a lot about the White Mountains, Redlining, and at the end Philip tells a story that should be a reminder t...

Socked In (Rebecca Sperry) is attempting to set the female FKT for the White Mountains Redlining project. She just started and is full of ambition, and has a plan. She is a very experienced hiker and loves the Whites, and it was great to talk about the logistics and difficulties that will come with such an intense project. Much respect! Socked In on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sockedinhi...

Flossy is back! We talk about the hikes that we've been lucky enough to complete so far this year, why Flossy moved to Vermont, and of course why we ended up sleeping behind a Dairy Queen on our Appalachian Trail thru hike! This is the first IN PERSON interview for Trail Tales, so you are about to listen to history in the making. HUGE thanks to Sawyer Products for sponsoring this episode! Go check...

Ryan Stratton hiked the PCT in 2018 and also happens to be a member of the same fraternity as me. In this episode I ask him a bunch of questions about West Coast thru hiking that make me nervous to venture out there... most of you probably know what half those things already are at this point. Also, sorry I was so tired for this one. HUGE thanks to Sawyer Products for sponsoring this episode! Go c...

Jonathan Zaharek is an accomplished hiker, having most recently completed a single season winter 46 in the Adirondack High Peaks. Not only does he crush miles like a boss, but he is also an amazing photographer and filmmaker. In this episode we talk all about the Adirondacks, his hiking related content, and much more. Jonathan's YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/jzaharek53 HUGE thanks...

Joe Biasi thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Like many other thru hikers, Joe struggled to keep up with the mental challenges of the Appalachian Trail. Rather than quitting, he continued on out of stubbornness and ended up finishing the trail. This might seem like an inspiring story, but in this episode Joe talks about why he wishes things might have gone a bit differently.  HUGE thanks to...

BAKER IS BACK. I can't get rid of this guy... in this episode we talk all about ultralight backpacking gear! We talk about backpacking tents, backpacks, and lots of other gear. I've said numerous times on Trail Tales that I don't care about gear... but folks, I'm getting back into my gear phase. HUGE thanks to Sawyer Products for sponsoring this episode! Go check out their work to bring clean wate...

Follow Bigfoot joins the show to talk all about the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota. I've been curious to learn about this trail for a long time, so it was great to hear Bigfoot share all the essential information one must know before attempting a thru hike. In addtion, Bigfoot shares stories from his unsupported FKT of the Superior Hiking Trail, which is just as badass as it sounds. HUGE thank...

Devin from the YouTube channel Backcountry Exposure joins me this week! We talk about fishing in the backcountry, living/hiking in Utah, and being a YouTuber in the backpacking niche. Make sure you listen to the end, because Devin tells a pretty gnarly story about hiking with his dog - a story which should remind all of us to take precautions when bringing our pets into the backcountry.  Backcount...

The man, the myth, the White Mountain legend Philip Carcia is back! In this episode we talk about his hiking experience BEFORE the White Mountain Single Year Grid, including his experience on the Appalachian Trail and Colorado Trail. Towards the end of the episode, Philip tells an INSANE story about the day he almost died white hiking Mount Whitney - a story which shaped his hiking future. Philip'...

The trail-legend Jupiter Hikes joins the show this week to discuss the Florida Trail, the International Appalachian Trail, and mail drops! I went into this conversation with some pretty negative ideas about the Florida Trail, and Jupiter was able to clear many of those up, and start to nudge me in the right direction. Also, for the first time in Trail Tales history, we talk about hiking in the Gre...

It's been too long since I've talked about the Adirondacks on this show, and James Appleton was the perfect guest to do so with. We talk about the Adirondack 46, James's podcast "The 46 of 46 Podcast", and the Lake Placid 9er challenge - a peak bagging challenge that is created and managed by James himself! Even if you're not an Adirondack hiker, this episode should get you fired up to finally hit...

Unfortunately, due to the rapidly unfolding COVID-19 situation, it is likely that Julia "Rocket" Sheehan will have to post-pone her 2020 PCT thru hike. In this episode, we talk about her updated plans, and her recommendation as a thru hiker and nurse for those that are currently on a thru hike or will be leaving shortly. During the later part of the episode, we talk about some more light-hearted s...

Thru Hiker Julia "Rocket" Sheehan joins the show this week! We talk all about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, and her plans to thru hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020. Unfortunately, this episode was recorded before the escalation of COVID-19, which has changed Julia Sheehan's plans for the Pacific Crest Trail. Be sure to tune in next week for a follow-up episode, where she will share he...

Christopher Johnson thru hiked the Appalachian Trail SOBO in 2019. We caught up with one-another on Episode 54 of Trail Tales, but shortly after our conversation he suffered a dire medical emergency while in the backcountry on his thru hike. In this episode he takes us through what happened, and tells the story of how he was able to make it to safety... and still complete the Appalachian Trail! Ch...

Ryan Fox thru hiked the Appalachian Trail SOBO starting in August 2018 - which is a very unique time to start! He followed that up by crushing a good portion of the PCT the following year, and is currently planning on competing in the 2020 Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon. This dude does it all! We talk about how his Appalachian Trail start date affected his hike, the similarities and differences bet...

Juliana Chauncey has thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and is the co-host of the Backpacker Radio podcast! In this episode we chat all about her thru hikes, and her book 'Hiking From Home: A Long-Distance Hiking Guide for Family and Friends' which will be available in just a few weeks. Her book will be an incredibly useful resource for the friend's, families, and significa...

Arlette Laan has done some incredible things in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and elsewhere. She is a triple crowner, and currently holds the FKT for the woman's unsupported White Mountain Direttissima. Not only that, but she also crushed the first ever WINTER Direttissima with her husband. In our conversation she tells the story of both of these incredible feats in the White Mountains, pl...

Zach Cote is going to be setting off to thru hike the Appalachian Trail in 2020, and after he reached out I decided to help him out! Zach takes over as the interviewer and asks me the Appalachian Trail preparation questions he is still pondering before he head's to Springer Mountain. We cover gear, food, transportation to the Southern terminus, and much more! Follow along with Zach's journey: @hik...