Backpacker Radio

The Trek

From the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest and everything in between. Backpacker Radio is a show all about the wonderful world that is thru-hiking and long distance backpacking.

Co-hosts, Zach "Badger" Davis and Juliana "Chaunce" Chauncey muse on the backpacking life and the latest from the trail every other week. Topics include but are not limited to news, trail culture, interviews, gear, advice, and all you can eat buffets.

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400 episodes
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Today · 2 hr 3 min
From Near-Death Sepsis to Triple Crowning while Carrying Larry the Log with Shawn Mahoney (BPR #368)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Shawn Mahoney, aka the guy who carries a 20+ pound log named Larry over his shoulders, and with Larry he's hiked the Triple Crowner, Te Araroa, and just about all of the Northeast peaks. In this one, Shawn explains why the heck he carries a massive log everywhere he goes, describes losing Larry down a steep slope on the PCT and spending two hours bushwhacking to retrieve him, recounts nearly dying from a septic heart infection and medically induced coma- and the impact that's had on his passion for backpacking, and details how he waking up at 4am, or earlier, to bank miles pre-sunrise. We also cover how he's raised several thousand dollars for charity, how you can contribute to his latest cause, his refusal to cook or cold-soak, and his party trick of solving a 9x9 rubik's cube while hiking, something he accomplishes mid interview. We wrap the show with Trek Propaganda of Kelly's favorite thru-hiking memories, a heroic dog intimidating a black bear to save a kid's life - maybe, a trail debate on losing your spoon vs. your shelter, the Triple Crown of movies everyone loves but you hate, and I review the uber-popular FarPointe Sun Hoodie but you'll probably have to wait til Thursday for that one so kinda nevermind. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15HIKE" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com [divider] Interview with Shawn Mahoney and Larry the Log Shawn's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:40 - Reminders: Join us for a hiker meetup in Seattle, apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:10:30 - Introducing Shawn and Larry 00:12:30 - Why does Larry exist? 00:15:40 - How many times do you switch positions of the log over a day? 00:18:12 - Do you feel relief or separation anxiety when you put the log down? 00:20:11 - What branch of the military did you serve in, and how did you go from post-military training to hiking the AT with a log? 00:24:06 - Why a log instead of a weighted vest or rucksack? 00:27:07 - How do you get the log ready to be carried? What's the prep and sanding process? 00:29:32 - Have you thought about giving each log a unique name beyond "Larry"? 00:33:43 - What's it like navigating the AT bubble with a wide log — close calls with day hikers? 00:35:52 - What are all the charities you've raised money for, and how much in total? 00:40:45 - Discussion about the speed of hiking the AT 00:42:20 - Tell us about the septic heart infection and the 50/50 survival odds 00:47:30 - What was your mindset recovering from sepsis, and how did exercise become your outlet? 00:48:50 - What is your typical hiking style? 00:52:31 - Was there a moment where you had to reframe your identity from "not athletic" to what you are now? 00:54:14 - What do you do for work, and how do you afford to disappear for months at a time? 01:01:24 - You're headed to the Colorado Trail — what's the plan this time around? 01:03:10 - Have you ever done a thru-hike at a leisurely pace? 01:06:14 - What was Te Araroa like — especially navigating mud and terrain with a giant log? 01:10:15 - Are you ever in a gym, or is all your training done outside with the log? 01:11:01 - Do you have to be mindful about nutrition carrying 27 extra pounds all day? 01:15:34 - What is your base weight, and what's actually in the pack? 01:19:00 - What does Rubik's Cube problem-solving actually correlate to? 01:21:30 - Is there anything else you want to relay to listeners, and where can people find you? 01:22:05 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: Turkenna Saw a Black Bear by The Norris Trio Before You Read Another Thru-Hiking Horror Story, Read This by Kelly Floro QOTD: Would you rather, on day 1 of your thru-hike, lose your shelter and have to always cowboy camp on the AT, or lose your spoon and have to eat all meals with only your hands? Triple Crown of movies everyone loves but you hate Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "I Miss Chaunce" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Thirteen Adventures, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ack, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lucas Hamilton, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
Thursday · 23 min
Outdoor Research Sun Hoodie Review, the Triple Crown of Shitty Beers, and Pausing vs. Rewinding Your Life
Segments Sun Hoodie Review: Outdoor Research AstroMan Trek Propaganda: Hike naked day (Day 61) by Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers 20 Strange Things Thru-hiking Can Do to Your Body That Nobody Talks About by Livvy Weld The Triple Crowner Survey: Ranking the Best and Worst Triple Crown Trails by Katie Jackson QOTD: Would you rather have access to a life rewind button, or a life pause button? Triple Crown of shitty beers Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "I Miss Chaunce" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Thirteen Adventures, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ack, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lucas Hamilton, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 27 · 2 hr 56 min
Why the PCT is Boring, Hitting SOS on the CDT, and Summitting Denali with Tina "Cash Money" Currin (BPR #367)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Tina Currin, aka Cash Money, a Triple Crown thru-hiker, Andrew Skurka guide, park ranger, wilderness EMT, and Guinness World Record holder. In this one, Tina explains how she set the world record for most air horns blown simultaneously outside the North Carolina governor's mansion, details how she bought her Colorado house sight-unseen off Zillow during a zero day on the CDT while soaking her feet in a trash can, and she recounts getting separated from her husband in a snowstorm on the CDT, where both of them hit their SOS buttons convinced the other was dead. We also cover her Denali expedition, where she summited on day 22 with the final morsels of her food supply, after multiple deaths near her camp, why she thinks the PCT is boring, and how she landed her trail name after wielding a fat wad of singles at a trail magic session on the AT. We wrap the show with the details of the upcoming Backpacker Radio Hiker Meetup in Seattle, a rundown of 20 strange things thru-hiking does to your body, ranking the AT, PCT, and CDT from best to worst- according to triple crowners, a debate over a life rewind button vs. a life pause button, a mailbag about taser-equipped trekking poles, and the triple crown of shitty beers. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com [divider] Interview with Tina "Cash Money" Currin Tina's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:40 - Reminders: Join us for a hiker meetup in Seattle, subscribe to The Trek's Youtube, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:10:43 - Introducing Tina Currin 00:14:03 - How did the protest grow into an official Guinness World Record attempt? 00:16:25 - Discussion about the Hopscotch music festival and pre-backpacking career 00:22:18 - Tell us about the "Saturday Chores" counter-protest campaign 00:27:00 - Tell us about the "Welcome to Raleigh, Y'all" multilingual yard sign campaign 00:30:08 - Are you from North Carolina originally? 00:32:26 - How did you get into backpacking? 00:35:52 - Discussion about van life 00:44:33 - At what point did van life turn into thru-hiking? 00:54:03 - What was it like doing the AT with your husband joining last minute? 00:56:31 - Discussion about post-trail depression and becoming a chronic thru-hiker 01:04:30 - Discussion about working as a park ranger 01:06:00 - What does Grayson do for work? 01:08:40 - When did you decide that you wanted to do more thru-hikes? 01:10:39 - Walk us through your sub-6-pound pack setup 01:20:30 - Has there ever been a time that you went too ultralight? 01:27:40 - Did the PCT feel boring to you? 01:29:25 - Tell us about the Arizona Trail 01:32:00 - What is your goal with ultralight? 01:36:00 - Tell us about your nutrition strategy 01:39:49 - Tell us about the first winter thru-hike of the New England Trail 01:45:30 - Discussion about transition from winter hikes to the CDT 01:50:00 - Tina's story about the snowstorm on the CDT 02:05:00 - Do you both carry Garmins now? 02:07:55 - Discussion about complacency and risk in experienced hikers 02:10:45 - Tell us about hiking the Ice Age Trail 02:17:15 - Tell us about guiding for Andrew Skurka 02:19:15 - What drew you to attempt Denali? 02:24:04 - What goes through your mind when people die at your camp? 02:29:00 - How do you accept the activities that make you feel alive? 02:32:16 - How did you get the trail name "Cash Money"? 02:34:30 - Stay Salty Question: What's your hottest take in the world of thru-hiking? Segments Trek Propaganda: Hike naked day (Day 61) by Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers 20 Strange Things Thru-hiking Can Do to Your Body That Nobody Talks About by Livvy Weld The Triple Crowner Survey: Ranking the Best and Worst Triple Crown Trails by Katie Jackson QOTD: Would you rather have access to a life rewind button, or a life pause button? Triple Crown of shitty beers Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "I Miss Chaunce" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Thirteen Adventures, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ack, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lucas Hamilton, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 23 · 43 min
Jolly Gear Sun Hoodie Review, Sounds that Trigger Happiness, and Water Filter Science
Segments Sun Hoodie Review: Jolly Gear Trek Propaganda: 2026 AT Thru-Hikers Share Their Favorite Gear So Far by Katie Jackson QOTD: When was the last time you were in a tornado warning? Switchback Recap Triple Crown of sounds that trigger happiness Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 20 · 1 hr 53 min
Losing 150 Lbs, An All-Time Poop Story, and Theater Hacks for Content Creators with Andrew Livingston aka Coach from Marion Outdoors (BPR #366)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Andrew Livingston, aka Coach from Marion Outdoors and host of the Chafed Outdoors podcast. In this one, Coach tells the story of losing 150 pounds his sophomore year of college largely thanks to hiking, details his background in theater, ballet, and tap dancing- and how that's helped him grow a massive following on Instagram and TikTok, the biggest challenges of running an outfitter, he gives us an all-timer poop story that ended with him naked in the woods covered in shit and hanging onto a tree branch, and details the rules for banning problem hikers from his hostel. We wrap the show with Trek Propaganda on gear people love 500 miles into the AT, a Triple Crown of sounds that trigger happiness, how a tornado woke Katie and I from a dead sleep in New Orleans, my Jolly Gear sun hoodie review, and a listener further breaks down the difference between a Sawyer and Brita filter. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com [divider] Interview with Coach from Marion Outdoors Coach's Instagram Coach's Youtube Channel Marion Outdoors Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:00 - Reminders: Join us for a hiker meetup in Seattle, subscribe to The Trek's Youtube and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and! 00:07:05 - Introducing Andrew Livingston 00:10:00 - How did you get started in the outdoors? 00:15:10 - Tell us your hiking resume 00:18:20 - Tell us about your theater background 00:21:30 - Do you have any advice for someone starting to make content? 00:25:00 - Do people come visit your store because of your videos? 00:28:00 - Did something ever flop that you thought would sell great? 00:34:10 - What gear has stood out most to you from the show? 00:37:10 - Is there any tech apparel you're excited about? 00:41:00 - Tell us your poop story 00:50:38 - How have you tried to maintain your weight? 00:56:25 - Do you get a SOBO bubble through the shop? 00:59:15 - Discussion about hikers coming through the hostel and shop 01:06:34 - What gets someone's name on the list? 01:10:20 - How have AT towns recovered from Hurricane Helene? 01:12:00 - What do you see for the future of Marion Outdoors? 01:14:30 - Tell us about your podcast 01:15:45 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: 2026 AT Thru-Hikers Share Their Favorite Gear So Far by Katie Jackson QOTD: When was the last time you were in a tornado warning? Switchback Recap Triple Crown of sounds that trigger happiness Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 13 · 3 hr 6 min
Chaunce's Live Podcast Sendoff in Denver (BPR #365)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we're live at the Skylark Lounge in Denver- and we are giving Chaunce a proper send off. For this one, we're joined by Fireball, Elise, Sassafras, Jolly, and of course Jabba. This one is a grab bag of odd games, including the Newlywed Game, a Triple Crown of behind the scenes crisis-management stories, we play Two Lies and a Truth, and Jolly hosts a highly contentious "Judge Jolly" debate between Chaunce and Jabba. This one features some surprise cameos, tequila shots, and signature Chaunce moments. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. [divider] Interview with Juliana Chauncey aka Chaunce Time stamps & Questions 00:04:30 - Reminders: Suggest a guest, apply to be a cohost, and support us on Patreon! 00:06:15 - Introducing Chaunce 00:08:14 - Fireball & Chaunce play the Newlywed Game 00:32:30 - Introducing Elise 00:35:50 - Triple Crown of Crisis Management 00:55:15 - Triple Crown of Zach & Elise's Favorite Chaunce Moments 01:11:10 - Garrett's Chaunce Story 01:15:30 - Two Lies and a Truth with Jess 01:44:50 - Judge Jolly 02:35:20 - Chaunce gets a present 02:39:50 - Chaunce gets another present 02:47:00 - Mailbags 02:55:20 - 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 9 · 1 hr 41 min
Epic Dreams, Chaunce's Last In-Studio Segments, Ways You'd Behave Differently without Ramifications, and Lots of Processing
Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com Segments Epic Dreams Processing Trek Propaganda Teen Hiker Dies in Grand Canyon National Park Amid Extreme Heat by Katie Jackson Why You Should Never Take Gear Advice to Heart by Izzy Wagner QOTD: Would you rather A) every time you eat a particular meal, the rest of the world loses access to this meal for 24 hours, People know about this (may receive threats, but you are protected or B) anytime you use an air fryer or microwave, all others on earth become unusable until you finish using it (may receive threats, but you are protected)? Triple Crown of ways you'd behave differently if there were no ramifications Sun Hoodie Review Stupid Thing of the Week Processing Patent Pending Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 6 · 3 hr 58 min
Getting Charged by a Moose, a Month of CDT Solitude, and Going Pro as a Hiking Photographer with Caleb "Meatball" Adcock (BPR #364)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Caleb "Meatball" Adcock, a professional photographer and thru-hiker who completed the AT last year and is currently midway through the CDT, doing it almost entirely alone. Caleb walks us through how he built a career shooting for brands like Hyperlite and Jetboil while thru-hiking, why authentic trail photography looks so different from what brands used to put out, getting Lyme disease on the AT and spending four days at the Yellow Deli, sleeping on a pool floaty for four days, what it's actually like to hike the CDT almost completely solo for months at a time, what he's learning about himself in the solitude, and the time he was charged by an angry momma moose multiple times near Leadville. We wrap the show with my review of the popular KETL Mtn No Fry Sun Hoodie review, a complex question of the day involving depriving access to the rest of the world's meal access or cooking appliances, the triple crown of ways you'd behave differently if there were no ramifications, Why You Should Never Take Gear Advice to Heart, and many tears are shed as this is Chaunce's last Backpacker Radio studio visit as a Colorado resident. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com [divider] Interview with Caleb "Meatball" Adcock Caleb's Instagram Caleb's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:15 - Processing 00:06:45 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek's newsletter, subscribe to the Trek's new Youtube channel, the Trek: On Trail, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:12:50 - Introducing Meatball 00:20:40 - Discussion about balancing impressions on social media 00:21:45 - Did you ever worry about posting shitty pictures? 00:23:43 - What's the least professional thing you've done in one of your videos? 00:27:30 - Discussion about authenticity with brand photography 00:29:14 - Which of your photos or videos have gone the most viral? 00:33:03 - Where in your career arc did you get into photography? 00:36:00 - How did you determine your pricing? 00:39:00 - What brands have you worked with? 00:43:45 - Have you had any entertaining requests you've turned down? 00:46:55 - What did you study in college? 00:51:00 - How do you quantify the value of your work? 00:55:25 - What's the funniest interaction you've had with someone who's recognized you? 00:58:30 - How did you get into backpacking? 01:04:05 - How did you decide to thru-hike the AT last year? 01:11:40 - Give us the pros and cons of section hiking versus thru-hiking 01:19:40 - Tell us about getting Lyme 01:32:45 - Do you have any fun trail hookup stories? 01:35:15 - Are you obsessed with hot dogs? 01:43:10 - Why did you pick the CDT for your second trail? 01:47:20 - How has the solitude been on the CDT? 01:52:10 - How do you keep yourself happy and motivated when hiking alone? 01:55:41 - What's one of the hard days you've had so far? 01:58:20 - Are you considering slowing down to join up with other hikers? 02:02:15 - Did you ever consider quitting? 02:07:00 - Discussion about taking zero days to reset 02:10:00 - Do you feel a greater sense of presence on this hike? 02:11:56 - Tell us about getting charged by a moose 02:23:00 - What else do you want to share about the CDT? 02:25:10 - If you were the director of photography for the BPR studio, what would you do differently? 02:26:20 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Processing Trek Propaganda Teen Hiker Dies in Grand Canyon National Park Amid Extreme Heat by Katie Jackson Why You Should Never Take Gear Advice to Heart by Izzy Wagner QOTD: Would you rather A) every time you eat a particular meal, the rest of the world loses access to this meal for 24 hours, People know about this (may receive threats, but you are protected or B) anytime you use an air fryer or microwave, all others on earth become unusable until you finish using it (may receive threats, but you are protected)? Triple Crown of ways you'd behave differently if there were no ramifications Sun Hoodie Review Stupid Thing of the Week Processing Again Patent Pending Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
July 2 · 1 hr 35 min
Nasty Celebrity Encounters, Triple Crown of Things You Can Live Without But Should Be Free, and Do You Face the Showerhead?
Segments Nasty Celebrity Encounters Tribute to Bill Jensen Trek Propaganda: After 22,000 Miles of Thru-Hiking, This Is One of the Biggest Mistakes I See Beginners Make by Peg Leg QOTD: Do people face the shower head when they shower? Triple Crown of things you can easily live without, but nonetheless should be free for everyone Smitty's Experience Being Navajo in the US Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 29 · 3 hr 28 min
Falling 35 Feet Free Soloing, Hiking the CT in 15 Days, and What It Means to Be Navajo in America with Jeremy "Smitty" Phoenix (BPR #363)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jeremy Phoenix aka Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, aka Javos, a Navajo-born, Amish-country-raised, REI-employed, grave-digging, Princeton-attending thru-hiker who completed the Colorado Trail in 15 days on his first ever backpacking trip and has been making up for lost time ever since. In this one, Smitty walks us through completing the 24-hour challenge three separate times on the PCT, a free solo fall from 35 feet- that he just kind of walked off, getting stalked by a mountain lion, surviving shin splints for almost the full PCT, and a harrowing midnight ice traverse below Mount Whitney with no traction. He also shares what it means to be Navajo in America, including having code talker grandparents and introducing himself to the land before every new section of trail. We wrap the show with a tribute to longtime Patreon supporter Bill Jensen, who recently passed away on the CDT, the biggest thru-hiking preparation mistake- according to Peg Leg, addressing the question of which direction people predominantly face in the shower, and the triple crown of things you can easily live without but nonetheless should be free for everyone. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. [divider] Interview with Jeremy Barney aka Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen Jeremy's Instagram Jeremy's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:06:30 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek's newsletter, subscribe to Trail Correspondents, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:09:18 - Introducing Smitty 00:10:34 - Tell us about the 24 hour challenges you've done on the PCT 00:13:00 - How did you get your trail name? 00:16:25 - Tell us about the commercial you did with Alex Hannold 00:22:30 - Tell us about working at REI 00:29:50 - Tell us about growing up Navajo in Pennsylvania 00:35:30 - How did you get started with backpacking? 00:39:00 - Discussion about Smitty's climbing experience and falls 00:42:50 - What is your bucket list of jobs? 00:50:50 - Discussion about Smitty's job as a gravedigger 00:54:15 - How did you decide to hike the Colorado Trail? 01:03:00 - Tell us about the backpacks you've tried 01:08:35 - Discussion about what Smitty sent home from the PCT 01:15:00 - What other gear compromises did you have to make when switching packs? 01:28:55 - What kind of discounts do you get at REI? 01:34:50 - Tell us about meeting Jabba 01:39:00 - Discussion about footwear and injuries 01:41:30 - What was your scariest day on trail? 01:51:40 - Do you have any advice for aspiring thru-hikers? 01:58:00 - Stay Salty Question: What's your hottest take in the world of backpacking? Segments Tribute to Bill Jensen Trek Propaganda: After 22,000 Miles of Thru-Hiking, This Is One of the Biggest Mistakes I See Beginners Make by Peg Leg QOTD: Do people face the shower head when they shower? Triple Crown of things you can easily live without, but nonetheless should be free for everyone Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 25 · 1 hr 16 min
Tiger Facts, End of the Timberline Lodge Breakfast Buffet, and Poop, Pees, and Peen Talk
Segments Tiger Facts Trek Propaganda: Timberline Lodge Ends Breakfast Buffet Popular With Generations of PCT Hikers by James Townsend QOTD: Do poop pees count as full pees? Sun Hoodie Review: Fjällräven Abisko Wool Hoodie Triple Crown of words for penis Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 22 · 3 hr 27 min
Stalked by a Mountain Lion, a 25-Foot Fall in the Sierra, and Canoeing 2,400 Miles Down the Mississippi with Matthew "Masochist" Hengst (BPR #362)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Matthew Hengst, aka Masochist, an IT-professional-turned-full-time-adventurer who over the past eight-plus years has racked up 20,000 miles hiked, nearly 3,000 miles paddled, 2.5 million feet of elevation climbed, and somewhere north of 300 diving sessions across multiple continents. Masochist walks us through canoeing 2,400 miles down the Mississippi, the time he fell 25 feet in a remote part of the Sierra and laid there for 15 hours waiting for a helicopter, catching COVID and norovirus back to back at 12,000 feet on the CDT, navigating stealth camping across rural America, terrifying encounters with dogs, and his favorite parts of the Eastern Continental Trail. Matthew also makes a strong case for why the Florida Trail and the Condor Trail are two of the most underrated long trails, and explains why he has no plans to stop adventuring anytime soon. We wrap the show with the devastating news that Timberline Lodge has ended its breakfast buffet, debating whether poop pees count as full pees, a sun hoodie review on a product that's maybe not a sun hoodie, the triple crown of words for penis (with Chaunce publicly soliciting micropenis photos), and the best way to move legos across the country. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com [divider] Interview with Matthew "Masochist" Hengst Matthew's Youtube Matthew's Instagram Matthew's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:45 - Reminders: Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, subscribe to The Trek's Youtube, join us for Chaunce's live podcast sendoff, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:11:15 - Introducing Masochist 00:13:10 - Tell us about your life prior to backpacking 00:19:00 - Tell us about your spreadsheets 00:23:14 - Did you grow up in the outdoors? 00:24:40 - Tell us about your relationship 00:30:00 - Tell us about your major injuries 00:36:32 - What's the closest you've ever been to death? 00:38:45 - How do you describe yourself? 00:40:00 - What adventure have you done that gets people the most excited? 00:42:00 - Discussion about paddling the Mississippi River 00:48:20 - What's the elevator pitch on floating the Mississippi River? 00:53:30 - How do you decide what your next trip should be? 00:55:30 - Tell us about the Theodore Solomons Trail 00:59:00 - What's the Desert Trail Border? 01:00:50 - Tell us about the Condor Trail 01:03:00 - What are your tips for stealth camping? 01:06:40 - Did Florida put a bad taste in your mouth when starting the ECT? 01:11:20 - Discussion about bad water in eastern Colorado 01:15:20 - Is there more to why you liked the Florida Trail? 01:18:55 - Tell us about the ECT after Katahdin 01:26:00 - Discussion about dog attacks while thru-hiking 01:30:30 - Why'd you hike the Lone Star Trail? 01:34:25 - Are there any underrated trails you're excited about? 01:37:30 - What are some singletrack loops in California? 01:42:20 - What's your elevator pitch on the San Diego Trans County Trail? 01:44:20 - Did the CDT feel easy? 01:48:00 - What are your go to animal encounter stories? 01:55:20 - Tell us about hiking through extreme weather 01:56:30 - How do you maintain the fun element through all of your hikes? 02:02:40 - Give us your highlights and lowlights from the American Discovery Trail 02:10:50 - Tell us about your health issues in 2025 02:15:55 - Do you ever take time off trail to recover and rest? 02:20:30 - How did you pick the Australian trails you've done this year? 02:28:00 - Have you ever considered bikepacking? 02:29:30 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: Timberline Lodge Ends Breakfast Buffet Popular With Generations of PCT Hikers by James Townsend QOTD: Do poop pees count as full pees? Sun Hoodie Review: Fjällräven Abisko Wool Hoodie Triple Crown of words for penis Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 18 · 40 min
Lyme Disease Research Update, Raccoon vs. Goose, the Triple Crown of Girly Gear, and 2026 Hiking Gear Trends
Segments Lyme Disease Update Trek Propaganda: 2026 Hiking Gear Trends, And Whether I Think They're Actually Worth It by Livvy Weld QOTD: Would you rather have one raccoon know all your secrets and occasionally hint at them or one goose publicly overreact to everything you do? Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of gear you can find that's girly Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 15 · 3 hr 1 min
Walking the Portuguese Camino with Her Parents to Honor Her Late Brother with Elise "Sauce" Ott (BPR #361)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by our pal Elise Ott, aka Sauce, who gives us a play by play of her recent hike on Portuguese Camino coastal route along with her parents. SOS walks us through doing the Camino as a tribute to her late brother Curtis, who passed away in February of 2025 after years of living with schizoaffective disorder. She shares his story with honesty and humor, including the time he stole a county parks truck in a three-piece suit, drove it across state lines, and complimented the cop who tackled him, and gets into what it's like to love someone whose illness made them impossible to help, why she doesn't know exactly how he died, and what it meant to scatter his ashes along the coast of Portugal with her parents. Elise also shares what the Portuguese Camino coastal route is actually like, the food situation (and why it was mas o menos), how it was to hike the trail through a tour operator, navigating language barriers with limited Spanish, and what it's like to hike 13 days with your parents and come out closer on the other side. We wrap the show with 2026 hiking trends and whether they're actually worth it, debating the classic debate of raccoon-who-knows-your-secrets versus the goose-who-overreacts-to-everything, the triple crown of girly gear, I am very dumb and pulled my hamstring, and we cover a mailbag about wearing contacts on trail. Warning: this episode contains candid discussion of mental illness, substance abuse, family trauma, and the death of a loved one. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. [divider] Interview with Elise "SOS" Ott Elise's Instagram Elise's Website Elise's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:05:35 - Reminders: Join us for Chaunce's live podcast sendoff, submit your favorite Chaunce moments or a voicemail for Chaunce, calling all CDT hikers - suggest yourself as a guest, sign up for the Trek's newsletter, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:12:30 - Introducing Elise 00:14:00 - What does a running coach do? 00:19:01 - How do you handle the social pressure of running on Strava? 00:23:09 - How did you end up choosing the Portuguese Camino Coastal Route? 00:26:06 - What are the daily miles, pace, and logistics like on the Camino? 00:29:04 - What was the food like in Portugal and Spain? 00:35:05 - What was the cost of using a tour service, and was it worth it? 00:38:59 - What are the highlights of the towns along the route? 00:45:00 - Discussion about Curtis and the reason for the hike 00:46:18 - What is schizoaffective disorder, and how did Curtis's illness develop? 00:55:51 - What's the story of Curtis stealing the county truck in a three-piece suit? 01:03:10 - Were rehab stints ever helpful for Curtis? 01:18:39 - What was it like fearing for your parents' safety? 01:28:35 - How are your parents doing, and was the hike a positive grieving exercise? 01:32:13 - What do you know about how Curtis died? 01:41:12 - What advice do you have for people loving someone with severe mental illness? 01:45:15 - What were the highlights and best moments of the Camino? 01:46:53 - How did you navigate language barriers in Portugal and Spain? 01:48:24 - What are the funniest parent quirks you discovered on the hike? 01:57:03 - What gear do you recommend for the Camino? 02:07:15 - What was the funniest thing that happened on the trail? 02:10:01 - What is it like managing sleep apnea with a CPAP while backpacking? 02:23:04 - What are your top recovery tips for ultrarunning? 02:27:54 - Discussion about 2026 hiking trends: sleeping pad inflators and Alpha Direct Segments Trek Propaganda: 2026 Hiking Gear Trends, And Whether I Think They're Actually Worth It by Livvy Weld QOTD: Would you rather have one raccoon know all your secrets and occasionally hint at them or one goose publicly overreact to everything you do? Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of gear you can find that's girly Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 11 · 49 min
The World's Tallest Unclimbed Mountains, Tips for Taking a Sabbatical to Hike, and Kissing vs. Sauces
Segments The Tallest Unclimbed Mountains Trek Propaganda: Roundup Is Being Sprayed in National Forests. Here's What PCT Hikers Should Know by Kelly Floro QOTD: Would you rather give up sauces or kissing? Triple Crown of Ways NOT to die Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers
June 8 · 3 hr 41 min
Backpacker Radio's Origin Story, Evolution, and Behind the Scenes with Zach and Chaunce (BPR #360)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are bringing you the rare Chaunce and Zach solo pod. In this one, we tell the full origin story of Backpacker Radio, from the unofficial co-host audition at a hiker meetup, to Chaunce showing up at the wrong restaurant on day one, to almost not making it past the early episodes. We get into how our interviewing dynamic has evolved over eight years, the technical disasters of the early days, the team that quietly makes this whole thing work, our all-time favorite guests, the ones we never aired, the dream guests we still haven't landed, and answer a slew of listener questions. We wrap the show with a triple crown of worst ways to die, share the news that apparently Roundup is being sprayed in our national forests, opine on whether we'd rather give up sauces or kissing (and debate whether butter is a sauce), and give an overview on how to negotiate a thru-hiking sabbatical from your employer. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. OnX Backcountry: Use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com [divider] Interview with Chaunce Time stamps & Questions 00:06:15 - Reminders: Support Akuna during his recovery, join us for Chaunce's live podcast sendoff, submit your favorite Chaunce moments or a voicemail for Chaunce, apply to be a co-host, check out our new merch, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:15:05 - Introducing Chaunce 00:17:10 - What was Zach's initial idea for the podcast and how you decided you wanted a co-host? 00:25:42 - What were your first impressions of each other 00:27:48 - What were your expectations for the podcast's longevity and success? 00:34:20 - Did you discuss the style of the podcast and interview format you wanted? 00:39:43 - How has your co-interviewing strategy changed over the years? 00:59:25 - How are guests chosen for the show? 01:09:58 - What are some surprising things you've learned about making the podcast? 01:19:13 - How many interviews or segments have had to be cut? 01:24:18 - How long did it take to get over saying something dumb on air? 01:32:46 - How has the other person changed since episode one? 01:35:49 - What phrases or habits have you picked up from each other? 01:36:31 - How is the Mile by Mile project going? 01:45:45 - How have you balanced full-time work with hiking and the podcast? 01:53:18 - Were there any episodes where you were sick or physically unwell? 01:59:44 - Discussion about listener & Instagram questions 02:00:28 - How do you manage a friendship while working together? 02:02:43 - If you could go back to the beginning, what advice would you give yourselves? 02:13:27 - Discussion about highest highs and lowest lows from the podcast 02:20:23 - What are a few all-time favorite guests? 02:26:32 - Which guest were you most nervous to interview? 02:28:53 - What were your "I love my job" moments from the show? 02:31:51 - What will you miss most about interviewing together? 02:35:51 - Discussion about podcast segments that lived and died 02:39:23 - What are the remaining dream guests you haven't landed yet? 02:48:00 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: Roundup Is Being Sprayed in National Forests. Here's What PCT Hikers Should Know by Kelly Floro QOTD: Would you rather give up sauces or kissing? Triple Crown of Ways NOT to die Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 4 · 1 hr 44 min
Long Trail Trivia, the Best Town Food to Hike Out with, REI Flash Shade Review, and the Future of AI
Segments Long Trail Trivia Trek Propaganda: Check out the Trek's Youtube Processing QOTD: Everyone on earth takes a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50% of people press the blue button, everyone survives. If less than 50% of people press the blue button, only people who pressed the red button survive. Which button would you press? Sun Hoodie Review - REI Flash Shade Triple Crown of town food to hike out with Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
June 1 · 4 hr 20 min
Chaunce VS Jabba: The Final Showdown (BPR #359)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are bringing you the final on-air fight between Jabba and Chaunce. It is mostly awkward and uncomfortable, with- I think- a dash of closure at the end. Will you enjoy it? I don't know. Maybe not. We wrap the show with a question of the day involving button pushing and death, a new sun hoodie review- the REI Flash Shade, the triple crown of food to hike out of town with, we breakdown whether all food can be categorized as a soup, salad, or sandwich, we put out a call for your favorite Chaunce clips, and for your self-nominations as guest co-host of this here podcast. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. OnX Backcountry: Through Memorial Day, use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com [divider] Interview with Jabba Jabba's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:07:50 - Reminders: Join us for Chaunce's live podcast sendoff, submit your favorite Chaunce moments or a voicemail for Chaunce, apply to be a co-host, check out our new merch, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:18:15 - Jabba, recap your hiking on the Arizona Trail 00:30:20 - How many trails have you quit? 00:36:30 - Rehashing when Chaunce's face was broken 00:44:05 - Describe your first meeting with one another 00:51:55 - Per pound, who's the stronger backpacker? 00:58:45 - How has your friendship changed over time? 01:03:35 - Would Jabba only use a gas station bathroom for a year to get $1 million dollars? 01:07:00 - Jabba vs. Chaunce arm wrestle 01:09:14 - What did Jabba think about people coming to Chaunce's defense after the guy stuff episode? 01:16:30 - Spin the Wheel 01:20:00 - How long of a hike could you do together? 01:34:50 - What is the thing you like the most about the other person? 01:43:40 - What is the thing you dislike most about the other person? 01:50:45 - Chaunce tries to compliment Jabba 02:03:00 - When was the last time Jabba's feelings were hurt? 02:12:10 - Stay Salty Question: What's your hottest take in the world of backpacking? Segments Trek Propaganda: Check out the Trek's Youtube Processing QOTD: Everyone on earth takes a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50% of people press the blue button, everyone survives. If less than 50% of people press the blue button, only people who pressed the red button survive. Which button would you press? Sun Hoodie Review - REI Flash Shade Triple Crown of town food to hike out with Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
May 28 · 1 hr 2 min
How Dangerous is Backpacking, Paka Sun Hoodie Review, the Worst Gifts for Young Kids, and the Boy Who Cried Wolf Gone Wrong
Segments Ways to Die Trek Propaganda: Hikers Discover Human Remains Near Vermont Appalachian Trail by Kelly Floro QOTD: What celebrity names can you never remember? Triple Crown of the worst gifts to give young kids Parenting Thing of the Week Sun Hoodie Review Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.
May 25 · 2 hr 52 min
Fired from the Forest Service by DOGE, Public Lands Advocacy, and Finding Joy in a World of Bad News with Liz Crandall (BPR #358)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Liz Crandall, a former US Forest Service field ranger who was fired by DOGE last February and has since transitioned into advocacy, activism, and podcasting, serving as the host of Rangers of the Lost Park. In this one, Liz walks us through nine years of climbing the federal government's career ladder, from GS3 volunteer to permanent employee, and what it actually felt like to receive the phone call telling her it was over. She breaks down the DOGE firing process, the spam-looking emails that nobody believed were real, the Fork in the Road offer that most people didn't take, and what it looked like inside a Forest Service office where even the people who voted for the administration were crying. She also shares what it took to go from a person who was trained never to talk to the press to someone doing live CNN, the roadless rule and why she thinks rescinding it is a bad idea, her crown jewel podcast guest Ken Burns, and two pants-shitting stories from her hitchhiking days that she's been dreading telling us since she booked this. We wrap the show with hikers who discovered human remains in Vermont, the celebrity names we can never remember, how I butchered the boy who cried wolf, the triple crown of the worst gifts to give your kids, and an ALL TIME listener email and poop story. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com. OnX Backcountry: Through Memorial Day, use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com [divider] Interview with Liz Crandall Rangers of the Lost Park Podcast Rangers of the Lost Park Instagram Liz's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:34 - Processing 00:10:30 - Reminders: Join us for Chaunce's live podcast sendoff, subscribe to The Trek's Youtube, check out our new merch, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:17:25 - Introducing Liz 00:18:10 - What's the story behind your ranger raccoon tattoo? 00:24:47 - Tell us about working in wildlife rehab between Forest Service seasons 00:30:23 - How did you go from wildlife rehab to becoming a field ranger? 00:33:00 - What do the GS pay grades mean and how does the Forest Service career ladder work? 00:36:39 - What were your biggest accomplishments climbing from GS-3 to GS-6? 00:41:13 - When did things start going wrong under the new administration? 00:43:01 - What were the Fork in the Road emails from DOGE actually saying? 00:47:15 - What happened when the February 14th firing emails went out? 00:52:06 - Is there any optimism that fired feds could get their jobs back? 00:53:32 - How fast did you go from being fired to becoming an advocate? 00:57:41 - What was it like representing all fired feds in the press? 01:00:15 - Discussion about the State of the Union and lobbying in DC 01:02:18 - What do you disagree with about the Forest Service and BLM? 01:09:25 - How did Rangers of the Lost Park get started? 01:10:31 - How did you land Ken Burns as a guest? 01:15:26 - What were the biggest takeaways from your Ken Burns interview? 01:17:46 - What are some of the top remaining battles for public lands? 01:20:48 - How do you respond to people who aren't affected by these issues? 01:26:45 - Where do you get your validation when the wins are invisible? 01:28:45 - Triple Crown of Liz's best podcast guests 01:31:20 - How do you find joy in a world of bad news? 01:34:07 - Pants-shitting stories from Liz's hitchhiking days 01:43:17 - What's your most underrated piece of backpacking gear? 01:45:45 - Tell us about your mountain lion and grizzly bear encounters 01:56:40 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda: Hikers Discover Human Remains Near Vermont Appalachian Trail by Kelly Floro QOTD: What celebrity names can you never remember? Parenting Thing of the Week Triple Crown of the worst gifts to give young kids Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "The Snail" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, Dakota J, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lloyd Harris, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.