Trail Correspondents (The Trek)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Trail Correspondents
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Sep 2019 | #17 | Wildcard II (Group 2) | 00:56:19 | |
In our previous episode, our first group of hikers weighed in on a wide array of subjects from their thru-hikes. Today's episode comes from the PCT and CDT, and with it being a high snow year on both trails, much of the subject matter of these recordings will stay within a much tighter confine. Given a blank slate, the vast majority of our correspondents felt compelled to share how the high snow has impacted their hikes. For those considering taking on a thru-hike in the future, I strongly encourage you to listen closely to this episode, as many underestimate the impact of a heavy snow year. For those who listen to Backpacker Radio, you may recall, in the intro of Episode 32, Chaunce and I offer this disclaimer to 2019 PCT hikers, encouraging people to at least consider a Southbound thru-hike. In the rare chance this subject isn't of interest, I still encourage you to stick around as this is not the only subject tackled on today's show. Dosu's submission in particular might rouse some interesting debate. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from: PCT HIKERS
Check out our suggested PCT Gear List. CDT HIKERS[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 05 Dec 2019 | #23 | Readjusting After a Thru-Hike | 01:03:18 | |
When prepping for a thru-hike, aspiring trekkers spend countless hours stressing the transition to their new existence, one spent on the other side of walls. Within just a few days, the adjustment to living amongst the trees, on mountains, and under stars is all but complete. If only the transition back inside were so easy. That's the subject of today's episode. Our correspondents share how the adaption back to their former worlds has been, and what elements of their on-trail worlds they've brought with them- or at least hope to. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERUse code "TREK10" for 10% off at northxnorth.co Use code "TC15" to save 15% at Gossamer Gear.com Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 16 Aug 2021 | Season 3 Episode 4 | Wildcard I | 01:01:16 | |
It's Wildcard time! A few times a season, we challenge our correspondents' to be creative and discuss whatever they want to! Our trail correspondents lived up to the challenge that the wildcard presents. They regal us with a variety of stores, give us topics to ponder, and provide us an insight as to what "real life" on trail looks like. Turn's out, our correspondents get quite philosophical when they get to deal their own hand! Well into the first few weeks of hiking, most of our correspondents will be calling in with 100+ miles under their boots. At this point, many of our correspondents have now experienced both the highs and the lows of thru-hiking. From the struggles of having to separate from trafamlies to impromptu hotel room interviews, this episode is jam-packed newfound thru-hiker wisdom. Tune in to hear what our correspondent came up with for our first wildcard episode! Get 10% off at Greenbelly.co by using code "TC10" at checkout. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 12 Jun 2019 | #11 | Thru-Hiking Gear: Regrets, Upgrades, and Best Advice (Group 2) | 01:12:55 | |
Gear. For some people it's their favorite topic in the world, for others, it results in a shoulder shrug and an eye roll. But whether you love or hate gear talk, there's no way around it: what you carry on your back, plays a big role in how much you enjoy your hike. More precisely, getting it wrong the first time, can be emotionally and financially draining. -Check out the full list of what our hikers changed in the show notes below- Today our hikers share what they've sent home, what they've upgraded- really an overall glimpse into their gear systems thus far. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from: PCT HIKERS
Check out our suggested PCT Gear List. CDT HIKERS
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 11 Nov 2019 | #21 | Wild Card III: Sober Hiking, Relationship Advice, and Trail Etiquette | 01:37:25 | |
Today's show brings us our final wildcard episode. Given the timing of this episode, near the end of our correspondents' journeys, there's a lot of reflection on the miles in their rearview mirrors. We also hear some advice about maintaining a relationship on the trail, sober hiking, hiking with a fishing rod, trail etiquette and more. These episodes have been listener favorites in the past, this one will be no exception. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERUse code "TC15" to save 15% at Gossamer Gear.com Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 07 Feb 2019 | #1 | Introductions (Part 1) | 01:18:06 | |
We're back! After a few month-long hiatus, Trail Correspondents presented by The Trek is storming back into your world like a phoenix rising from the ashes. As you likely already know, last year the Trail Correspondents series ran through The Trek's flagship podcast, Backpacker Radio. Due to the popularity of this series, we deemed it worthy of its own home, i.e. this podcast. So.... What is Trail Correspondents?Last year, we showcased roughly a dozen thru-hikers taking on Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. Every other week, we'd feature their updates from the trail centered around a particular subject or theme. Through their eyes and vocal cords, we got a glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of those who take on a half year backpacking trip. This year, by and large, it's going to be more of the same. The primary difference for this year's show, is the hikers that we're featuring. More specifically, the theme for this season of Trail Correspondents was to
Really the only qualities this group has in common is their storytelling ability (which you are soon to learn, is captivating) and an intense desire to make 2019 a landmark year. You can find our Correspondents bios, headshots, and Instagram profiles (for most) below. This is the first episode, where you will meet our Pacific Crest Trail hikers, and Lucas, who's hiking the American Discover Trail from Iowa to California.
American Discovery TrailLucas Woolfolk Appalachian TrailNancy Alexander Frozen | Follow Frozen on Instagram | Missy Baatz Melissa Glass | Follow Melissa on Instagram | Kenneth Pararo | Follow Kenneth on Instagram | Katharine Rudzitis | Follow Katharine on Instagram | Travis | Follow Travis on Instagram |
Continental Divide TrailSara Dhooma Dosu Pacific Crest Trail | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | S4 Episode #14 | The Finish | 01:15:48 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! We’ve finally come to it: the finish. Send us your questions about anything and everything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/TrailCorrespondents In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 02 Sep 2021 | Season 3 Episode 5 | Surprises | 00:56:20 | |
Roughly one month into their journey, our correspondents are now at the point of learning about just how much they don't know about their trail, themselves, and thru-hiking as a whole. After all, even the most experienced thru-hikers have gaps in their research, preparation, and occasionally fail to pack needed items of gear. This episode is all about the twists, turns, and surprises that are an intrinsic part of life on trail. While we won't provide too many spoilers, our correspondents regale us with their stories of combating relationship issues (with those on trail and those at home), difficult conditions (foreseeable and not), and learning to be adaptable. Don't worry though, this episode isn't all serious - sometimes the spontaneity of trail life leads to wonderful moments - both heartwarming and belly-laugh-inducing alike. Get 10% off at Greenbelly.co by using code "TC10" at checkout. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 21 Feb 2019 | #3 | Thru-Hike Preparation | 02:06:20 | |
Preparing for a thru-hike can be a maddening experience. When it comes to overhauling your life to spend upwards of a half year, on foot, in the backcountry, where does one even begin to make sure they're crossing all of their ts and dotting all their i's prior to stepping foot on trail. That is precisely the subject of today's episode. So- how are our hikers going about this process? Let's find out. First you'll hear from our Appalachian Trail hikers, follwed by our Pacific Crest Trail Hikers, Continental Divide Trail hikers, and Lucas, our American Discovery Trail Correspodent. Enjoy. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERLearn more about Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from:
Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear. Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout. Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! You can also find us on Download podcast episode one and episode two. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 15 Nov 2019 | #22 | The End | 01:14:15 | |
Today is the end of the trail. For this one, we hear from our hikers twice, both the day before the northern terminus and at the finish line itself, with one exception. As you can imagine, this is an emotional update. Although the journey is the destination, there is likely no more exciting part of the journey than the finish line. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERUse code "TC15" to save 15% at Gossamer Gear.com Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 30 Aug 2023 | S4 Episode #11 | The Mental Game | 01:26:07 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is Episode 11 which is all about the mental game required to attempt a thru-hike. Denial is not just a river in Africa and it’s the stories we tell ourselves that frame our experience as heavenly or hellish. Now some relevant quotes: Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” Sapiens author, Yuval Noah Harari, "Homo sapiens is a storytelling animal that thinks in stories rather than in numbers or graphs, and believes that the universe itself works like a story, replete with heroes and villains, conflicts and resolutions, climaxes and happy endings. When we look for the meaning of life, we want a story that will explain what reality is all about and what my particular role is in the cosmic drama. This role makes me a part of something bigger than myself, and gives meaning to all my experiences and choices.” And one more from our very own Zach Badger Davis on the topic, "What we call “reality” is really just an interpretation of events based on prior life experiences. So if reality is a byproduct of our perceptions, it’s our job to rewire how we perceive tough times. We need to look at the glass as half full.” - from Appalachian Trails A thru hike is hard and not just in the ways that are obvious. Success requires a unity of the body, the spirit and THE MIND. Today we focus-in on the vital role that 3-pound mass of worn-weight between our ears plays in managing one of the most arduous tasks a person can assign themself. Let’s get into it. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Aly Pagano Abbigale (Abby) Evans Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 21 Jul 2021 | Season 3 Episode 3 | The First Night on Trail | 01:02:18 | |
The episodes leading up to this one introduced us to our 2021 hikers, taught us about their prep, and gave us insights as to why they decided to plan a thru-hike. However, planning a thru-hike and actually taking those first few steps are two very different things. In this episode, we learn all about their first day on trial and about how they dealt with pre-hike jitters. For the first time this season, all of our correspondents will be calling us from the trail. We will be hearing from each of them on their very first night on trail. Tune in to hear if our correspondents' lofty expectations are becoming reality. How are our intrepid heroes doing? How are they withstanding the elements, dealing with unruly gear, and getting used to sleeping in the elements? Tune in to find out. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 23 Dec 2019 | #24 | An Interview with Your Former Self | 02:03:43 | |
Today marks the final episode of our second season. Although this news is melancholy, this episode is too good to be down. At the beginning of this year, before embarking on their thru-hikes, I asked our Correspondents to interview themselves. Specifically, their future selves. I wanted a way to capture both the metamorphosis a hiker goes through during their journey, as well as hit on the pressure points of what was driving our wonderful correspondents onto the trail in the first place. This episode features both the questions fielded before their journey, along with their answers a couple months after they finished. The result, is magnificent. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERUse code "TREK10" for 10% off at northxnorth.co Use code "TC15" to save 15% at Gossamer Gear.com Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
APPLY for 2020 Trail Correspondents here. Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 07 Feb 2019 | #2 | Introductions (Part 2) | 01:05:20 | |
This is episode two, part two, season two. If you've listened to Backpacker Radio, you might be making assumptions about the subject of today's show. But, lucky you, this one is not poo-themed. Instead, we're going to meet the remainder of this season's trail correspondents. Today's show will introduce you to our Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail hikers. In the interest of not repeating myself, I will quickly highlight our thinking in those we brought on for this year's show. First, we wanted to feature primarily first time thru-hikers, as it's my belief that the during your first long distance trek, the highs are higher, and the lows are lower. We wanted the emotion to jump through your headphones and/or speaker and into your soul. Two, we wanted to feature a greater diversity of voice, to represent more communities, as the trail demographics tend to be rather homogenized. We want to encourage as many people as possible to discover the magic of the backcountry- in a sustainable way. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear. Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout. Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 29 Dec 2021 | S3 Episode #11 | The Mental Grind | 00:43:33 | |
It is said that the mental component is the most challenging aspect of a thru-hike. I am one of those making this claim, in fact, I wrote two books on this very subject. Although the physical element of a cross country trek can't be understated in terms of difficulty, after a few weeks, a hiker's body largely adjusts to the rigors of walking all day, every day. As the physical element gets easier, for many, the psychological struggle only grows in magnitude. And that's the subject for today's show. Our hikers share what mental struggles they've encountered (if any), how it's differed relative to their expectations, what tools they use to stay sane, and much more. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 07 Jun 2023 | S4 Episode #5 | Expectations Vs. Reality | 01:20:18 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 5: expectations vs. reality. Picture in your mind’s eye, an ideal version of time spent in nature. It’s likely not raining and warm but not hot. Perhaps the perfect cooling breeze supportively buffets your face while you climb a challenging but not impossible ascent. You may find yourself surrounded by lush, green foliage, peeking out from which you spot rare and beautiful wildlife, that is so unafraid of your presence as to be practically posing for you as you snap a magnificent photo… If only everyday could be like this… Though trail life is a certain kind of escape it is definitely not a wholesale entrance into a fantasy reality free from the doldrums and discomforts of everyday life. And while it’s easy to romanticize thoughts of living in the woods for an extended period of time, as the days become weeks become months, one is quickly disabused of these flights of fancy. In this episode our correspondents place their preconceived notions about life on trail up against their lived experiences. The sharp contrast here provides a certain type of clarity painting a clear picture of what a very long walk in the woods actually involves... In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Jake Landgraf Mary Garcia Summer Midyett FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 12 Apr 2023 | S4 Episode #1 | Introducing the Class of 2023 | 01:39:14 | |
Hello and welcome back to the much anticipated, 4th season of Trail Correspondents! This season features a great group of hopeful hiker who will be sharing their journeys with us all. Beyond just getting to know this new batch of folks, there is also the passing of the host-torch from Zach "Badger" Davis to Kenneth "Moron" Pararo. We get a quick update on this change of guard, hear a bit from Moron about how and why he's taken the reigns and then dive into introductions from our correspondents. This season promises to be a true return to form as we follow our 13 contributors through all aspects of what it takes to tackle a multi-month thru hike. So, strap in as we get to know our 2023 hikers - it's going to be a wild ride! To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn Angelique "Perky"Krohn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.[divider] FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. sign up for our newsletterGive us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. And, one final mention, that you can save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. | |||
| 06 Jun 2019 | #10 | Expectations vs. Reality (Group 2) | 00:53:06 | |
To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, and following social media accounts trying to absorb as much information for your forthcoming journey as possible. But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show. Today our hikers let us in on how the journey has deviated from their expectations. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 21 May 2019 | #8 | Thru-Hiking Gear: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why (Group 1) | 00:58:49 | |
It's the subject which most aspiring thru-hikers dedicate the most time, energy, and money toward. Yes, let's talk gear. We get an early look into our how our crew's backpacking gear is treating them. They share what they've sent home (if anything), if they've added anything new, if they have any regrets- really just an overall shakedown, a few weeks into their treks. This is a subject of deep passion to many of our listeners, so grab your pens and notepads, and get ready to scribble down some notes, because here comes some advice from those who've walked some of the walk. Check out The Trek's YouTube Channel.
[divider] Check out our recommended Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List Check out our recommended Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 30 Apr 2019 | #6 | Expectations vs. Reality (Group 1) | 01:10:09 | |
To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, and following social media accounts trying to absorb as much information for your forthcoming journey as possible. But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show. Today our hikers let us in on how the journey has deviated from their expectations. Today's updates come from the same hikers you heard in the previous episode. We're going to continue segmenting our hikers this way, grouped by embark date, rather than trail, to limit the delay of these recordings as much as possible. This means you'll be getting updates from both the AT and PCT, and hearing from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Melissa, Nancy, Sarah, Zack and Jazmin. Enjoy. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Windrider and Southwest by using code "TREK10" at hyperlitemountaingear.com. In today's show, we hear from:
Today's show is brought to you by Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, ME. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 25 Oct 2023 | S4 Episode #15 | Interview With Your Former Self | 01:56:40 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is the final episode of season 4: an interview with your former self. Traditionally, this episode is formatted such that we pan back and forth between the present and the past as the Correspondents ask and answer questions they posed to themselves prior to leaving for their journeys; however, as I started to dig into putting this episode together, I was struck by the stark difference in tone between these two chronologically distant clips. So I made a unilateral, editorial decision to mostly change the formatting of this episode in order to preserve its potency. Rather than split each question up with its associated answer I’ve elected to present both in their entirety so that you as the listener can really hear the doubt, uncertainty and honestly fear of the unknown give way to courage, confidence, and acquired knowledge. So, for the most part I’ve abandoned tradition. If you’ll grant me one final indulgence, I present to you now our concluding episode. Let’s get into it, one more time. One final chance to send us your questions about anything and everything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/TrailCorrespondents In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 30 Jul 2019 | #14 | The Social Dynamics of a Thru-Hike (Group 1) | 01:15:25 | |
There are many fascinating components to the thru-hiking lifestyle, none more so than the social dynamics a hiker will encounter during the course of this trek. Today our hikers give us a glimpse into the ways in which hikers group up on trail. We learn if they're hiking solo, with a partner, in a group and why, how the dynamics have evolved since the early days of their journeys, the friendships they've formed, how it's compared to their pre-trail expectations, and much more. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 13 Oct 2021 | S3 Episode #7 | Wildcard II | 00:51:25 | |
Because our prompts can often leave the juiciest trail stories uncovered, this season, we have built in even more wildcard episodes, where our correspondents muse on whatever is most inspiring to them about their recent trail experience. Today's show covers quite a bit of ground, everything to a wild storm in the Winds, a play by play of a day in the life of a thru-hiker, the importance of hiking your own hike, the importance of grit, and much more.
FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 05 Aug 2019 | #15 | The Social Dynamics of a Thru-Hike (Group 2) | 01:09:03 | |
Social dynamics on trail. In our previous episode our group one hikers gave us insight on how their hiking groups have evolved over the course of their hikes. Today, we hear from our remaining PCT and CDT hikers on this same subject. This year has been especially interesting for group dynamics given the high snow levels on the PCT and CDT, as this plays a large role in fragmenting the hiker bubble, as some groups forge through the risky conditions, some skip sections, some flip to the northern terminus and hike south, while others abandon the trail altogether. Our hikers weigh in on everything to do with their hiking groups including the friendships they've formed, how they choose hiking partners, how the dynamics have compared to their pre-trail expectations, and more. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from: PCT HIKERS
Check out our suggested PCT Gear List. CDT HIKERS[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 29 Jun 2021 | Season 3 Episode 2 | Thru-Hike Preparation | 01:06:24 | |
Preparing for a thru-hike is no easy feat. After all, hikers have to completely overhaul their life. This often involves quitting their job, storing all of their belongings somewhere, saying goodbye to loved ones/partners, and make a strict budget - and we haven't even gotten into all the necessary gear and skills one needs for a thru-hike. So where does one start? How on earth does anybody actually plan for, let alone go through with, a thru-hike? Let's find out. In this episode, our trail correspondents on the AT, PCT, and CDT have regaled us with their preparation stories. With correspondents ranging from fresh high school grads to a retired mom of eight, they had wildly different ways of getting prepped for their hikes. The only common thread in our hiker's stories seems to be the initial wanderlust and desire to get on the trail. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | S4 Episode #12 | Lessons Learned | 01:17:46 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! You’ll certainly find a noticeable theme throughout these clips - especially with those who are completing their first long trail, that it’s difficult to sum up in words what’s been learned. The duration of time a thru hike requires is definitely enough to cause a thorough change within a person - it’s so all-encompassing and transforming that it’s hard to nail down exactly who and what you were before embarking on your journey. It requires re-acclimation to the life you left in order to reorient who you’ve become. On that note, let’s get into what our correspondents have to say on the matter. Their closeness to the essence of this kind of experiential change is sure to be captivating… In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 05 Jul 2023 | S4 Episode #7 | Wildcard 2 | 01:15:05 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we’re looking at another wildcard edition of the show. In case you don’t know, wildcard episodes give our correspondents free reign to talk about whatever they’d like. So strap in for some wholesome rambling regarding this, that, and the other! Let's get into it. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 22 Oct 2019 | #20 | Revelations | 01:32:17 | |
An extended period in the great outdoors is medicine for the soul. Breaking free from our routines in a natural setting is a recipe for happiness, clarity, and a fresh perspective. Having done it myself multiple times, I believe this with an unwavering conviction. That is the subject of today's show. Our hikers will share all of the revelations or a-ha moments they've experienced on trail. They talk about what changes, little or big, they'd like to incorporate into their post-trail worlds, and how their hikes have facilitated this decision. And, sadly, today's episode features a pair of sign offs. This will serve as a reminder of how much good luck is required to complete a thru-hike. In today's show, we hear from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Nancy, Zack, Jazmin, Angie, Karthikeya, Laura, Julie, Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo), Dosu, and Sara D. Here it is. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERUse code "TC15" to save 15% at Gossamer Gear.com Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | S4 Episode #6 | The Social Experience | 01:20:56 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 6: the social experience. This episode isn't just about the "tramily" most hikers will invariably and organically find themselves a part of - it’s about the trail angels, the people who give you rides to town, the clerks at the grocery stores, the attendants at gas stations and so on. When you’re on trail, you’re on a mission and its gravity is palpable. People see you with your pack and assign you a special special status. It feels like being an important member of a close knit community. Life on trail is edifying, nourishing, validating, and to be honest, a little addicting. Today we hear about how our correspondents are getting along with those they’ve met on trail in addition to the wider world enveloping them and though this episode does sadly see us saying goodbye to another contributor, all the stories contained within have a similar undertone of conscious appreciation of how the presence of those sharing in this rarefied experience we call thru hiking is one of the most enriching parts of the entire endeavor. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 21 Mar 2022 | S3 Episode #15 | An Interview With Your Pre-Trail Self | 00:41:04 | |
Today marks the final episode of our third season. At the beginning of this year, before embarking on their SOBO thru-hikes, I asked our Correspondents to interview themselves. Specifically, their future selves. We wanted a way to demonstrate the metamorphosis a hiker goes through during their journey- or perhaps lack thereof. This was our listeners' favorite episode last year, and I have no doubt that the response will be the same this time around. Here it is. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 24 May 2023 | S4 Episode #4 | Wildcard 1 | 01:23:16 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! I am your host moron. This is episode 4 of Trail Correspondents - the first wild card edition, wherein each of our contributors get to relay whatever is on their mind. This episode is a fun exposé highlighting everyone’s unique taste and what they individually bring to the table: it’s a narrative potluck, y’all. Let’s get into it! In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 16 Aug 2023 | S4 Episode #10 | Wild Card 3 | 01:02:51 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! I am your host moron and this is the last installment of the wildcard episodes for this season of the show. No real need for introductions here as we all know the drill by now. So, settle in and prepare to hear a little of this, a little of that, and a whole lot in between. Let’s get into it. In today's episode we hear from: Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 30 May 2019 | #9 | Reactions to the Murder on the Appalachian Trail | 00:24:52 | |
Today's episode was not supposed to happen. At the beginning of the season, we outline the subjects in which we want our hikers to share with you. Today's show was not on that agenda. This episode is in response to the recent news of the murder that occurred on the Appalachian Trail. In the very early hours on May 11th, a pair of hikers were attacked by a man with a machete. One of them survived, albeit with very serious wounds, the other, Ronald Sanchez known on trail as Stronghold, did not. For the sake of not repeating myself, you can hear more details about this attack and my brief thoughts on this horrific incident in the intro of episode 38 of Backpacker Radio. For this show, however, we wanted to feature the take of our Appalachian Trail hikers, those who were out on the trail during this tragic event. In the following recordings, they share how they found out about the news, and how it has impacted their hikes, along with that of their trail families. Here it is. Check out The Trek's YouTube Channel. In today's show, we hear from:
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 23 Nov 2021 | S3 Episode #9 | The Thru-Hiker's Diet | 00:47:27 | |
What does one eat on a backpacking trip? It may seem like a simple question with an equally simple answer. But dig a bit beneath the surface and, you'll quickly learn there's more nuance than you might originally think. Not only do we get a taste of what goes into a day's menu for our hiker trash, but we also learn how their tastes have evolved while on trail, the much-anticipated Hiker Hunger- the point at which a trekker's stomach evolves into a bottomless pit, and general advice for how they go about thinking about their diets overall. Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 11 Mar 2022 | S3 Episode #14 | The End | 00:17:52 | |
The finish. We are here. Not days, not weeks, but months of blood, sweat, and tears, all with the remote hope that the journey will conclude at the intended destination- the southern terminus. A goal that at one point feels too big to conceptualize, and today, this goal is realized. Our hikers give us a glimpse of how they're feeling- their current emotional state and how the expectation of reaching the destination compares to the reality. Enjoy. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 07 Sep 2019 | #18 | Stories from the Trail | 01:50:15 | |
Grab a seat next to the rocking chair because today's show will feature some stories from the backcountry. We instructed our hikers to share a standout tale from their journey. It can be a highlight, lowlight, or something in between. The submissions are a delightful mix. We hear about one of our AT hikers who completed the 4-state challenge, one of our correspondents who played a part in rescuing a lost hiker, and another correspondent who had to use their SOS to save another hiker. Murphy's law. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Check out The Trek's store. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 13 Dec 2021 | S3 Episode #10 | Wildcard III | 00:39:40 | |
We're back at it today with this season's third edition of our wildcard episode. Instead of giving our hikers a specific prompt, they are given the freedom to report on whatever subject they find most pressing. We get some very moving entries, including an emotional take on what it feels like to lose your hiking partner in the midst of the journey, we hear about hiker entitlement, we get a check-in from Ibex fresh off the Benton Mackaye trail- and why she's no longer on the PCT, and more. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 16 Sep 2021 | S3 Episode #6 | The Social Dynamic | 01:09:31 | |
Today we explore the social dynamic of a thru-hike. If you've listened to previous seasons shows on this subject, you might think that you already know the answer to this question. However, let us not forget, our trekkers are hiking against the current. Whereas the vast majority of thru-hikers- regardless of which triple crown trail they're on- hike northbound, our hikers are trekking south. For that reason, the bubbles that one experiences on the AT or PCT may look a lot different. Or will it? In addition to the number of fellow hikers a person might encounter, we also hear about the quality of the companionship. Our Correspondents are more than a month into their journey and we'll learn the role their fellow trekker is playing on the enjoyment of their own journey. Get 10% off at Bedrocksandals.com by using code "BEDROCKTRAIL2021" at checkout. Get 10% off at Greenbelly.co by using code "TC10" at checkout. [divider] Listen here[divider] FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 15 Apr 2019 | #5 | Night Before the Trail + First Day on Trail (Group 1) | 00:58:38 | |
The shows leading up to today's served a necessary role. They introduced us to our 2019 hikers. We got to meet the vast array of personalities trekking across the country, and learn a good deal about the motives behind these epic journeys. But, I like to think that these entries were just this season's hors d'oeuvres. Today's show begins our main entree. Today's show features our first updates from the trail. In this episode, you'll receive a pair of entries from our Correspondents. The first actually comes the night before they hit the trail. This likely comes as no surprise, but this is a time when emotions are flowing like a firehose. Whether it's excitement, anxiety, or a combination of the two, our hikers' long awaited treks are just one bad night of sleep away. And the second recording comes from the end of their first day on trail, where they're given a blank slate to talk about whatever most inspires them. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Windrider and Southwest by using code "TREK10" at hyperlitemountaingear.com. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Today's show is brought to you by Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, ME. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 14 Jan 2022 | S3 Episode #12 | Lessons Learned | 00:45:10 | |
The trail is my teacher. Perhaps one of the most underrated aspects of a long distance backpacking trip is the time it allows someone to be with their thoughts. It's not uncommon for the time and space to allow for a breakthrough, or even just seeing old problems in a new light. Today we learn what lessons our hikers have learned over their course on trail. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 10 May 2023 | S4 Episode #3 | First Night On Trail | 01:26:38 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: hitting the trail. While 11 members of this group have boots on the ground and are headed in their chosen direction toward their trail’s terminus, today we also hear from one correspondent who has yet to depart along with another who, after a harrowing first day, has made the difficult decision to get off trail. Each trail presents its own difficulties and challenges and simply showing up on the first day is certainly a herculean feat in and of itself. So, let’s learn about how our correspondents are acclimating to trail life as we hear first-hand about their first days and nights. In the words of Samuel Jackson, “hold onto your butts.” To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn Angelique "Perky"Krohn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletterGive us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. | |||
| 01 Jun 2021 | Season 3 Episode 1 | Introductions | 01:10:13 | |
We are beyond thrilled to finally unveil our third season of Trail Correspondents presented by The Trek. For those new to the show, Trail Correspondents is a teleportation machine to the trail - in audio form. Every other week (or so), host Zach Davis and a select handful of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail, will give us a glimpse into the beautiful world of thru-hiking. Through their eyes and vocal cords, we will learn all about the highs, lows, and nitty-gritty details that go into a half-year, cross-country trek. Trail Correspondents is the next best thing to being on trial yourself. In previous seasons, our correspondents shared their perspectives as northbound hikers, which, is the more typical approach. This season, however, our correspondents, much like salmon, are swimming against the current and hiking southbound. Historically, the southbound (or SOBO for short) experience is much more isolated. However, given the unique circumstances of this year (you know, the whole apocalypse situation), will we see a busier, and thus more social SOBO experience? Time will tell. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. | |||
| 27 Aug 2019 | #16 | Wildcard II (Group 1) | 01:03:13 | |
Today's episode brings us our second wildcard, and our first from the trail. I gave our correspondents a blank canvas for which they can paint whatever trail-related artwork they were currently most passionate about. The previous wildcard episode was a listener favorite, and I'm guessing today's will also follow suit. We hear about a wide range of subjects, from hammock camping to finding romance on trail , to game changing trail magic, to hiking the Sierra in a high snow year, and beyond. This grab bag of subjects will without question keep you on your toes. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 10 Nov 2021 | S3 Episode #8 | The Physical Adjustment | 00:52:00 | |
Obvious statement of the year award- walking the length of the country will do a number on one's body. Just how severe is the impact...well, that's what our trekkers will share with us today. In addition to the physical adjustment, our hikers will detail exactly how they manage their pain and what advice they would offer to those who are looking to prepare for a long distance backpacking trip themselves. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
| 14 Mar 2019 | #4 | Wildcard I (Sacrifices Made to Thru-Hike) | 01:26:41 | |
A few weeks ago, I touched base with our correspondents to see what subjects they wanted to discuss before taking off for their hikes. As you may imagine, their responses were all over the map, as they are soon to be. Given they were due to hit the trail soon and their emotions were likely hitting a fever pitch, I gave them free rein to talk about whatever subjects were most top of mind for them. Today's show is our first wild card episode for season 2. The most prominent theme you will discern from today's show is the sacrifices our hikers had to make to pull their thru-hikes together. As you can imagine, taking a half year off to walk is no simple task. We also hear about- the thing they've been too afraid to talk about publicly, that they'll be disclosing for the first time on this show. Their outlook on society at large and how thats influenced their desire to thru-hike. Finances. Other people's reactions. Life on the home front, and more. This show covers a lot of ground and elicits some raw emotion, and this is why it's a perfect peak into the mind of someone who's leaving one world behind and about to enter into another. Here it is. Enjoy. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Maggie's review of the Dirigo 2 from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Today's show is brought to you by Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, Maine.
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 02 Aug 2023 | S4 Episode #9 | Trail Diet | 01:19:40 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Though many of us eat more so out of pleasure, schedule, routine or the like, a hiker’s relationship to food evolves during the course of a thru-hike and it’s an interesting change to take note of. Wherever you fall in the dietary spectrum it’s somewhat unlikely that you will have the same relationship with food pre and post trail. Food is important and it becomes a vital part of your hiking strategy out of necessity, which is obvious on its face: you need to eat, but when your white hot furnace of a metabolism is glowing for 8, 10, or 12 hours a day, the importance of eating takes on a new form. So, let’s hear what our correspondents have to report about what role food has played for them on their hikes. Sure to be mouth watering. And, if you’re listening at home, make sure to have a drink handy as it will be a requirement to take a sip everytime someone mentions a ramen bomb. Let’s get into it. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | S4 Episode #13 | Last Week On Trail | 01:04:43 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! I am your host moron and this is episode 13 all about the last week on trail. There are a lot of complex, possibly mutually exclusive and contradicting feelings that can arise on the last week of trail. You’ve found a groove, have your gear and resupply system fine tuned and have all of the intellectual, emotional and physical momentum you could need to reach your destination. But then, there you are at the sign or monument signifying your journey’s conclusion. While the contents of each day on trail are usually unknown at the outset and are filled in by the the whims of fate as you make your daily mileage, as you approach nearer and nearer to what you’ve been chasing for so many weeks and months, it’s hard to grasp what the end of the experience will mean for the near future. There’s no doubt that the end of a journey like a long-trail is a hard pill to swallow and it’s uniquely individualized for each person. Send us your questions about anything and everything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/TrailCorrespondents In today's episode we hear from: Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 11 Oct 2019 | #19 | The Mental Grind | 01:45:02 | |
Our hikers chime in on whether they agree with this sentiment, what coping mechanisms they use to overcome their challenges, how the challenges have evolved over the course of the hike, and what advice they would offer to their pre-trail selves on how to better handle these hurdles. As a bit of a spoiler, one of our hikers will greatly corroborate how difficult the mental side of this journey is, as she is no longer on trail, and cites this as the key reason. Listen through to hear her entry. Her honest take is full of valuable insights for those considering a thru-hike. In today's show we hear from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Nancy, Sarah H, Jazmin, Karthikeya, Laura, Julie, Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo), Dosu, and Sara D. Here it is. Enjoy.
FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 01 Jul 2019 | #12 | The Thru-Hiker Diet: Favorite Meals, Snacks, and Philosophy (Group 1) | 01:11:11 | |
Food. It's is a subject of endless fascination to just about everyone. Even the most experienced hikers stand room for improvement with their backcountry menus. Rarely do I go a long stint on trail without picking up some sort of tip for how to enhance my hiker fare. This episode will be appealing to those who want to improve their on trail culinary skills or who are simply curious about what a hiker eats, what the vaunted hiker hunger is all about, and how tastes evolve over the course of a thru-hike. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:
Related reading: My PCT Thru-Hike Diet & 3 Ingredient Backpacking Meals [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | S4 Episode #8 | The Physical Adjustment | 01:14:50 | |
Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we're talking about the physical adjustment our correspondents have endured on trail. When it comes to staying on trail, you have to listen to your body. You ignore its cries and protests at your peril. If there’s one piece of advice I can give with respect to acclimating to the physical demands of thru hiking, it’s to tend to things THE MOMENT they arise. If you feel a small itch on the back of your heel, pull over and investigate. If your cookset is digging into your back, take your pack off and reorient it, and so on. With the attrition rate of any thru hike being what it is, anything you can do to stop problems before they arise will incrementally increase your odds of arriving at your intended terminus. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter | |||
| 26 Apr 2023 | S4 Episode #2 | Thru-Hike Preparation | 01:20:55 | |
It’s said that proper preparation prevents poor performance. That being so, though there is a high level of inescapable serendipity and general chaos that has to be accepted and even embraced during a thru-hike, equally important is the forethought that goes into this kind of endurance endeavor. Preparation is individualized and personal. In the world of trail tropes, it's also often said that one packs their fears and in a similar vein, the way in which one plans for a multi-month backpacking trip illuminates their own value system and areas of focus. Now, let’s hear from our 13 correspondents about what they’ve done in order to structure their hikes. From physical training, to mental gymnastics, on-trail logistics and even simply jumping into the deep end with eyes closed, this episode highlights this cohorts pre-trail considerations. Let’s get into it. ---------------- To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. ---------------- In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Abbigale (Abby) Evans Aly Pagano Iris Hartshorn Angelique "Perky"Krohn David Firari Derek Witteman Eddie Arriola Elke Pabst Emily Russo Miller Jake Landgraf Mary Garcia Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHER---------------- Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. ---------------- Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. ---------------- INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. ---------------- Sign up for our newsletter---------------- Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. ---------------- And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. | |||
| 15 Jul 2019 | #13 | The Thru-Hiker Diet: Favorite Foods, Hiker Hunger, and Nutrition Strategies (Group 2) | 01:03:31 | |
We hope you've got enough appetite to stomach another show about trail food, because today's edition is an all you can eat buffet of hiker fare. Our remaining PCT and CDT hikers weigh in on what their favorite trail foods are, what they're craving most, if they've been stricken with the notorious hiker hunger, how their food systems have evolved over the course of their hikes, and more. For anyone who's curious about how long distance backpackers manage their diets, this episode will provide plenty of food for thought. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from: PCT HIKERS
Check out our suggested PCT Gear List. CDT HIKERS[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 09 May 2019 | #7 | Night Before the Trail + First Day on Trail (Group 2) | 00:50:16 | |
As you likely recall, in episode 5, we got our first updates from the trail. Today we get our first trail update from our second group of hikers. More specifically we get a pair of updates. We first get a taste of where our hiker's minds are the night before they embark on their treks. This likely comes as no surprise, but this is a time when emotions are flowing like a fire hose. Whether it's excitement, anxiety, or a combination of the two, our hikers' long-awaited treks are just one bad night of sleep away. And the second recording comes from the end of their first day on trail, where they're given a blank slate to talk about whatever most inspires them. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERGet a 10% discount off Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Windrider and Southwest by using code "TREK10" at hyperlitemountaingear.com. In today's show, we hear from:
[divider] Today's show is brought to you by Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, ME. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. | |||
| 11 Feb 2022 | S3 Episode #13 | The Last Week on Trail | 00:37:23 | |
Today brings us to our hikers last week on trail. Here, we asked our hikers to reflect on their journey overall. Although this isn't technically a wildcard episode, we gave our Correspondents free rein to focus in on whatever they felt most passionate about in the process of looking back on their journeys. You'll hear some disbelief, you'll hear some excitement, you'll hear some somber thoughts. This one runs the full spectrum, and appropriately so. FIND US ON ITUNES | FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY | FIND US ON STITCHERCheck out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:
[divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. < sign up for our newsletter >Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. | |||
