Eagle Eye, known off trail as Katelin Reeser, would shoulda been on the PCT with me this year. Instead, she stayed closer to home…adding the Long Trail to her completion list. It joins the John Muir Trail which she hiked last year with her boyfriend. In this episode, we talk about the differences between the two trails, how our PCT plans went awry, altitude sickness and the things she’s learned for the next one.
Read MoreAbstract, known off trail as Alina Drufovka, had been dreaming about hiking the AT since she was 13. Finally in 2015, she loaded up her pack and set out, getting half way before injury forced her off. Not to be denied, she went back to the beginning in 2017 and hiked the full trail Launching herself into the thru hiking life. Two hundreds miles on the Israel National Trail and 1800 miles on the PCT brought her to an existential crisis over who she was outside of thru hiking. In this episode, we talk about identity in and out of hiking, fear, letting go of the purist ideology, and the evolution of her art
Read MoreConstantine, known off trail as Ryan Bunting, has done quite the trail tour in the last 5 years. From the Big 3 he fell in love then went on a search for more trail time… casting his pack onto the Oregon Coast Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Ice Age Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Arizona Trail, Natchez Trace Scenic Trail, Great Divide Trail, Vancouver Island Trail and the Sea to Summit Trail. In this episode, we take the grand tour, touching each of the trails. And we talk about ground truthing, following grizzly tracks and the vegamatic.
Gingersnap, known off trail as Sam Lee, prepped for this conversation by pulling out the old journals from her 2012 AT thru hike. Which brought the memories flooding back. Memories of bear javelin throwing technique and reconnecting to her feminine side by hiking in a dress and the never to be forgotten Lyme Disease. In this episode, she grants us a little window into the trials and tribulations of a thru hike…and the absolute pure joy of it all. Reminding me how the things that terrify us are exactly the things we need to do the most.
Read MoreDarrah Did It, known off trail as Darrah Blackwater, really did do it. This summer she got herself onto the Colorado Trail, fears and all, with a little help from Hiking Prodigy and the lifesaving application of Leukotape. In this episode we talk about those fears and pushing through them, balancing your alone time with people time, learning trail culture,
and how she might have broken her parents.
The Boss and Pretzel, known off trail as Max Crooks and Jaye Groves, are simultaneously section hiking both the Tahoe Rim Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. With 3 weeks off a year, they carve out 200 – 300 miles at a time on the PCT and use long weekends for the Tahoe Rim. In this episode, we talk the section hiking life and why it’s almost perfect, their experience on the trail from a non-binary and transgender perspective, working through the challenges of altitude sickness and earthquakes.
Read MoreStark Naked, known off trail as Wallace Washington, had completed 1182.1 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail when they decided to leave trail due to three broken toes. Not yet ready to leave however they finish the hiking season in epic trail magic fashion. In this episode we talk about racism on and off trail and story of those three broken toes, finding their nonbinary trans identity while on trail, the not so much fun of ice cold stream crossings… and why sometimes you just need your Mom.
Read MorePoppins, known off trail as Marie-Pier Tremblay, went from thinking she wasn’t the type of person who could thru hike the Pacific Crest Trail to “I can”. She reached into the thru hiking community with her illustrations and found mentors and cheerleaders. And courage to face her fears and do it anyway. In this episode, we talk about the journey before the journey, tramily group decisions, hiking even when you hate it… and the shrimpcicle.
Read MorePeanut, known off trail as Melanie Harsha, was introduced to the Appalachian Trail by her mother who has section hiked it for years. So in 2016 she felt ready to take on a full thru hike… and there began the education of Peanut. From hiking with a dog to stress fractures and 20+ pound base weight… it has been an evolution from that first hike to the PCT in 2018 and attempting the Wind River High Route. In this episode we talk about that evolution, what a pre-trail night at Scout and Frodo’s is like, seeing her first rattlesnake outside of a church… and her trail inspired tattoo.
Read MoreThis episode is going to be a little different. Today’s guest is Doug Laher. He is sharing this story for his son Trevor “Microsoft” Laher who lost his life while thru hiking the Pacific Crest Trail at Apache Peak just outside of Idyllwild on March 27, 2020. Trevor was just 11 days into his hike. Doug’s mission now is to make sure no other family gets that same call through advocacy and encouraging hikers to embrace three key mindsets that might have saved his son’s life.
1 - #EmbraceTheAlternate
2 – Don’t short change your safety at the expense of grams and ounces.
3 – Develop sound risk management strategies before you hit the trail.
Read MoreFiddlehead, known off trail as Paige Pasquini, earned her thru hiking cred on the Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, and Long Trail before hitting the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019. In this episode, we have fun talking about a jolly man with a beer belly, the Ultimate Girl Gang, how ambling up the AT turned into a go-go, get it done PCT, and the gear she always brings without compromise.
Read MoreBB, known off trail as Nathan Hankes, came back from Iraq heart set on thru hiking.
Convincing his brother to join him, they SOBO’d the AT in 2009 from which sprang his book “Waking Up On The Appalachian Trail.” In this episode, we talk about how the trail helped him process his experiences in Iraq, the dichotomy of being a slave to the mileage versus taking breaks to be present, and the importance of finding your nutritional sweet spot.
Purple Rain, known off trail as Mandy Bland, began her thru hiking career on the AT. Then moved to the Grand Enchantment Trail and section hikes of the PCT. Along the way she found her passion, in the process creating Purple Rain Adventure Skirts. In this episode we talk about the evolution of her rain skirts and how putting a pocket on it makes life so much better, navigation challenges on the Grand Enchantment Trail and staying a solo hiker.
Read MoreLayzer GOAT, known off trail as Anthony Earl, has completed the distance of the Appalachian and Colorado Trails. On the AT, he started out with a 55 pound pack which included a different hat for each day of the week. Suffice it to say, things have changed since then and in this episode we talk about the other side of the dilemma with whether to cut your toothbrush or not, thunderstorms in Colorado, peanut butter trail magic, and Purple Rain Skirts.
Read MorePCP, known off trail as Chelsea Fisher, knocked out the Appalachian Trail in 2017, the Long Trail in 2018 and the Pacifc Crest Trail in 2019. So in this episode we compare and contrast each of the trails. We then dig into frost nip, jade necklaces, and the night a bear came to visit… and what the heck PCP stands for.
Read MoreTiger, known as Sam Lleva, did two life changing things in 2019. He thru hiked the PCT and left trail for awhile to get married. In this episode, of course we have to talk about how he convinced his fiancé that being on the trail before and after the wedding was a great idea, the difficulty of visiting home while thru hiking and the Sierra curve balls.
Read MoreSnazzy, known off trail as Mike Stone, was also part of IB TAT’s late October PCT push to the border last year. So, of course, we have to talk about it. Along the way, we also get to reminisce about being a tent dweller, the Bend beer tour, the kindness of strangers and the Snazzy straw.
Read MoreGriz, known off trail as Grizel Williams, is a strong, fierce LatinX woman one trail away from completing her Triple Crown. She found in hiking a space to find herself. And in this episode, we talk about hiking with a dog, building a safe place for people to share their stories, creating a bridge between mental health and hiking and the trekking pole ninja.
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