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

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by Gummy Bear, a 2018 PCT hiker and all around awesome dude.  We do a deep dive on his experience of being a gay and plus size hiker in the trail community.  We chat some about his upcoming Arizona Trail hike.  Chaunce and I deliver the PCT class of 2019 a warning for what they can expect to see in the Sierra this year and why you might want to consider hiking southbound.  We do a triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike.  Basically we touch on all the reasons why you should never leave your house (not actually).  This is a meaty show, so find a comfortable place to sit, lay, or meander down the trail.

Subjects discussed in today's show include:

• Recorded at Wayfinder in Denver, CO
• Use Code "Trek10" at Greenbelly.co to save 10% off your order.
• Sawyer Micro
• Sawyer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze Video
• The Sierra is snowy
• Chaunce's PCT 2017 Video
• As It Happens
• Start interview with Evan Haut aka Gummy Bear
• Trail name origin
• What drew you to hike the PCT - love of travel, liked camping better than partying aspects of festivals he had been going to
• Gay pride bandana attached to pack - important to have it on there after talking to other hikers in town who were hesitant/uncomfortable being open - prior to flag, felt like only gay person on trail, post flag, had a lot of people opening up and talking to him about it - ‘was nice to know they had someone they could talk to about it’
• Discouragement and doubt around ability to be successful based on his weight - people becoming more supportive once he reached KM bc they stopped doubting as much
• Hard to find clothing for his size (3XL)
  • Columbia and New Balance do good jobs of accommodating big/tall people
• Highest mile day: 24
• How he trained - day hiking, this year: 3-4hrs a day at the gym (quit job and just training now)
• Section hike of the PCT - what’s done and what’s left
• Water carries for a slower/heavier hiker: how much he carried, obstacles, having to skip sections due to inability to carry enough water
• Deciding to be a section hiker, and feelings around that
• Clothing carried
  • Smartwool 250g top and bottoms
  • Outdoor Helium II
• Things he would’ve changed if he could re-prep for PCT
  • Start in trail runners, doing the trail sooner - wouldn’t have had the motivation to train the way he needed to do it bc he wouldn’t have known what he was signing up for
• Fitness vs budget - one of the biggest downfalls yo hiking slow
• Vegan on trail apart from beef jerky
  • Northbay Trading Co.
  • Mother Earth Foods
• Section hikers were less arrogant, but didn’t realize that until Washington
• Reasons why other hikers ask about start dates
• Theory on why he had worse reactions as an overweight hiker than a gay hiker
• The different ways long distance hiking takes a toll on your body when you’re overweight
• AZT as prep for PCT
• Quick overview of the Arizona Trail
• Ways the hiking community can be more accepting to section hikers / plus sized hikers / gay hikers
  • LGBTQ Facebook Group
• Use code "TREK5" to save 5% at zpacks.com
• Triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike
• Mailbag
• Pacific Crest Trail Resupply Guide by Maggie Wallace
• Check out Trail Correspondents!

Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to [email protected].

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play.

Support us on Patreon to get bonus content.

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Michael W Hinkley, S11N, Sawyer Products, and Travis Smith

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner and Peter Leven

Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram.

Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow Gummy Bear on Facebook.

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Intro music via.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by Gummy Bear, a 2018 PCT hiker and all around awesome dude.  We do a deep dive on his experience as being a gay & plus size hiker. We chat about his upcoming Arizona Trail hike. The Cinnamon Connection deliver the PCT class of 2019 a warning for what they can expect to see in the Sierra this year and why you might want to consider hiking southbound. And we discuss the triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike.

Today's show is a special edition, an experiment, and a community-sourced show, all rolled into one giant tortilla, hiker trash style. A few months ago, we put a call out to The Trek's bloggers and vloggers to share their top tips for someone who's about to embark on a thru-hike. Tis the season.

As you will see, this advice runs the gamut, and can often even be contradictory to one another. The reason for this is simple, there is no one single approach to successfully thru-hiking. That said, I do think there's tremendous value in listening to the insight of those who've walked the walk, as you can pick and choose what resonated with you, test different approaches, keep what works, and discard the rest.

Additional resources: 

• Apply to be a Trek Blogger or Vlogger (upcoming or current thru-hiker)
• Apply to be a Trek Writer (completed thru-hiker or equivalent experience)

In today's show, you hear advice from:

• Me 
• Chaunce 
• Danny Strayer
• Audrey Payne
• Grizzly
• Melanie Harsha
• Jennifer Gardner
• Allison DiVerde
• Christy Kintzel
• Jenni Thompson
• Rebecca Burns
• Brandon Chase
• Kate Emmons
• Sarah Legg
• Kate Mueller
• Katie Elder
• Kelsy Filler
• Meredith Johnson

Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to [email protected].

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Stitcher and Google Play.

Support us on Patreon to get bonus content.

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Michael W Hinkley, S11N, Sawyer Products, and Travis Smith

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner and Peter Leven

Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram.

Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow The Trek on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Music via.

Today's show is a special edition, an experiment, and a community-sourced show, all rolled into one giant tortilla, hiker trash style. A few months ago, I put a call out to The Trek's bloggers / vloggers to share their top tips for someone who's about to embark on a thru-hike. This advice runs the gamut and can often even be contradictory to one another. The reason for this is simple, there is no one single approach to successfully thru-hiking. Pick the advice that works for you and discard the rest.

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

Subjects discussed in today's show include:

• • Gossamer Gear Anniversary Video
  • Use code "TREK15" at GossamerGear.com to save 15%
  • Sawyer Permethrin
  • Sawer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze
  • TRAIL CORRESPONDENTS!
  • AT FAQ: Resupply boxes? How many and where do I send them?
    • Where to send resupply boxes on the Appalachian Trail
  • Thru-hiking = many section hikes
  • Interview with Michael "Grizzly" Ivey and Jenna Duesterhoeft
  • Backpacking backgrounds
    • Jenna: Superior Hiking Trail
    • Grizzly: JMT, PCT, CT, SHT, part of CDT / upcoming: PCT then CT
  • Having to push back the PCT from 2018 to 2019 due to illness
  • How they’re preparing
  • Concerns for their relationship?
  • That time Grizzly chased a grizzly bear
  • Considerations that tall hikers (6’5) that rest of us don’t have to think about 
  • Big 3:
    • Grizzly: Zpacks Duplex, Pa'lante Simple Pack, Katabatic Sawatch
    • Jenna: Sharing tent, Katabatic Sawatch, Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest, Therm-a-rest NeoAir Xlite
  • Stoveless backpacking and cold soaking method / foods
  • Time constraints to accomplish both the PCT and CT in one summer
  • Concerns of burning out by CT?
  • Trek propaganda
    • How to conquer 30 mile days regardless of hiking speed 
  • Thermarest Uberlite Review / Comparison Video
  • The 4-state challenge
  • Questions from Chaunce's sorority sisters
    • Tent orgies
  • 5 star reviews 
  • Jenna's SHT profile
  • Jenna's Canyonlands profile

Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to [email protected].

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Find us on Stitcher and Google Play.

Support us on Patreon!

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Michael W Hinkley, S11N, Sawyer Products, and Travis Smith

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner and Peter Leven

Follow Grizzly, Jenna, Backpacker Radio, The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram.

Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow The Trek on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Intro music via.

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

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we sit down with Teresa Martinez, the executive director at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.  We talk all things CDT, including the future of the trail, the biggest threats to its continued development, Teresa's favorite stretch of trail, and way more.  We also talk through some layering strategies for the Appalachian Trail, and Chaunce gives us a primer on vlogging etiquette.  We close out the show by featuring your questions via Instagram.

Subjects discussed in today's show include:

• • Gossamer Gear Anniversary Video
  • Use code "TREK15" at GossamerGear.com to save 15%
  • Sawyer Permethrin
  • Sawer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze
  • Recommended AT base layer options for guys and ladies. 
  • Interview with Teresa Martinez of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
  • Worked at the ATC
  • Transition from the CDTA to CDTC
  • The CDT is 3100 miles long, starts in boot heel of New Mexico to Glacier National Park in Montana - Mexico to Canada
  • Logistics of entering Canada after CDT vs PCT
  • What does job look like as executive director of CDTC
  • Why there are fewer people on the CDT than on the PCT or AT
  • Differences between the ATC and CDTC
  • “Focus on protecting the corridor and everything else will follow”
  • The CDT Corridor: congress created the CDT and said from the physical 18-24 inch tread of the trail, a 1/2 mile from either side of it - 1 mile wide - 1.9 million acres of land to protect experience around CDT
  • What percent of the trail is complete today
  • What are the threats to the trail 
  • Teresa's favorite section of CDT
  • That time Teresa had a gun pulled on her
  • CDT Kickoff - April 26-28
  • Favorite book: Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
  • Head to continentaldividetrail.org to donate or learn how you can volunteer
  • Land and Water Conservation Fund
  • New sponsor! Greenbelly.co  Use code "TREK15" at checkout to save 15%
  • Trek Propaganda
    • Vlogging Etiquette (by Chaunce!): Tips to not let your vlog affect other hikers’ experiences
  • Emergency Q&A
  • Mail Bag 
  • 5 Star Reviews
  • KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR TRAIL CORRESPONDENTS TO DROP ON 2/8/19!!!

 

Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to [email protected].

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play.

Support us on Patreon!

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Sawyer Products, Travis Smith, and S11N.

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner, Andre Oosthuizen, Randy Harter, and Peter Leven

Follow The Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Backpacker Radio, The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram.

Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow The Trek on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Intro music via.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we sit down with Teresa Martinez, the executive director at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.  We talk all things CDT, including the future of the trail, the biggest threats to its continued development, Teresa's favorite stretch of trail, and way more.  We also talk through some layering strategies for the Appalachian Trail, and Chaunce gives us a primer on vlogging etiquette.  We close out the show by featuring your questions via Instagram.

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

Subjects discussed in today's show include:

• Gossamer Gear Anniversary Video
• Sawyer Permethrin
• Sawer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze
• Chaunce's big reveal
• How to Get to Springer Mountain
• Barefoot Hills Hostel (formerly Hiker Hostel)
• NikWax Down Wash
• DownTek Products
• Ursack
• Loksak Opsak
• Bill Manning interview
• Bill’s backpacking experience - has done full length of the CT split between horse, bike, and hike
• Difference between cycling and hiking route
• Do you notice tension between the bikers and hikers
• How he got involved with Colorado Trail Foundation
• Responsibilities as executive director
• Difference between Trail Crews and Adopt-a-Trail
• Why do Trail Crews cost money?
• What kind of skills does someone need to work on a trail crew?
• The biggest challenges the CT currently faces?
• Biggest mistakes Bill sees people make who want to thru-hike the CT
• Recommendations for dealing with altitude
• NOBO / SOBO/ SWOBO / NEBO?
• How has the trail changed since Bill's involvement with the CTF
• How have hikers changed
• Story of Gudy Gaskill
• Collegiate East vs Collegiate West
• Bill’s favorite section of trail
• What does the future of the Colorado Trail look like?
• What to do if you see a moose.
• What’s the most bizarre story Bill's heard on trail?
• Ideal time to start the trail
• [email protected]
• Colorado Trail Photos
• Trek propaganda
• The Top Sleeping Bags, Quilts and Pads on the Appalachian Trail
• TOP BRANDS
  • 1. Enlightened Equipment
  • 2. Rei
  • 3. Kelty and Big Agnes
• TOP SLEEPING BAG MODELS
  • 1. Kelty Cosmic
  • 2. Zpacks Classic (hybrid quilt and sleeping bag)
  • 3. REI Joule and REI Magma
• TOP QUILTS
  • 1. EE Revelation
• TOP SLEEPING PADS
  • Therm-a-Rest NeoAire Xlite, followed by the Z-lite
• Fan mail ([email protected])
• 5-Star Reviews

 

 

Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to [email protected].

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this podcast.  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play.

Support us on Patreon!

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Sawyer Products, Travis Smith, and S11N.

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner, Andre Oosthuizen, Randy Harter, and Peter Leven

Follow The Colorado Trail Foundation, Backpacker Radio, The Trek, Chaunce, and Badger on Instagram.

Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow The Trek on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.