As I'll be hiking the AT myself in 2019, I won't be able to follow one hiker as closely as I did with Jessa in 2017 and Bruce this year in the Returning to Katahdin podcast. So, in an effort to still follow some of these adventurers, I'm starting a new series of five interviews with members of this incoming class. The segment will normally support the main interview, but this we have a full interview with Nate Ferguson as the first member of the Class of 2019.

Nate and I are fellow, members of the Fat Guys, and Gals, Back in the Woods hiking group. What originally started out as a ten- to fifteen-minute chat turned into a full-on interview and I thought it would be a great way to introduce the new series.

Nate is fun to be around on a hike and, along with the other members who we'll be featuring, I hope to be able to get some of their early–and perhaps later–thoughts on the trail once their hikes get underway.

Dan Wowak is back with what he refers to as the four critical survival priorities in the wilderness. As before, his clear guidance is really worth listening to. If you'd like to contact Dan for further information or tips, reach out to him at [email protected]

You can also check out his YouTube channel under Coalcracker Bushcraft or click on this link.