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📚 Books, Button-Downs & Backcountry Beauty with Igor Bravemore 🥾🌍

🎙️ Igor Bravemore joins us this episode — hiker, photographer, and author of the newly released book Out in Nature, a four-and-a-half-year project showcasing the underrated trails of the eastern United States. Based in the DMV, he traces his love of hiking back to Great Falls, where he'd go three or four times a week as a teenager (occasionally skipping school to get there).

Igor talks through hidden gems like Peak Mountain Trail in the central Adirondacks — a rainy rock scramble where he and a friend got lost several times and saw almost no one — and the solo winter hike to Lava Lake in Montana that changed everything, where he collapsed in deep snow questioning whether it was worth it before pushing on and discovering a love for winter ascents. He also shares the philosophy at the heart of his book: the power of slowing down, of stopping to look at a tree for no reason other than wanting to. We also get into spontaneous trips built around cheap flights (Greece in December, a 15,000-foot glacier trek in Colombia), hiring hiking guides abroad, hitting the trail in a button-down with a magnifying lens in his pack, upcoming hikes with his toddler in the Smokies, and a full round of season "this or that" questions — narrow ledges or creek crossings, sun on your back or wind in your face.

A thoughtful, inspiring look at hiking, writing, and the wonder that comes with staying curious.

Episode Links:
Igor's Book - Out in Nature
Photos for each Chapter in his Book
Igor on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

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🌍 Wonders, Whitney & the Wild with Trisha 🏞️✨

🎙️ Trisha joins us this episode — adventure traveler, national park enthusiast, and the storyteller behind @wanderwoman619. Based in East County San Diego, she traces her love of the outdoors back to her mom, who took the family camping in the Redwoods for two weeks every summer and once drove them all the way to Canada for the 1986 World's Fair, camping the whole way.

Trisha talks through winning the coveted Wave permit twice — once hiking it in microspikes through fresh snow — and finally crossing Machu Picchu off her list via the 56-mile Salkantay trek, where the clouds hid the ruins for 45 minutes before parting to an audible gasp from the whole group. It's her third Wonder of the World after the Colosseum and Chichén Itzá, with Rio's Cristo next. We also get into Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon (and the heat the canyon generates on its own), summiting Mount Whitney three times, Humphreys Peak in the snow while racing an incoming storm, thru-hiking the Enchantments and discovering the descent was harder than Aasgard Pass, the coca tea situation in Peru, and a full round of season "this or that" questions — narrow ledges or creek crossings, sun on your back or wind in your face.

World-class trail tales, travel wisdom, and a celebration of the moments that make it all worth it.

Episode Links:
Trisha on Instagram
Trisha on TikTok

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

🌎 Mountains, Miles & Meaning with Luis of Vamos Hiking Crew 🥾✨

🎙️ Luis — known online as Mr. Traveler — joins us this episode. Founder of the Vamos Hiking Crew in Southern California, he's explored 34 countries and summited over 65 peaks, and it all traces back to childhood weekends in Guatemala, where his dad cut trail through the forest behind their house with a machete.

Luis talks through hiking Acatenango three times to witness the neighboring Volcán de Fuego erupting every 15 to 20 minutes, and the drone shot he captured of an eruption at sunset. He shares the origin story of Vamos Hiking Crew — five friends training for a Mount Whitney permit that grew into a thriving community — the annual Grand Canyon Rim to Rim trek he calls one of his top five trails in the world, and the group hikes he now leads internationally to Peru, Guatemala, and soon Patagonia. We also get into representation and the real barriers keeping Latinx and BIPOC hikers from backpacking and mountaineering, the mental reset that only comes from a long day in the mountains, his Goat Canyon Trestle hike with 50+ crew members, an upcoming attempt at Chimborazo in Ecuador, a plan to hike Whitney three days back-to-back-to-back, and a full round of season "this or that" questions — narrow ledges or creek crossings, wind in your face or sun on your back.

A conversation about global trail stories, community building, and the heart of a true explorer.

Episode Links:
MrTraveler on Instagram
Vamos Hiking Crew on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

🥾 3,000 Miles, One Husky, and a Whole Lot of Oatmeal: Trail Life with Oats 🌲🐾

🎙️ Oats joins us this episode — a long-distance hiker with over 3,000 miles under her boots and Community Director at Sawyer Products. Her love of the outdoors traces back to TAASC, a small Asheville nonprofit that got kids outside who otherwise wouldn't have had the chance, and she went straight from that into thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail with barely a night of solo backpacking experience — carrying the exterior-frame pack Santa gave her when she was 10.

Oats talks through the trail name origin story (a bag of dry oatmeal packets from her grandma and a spork that broke on day one), hiking the Colorado Trail during COVID, completing Jennifer Pharr Davis's 330-mile Appalachian High Route through her own backyard, and finally finishing the Pinhoti Trail this spring after Hurricane Helene derailed her plans. She also opens up about experiencing Helene from a distance while her hometown of Asheville was devastated, and how she helped coordinate Sawyer's donation of 24,000 water filters to the region. We also get into hiking with her husky Thru Dog, permethrin as a tick strategy, gear she swears by (a handheld umbrella, camp booties, Shamma sandals), her firm belief that there's no single "right" way to hike, and a full round of season "this or that" questions — narrow ledges or creek crossings, sun on your back or wind in your face.

A warm, funny, deeply generous conversation about resilience, community, and dry oatmeal.

Episode Links:
Oats Hikes Website
Oats Posts on The Trek
Sawyer Website
Pinhoti Experience Foundation
Rebuild Hot Springs
BeLoved Asheville

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

⛰️ Summit Stories & Trail Laughter: Climbing Humphreys Peak with Friends 🥾🎉

Season 11 kicks off with a bang and a summit — this special in-person premiere brings together four returning guests, Kelly, Bekka, Britt, and Grant, for a group hike to Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona. Recorded both before and after the 11-mile, 3,300+ foot climb, this episode captures pre-hike nerves, trail talk, and post-summit hilarity that can only come from tackling a big goal together.

The crew catches up on recent adventures — Bekka's completion of Half Dome's famous cables, Kelly's push through fear on Flatiron and Picket Post in the Superstitions, Grant's move to a tiny home in Mount Laguna near the PCT, and Britt's deep love for the Tonto National Forest. We also get into hiking superstitions, gear debates, a mysterious animal sound recorded on a night hike (mountain lion? cicada? skinwalker?), and a full round of season 11 "This or That" questions, including new ones on narrow ledges versus creek crossings and wind versus sun. The episode closes with a group rose, thorn, and buffalo reflecting on the actual summit push — including 70 mph wind gusts, altitude sickness, and 360-degree views worth every bit of it.

A powerful start to Season 11, all about community, challenge, and the joy of doing hard things with good people.

Episode Links:
Kelly’s Instagram
Bekka’s Instagram
Britt’s Instagram
Grant’s Instagram

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

🌍 Season 10 Finale: My Solo Adventure Through New Zealand 🥾

In this special solo finale episode, your host Ivan takes you on a whirlwind journey across the stunning landscapes of New Zealand! What started as a Lord of the Rings-inspired bucket list dream turned into an epic road trip filled with volcanos, glowworm caves, glacial lakes, fall colors, and yes… a birthday bungee jump.

From exploring “Mt. Doom” in Tongariro National Park to chasing waterfalls in Milford Sound, soaking in the solitude of Lake Marian, and recreating Bilbo’s iconic “I’m going on an adventure!” moment in Hobbiton—this episode is packed with storytelling, laughter, and travel tips for anyone dreaming of their own NZ getaway.

Whether you’re a fan of fantasy films, a hiker at heart, or someone itching to plan your next big trip—this episode will leave you inspired to chase your own adventures, wherever they may lead.

🎧 Grab your headphones, and let’s head to Middle-earth!

Episode Links:
Auckland Airbnb (Near Airport - Awesome Host!)

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

🌵 Desert Peaks & Purposeful Paths with Emily from Little Red Travels 🥾

In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Emily, an Arizona-based adventurer and the voice behind Little Red Travels, whose hiking journey began with a single visit to a national park—and turned into a life built around nature, reflection, and soulful storytelling.

From the Superstition Mountains to Yosemite’s towering cliffs, Emily shares how hiking helps her find spiritual connection and inner calm, even in the heart of Phoenix’s triple-digit summers. We explore her favorite trails—like Weaver’s Needle and the Wave Cave—plus her trail rituals and her mission to make the outdoors feel accessible, authentic, and intentional.

Episode Links:
Emily on Instagram
Emily's Website - Little Red Travels

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

📝 Stories That Move Mountains: Teaghan on Hiking, Writing & Finding Purpose Outdoors 🌍🥾

In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Teaghan—a gifted storyteller, outdoor journalist, and passionate hiker whose path to the wild began with a spontaneous backpacking trip through Norway’s fjords at 18. From growing up in the Sunshine State to writing for Outside, Backpacker, and Climbing magazines, Teaghan has carved out a powerful voice in the outdoor media world.

She shares her journey of resilience, reinvention, and reconnection, and why she believes inclusive, honest storytelling is the heart of impactful outdoor content. We talk about her favorite wildflower hikes, her bucket-list trails, and what it truly means to hike with intention—not just for the miles, but for the meaning.

Episode Links:
Teaghan on Instagram
Teaghan on LinkedIn
Teaghan's Website

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

🔥 Ultralight Trails & Wildfire Tales with Ryan Rodrick 🎒🌲

In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we speak with Ryan, a Wildfire Communications Manager with Washington State DNR and an experienced ultralight backpacker whose passion for the outdoors runs as deep as his commitment to wildfire education. Ryan takes us on a journey from his early day hikes to exploring the Goat Rocks Wilderness with a streamlined pack and a fire-conscious mindset.

We dive into the realities of wildfire seasons, the effects of climate change on trail access, and what hikers need to know to stay safe and informed. Ryan also breaks down his ultralight philosophy—how less gear leads to more freedom, more miles, and more connection with the land.

Whether you're an aspiring minimalist hiker or simply curious about how wildfires are shaping the backcountry experience, this episode offers a rare intersection of trail wisdom and wildfire science.

Episode Links:
Ryan on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Send us Fan Mail

 🌿 Healing, Hiking & Motherhood: Shaneice’s Journey Into the Wild 🥾💚 

In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Shaneice, a devoted mom and outdoor enthusiast who found healing, strength, and purpose on the trail—one step at a time. What began as a way to cope with a difficult chapter in life has grown into a joyful, adventurous bond with her young daughter and a passion for helping other families connect with nature.

From neighborhood strolls to camping among wild ponies on Assateague Island, Shaneice shares powerful stories of resilience and growth, the realities of hiking with kids, and how she’s building community through her platform KayLashae Adventures. Her message is clear: the outdoors is for everyone, and it can be a place of deep healing and unforgettable connection.

🎙️ Tune in to hear how nature helped Shaneice reclaim her joy—and how she’s now guiding others to do the same.

Episode Links:
Shaneice on Instagram
Kaylashae Adventures Website

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic

AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.

Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!

Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)

Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists 

Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.