Just Trek Podcast

On this episode, I sit down with LA based outdoor adventurer, award-winning writer/editor, and Basecamp Outdoor founder/CEO Ali Carr at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Ali takes me through her Southern California outdoor roots - skiing Big Bear, camping, backpacking - then how a year in New York City led her to Outside Magazine and a mountain-filled life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She breaks down how Basecamp Outdoor is an inclusive digital community connecting outdoor brands with industry curious job seekers through its Facebook group, newsletter, events, office hours and brand interviews, the Career Collective, and the Base Camp Match job board, plus what she’s seeing in hiring and why intentional networking beats “spray-and-pray” applications. Ali also shares standout adventures (Grand Teton, Smith Rock, Patagonia), local gems (Red Rock/Topanga, Chantry Flats/Sturtevant Falls, Cedar Grove, Leo Carrillo tide pools), her Outside story on her father’s disappearance at sea, surviving cancer in 2023, and her new birth doula project, Wild Grace.

Stay Updated with Ali Carr, Basecamp Outdoor, and Wild Grace on IG:

https://www.instagram.com/chasingalicarr

https://www.instagram.com/basecampoutdoorjobs

https://www.instagram.com/lovewildgrace

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Join Basecamp FB Group: https://tinyurl.com/4whchwye

Learn more about Basecamp Outdoor on https://www.wearetheoutdoorindustry.com/

Learn more about Wild Grace on https://www.lovewildgrace.com/

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Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series, I chat with Tyler Wagoner, a San Diego native and new-to-hiking convert, about his Mount Whitney redemption push on June 24th, 2024 - a 22-mile day hike to the tallest peak in the continental U.S. (14,504 ft) that turned into repeated close calls.

Tyler shares how he was turned back in 2023 at Trail Camp after being told he was ill-equipped for snow and cold, then returned in 2024. Tyler's second Whitney attempt had tribulations stacking up from the parking lot to the summit and all the way back down. A 21-hour battle with some genuinely terrifying moments and hard-earned lessons that you'll want to hear. Tyler is a San Diego-based hiker who caught the hiking bug in 2022 and has been going hard ever since — and his Whitney story is one for the books. What starts as a solo pre-dawn push quickly turns into an epic story that involves a bold wildlife encounter before the hike even begins, a sketchy icy section on the notorious 99 switchbacks, and a race against a weather system that the outdoor store in Lone Pine had predicted almost to the minute. The summit itself delivers one of the most surreal and spine-tingling moments you'll hear on this show. And then the descent — that's where things really unravel. Multiple setbacks stack up one after another, pushing Tyler to his absolute limit before he finally makes it back to his car deep into the night. He also shares key lessons on gear, preparation, and the one rule every Whitney hiker needs to know before they ever step on that trail. This is a story about perseverance, humility, and the kind of experience that turns a hiker into a lifetime student of the mountains.

Have you ever experienced a survival moment or learned a tough lesson on the trail? Maybe you got lost, faced sudden weather, encountered wildlife, or found yourself pushed to your limits in ways you didn’t expect. Trails & Tribulations is the space where those stories come to life, inspiring and connecting the outdoor community. If any of these resonates with you, we'd love to hear YOUR story!

Submit your story on https://tinyurl.com/47jdbvau for a chance to be featured or send us an email on [email protected]

Follow Tyler Wagoner on https://www.instagram.com/tyler_on_trail

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Support Just Trek on Patreon ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/justtrek⁠⁠

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

On this episode, I’m joined outdoors in Palos Verdes, California by Corbin Pickett (@outdoorswithcorb), also known as “Brotha Nature” — a SoCal trekker, outdoor creator, community builder, board member of Black Men Hike LA, and founder of Kuji Hiking Crew. We talk about his earliest outdoor memories, how the 52 Hike Challenge became a life changing spiritual “walkabout” while he lived in Atlanta, and how Black Men Hike LA helped him find brotherhood and community after returning to SoCal. Corbin shares what it’s like navigating outdoor spaces as a Black man, the origin of his trail name, and practical tips on safety, preparedness, and easing into camping. We also highlight his favorite SoCal trails, recap his Moab trip with Black People Who Hike, and chat about his spring adventure to Big Pine Lakes and Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike supported by an ALDHA scholarship.

Follow Corbin on https://www.instagram.com/outdoorswithcorb

Follow Black Men Hike on https://www.instagram.com/blackmenhikela

Follow Kuji Hiking Crew on https://www.instagram.com/kujihikingcrew

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Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series on the Just Trek podcast, I welcome back Juan Flores (Outdoor Adventures+, Nature’s Palette, Urban Youth Nature Project) as he recounts first attempt of big bad, Iron Mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains near Bridge to Nowhere in December 2021. Starting at midnight on a 16 mile out-and-back, Juan and his friend encounter mountain lion chirps ahead and behind around 2AM while two women in their group push far ahead. After reaching the summit around 7AM, the brutal descent turns dangerous: Juan is left behind, runs out of water after starting with two liters, becomes lost on a false trail without a map, and collapses exhausted with miles remaining until a stranger with a dog finds him. It took 16 grueling hours for him to complete this trek and he shares key lessons on carrying more water, downloading maps, not relying on guides, and staying over-prepared.

Have you ever experienced a survival moment or learned a tough lesson on the trail? Maybe you got lost, faced sudden weather, encountered wildlife, or found yourself pushed to your limits in ways you didn’t expect. Trails & Tribulations is the space where those stories come to life, inspiring and connecting the outdoor community. If any of these resonates with you, we'd love to hear YOUR story!

Submit your story on https://tinyurl.com/47jdbvau for a chance to be featured or send us an email on [email protected]

Follow Juan Flores on https://www.instagram.com/__juanflowers__

https://www.instagram.com/_outadvplus_

Follow Just Trek on IG https://www.instagram.com/just.trek/

Support Just Trek on Patreon ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/justtrek⁠⁠

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

On this episode, I release the exclusive recording from the show’s fourth live podcast at the Just Trek Pod's 6 Year anniversary celebration at Happier Cafe along the LA River in Frogtown, Los Angeles. I reflect on launching the podcast during the March 2020 pandemic shutdowns to amplify outdoor voices, then moderated a live panel featuring Rolland Tizuela (Camp Anthropology/Camp Homies), Nikki Taylor “Adventure Pea” (Way Out Wild), and RJ Soria (TRVRS Outdoors). The group discusses what sparked their love for the outdoors, how their platforms prioritize education and backcountry safety, balancing risk with pushing limits, and practical preparation including mapping tools, practicing with gear at home, and building inclusive communities. Audience Q&A covers conservation through relationship with public lands, trail work groups, and recommendations for apps, maps, and beginner-friendly ways to start hiking.

We'd like to thank our community partners: Happier Cafe, TADAA Coffee, Happier Camper, Parks Project, KEEN, Topo Designs, HEST, HIGHLANDER, JuneShine, Pabst Light, and Parch.

Follow our guest panelists on IG: www.instagram.com/campthropology

www.instagram.com/adventure_pea

www.instagram.com/wayoutwild_ www.instagram.com/trvrsoutdoors

Support Just Trek on Patreon www.patreon.com/justtrek

Shop Just Trek merch on https://www.justtrek.net/shop

Listen to more podcast episodes on https://www.justtrek.net

Want to send me a message? Email me at [email protected] or DM on Instagram @just.trek

In this episode, I share my most unforgettable adventure yet: my first major international trek with the Just Trek Crew in Guatemala, hiking Volcán Acatenango for a front-row view of Volcán de Fuego erupting. I break down how this dream trip finally came together, our crew lineup, and our day-by-day itinerary from landing in Guatemala City and exploring Antigua to the Ox Expeditions briefing and gear prep. I recount the relentless climb through shifting landscapes, the dust, cold, altitude, and the brutal “double whammy” push to Fuego Ridge—where the clouds finally opened and we watched cinematic explosions and lava flows light up the night. After skipping the 4 a.m. summit, we descended, reset in Antigua, visited Hobbitenango, recorded a quick crew recap, and even caught Fuego erupting again during rooftop dinner.

RSVP to the Pod 6 Year Anniversary Party in Los Angeles on https://tinyurl.com/2p62j22z

Follow Ox Expeditions on http://instagram.com/oxpeditions

Book your Volcano Trek w/ Ox Expeditions on https://oxexpeditions.com/

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Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

On this episode I release the "Best of Just Trek: Mixtrek Volume 3" to kickoff the podcast entering it's official birthday month and onward to the show reaching it's 6 Year Anniversary. This third compilation features some of the most memorable stories and moments from our cast of special guests. Featured in this compilation are Alan Salazar (Tribal Elder), Austin Nicassio (Accessible Off-Road), Josh Jackson (Forgotten Lands Project / The Enduring Wild), Nikki Taylor aka Adventure Pea (Way Out Wild), Anjelica Avella aka Adventures with Anjelica, Christian De la Torre (Trace Club), and Luis aka Mr. Traveler (Vamos Hiking Crew).

They share stories  from the Angeles National Forest, Mount Kilimanjaro in Eastern Africa, Forgotten BLM Lands, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Half Dome, in Yosemite, the Channel Islands and more. Consider this episode an adventure story sampler of the Just Trek Podcast.

Follow Just Trek on https://instagram.com/just.trek

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series on the Just Trek podcast, I welcome back SoCal trekker, Justin Williams aka @RockhoundHiker, to recount a 2016 “vision quest” style thru-hike across Southern California’s mighty San Gabriel Mountains. Starting at Ling Yen Mountain Temple near the Etiwanda Preserve, Justin set out severely underprepared—carrying only water and three apples—on a roughly multi-day, ~60-mile push toward St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, California. Along the way he commits to dangerous off-trail terrain, including climbing multiple 40–50 foot dry waterfalls with loose rock, an all-night bushwhack through thorny buckthorn and a wrong turn that sends him up a rugged ridge to Etiwanda Peak before reconnecting to the route toward Cucamonga Peak and Baldy. As heat, dehydration, and electrolyte depletion set in, he vomits repeatedly, naps in a cave to escape the sun, accepts help from hikers. He shares memorable encounters—especially meeting Mr. Kim on Mt. Baldy, a hiker on a personal pilgrimage for Korean reunification who later died on the mountain—and describes being emotionally shaken by a memorial to PCT hikers who died in snow, prompting reflection on the consequences of risk and who we leave behind.

Have you ever experienced a survival moment or learned a tough lesson on the trail? Maybe you got lost, faced sudden weather, encountered wildlife, or found yourself pushed to your limits in ways you didn’t expect. Trails & Tribulations is the space where those stories come to life, inspiring and connecting the outdoor community. If any of these resonates with you, we'd love to hear YOUR story!

Submit your story on https://tinyurl.com/47jdbvau for a chance to be featured or send us an email on [email protected]

Follow Justin Williams on https://www.instagram.com/rockhoundhiker

Follow Just Trek on IG https://www.instagram.com/just.trek/

Support Just Trek on Patreon ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/justtrek⁠⁠

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

On this episode, I'm joined by Jennifer Whalen, a California-based adventure elopement photographer. Jennifer shares her captivating journey from being a traditional wedding photographer in urban settings to capturing intimate, adventurous elopements in stunning natural landscapes like Yosemite, Big Sur, and Joshua Tree. The episode delves into Jennifer's passion for travel, the inspiration behind her shift to adventure elopements, the logistical challenges she navigates in planning these unique ceremonies, and offers insights for couples looking for non-traditional wedding experiences. Whether you’re a couple planning an elopement or simply a nature lover, this episode is packed with inspiration and valuable advice.

Check out Jennifer Whalen Weddings on https://jenniferwhalenweddings.com/

Follow Jenn on https://www.instagram.com/jenniferwhalenweddings

Follow Just Trek on https://instagram.com/just.trek

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

On this episode, I’m joined by Scotty Hsieh, a dance and art educator, community builder, and van life explorer, along with his beloved wolf dog Nanooki. The episode explores Scotty's journey from city life to embracing the camper van lifestyle, his spiritual and outdoor experiences, and the deep bond he shares with Nanooki. We discussed their adventures across stunning landscapes like Sedona, Mammoth Lakes, and Joshua Tree, and more emphasizing the transformative power of nature and introspection. The episode features discussions on the challenges and rewards of van life, significant moments with Nanooki, and the lessons learned from reconnecting with nature. Additionally, Scotty shares his aspirations for future projects emphasizing community and personal growth through outdoor exploration with Nanooki by his side. 

Follow Nanooki on https://www.instagram.com/nanooki_the_wolf/#

Follow Scotty on https://www.instagram.com/scotty.hsieh/

Follow Just Trek on https://instagram.com/just.trek

Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠

Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠

Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek