Mother Nature Will Kill You

Jillian concludes the gruesome tale of the Donner Party with their struggle to survive and ultimately be rescued from snowy Truckee Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Haley tells the story of "Tessie" the famous lake monster of Lake Tahoe. 

Sources: 

The Tragic Story of the Donner Party, Kathy Weiser, Legends of America 

The Donner party, Encyclopedia Britannica

Here’s What Happened to the Surviving Members of the Donner Party, Genevive Carlton, All That Is Interesting

How Lewis Keseberg was Branded the Killer Cannibal of the Donner Party, Michele Debczak, Mental Floss 

The Donner Party Diary, December 1846 and January 1847, Daniel M. Rosen 

A New Look at The Donner Party, Juliette Schablitsky, 2012, Archeology Magazine

Thatthingido, TikTok

A Guide to California's Monsters and Mythical Creatures , California.com

Its time to kick off spooky Halloween with part one of the Donner Party extravaganza, in which Jillian tells of the trials and tribulations that led the famous American wagon train to their horrific predicament.  Haley keeps up the spooky vibes with the story of the Bear Lake Monster of Utah. 

Sources: 

The Tragic Story of the Donner Party, Kathy Weiser, Legends of America.com 

The Donner party, Encyclopedia Britannica

The Legend of the Bear Lake Monster, The Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Utah Outdoor Activities

Welcome to the nearly 2 hour spooky season Appalachian Trail extravaganza!  After some brief talk of Haley's experience with the recent Hurricane Ian, we dive straight into the magical land that is Appalachia.  Part-time co-host Corey returns with some local lore, Jillian covers the tragedy as usual, and Haley talks about cryptids, specifically Mothman, for spooky season. 

Sources: 

Appalachian Trail Conservancy

10 Highest Peaks on the Appalachian Trail, Steve Burge, Appalachian trail.com

9 Fantastic Hiker Traditions on the Appalachian Trail, Kenny Howell, thetrek.co

Appalachian Magazine's Mountain Superstitions, Ghost Stories & Haint Tales, Appalachian Magazine 

Backwoods Witchcraft: Conjure & Folk Magic From Appalachia, Jake Richards

Hiker who went missing on the Appalachian Trail survived 26 days before dying, Alan Yuhas, The Guardian

Missing Hikers on the Appalachian Trail, The Mountains With Megan

Appalachian Legends, Blue Ridge Outdoors

While Haley is weathering Hurricane Ian, Corey fills in as the co-host for this episode.  First, Corey and Jillian talk about the struggles of a man who spent two days aloft on a hydrogen balloon, and then they dive into the mystery of the disappearance of Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers into the Panamanian Jungle to kick off spooky season. 

Sources: 

Man in China trapped for two days in hydrogen balloon lands safely 200 Miles Away, Associated Press, USA Today

The Unexplained Disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon, Katie Serena, All That Is Interesting

Eerie Photos Reveal Last Moments Before Woman Vanished in Panama, Matt Growcoot, Peta Pixel

What Really Happened To Two Dutch Hikers Who Disappeared In Panama, Laura Allan, Ranker

The disturbing deaths of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon on their La Pianista Hike in Panama, Strange Outdoors

Haley and Jillian talk newsworthy stories with a recent arrival of Cuban refugees to the Dry Tortugas and a morbid story about a human foot found in one of Yellowstone's hot springs. Then Jillian dives into the incredible unbelievable tale of Harrison Okene, the man who survived 60 hours underwater in a shipwreck. 

Sources: 

Part of Human Foot Found in Yellowstone Hot Spring May be Linked to July 31st Death, Amy Beth Hanson and Thomas Peipert, USA Today

Great Survival Stories: Harrison Okene, the Accidental Aquanaut, Chasing Dreams Travel, ExplorersWeb

The man who survived two-and-a-half days trapped on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, Raffaela Ciccarelli, 9 News Australia

Harrison Okene, Ben Thompson, Badass of the Week

Harrison Okene: Moment divers find man alive in sunken ship off Nigerian coast, The Telegraph

Jillian and Haley discuss veggie gardens and lawn landscaping before diving straight into Hurricane Katrina.  Haley tells the stories of Robert Green, who literally rode his house down a flooded street, and the nurses and doctors who kept Charity Hospital going under the worst conditions.  Jillian tells the stories of Poet Shelton Alexander and his experience at the Superdome, and Lawrence Nettles, a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer.  

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Sources: 

Extremely Powerful Hurricane Katrina Leaves a Historic Mark on the Northern Gulf Coast, Jeffery Medlin, Ray Ball, Gary Beeler

Hurricane Katrina Aftermath, Encyclopedia Britannica

The 30 Deadliest U.S. Mainland Hurricanes, Weather Underground

I Was There: Hurricane Katrina: Rooftop Rider, History.com

I Was There: Hurricane Katrina: Superdome Survivor, History.com

Shelton Alexander: Surviving the Superdome During Hurricane Katrina, John Butler, Last Word on Sports, NFL

I Was There: Hurricane Katrina: Heroes of Charity Hospital, History.com

I Was There: Hurricane Katrina: Rescue Swimmer, History.com

Other view: Rescuers during Katrina a Story of Success, The Times, Picayune, New Orleans

Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared , Special Report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate.

Haley and Jillian discuss another story of people getting swallowed by whales--and this time it's a twofer.  Then Jillian gets into the very recent story of Stephanie Browitt and the vacation gone very, very wrong with the Whaakari/White Island Eruption. 

Sources: 

"It Was Crazy", says California kayaker who was engulfed in a whale's mouth, Sheena Goodyear, CBC Radio

The Eruption of Instagram Island, Joshua Hammer, GQ

New Zealand volcano victim tells of waiting to be rescued from White Island with burns to over 70 per cent of her body, Stephanie March and Jeanavive McGregor, Four Corners, ABC News Australia

Volcano burn survivor removes face mask for first time: ‘A real fighter.” Andrew Court, NY Post

White Island: NZ Police complete identification of volcano victims, BBC News

Stephanie Coral Browitt’s tiktok account

Jillian talks about a new discovery - a shipwreck on the Oregon coast from the 1600s.  Then Haley dives into the gruesome and nightmare-inducing story of the Byford Dolphin Accident.  Haley and Jillian then do some real-time research to answer some pressing questions. 

Sources:

Rare Timbers From 17th-Century Spanish Shipwreck Discovered Off Oregon Coast, Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine 

The Weird, Dangerous, Isolated Life of the Saturation Diver, Jen Banbury, Atlas Obscura

Byford Dolphin Accident: How Living Under Intense Pressure Led To One Of The Most Gruesome Accidents In History, Jack Dunhill, IFL Science 

The Most Gruesome Death: The Byford Dolphin Accident, Gilles Messier, Today I Found Out

Haley links in a news story to last week's topic--a story about a man who goes after his cell phone...after it falls into the crater of Mount Vesuvius.  Then Jillian discusses the story of Ricky Megee, a man who survived 71 days in the Australian outback, but with a true crime twist. 

Sources: 

US Tourist injured falling into Mount Vesuvius crater after taking selfie, Angela Giuffrida, The Guardian 

Robbed & Left To Die, He Survived 71 Days in the Desert on Frogs and Leeches, Cody Assmann, Off The Grid News

Ricky Megee, Bushcraft Buddy

A new lease, The National

Ricky Megee, Wikipedia

Haley and Jillian discuss the unprecedented flooding occurring at Yellowstone National Park and how it may yield environmental changes for the better. Then Jillian tells the tale of the oldest story on the podcast yet--the ancient destruction of Pompeii from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. 

Sources:

This Day in History: Mount Vesuvius erupts, History.com Editors, History.com

Did Vesuvius vaporize it’s victims? Get the facts, Robin George Andrews, National Geographic

Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii: Facts & History, Mary Bagley, Live Science

14 Things You Didn’t Know About the Bodies Preserved at Pompeii, Andy Miller, Ranker

Studies reveal gruesome last moments of Pompeii volcano’s victims, Colin Barras, Science