Muse's AT Podcast

Wrapping up an extended stay in Gorham, New Hampshire means saying goodbye to hostel life and taking a very short, rainy 1.9-mile hop back on trail to Rattle River Shelter.

In this episode, we spend time with the vibrant cast of characters hanging around The Barn, sharing laughs over trail realities and a budget review. We then trade town comforts for the damp woods, taking those first careful steps back toward the shelter as the journey prepares to face the formidable White Mountains.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681490

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Bouncing back from town rest, tackling our very first slackpack day means leaving the heavy load behind and heading northbound toward Gentian Pond to reclaim twelve missed miles.

In this episode, we unpack the reality of hiking lighter—whether a slackpack feels like a cheat—and also talk about my own personal experience with slackpacking.  We then transition into the evening, tracing the return road walk that leads to an impromptu dinner at Mr. Pizza and a great connection with local Gorham residents. 

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681489

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Taking a second zero day at The Barn Hikers Hostel in Gorham, New Hampshire provides a much-needed mental and physical break from the trail—and a chance to get organized before the White Mountains begin.

In this episode, we dive into the practical side of town days, from trading our hiking gear for mismatched loaner clothes to doing laundry and taking a quiet breather. We also pull back the curtain on how long-term trail planning really works, introducing the planning spreadsheet that will map out the route to come, and share the highlights of passing the time while resting up for the miles ahead.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681451

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Taking a zero at The Barn Hikers Hostel in Gorham, New Hampshire provides a much-needed breather for battered feet and knees—and a moment of honest reflection.

In this episode, we take a look back at the decision to push through southern Maine without a town stop, weighing the physical toll against the lessons learned on trail. Then into the commentary I talk through what my surroundings were like, describing both the layout of the town of Gorham, and also the Barn Hostel, and along the way introduce a few new people I met while staying there.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681450

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

In this interview episode, Muse catches up with a couple of fast SOBO hikers Sidequest (Ben) and Poker Face (Abe), whom he first met near the Maine–New Hampshire border.

Tune in as Sidequest and Poker Face reflect on their complete southbound journey, from summiting Katahdin with their fathers to adjusting back to society after months on trail. They dive into their 14-year friendship rooted in Scouting, the canceled trip that originally sparked their Appalachian Trail dream, and how they earned their trail names along the way. Ben and Abe also share what life has looked like post-trail, the lasting lessons they took away from thru-hiking, and their plans for future adventures.

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Battered knees, wrecked feet, and a major decision on trail: a double-header of zero days marks a pivotal moment in the journey.

In this episode, we navigate the physical toll that forces a shelter zero at Gentian Pond and a strategic road walk into Gorham, New Hampshire. We reflect on the mounting physical strain, the mental toughness required to adapt, and the shifting dynamics of the hike as the journey continues.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681386

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

A major trail milestone brings both celebration and physical reality as the journey crosses the state line from Maine into New Hampshire.

In this episode, we navigate the brutal foot issues that force a slowdown, resulting in a late-night arrival at Gentian Pond Shelter and setting the stage for a crucial shelter zero. Along the way, we break down the treacherous alpine bog bridges, trace the demanding vertical terrain from Old Speck through Mahoosuc Notch, and reflect on crossing into state number two.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681385

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

In this special interview, Muse is joined by his wife, Kerry, and son, Evan, to share the family's side of the Appalachian Trail experience.

Tune in as they reflect on their visit in Rangeley, Maine (complete with ghost-town bowling alleys and hunting for moose), the surreal reality of seeing "trail transformations," and the emotional late-night phone call near Erwin that almost changed the course of the entire hike. Kerry and Evan also open up about what life was like on the home front, the adjustment period after Muse returned, and their best advice for supporting a thru-hiker and their family. 

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Five miles, two massive physical challenges, and the ultimate playground for grownups: tackling the Mahoosuc Arm and Mahoosuc Notch. 

In this episode, we navigate the brutal, near-vertical descent off Mahoosuc Arm before diving headfirst into the mile-long boulder puzzle of Mahoosuc Notch. We break down the technique, mindset, and sheer joy of scrambling through Maine’s most legendary mile. Along the way, we unpack the narrative shift into this new chapter as the physical and mental tolls of the trail begin to mount.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681384

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

After days of rain, the sun finally breaks through as we traverse the three peaks of Baldpate, drop into Grafton Notch, and cross a major milestone: transitioning trail maintenance from the MATC to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and officially entering the White Mountains.

We meet some folks in the Notch, then continue on to hike well into the night, setting up a headlamp-lit, drizzling descent down Old Speck, while noting the first signs that things were not all well with Muse’s feet.  Describing the changeover at Grafton Notch also requires some backstory - and so we delve into both what it means to enter the White Mountains and talk a bit about the origin and purpose of the AMC.

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/681383

Follow Muse: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ