




In Episode 68, "IronWill" Callahan joins the show to tell us what it's like being a teenage thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail.  In February of this year, Will left Springer Mountain at the age of 17 and hiked northbound to Woods Hole in Virginia where he discovered he had a fractured tibia.  After taking a break to heal, he returned to the trail to finish his hike - completing the Vermont to Virginia section southbound.



In the podcast, Will talks about what it's like being one of the youngest thru-hikers on the trail.  He also describes the southbound experience and tells us about hiking solo after the thru-hiker masses cleared out.  



For more on Will's journey you can click over to his Instagram account to see some photos from his hike.



Subject: Teenage Thru-HikerInterviewees: Will (aka IronWill)Interview Date: October 6, 2019Runtime: 38:28



Download Now: Teenage Thru-Hiker (WMA format 36.3 Meg); Teenage Thru-Hiker (MP3 format 36.3 Meg)



Episode 68: Teenage Thru-Hiker

Sports

Wilderness






In Episode 103, Cardiac and Drone Boy join me for a studio recording of some intriguing hiking and backpacking events that made the news this past year.  Some of the topics we discuss include another hiker that found themselves at the bottom of a pit toilet, a loyal dog that survived 72 days on a high peak of Colorado, and a few events that involved Hollywood actors in the backcountry.  



Finally we close out with trail stats from the Appalachian Trail this past year and we discuss some ridiculous comments that visitors made on social media after visiting some of our most famous National Parks.  If there are any worthy hiking and backpacking news events that we missed - drop us a comment below and Happy New Year!



Subject: Hiking News Review 2023Interviewees: Cardiac, Drone BoyInterview Date: January 4, 2023Runtime: 1:36:04



Download Now:  Hiking News Review 2023 (WMA format 138.3 MB; Hiking News Review 2023 (MP3 format 46.8 MB)



Episode 103: News Review 2023






In Episode 102, we have our FIRST Halloween special and discuss some of the spooky and crazy ass things that have happened in the backcountry over the last two decades.  Cardiac and Drone Boy join me in the studio for this podcast and talk through some disturbing and well publicized events - some don't have a happy ending.  We even share some scary personal encounters and expect that you have your own.  So reach out to us and let us know about your spooky experiences on the trail.  



In reality, the backcountry is statistically a very safe place - way more than any major metro area in the U.S.  So don't let this episode freak you out.  Keep on hiking, be smart, and be aware.  Happy Halloween!   



Subject: Backcountry HalloweenInterviewees: Cardiac, Drone BoyInterview Date: October 21, 2023Runtime: 1:21:28



Download Now: Backcountry Halloween (WMA format 39.7 Meg);Backcountry Halloween (MP3 format 78.2 Meg)



Episode 102: Backcountry Halloween






In Episode 101, we continue our discussion of The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - our best and worst experiences on the Trail.  Recorded live on the Chattooga River in northwestern South Carolina, I sit fireside with 3Dub, Mick, Hollywood, and Therm Rider after hiking to Long Creek Falls and settling in for the night.  In the show we discuss some great sunsets, 3Dub's fall into a Cobra hole, our favorite campsites, and Hollywood's discovery of a tick - in the worst possible place! 



This is another fun episode and we only scratch the surface of a lengthy list of experiences that I have tracked at N2Backpacking over 25+ years.  So if you have mishaps of your own, check out the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly tab on our website, and help add to our list - or share your own experiences with a comment below...



Subject: The Good, Bad, and Ugly 2Interviewees: 3Dub, Hollywood, Mick, Therm RiderInterview Date: July 03, 2023Runtime: 1:15:22



Download Now: The Good, Bad, and Ugly 2 (WMA format 35.9 Meg);The Good, Bad, and Ugly 2 (MP3 format 70.6 Meg)



Episode 101: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly 2






In Episode 100, we are back in the studio to celebrate our 100th episode by recapping some interesting things that have happened in the backcountry since the N2Backpacking podcast first aired 12 years ago.  In the show, Cardiac, Drone Boy, and Therm Rider join me for the "Darwin Awards" - a recap of some  backcountry mishaps that have happened to us and to other hikers and backpackers over the last decade on the trail.



This is another fun episode that includes hikers falling in pit toilets, getting selfies with bears, and burning their eyeballs - among other things.  It's a great way to mark our 100th podcast, and if you have some Darwin experiences of your own please add your comments below.



Subject: The Darwin AwardsInterviewees: Cardiac, Drone Boy, Therm RiderInterview Date: August 13, 2023Runtime: 1:13:42



Download Now: The Darwin Awards (WMA format 35.9 Meg);The Darwin Awards (MP3 format 106.1 Meg)



Episode 100:  The Darwin Awards






In Episode 99, I sit fireside with Therm Rider, Beer Run and Sons on the Benton MacKaye Trail in North Georgia to talk about some things that ruin a backpacking trip.  In the podcast, we discuss backpackers that camp on top of you, those that make speaker phone calls, crank booty music or even throw live ammunition into your campfire!  We also talk about bad weather, angry insects, and getting sick in the backcountry - which had me dumping out a vomit filled hiking boot.



This is a fun episode and we only touch on a handful of topics tonight.  So if you have some experiences of your own and would like to share them, please reach out to us via the N2Backpacking website or on our social media pages because we'll likely expand on this topic in a future podcast.  



Subject: Things That Ruin A Backpacking TripInterviewees: Beer Run & Sons, Therm Rider  Interview Date: April 15, 2023Runtime: 45:26



Download Now: Things That Ruin A Backpacking Trip (WMA format 21.6 MB); Things That Ruin A Backpacking Trip (MP3 format 63.9 MB)



Episode 68: Teenage Thru-Hiker

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