El Capitan is the most famous face in rock climbing, and it isn't even close. Fifty years ago, three climbers defied the odds, scaling El Capitan in a single day—a feat that redefined what’s possible in rock climbing.

In this special episode, starting at the Yosemite Climbing Museum and ending under the shadow of El Capitan, we sit down with John Long -- one of the legendary trio behind that historic 1975 ascent--to relive the adventure and reflect on El Cap's singular legacy. We climb into:

The bold plan to conquer El Cap in a day, hatched by Jim Bridwell with John Long and Billy Westbay

How Warren Harding’s grueling 1958 ascent set the stage for El Cap’s epic history

The rush of climbing 3,000 feet in 15 hours, fueled by honking horns and camp camaraderie

The evolution of El Cap feats, from Lynn Hill’s free ascent to Alex Honnold’s jaw-dropping free solo

John’s raw reflections on 50 years of climbing, loss, and staring down “the big stone”

Ever wondered what it’s like to haul lobster pots off the rugged Maine coast? In this episode of The Backcountry Manifesto, we sit down with Jacob Knowles, a fifth-generation lobster fisherman from Maine who’s reeled in a massive online following through his YouTube channel and TikTok videos documenting life on the water.

With the harbor in the background, our conversation dives deep into Jacob’s world. We cover:

The daily grind of a commercial lobster fisherman

The evolution of lobster traps—from wooden classics to modern wire designs

Conservation in action: tail notching, slot limits, and releasing egg-bearing lobsters

Jacob’s journey from boat deck to internet fame, blending tradition with modern storytelling

The challenges and joys of fishing, plus a glimpse at the co-op system that keeps it all running

Hopes for the future: lobster hatcheries, sustainability, and his kids joining the family trade

From the science of soft-shell lobsters to the pride of protecting oversized breeders, Jacob shares stories that connect generations of Mainers to the sea. Whether you’re a seafood lover, a conservation enthusiast, or just curious about life on the water, this episode has something for you.

Today on the show, we're bringing you Part 2 of our conversation with Mount Everest Historian Thom Pollard. In Part 1, we told you all about the tragedy of the 1924 British expedition, which ultimately culminated in the deaths of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine. Today, we're talking with Thom about his first-hand experience on the 1999 expedition to find their bodies and coming face to face with Mallory himself. This is the story of perhaps the most controversial chapter in the history of the world's tallest mountain. In this episode, you'll hear about:

Recently, National Geographic explorer Jimmy Chin was credited with the discovery of remains belonging to a climber named Sandy Irvine, a member of the 1924 British expedition that ended in tragedy with not only his death, but that of his partner, George Mallory. This week on the show, Thom Pollard of the popular Everest Mystery Youtube channel joins us to tell the full story of the ill-fated 1924 British expedition on Everest -- one of the most controversial and enigmatic mysteries on the worlds largest mountain. We talk about:

This week, THE Tom Rosenbauer slides into the studio and offers his thoughts on how to get into fly fishing. Spoiler alert: fly fishing is not that hard. If you've ever been curious about how to get started as a fly fisherman, this episode is for you.

This week on The Backcountry Manifesto, we have Matt Brenna of the popular YouTube channel “Alaska Cabin Adventures” in studio to give you a crash course in building an off-grid cabin, from site selection to constructing an outhouse. Specifically, we cover:

Today on the show, Jamie Leibert, aka Captain Manicorn, is swinging by to talk about his journey from meth addicted felon serving a four year stint in federal prison to a world beating BASE Jumper and accomplished wingsuit flyer, traveling the world and finding new exits across 135 countries and counting.

We talk about:

Who is DB Cooper? On November 24th, 1971, an unassuming middle aged man pulled off the only unsolved skyjacking in US history, parachuting out of the back of a Boeing 727 somewhere over the pacific northwest with $200,000 in cash strapped to his chest. He was never found. Today, some 53 years later, DB Cooper investigator Eric Ulis sits down with us to tell the whole story of DB Cooper, including new developments. We talk about: 

All this and much more. If you're a nerd for unsolved mysteries, you're going to love this deep dive into all things DB Cooper.

Does Bigfoot exist? Dr. Jeff Meldrum – a professor of anatomy and anthropology specializing in primate locomotor adaptations and bipedalism at Idaho State University – believes Bigfoot is real (and probably prefers the term “Sasquatch”). Today on the show, Dr. Meldrum drops by TBM HQ to talk all things Sasquatch, as well as his life-long fascination with the controversial “relict hominoid.” In our conversation, we cover: 

All that and more in this episode. If you’re a Bigfoot nerd or just interested in an academic’s perspective on the mystery primate, this episode of TBM is for you! 

This week on the show, we have Duke University’s Dr. Steven Churchill swinging into town to talk about early man as the ultimate survivalist. Dr. Churchill has been part of discovering two important early hominids and when it comes to neanderthals, he’s certainly among the most knowledgeable. One thing he knows for sure? Early man was on the strugglebus, but pushed through to become the ultimate survivalist. 

We talk about: