What's it like to hike and live in the backcountry for 5 months? Host and thru-hiker Kyle O'Grady, who has completed every last step of the Appalachian Trail, interviews other thru-hikers, peak-baggers, and backpackers who are almost as crazy as him. Is life while thru-hiking really as glamorous as the social media stars make it out to be? Is pooping in the woods really that big of a deal? Find out these answers and more on Trail Tales.
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Thru-hiker and photographer Aaron Ibey joins the show again, this time to talk about his hike of New Hampshire's Cohos Trail. This relatively unknown trail runs from the New Hampshire/Canada border, 170 miles south to Crawford Notch in the White Mountains. Aaron shares all the details from his thru-hike, including his resupply strategy, the types of terrain he encountered, and the abundance of wildlife he saw. This trail really seems like a hidden gem, often overshadowed (quite literally) by the famous White Mountains that exist just to it's south.
Keep an eye on Aaron's Instagram to see photos from his hike: https://www.instagram.com/ibeyprofin/
Aaron's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007033266847
Please consider making a donation of any size to the Trail Tales 46 Climbs team, raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/1975017
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Round three with Philip Carcia, also known as Finding Philip! Wrapping up the story of his White Mountain Single Year Grid, Philip goes into detail about the role that social media played in his project, some of his highest and lowest points, and what kept him motivated on the trail, day after day after day. Philip hiked every single one of the White Mountain 4000 Footers in every single month... for an entire year! If you've hiked any of the New Hampshire 4000 Footers or anywhere else in the White Mountains, you know how difficult they are and can probably imagine the strength it took for Philip to complete this goal. He has been incredibly humble about the whole thing, and I am beyond grateful that he was willing to spend so much time talking to me and sharing his story over the last few months.
Please consider making a donation of any size to the Trail Tales 46 Climbs team, raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/1975017
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Since we last spoke in Episode 24 of Trail Tales, Philip Carcia has gone on to offically take the fastest known time for the White Mountain Grid. Philip hiked each of the 48 4000-foot peaks in New Hampshire's White Mountains in each month... for an entire year. To finish off the project, he completed a White Mountain Direttissima, essentially thru-hiking the 48 peaks in one shot, finishing in just under 7 days. Impressive!
In the episode, Philip reflects on the craziness that consumed the project since we had last spoken. He talks about the gnarly spring conditions he faced, how he got less than 10 hours of sleep over the course of the Direttissima, and what his life has looked a few weeks out from when he finished.
Please consider making a donation of any size to the Trail Tales 46 Climbs team, raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/1975017
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Wednesday Jul 10, 2019
Wednesday Jul 10, 2019
Baker Bokorney is back for round 3! Baker is an experienced thru-hiker, having hiked the Appalachian Trail, Florida Trail, and half the Arizona Trail in 2018. We decided to have some fun with this episode, and go over our hiking and backpacking grievances. Towards the end, Baker gets into some grievances specific to Trail Tales (in addition to being the most frequent guest, he is also a listener of the show), and I finally give him a chance to share a trail story! I forgot BOTH times we spoke before. Sorry Baker. Also congrats on the wedding when you read this.
Please consider making a donation of any size to the Trail Tales 46 Climbs team, raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/1975017
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Growing up within reach of the White Mountains, Dave Moore was exposed to the world of hiking and backpacking from a young age, and eventually went on to complete the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail! But not only is he a Triple Crowner, he has hiked many other smaller trails as well! For this episode, we focus mostly on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) as I pick Dave's brain about some of the challenges that thru-hikers face on the CDT that they may not encounter on the PCT or the AT.
Please consider making a donation of any size to the Trail Tales 46 Climbs team, raising money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/1975017
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
Jake Pickering thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016, and headed back into the woods again in 2018. The second time around he thru-hiked the Great Divide Trail in Western Canada, which is a relatively unknown trail compared to more popular hikes like the Appalachian Trail and PCT. In this episode we learn about how a Wikipedia article exposed him to the world of long-distance hiking, and all about the logistics of hiking the Great Divide Trail. Make sure you stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear his crazy story about being evacuated from the GDT by helicopter, a good reminder for everyone to renew their SPOT subscriptions!
If you are interested in learning more about the Great Divide Trail, head to http://www.greatdividetrail.com/.
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Alton Eckel and her dog Cole have been ripping miles in the White Mountains and elsewhere for nearly 10 years now. We jump all over the place in this week's episode, talking about her thru-hike of the Cohos Trail in New Hampshire, how amazing of a hiking partner her dog Cole is, and how the pair were the first to complete the Northeast Ultra 8. That is just the tip of the iceberg however; tune in to hear about everything else we discussed!
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Austin Davis caught the hiking bug in 2018, completing a yo-yo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, before heading to South America in an effort to continue his adventures. In 2019, he thru-hiked the Te Araroa in New Zealand, and the Arizona Trail. That's a ton of hiking.
In our chat, we talk in depth about his PCT yo-yo, water sources on the Arizona Trail (which still disgust me), and do an info-session on the Te Araroa. I bet it won't be long before Austin continues his adventures and moves on the Appalachian Trail, and beyond. Go check out his website: http://notabadplacetopee.com/
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Effie Drew joins Trail Tales to talk about two main topics: her thru-paddle (you read that correctly) of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and hiking with dogs! She has done the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and much of the Pacific Crest Trail, and in 2018 her partner and her decided to give their legs a quick break and take to the water. They paddled the entire 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail at the end of 2018.
Towards the end of the episode, I get the chance to pick Effie's brain on the subject of backpacking and hiking with dogs. Her dog Luna has hiked over 7,000 miles which is insanity, so she is able to give plenty of advice on how to manage your dog on the trail.
Check out her website: http://www.babygotbackwoods.com/
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!
Tuesday May 14, 2019
Tuesday May 14, 2019
The ever-sarcastic Baker Bokorney is back! Baker thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, Florida Trail, and half of the Arizona Trail in 2018. We dedicate this entire episode to BACKPACKING GEAR, going through each of our packs from top to bottom. Some of the brands we discuss are ULA, ZPacks, and Hammock Gear. Both of us have ultralight setups (although Baker's is lighter than mine) and give some scattered advice on how to keep your pack light.
Like what you hear? Want to talk some smack? You can contact me on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email: trailtalespod@gmail.com
If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trailtales.
Feel free to leave me a five-star review on iTunes (I read every one at the beginning of the next episode), and subscribe if you like the show! My personal Instagram is @kylehateshiking, so feel free to follow me on there as well.
Subscribe on iTunes, and listen on Google Play and Stitcher!