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Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ For years, Christian O'Connor was what he calls a "hardliner gatekeeper", quietly discouraging people from the Arizona backcountry he grew up in. Then he became a guide. Christian traces the path from a Montreal kid dropped into the Sonoran Desert at age five to founding Backpack Arizona, the only overnight backcountry guiding operation working the Tonto, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. We get into the 2011 Wallow Fire that hardened him, the shift that changed his mind ("they're gonna come anyway"), and why he now believes access is the best chance wild places have. We also cover why he caps trips at four guests, "the return", that moment discomfort snaps you back into your own body and the biggest misconception about backpacking Arizona (hint: it isn't all saguaros, the Sky Islands climb past 10,000 feet). Christian also ranks the backcountry threats actually worth worrying about, and neither rattlesnakes nor bears take the top spot. Plus: his brutal first backpacking trip: a yoga mat lashed to a Costco pack, eight unnecessary liters of water, and a machete. The pack photo he takes at every trailhead, the Coca-Cola that carried him out of a canyon, and news on the new Tonto permit opening year-round Superstitions trips this October.  Episode Links: Backpacking Arizona Website Backpacking Arizona on Instagram Backpacking Arizona on Facebook Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Three years since his first episode, Justin "JustRoc" Rimon is back on Hikes and Mics. Host of the Just Trek Podcast, founder of the Just Trek Crew, and the guy whose Star Wars-themed group hike helped inspire Yakima Valley Trekkers — he returns to catch us up on the biggest chapters of the last three years. Justin revisits Sandstone Peak, the accidental April 2017 sunset hike that pulled him off the dance floor and onto the trail, and how one mountain keeps generating the friendships and moments that built his community. We get into Guatemala — the four-year dream of Acatenango and the Fuego Ridge that finally clicked after a random trail conversation — including the overnight climb, the 13,000-foot summit push, and the moment the overcast skies opened up right as the guides said it was time to turn back. He also shares the story behind recording his most stunning video episode yet with crewmate Francis Ngo, live at Mount Rainier National Park during golden hour. Then there's the Fool's Traverse: the 11-peak, 26-mile, 18-hour endurance challenge in the Mount Baldy area that Justin calls his toxic ex. Three attempts, three unfinished routes, and one philosophy that keeps winning out — people over peaks. Out of that weekend came an impromptu campground group pod at Manker Flats, proof of what "stay ready, rock steady" actually looks like in practice. We close out with the launch of his Trails and Tribulations survival-story series, the growing pains of moving from audio-only to in-person video episodes, and his full naturalist era — corvid identification, spark birds, Nocs binoculars, and co-hosting birding events with the Bird Homies and LA Trail Killers.  A sequel episode packed with epic treks, hard-earned lessons, and a whole lot of community. Episode Links: Just Trek on Instagram Just Trek Website Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Four years ago, Hikes and Mics started with a folding table, a mic, and total strangers at trailheads. Now, closing in on 200 episodes, the tables get turned — literally. For this anniversary special, my longtime guest and friend Tami (@tamionthetrail) takes over as host, interviewing me lakeside on the third night of a four-day trek on British Columbia's Berg Lake Trail. I get into why I started this podcast in the first place — from missing the outdoors during a stint in Phoenix to recording strangers at trailheads before going virtual. Then it's my closest call yet: turning back a Mount Adams summit attempt in deteriorating snow, including a scary moment post-holing through the snowpack on the descent, and the months-long chase of cancelled permits that finally landed back-to-back nights at Whitehorn, Berg Lake, and Kinney Lake. Plus Union Creek Falls, the short waterfall hike that actually got me hooked on hiking, my slow shift to an ultralight setup, why Hawaiian shirts are now trail staples, and my now-infamous "Berg Lake Ramen Bomb" backpacking meal. Tami and I also run a round of Season 15 This-or-That questions, with a few more to come, plus a bonus mailbag segment answering listener-submitted community questions. Four years, one flipped mic, and a whole lot of trail talk. 🎧 Subscribe to Hikes and Mics and follow @hikesandmics for new episodes every week. Episode Links: Mount Robson Provincial Park This episode was Produced by Tami while on the Berg Lake Trail, follow her on Instagram @tamionthetrail This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Larkin returns to Hikes and Mics — two years after his first episode, and 14 months deeper into life as a park ranger.  He traded Eastern Washington's basalt columns for the red rock of Moab, Utah, and he's back to catch us up on everything in between. Larkin talks helping open Utahraptor State Park (home to the largest species of raptor dinosaur ever discovered), hunting down hidden arches like Hunter Canyon Arch, and timing a visit to the Solstice Snake petroglyph just right to catch its brief, sun-cast arrowhead. We get into the Moab Mastodon debate, tips for a first slot canyon hike through Buckskin Gulch and Wire Pass, underrated spots like Dead Horse Point and the surprisingly quiet La Sal Mountains, and archaeological finds out in Bears Ears. We close out with Larkin's long-awaited Wave permit, his push to beat last year's 615 AllTrails miles, and an ongoing boot recommendation search,  A great catch-up with an old friend, packed with desert wisdom, dinosaur trivia, and hidden-gem hiking advice. Episode Links: Larkin on Instagram This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Season 15 kicks off with outdoor educator and former pro writer Meg Atteberry — and a backcountry survival story that will stay with you. Six days into Wyoming's brutal Wind River High Route — 86 miles and 23,000 feet of gain, much of it off-trail — Meg's friend shattered six bones in her foot on a steep talus pass, 25 miles from the nearest trailhead. Meg had to hit the SOS button on her Garmin and hold it together through a 20-hour rescue: two failed helicopter launches, an overnight in an incoming storm, and an aviation "X" built from rocks to guide the chopper in. Meg breaks down exactly what that emergency taught her: why you should always carry a battery pack, never rely on your phone for SOS, double-check your emergency contacts, and pack a signal mirror. We also dig into facing a fear of heights in Moab and the Grand Canyon, why parenthood became her "superpower," backpacking with a 4-year-old, running her first ultra, and her 2026 goals in the San Juans and the Grand Canyon's Nankoweap route. A premiere packed with hard-won wisdom for anyone who heads into the backcountry. Episode Links: Meg in the Forest on YouTube Daily Vlog of her Trip What I learned about my InReach from hitting the SOS Step-By-Step what happens when you hit the SOS Meg in the Forest on Instagram This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to redesign the outdoors for everyone? Gnara Co-Founder GG Edwards joins our Season 14 finale to share how a glacier in Alaska sparked a revolution in outdoor apparel. While guiding on the Mendenhall Glacier, GG faced a choice every woman in the backcountry knows too well: trek across crevasses and peel off layers in freezing temps, or risk dehydration. Instead, she asked a simple question — what if her fly worked like the guys'? That idea became the patented GoFly® zipper and the brand now known as Gnara (formerly SheFly). In this conversation, GG opens up about sewing prototypes in her Vermont dorm room, a Kickstarter that raised over $100K in a single day, surviving a factory collapse during the pandemic, and the bold rebrand from SheFly to Gnara. We dig into why 56% of women report a bathroom accident outdoors, the taboo Gnara is dismantling, and the customer stories that prove this is so much bigger than a zipper — from Yosemite climbing guides to a solo round-the-world sailor. Plus GG on mountain biking, ice climbing, and training for the NYC Marathon. Episode Links: Gnara on Instagram Gnara's Website Gnara on YouTube This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What if Washington's most overlooked landscape isn't a towering evergreen forest — but a sun-baked sea of sagebrush bursting with far more life than you'd ever expect? Cyrus Philbrick and Bridget Clark of Cowiche Canyon Conservancy join us at Snow Mountain Ranch to talk about the shrub-steppe — the vanishing ecosystem this nonprofit land trust has spent 40+ years protecting across 8,000+ acres and 60+ miles of free trails just outside Yakima. We get into how a community-driven land trust grows acre by acre, from a defunct railroad through Cowiche Canyon to the recent Konnowac Pass acquisition. Cyrus walks us through the two-volcano geology that carved the canyon's basalt and andesite cliffs, while Bridget shares how this landscape thrives on a quarter of the west side's rainfall. We also dig into the work that keeps this place wild: the battle against invasive cheatgrass and scotch thistle, the volunteers and school kids who make conservation personal, and a commitment to equity through Spanish-language wildflower walks that open the outdoors to all of Yakima. Plus their must-do weekend hikes and when to catch peak wildflowers. If you've ever driven east of the pass and written off the sagebrush, this episode will change how you see it. Episode Links: Cowiche Canyon Conservancy Website Cowiche Canyon Conservancy on Facebook Cowiche Canyon Conservancy on Instagram This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a 33-year McKinsey career ends on Friday — and you're on an ice wall by Saturday afternoon? Tom French, author of The Gap Years: Climbing, Skiing, and the Journey Back, joins us to talk about trading his corporate corner office for crampons, summiting Everest under a full moon at 2:15 AM, and why it's never too late to reclaim the passions of your younger years. Tom's story begins with a childhood shaped by legendary mountaineer Willi Unsoeld — the first man to climb Everest's West Ridge — who literally taught Tom to climb at age eight. Decades later, after raising a family and building an elite business career, Tom didn't quietly retire. He launched a gap year that stretched into three and a half extraordinary years of ice climbing, cross-country ski marathons, and two Everest expeditions. We dig into his gripping turnaround at 26,000 feet on his first summit attempt, the remote Makalu Barun approach he took on his second, and what the emotional release at base camp — not the summit — truly taught him about achievement. If you've ever felt too busy, too old, or too settled to chase a dream, this episode is for you. Episode Links: Tom on Instagram Tom's Website Buy a copy of The Gap Years This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What if the most powerful story in a national park isn't the landscape — it's the people inside it? NYU-trained filmmaker, Explorers Club member, and director Brendan Hall joins us to share the journey behind Out There: A National Parks Story — a feature documentary seven years in the making, born from a post-graduation road trip across 10,000 miles of America's public lands. Brendan opens up about the Grand Canyon moment under the Milky Way that redirected his entire filmmaking career, how two friends with no plan found trail builder Gary in Acadia simply by asking a librarian, and why his relationship with Yosemite has evolved from a solo sunrise at Tunnel View to a surprise engagement in El Capitan Meadow. We cover the human tapestry behind the film: Jack Gladstone's Blackfeet stories at Glacier, photographer QT Luong's overlooked legacy, and a filmmaking philosophy built around accessibility over conquest. Brendan also reflects on his time as a selected crew member of the Dear Moon mission, what an Antarctica voyage with Neil deGrasse Tyson and William Shatner revealed about our planet, and how to carry hope in the face of ecological grief — from bleached coral reefs to smoke-filled wilderness. Out There has screened at 25+ festivals and 75+ community events nationwide. A screening tour and digital release with nonprofit partnerships are rolling out through 2026. Screenings & updates: outthere.film Episode Links: Brendan on Instagram Out There Film on Instagram Brendan's Website This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you strip away the gear, the gadgets — and even the shoes? Barefoot Ken is here to show us. Meet Ken Posner, also known as Barefoot Ken — ultramarathoner, analyst, author, and the man quietly redefining what it means to connect with nature, one shoeless summit at a time. In this episode, Ken traces his journey from Chicago city kid to barefoot adventurer, sharing how a single book — Born to Run — inspired him to ditch his shoes at age 50 and never really look back. We cover it all: how the Catskills Grid (35 peaks × 12 months = 420 summits) became his modern-day pilgrimage, what it took to complete the John Muir Trail barefoot across three attempts, the meaning behind a barefoot summit of Tsoodzil — a sacred Navajo peak in New Mexico — and why his 1,000 Barefoot Mountains goal (currently at 632!) is more than just a number. Ken also opens up about his minimalist "stretch the rubber band" philosophy, what our hunter-gatherer ancestors can teach us about slowing down on trail, and the surprisingly honest Appendix C in Chasing the Grid — a full catalog of his lifetime running injuries and what they taught him. Episode Links: Barefoot Ken on Instagram Barefoot Ken's Website Barefoot Ken on X Purchase Chasing the Grid This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What makes a hike truly unforgettable? National Geographic Explorer, Outside Magazine contributing editor, and author Stephanie Pearson joins us to find out. Her new book, 100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A. (out now), was born from one of the hardest seasons of her life — and launched with a lightning storm on the Maah Daah Hey Trail in North Dakota. In this conversation, Stephanie opens up about how her mother's passing, an emergency eye surgery in Sweden, and the stillness of COVID reshaped the way she sees the trails in her own backyard. We cover it all: redefining what a "hike of a lifetime" really means, managing overcrowded trails like the Kalalau Trail in Hawaiʻi and popular trails in Sedona, why the Superior Hiking Trail is tougher than it looks, what the Selma to Montgomery Trail taught her about American history, and why the Tahoe Rim Trail might be the perfect first through-hike. Stephanie also shares her thoughts on trail volunteerism, the grief of watching glaciers disappear, hidden gems across the Midwest, and why sometimes — the best hikes don't require a passport. 📖 100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A. is available now at local bookstores, Amazon, and major retailers. Learn more at stephanieannpearson.com Episode Links: Stephanie on Instagram Purchase a copy of 100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A. This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a cancer diagnosis becomes the spark that launches a full-time outdoor adventure career? This week on Hikes and Mics, I sit down with Alec — travel writer, photographer, and the force behind Explore with Alec, for one of the most honest and inspiring conversations we've had on the show.  Alec is a two-time cancer survivor and bone marrow transplant recipient whose brush with mortality completely redefined his relationship with the outdoors. From hiking across the Grand Canyon mid-radiation to summiting Mount Whitney on a whim, he turned adversity into a life built around adventure. In this episode, we talk about his first post-treatment backpacking trip with his dad in Sedona, why the hardest places to reach are often the most worth protecting, and what it's really like to build a business around the outdoors — late nights, protein bar dinners, and the Enumclaw Taco Bell included. Alec also takes us inside his most unforgettable wildlife encounters — from coastal brown bears in Alaska to mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park — and shares the networking tip that changed how he lands major clients like National Geographic Travel. Plus — we break down the biggest barriers keeping people out of nature and what creators like Alec are doing to close that gap. 🐻🎒 Episode Links: Alec on Instagram Alec on YouTube Explore with Alec website This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you combine a trailhead, a cold pint, and a community that refuses to leave anyone behind? You get Hiking for Brews — and this episode, we're sitting down with the woman who brought it back to life. Nicole is the organizer of Hiking for Brews, a DMV-based group drawing anywhere from 20 to 80 hikers across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Originally founded in Baltimore, Nicole revived the concept post-COVID when she moved back to the area and wanted to make friends the best way she knew how — on a trail. In this episode, we talk about the story behind her iconic watermelon tote cooler (a 1979 heirloom that's become her signature at every trailhead), why Hiking for Brews is built around connection over mileage, and how volunteer hike leads have helped the group scale from biweekly to near-weekly events. Nicole also shares tips for starting your own hiking group, how she avoids burnout as a leader, and why good hiking shoes will always be her non-negotiable. Plus — she drops some exciting personal news live on the podcast. 🍺🥾 Episode Links: Hikes for Brews on Instagram This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a touring musician trades the stage for the trail — and starts breaking records? Meet Cody Taylor: former drummer, endurance coach, and unsupported FKT holder of both the Bruce Trail (900km) and the International Appalachian Trail. In this episode of Hikes and Mics, Cody takes us deep into what it really means to go fully unsupported — carrying a 55-pound pack, filtering water from the ground, and sleeping on course while burning more calories than he could eat. He breaks down the brutal lessons learned on the Bruce Trail — hallucinations from zero sleep, back chafing from a failing pack, running out of food with 100km left — and how those hard lessons transformed his IAT experience into something extraordinary. We talk nutrition, magnesium, mental toughness, pack weight strategy, and why dialing in your sleep system changes everything. Cody also opens up about his identity shift from musician to athlete, running a coaching business with his high school sweetheart, and why he's now eyeing an unsupported out-and-back record on Vermont's Long Trail. Whether you're planning your first overnight trip or your next big FKT attempt — Cody's story will make you want to put something on the calendar. Episode Links: Cody on Instagram Cody's Website Cody on YouTube Cody on Facebook Cody on TikTok This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send us Fan Mail 700+ miles. Alone. Dragging a sled across Antarctica with nothing but training, grit, and the kind of stubbornness that makes history — and she did. Meet the first American woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole.  On January 18, 2026, Monet Izabeth made history — skiing solo and unsupported across 700+ miles of Antarctic ice to the South Pole. The wild part? Three years before that, she had never once slept outside in winter. In this episode, Monet traces the full, unlikely arc: from being dragged on hikes as a kid who wanted nothing to do with the outdoors, to a jaw-dropping Facebook message about her great uncle's WWII plane found on Mt. Kenya, to a brutal polar shakedown in Svalbard that left her thinking, "Damn it. Now I have to do it." We go deep on what a goal this size actually demands — over $89,000 just for the expedition itself, two and a half years of all-consuming physical and mental training, and a decision to bet her own savings when sponsors wouldn't take the leap. We also get into the mental game of hauling a sled across a frozen continent alone, her philosophy on summits and why she'd rather you have fun than bag a peak, gear hot takes, tea house trekking in Nepal, and what's coming next (spoiler: a book). Monet's story will make you rethink every excuse you've ever made about not being ready. Episode Links: Monet on Instagram Monet's GoFundMe Monet's Substack Monet's 2026 Group Trips This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+ I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier. Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership! Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app) Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists  Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.