Today we explore- what is the social dynamic of a thru-hike? You might think that you already know the answer to this question.  However, let us not forget, our trekkers are hiking against the current.  Whereas the vast majority of thru-hikers- regardless of which triple crown trail they're on- hike northbound, our hikers are trekking south.  How will this alter the social experience, if at all?

This episode is all about the twists, turns, and surprises that are an intrinsic part of life on trail. Our correspondents regale us with their stories of combating relationship issues (with those on trail and those at home), difficult conditions (foreseeable and not), and learning to be adaptable. Don't worry though, this episode isn't all serious - sometimes the spontaneity of trail life leads to wonderful moments - both heartwarming and belly-laugh-inducing alike.

It's Wildcard time! A few times a season, we challenge our correspondents' to be creative and discuss whatever they want to! Our trail correspondents lived up to the challenge that the wildcard presents. They regal us with a variety of stores, give us topics to ponder, and provide us an insight as to what "real life" on trail looks like. Turn's out, our correspondents get quite philosophical when they get to deal their own hand!

The episodes leading up to this one introduced us to our 2021 hikers, taught us about their prep, and gave us insights as to why they decided to plan a thru-hike. However, planning a thru-hike and actually taking those first few steps are two very different things.

Preparing for a thru-hike is no easy feat. After all, hikers have to completely overhaul their life. This often involves quitting their job, storing all of their belongings somewhere, saying goodbye to loved ones/partners, and make a strict budget - and we haven't even gotten into all the necessary gear and skills one needs for a thru-hike. So where does one start? How on earth does anybody actually plan for, let alone go through with, a thru-hike? Let's find out.

We are excited to be able to bring you an eclectic group of talented storytellers in 2021. From an aspiring Triple Crowner to a first-timer, from a recent high school grad to a mother of eight, the third season of Trail Correspondents offers a wide range of voices to relay this life-changing experience This year’s season even features a new twist – all the hikers will be going SOBO.

At the beginning of this year, before embarking on their thru-hikes, we asked our Correspondents to interview themselves.  Specifically, their future selves.  We wanted to capture both the metamorphosis a hiker goes through during their journey, as well as hit on the pressure points of what was driving them onto the trail in the first place.  This episode features both the questions fielded before their journey, along with their answers a couple months after they finished.  The result, is...

Our correspondents share how the adaption back to their former worlds has been, and what elements of their on-trail worlds they've brought with them- or at least hope to. 

Today  is the end of the trail.  For this one, we hear from our hikers twice, both the day before the northern terminus and at the finish line itself, with one exception.  As you can imagine, this is an emotional update.  Although the journey is the destination, there is likely no more exciting part of the journey than the finish line.

Today's show brings us our final wildcard episode.  Given the timing of this episode, near the end of our correspondents' journeys, there's a lot of reflection on the miles in their rearview mirrors.  We also hear some advice about maintaining a relationship on the trail, sober hiking, hiking with a fishing rod, trail etiquette and more. These episodes have been listener favorites in the past, this one will be no exception.

An extended period in the great outdoors is medicine for the soul.  Breaking free from our routines in a natural setting is a recipe for happiness, clarity, and a fresh perspective. Our hikers will share all of the revelations moments they've experienced on trail.  They talk about what changes, little or big, they'd like to incorporate into their post-trail worlds, and how their hikes have facilitated this decision.

Although a half year backpacking trip is a physical grind, this is not the most challenging part of a thru-hike.  This title belongs to the psychological side of this journey. Our hikers chime in on whether they agree with this sentiment, what coping mechanisms they use to overcome their challenges, how the challenges have evolved over the course of the hike, and what advice they would offer to their pre-trail selves on how to better handle these hurdles.

Grab a seat next to the rocking chair because today's show will feature some stories from the backcountry. We instructed our hikers to share a standout tale from their journey. It can be a highlight, lowlight, or something in between. The submissions are a delightful mix. We hear about one of our AT hikers who completed the 4-state challenge, one of our correspondents who played a part in rescuing a lost hiker, and another correspondent who had to use their SOS to save another hiker. Murphy's...

WILDCARD II. Today's episode comes from the PCT and CDT, and with it being a high snow year on both trails, much of the subject matter of these recordings will stay within a much tighter confine. Given a blank slate, the vast majority of our correspondents felt compelled to share how the high snow has impacted their hikes.

Today's episode brings us our second wildcard, and our first from the trail. The previous wildcard episode was a listener favorite, and I'm guessing today's will also follow suit. We hear about a wide range of subjects, from hammock camping to finding romance on trail , to game changing trail magic, to hiking the Sierra in a high snow year, and beyond. This grab bag of subjects will without question keep you on your toes.

In our previous episode our Group 1 hikers gave us insight on how their hiking groups have evolved over the course of their hikes. Today, we hear from our remaining PCT & CDT hikers on this same subject. 2019 has been especially interesting for group dynamics given the high snow levels on the PCT & CDT as this plays a large role in fragmenting the hiker bubble. Some groups forge through the risky conditions, some skip sections, some flip to the northern terminus, while others abandon...

There are many fascinating components to the thru-hiking lifestyle, none more so than the social dynamics a hiker will encounter during the course of this trek. Today our hikers give us a glimpse into the ways in which hikers group up on trail. We learn if they're hiking solo, with a partner, in a group and why, how the dynamics have evolved since the early days of their journeys, the friendships they've formed, how it's compared to their pre-trail expectations, and much more.

We hope you've got enough appetite to stomach another show about trail food, because today's edition is an all you can eat buffet of hiker fare. Our remaining PCT & CDT hikers weigh in on what their favorite trail foods are, their current relationship with hiker hunger, how their food systems have evolved over the course of their hikes, and more. For anyone who's curious about how long distance backpackers manage their diets, this episode will provide ample food for thought.

Food. It's is a subject of endless fascination to just about everyone. Even the most experienced hikers stand room for improvement with their backcountry menus. Rarely do I go a long stint on trail without picking up some sort of tip for how to enhance my hiker fare. This episode will be appealing to those who want to improve their on trail culinary skills or who are simply curious about what a hiker eats, what the vaunted hiker hunger is all about, and how tastes evolve over the course of a...

Gear. For some people it's their favorite topic in the world, for others, it results in a shoulder shrug and an eye roll. But whether you love or gear talk, there's no way around it: what you carry on your back, plays a big role in how much you enjoy your hike. More precisely, getting it wrong the first time, can be emotionally and financially draining. Today our hikers give us an overall glimpse into their gear systems thus far. -Check out the full list of what our hikers changed in the...

To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, and following social media accounts trying to absorb as much information for your forthcoming journey as possible.  But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show.  Today our hikers let us in on how the journey has deviated from their expectations.

At the beginning of the season, we outline the subjects in which we want our hikers to share with you. Today's show was not on that agenda. This episode is in response to the news of the murder that occurred on the Appalachian Trail. In the very early hours on 5/11, a pair of hikers were attacked by a man with a machete.  One of them survived, albeit with very serious wounds, the other, Ronald "Stronghold" Sanchez known, did not. Today our AT hikers reflect on how this news has impacted their...

It's the subject which most aspiring thru-hikers dedicate the most time, energy, and money toward.  Yes, let's talk gear. We get an early look into our how our crew's gear is treating them. They share what they've sent home (if anything), if they've added anything new, if they have any regrets- really just an overall glance into their packs a few weeks into their treks.

In episode 5, we got our first updates from the trail. Today we get our first trail update from our second group of hikers. We first get a taste of where our hiker's minds are the night before they embark on their treks. And the second recording comes from the end of their first day on trail, where they're given a blank slate to talk about whatever most inspires them.

To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, & following social media accounts trying to absorb as much info for your forthcoming journey as possible.  But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show. Today our hikers share how the journey has deviated from their expectations. We hear from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Melissa, Nancy,...