Katie "Double Dip" Jackson on Hiking the CDT as Her First Triple Crown Trail
Release Date: 11/25/2024
10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks,...
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8 Tips for 2025 Appalachian Trail Hikers (BPR #295)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by LMNT, Chaunce and Badger are serving up tips for this year’s class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We’re covering everything from social dynamics and budgeting to mental prep, diet, why you should document your hike, some listener submission tips, and much more. We also give a rundown of advice from previous episodes in case you want to dig even deeper into getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. Whether you’re hitting the AT this year, planning for a future trek, or know someone who is, this episode...
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Dog Mushing, 20+ Years in the Navy, and the Triple Crown with Ben "Ginger Ballz" Vaughan (BPR #294)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Ben Vaugh, known on trail as Ginger Ballz. Ben is a Navy veteran, accomplished thru-hiker, and currently works as a dog musher, a topic Chaunce and Badger had way too much fun diving into. Ginger Ballz takes us through his transition from the military to thru-hiking, why he recommends it to fellow service members, and the parallels between the two. He shares stories from his hikes of the Triple Crown trails, the Hayduke, Superior Hiking Trail, and Long Trail. We also get a...
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Managing Relationships while Thru-Hiking with Michele Weiner-Davis, aka Zach's Mom
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by acclaimed author, marriage therapist, and speaker, Michele Weiner-Davis, known in my household simply as "mom". Being our Valentine's Day episode, this one is meant to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make your relationship flourish. We cover a range of questions, both general tips on how to improve your relationships, but also thru-hiking specific scenarios, including how to navigate when one partner is on the trail and the other is back home, encountering challenges when...
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Viking Q&A: First Aid Kits, Electronics, Socks, and a Beard Update
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are A’in your Q’s, with our pal and yours, the lightly bearded Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking. In today’s question and answer we dive into a host of nitty gritty backpacking details, including what exactly is in our first aid kit, electronics bag (down to the cords), and our stuff sac systems, including some specific product recommendations. We also chat about our least favorite backpacking trips, our thought process in choosing socks for a backpacking trip, and what we deem as the...
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The Rise and Fall of GoLite and Balancing Federal Budgets with Demetri "Coup" Coupounas
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Demetri Coupounas, aka Coup, the founder of GoLite and MyTrail Company. Coup might just be the most interesting man in the world. This conversation takes us through his incredible journey, from his work balancing the federal budget in the '80s and '90s to becoming the first person to complete unsupported hikes of the Colorado Trail and the Long Trail, and how he stumbled upon the once underground world of ultralight backpacking. We also dive into the history of GoLite, from its role...
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Making Gear for People with Boobs with Symbiosis Gear Founder Sarah Berkeley
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Sarah “Mellow” Berkeley, founder of Symbiosis Gear, a pack-making company designed specifically for people with boobs. Sarah shares insights into her unique upbringing in a small log cabin in rural Colorado, her adventures on the Long Trail, PCT, Colorado Trail, and half of the CDT, and her journey to creating a backpack tailored for primarily women. We dive into the inspiration behind her patented S-shaped shoulder strap, the challenges of starting a business with no prior...
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Thru-Hiking with 50-Year-Old Gear with Jared "Snackbox" Champion
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jared “Snackbox” Champion. Snackbox is s a hiker, father, and Youtuber who, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Trail, hiked it almost exclusively with 50 year old gear. We talk about the process of sourcing this gear, the hardest items to acquire, the least backpacker-friendly items of the bunch, which gear hasn’t advanced as much, and how his appreciation for gear has changed in light of this experience. Jared also shares the story of bonding with his...
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Triple Crowning as a Family of 6, Parenting Teenagers on Trail, and Life Lessons with Vince & Georgie Strawbridge
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Vince and Georgie Strawbridge, one-third of the six-person thru-hiking family. We last caught up with the Strawbridges in early 2020, when they were freshly off their hike of the PCT. Since, they’ve conquered both the CDT and the AT, completing the Triple Crown as a full family. We dive into the high and lowlights of these treks from the perspectives of Vince (dad) and Georgie (the youngest in the family). They share insights on navigating the CDT during COVID,...
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Backpacker Radio LIVE with Kyle Hates Hiking: A New Trail Mystery, Shaving Jabba's Beard, and Kyle's Reddit Haters
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined yet again by Kyle O’Grady of Kyle Hates Hiking for our 2nd live podcast, recorded at the Skylark Lounge in Denver. This episode is action-packed. We kick off the episode by shaving Viking’s beard. The beard shaving is the ultimate entertainment, we encourage you to check this one out on YouTube. Kyle then shares an exclusive trail mystery about a local Colorado man who disappeared while pursuing another man who also vanished under mysterious circumstances. We also talk shop about...
info_outlineIn today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by thru-hiker and Trek Writer, Katie Jackson, known on trail as Double Dip. Katie gives us an in depth breakdown of her recent thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, including why she advocates that hikers not take the Creede cutoff, her experience of a wild storm so intense that lightning struck and killed nearby cows, the challenge of losing her hiking partner early on, hiking on an injured foot for hundreds of miles- and how it was miraculously healed in some hot springs, waking up to grizzles in her camp, and much more. Katie also gives some of her backpacking hot takes, including how the Colorado Trail is superior to the JMT.
We wrap the show with whether it'll be possible to thru-hike the AT in 2025, the incredible phenomenon that is Frito feet, my new depressing thing of the week, and the triple crown of places where a long trail should exist.
Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com.
Trailbrush: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off trailbrush.com.
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Interview with Katie “Double Dip” Jackson
Time stamps & Questions
00:02:46 - Reminders: Help us make Jabba shave his beard, support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content, join us in Denver on December 7th and apply to be a 2025 blogger!
00:07:55 - Introducing Katie
00:08:40 - What’s your outdoors origin story?
00:11:15 - What’s your 9 to 5?
00:14:24 - Would you recommend consulting to people interested in thru-hiking?
00:16:05 - How does your engineering brain manifest while hiking?
00:18:37 - Did you plan anything on the Colorado Trail that you did not plan for the CDT?
00:19:30 - How many boxes did you send yourself on the CDT?
00:21:35 - What other regrets do you have from hiking the Colorado Trail?
00:27:07 - How did your eating strategy evolve over the CT?
00:31:00 - Discussion about the Cochetopa section of the CT
00:36:12 - What led you to the John Muir Trail in 2023?
00:38:02 - Which trail is better between the CT and JMT?
00:40:00 - Why didn’t you love the Winds?
00:41:18 - Was your dad okay with you doing the CDT in 2024?
00:42:10 - Did you ever have any issues with satellite messages not going through?
00:43:35 - How was New Mexico?
00:44:40 - Tell us about losing your hiking partner early on
00:49:54 - Would you feel comfortable starting the CDT alone now?
00:52:45 - How was the water in New Mexico?
01:02:45 - How would you rate New Mexico 1 out of 10?
01:05:00 - How much snow did you encounter?
01:08:10 - When did you use your ice axe?
01:10:30 - Were most people getting beaten up?
01:14:30 - What advice do you have to avoid silly mistakes?
01:18:35 - What were your top 5 snacks?
01:21:20 - Discussion about Katie’s backpack
01:23:25 - Tell us about the next stretch of trail and your foot injury
01:26:45 - What was the diagnosis from the doctor?
01:28:35 - Story about stopping in Granby
01:33:00 - How did your foot eventually heal?
01:35:40 - Tell us about taking the cutoff around Rocky Mountain National Park
01:36:50 - If you did the CDT again, would you do any different alternates?
01:38:45 - Did you experience judgment because you hadn’t done another long trail before?
01:42:00 - Discussion about unsolicited advice
01:43:30 - How was the mental aspect of the trail compared to your expectations?
01:45:00 - Tell us about Wyoming and adding whimsy to the trail
01:48:25 - Why didn’t you love the Winds?
01:49:27 - Tell us about the Idaho-Montana border
01:51:50 - Would you do the trail again SOBO?
01:53:05 - Tell us about almost getting hit by lightning
02:01:20 - What was the best trail magic of the CDT?
02:05:05 - Tell us about the Montana section
02:06:37 - How did you manage your long distance relationship?
02:08:10 - Did Montana meet your expectations?
02:11:50 - Did you see any grizzlies?
02:14:47 - What was it like to get to the terminus?
02:17:36 - Kumo Question: What is your favorite book and why?
02:20:17 - Where can people follow you?
Segments
Trek Propaganda
- Will It Even Be Possible To Thru-Hike the AT in 2025? by Kelly Floro
- Why I’m NEVER Hiking in a Dress Again by Kelly Floro
QOTD: Do you know about Frito feet?
Depressing Thing of the Week
Triple Crown of where a long trail should be
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
[divider]
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