Fascinating Colorado Outdoor Recreation Stories with OutThere Colorado's Spencer McKee (BPR #314)
Release Date: 07/14/2025
How to Start Off-Trail Hiking and Routes with Eric Volk (BPR #340)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Eric Volk, who we attempt to trail name “5-16.” In just six years, Eric went from novice hiker to expert off-trail adventurer, completing his own custom routes across the Sierra, Grand Canyon, North Cascades, and Alaska, including his Brooks Range Traverse and Arctic thru-hike. He is believed to be the first or second person to hike from the Canadian border to the Arctic Ocean entirely on foot. Today, we’re getting an in-depth tutorial on all things off-trail and route-based...
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8 Epic Shorter Thru-Hikes: the Long Trail, Teton Crest Trail, and More (BPR #339)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are talking “shorter” thru-hikes. We’re joined again by our guy, Michael Grizzly Ivey, to give you an overview of eight standout US thru-hikes that you can hike in four weeks or less. We cover the Long Trail, Teton Crest Trail, Superior HIking Trail, Timberline Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, Foothills Trail, and Uinta Highline, give you the trail overviews, relative difficulty, resupply strategy, the best time to hike, which direction, travel logistics, permit requirements, resupply strategy,...
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Adventure Alan on High Routes, the Evolution of Ultralight, and Maintaining Health & Fitness (BPR #338)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Alan Dixon, better known in the backpacking world as Adventure Alan. Alan is a literal rocket scientist, a lifelong adventure junkie, and a foundational figure in the early days of ultralight backpacking, having co-founded Backpacking Light. Alan shares some jaw dropping stories from his many routes, including a near-death experience in the Tetons, his philosophy for developing routes—most notably his popular Wind River High Route, the South Sierra High Route, and the Escalante Overland Route. We dig into...
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Girl Stuff 4.0: Disordered Eating, Chronic Illness, PCOS, and Waxing (BPR #337)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, I’m sitting this one out because it’s the fourth edition of Girl’s Stuff. Chaunce is joined by former guest Christine Reed and BPR first-timer Maggie Schoemann. The three cover hiking with a partner, where to get a vag wax on trail, birth control, weird body changes, including managing a beard on trail as a woman, eating disorders and how thru-hiking can trigger or resurface disordered eating (trigger warning), and much more. These are Chaunce’s notes, so I’m just going to assume they’re all accurate. We wrap...
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Jess "Stitches" Guo, the First Woman to Connect the CDT and GDT in a Calendar Year (BPR #336)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jessica Guo known on trail as Stitches. This year, Stitches became the first woman on record to connect both the Continental Divide Trail and Great Divide Trail northbound in one calendar year. We talk all about this logistically and physically impressive feat, hiking through the Sierra during a record snow year, how she earned her trail name the hard way, her unconventional relationship with pain, how 10 her day silent meditations better prepare her for thru-hiking and gives us a sample 2...
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Walking the Length of the Americas: Culture Shocks, Risk Mitigation, and Her Security Dog with Lucy Barnard (BPR #335)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Lucy Barnard. Lucy, along with her pup Wombat, has walked from the southern tip of Argentina all the way through the Great Divide Trail in Canada, and she’ll be picking up the final leg of this monster journey — through northern Canada and into Alaska — later this winter. We get into what compelled Lucy to take on such an audacious mission, especially given that she had virtually zero long-distance hiking experience beforehand. She shares some truly wild stories from the trail, including being held at...
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A Marine Corps Veteran on Hiking to Heal from PTSD and Reclaim His Peace, ft. Gabe "Wing It" Vasquez (BPR #334)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we’re joined by Gabe Vasquez, known on trail as “Wing It.” Gabe is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, long-distance kayaker and cyclist, and the first known Mexican-American to complete the Triple Crown. Gabe opens up about his time in the Marines and the challenges that followed- PTSD, becoming addicted to prescription meds to manage the PTSD in addition to anxiety and depression, losing friends to suicide after their service, and night terrors. In his efforts to heal, Gabe turned to...
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Wander Women Kristy and Annette on Retiring to Thru-Hike, RV, and Adventure Full-time (BPR #333)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Kristy and Annette Burns—better known as the Wander Women. About seven years ago, Kristy and Annette ditched the home with the white picket fence, retired, moved into an RV, and shifted their focus to a life centered on freedom and adventure. Since then, they’ve taken on the AT, PCT, CDT, Arizona Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, the O Circuit, plus a slew of cycling and packrafting trips. We get into what it takes to keep your body ready for thru-hikes at retirement age, why downsizing has made them so much...
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Casey "Vegas" Huffman on His WILD Trail Name Origin Story, Reinventing Himself through Hiking, and an Expedition in Alaska (BPR #332)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Casey Huffman, known on trail as Vegas. Vegas has been mentioned a couple of times on this podcast in the past, as “the guy whose chest we signed” in 2023, and more recently, “the guy whose ass we signed”. As we learn in today’s episode, “signed ass guy” is also a real good hang. We chat about how Vegas’ mental health struggles ultimately lead him to the trail, how the hiking community and culture gave him the space to reinvent himself, and he shares quite possibly the...
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Triple Crowning with a Trombone, Working as a Hiking Guide, and the South Dakota Centennial Trail with Amy "Slider" Hunsucker
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Amy Hunsucker. On trail, Amy is known as “Slider” because she hikes with a trombone- something she’s done for the entire triple crown. We of course learn all about this fun quirk, including which animals were most appreciative of her on-trail concerts, which parts of trail provided the best acoustics, the reactions she’d get from other hikers and the broader trail community, and her go-to on-trail trombone jams. Slider also gives us the low down on getting her sawyer...
info_outlineIn today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Spencer McKee, the Director of Content and Operations for OutThere Colorado. If you’ve been to Colorado and have Instagram, you’ve likely already come across Spencer’s videos - he’s mastered the art of packaging interesting Colorado news stories, culture, and fun facts into short form video content through OutThere’s social media channels.
Spencer shares some of his favorite standout outdoor rec stories from the great state of Colorado with us, including what's underneath Cheeseman Park, the legend of Rattlesnake Kate, Colorado's active volcano, the most underrated mountain towns, best hidden gem restaurants, breweries, and the truth behind his obsession with flannels.
We wrap the show with a call for the next host, editor, and producer of Trail Correspondents, some severe damage sustained by a beloved Appalachian Trail hostel, why thru-hiking is your next career power move, and we're joined by Elise for the segments, including the triple crown of things that make our lives easier.
Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKSPRING15” at topoathletic.com.
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Betterment: Learn more at betterment.com/trek.
Ka’Chava: Get 10% off at kachava.com/backpacker.
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Interview with Spencer McKee
Time stamps & Questions
00:05:20 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter, apply to blog for the Trek or to run Trail Correspondents, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!
00:09:07 - Introducing Spencer
00:12:06 - How’d you land in Colorado?
00:13:45 - What led you to OutThere?
00:16:50 - How do you reach Coloradans successfully?
00:17:25 - What’s up with the flannels?
00:18:50 - What did you do when you first joined OutThere?
00:22:10 - Do you like doing deeper dives or more new-style comments?
00:24:10 - What does your typical week look like now?
00:26:13 - Are you Colorado famous?
00:30:00 - What are some of the more outlandish stories you’ve covered?
00:33:29 - Tell us about Rattlesnake Kate
00:37:05 - Is there any competition between OutThere and other news outlets?
00:41:00 - What type of story frequently comes across your desk?
00:46:25 - What are some of your hidden gem restaurants in Colorado?
00:50:42 - Tell us about other fun festivals in Colorado
00:58:15 - True or False: There’s an active live volcano in Colorado
00:59:55 - Do you ever cover concerts for work?
01:07:40 - What’s up with the Denver airport?
01:15:05 - Are there any other good Colorado conspiracies?
01:19:00 - Discussion about the Big Thompson flood
01:20:40 - Does Colorado Springs deserve to be ranked as the 3rd best city in the country?
01:26:45 - What are the most underrated mountain towns?
01:28:26 - What Colorado animal are you most afraid of?
01:36:04 - Have you heard any wild cow stories?
01:43:50 - How have you not done all the 14ers yet?
01:48:25 - Rapid Fire Colorado Questions
02:05:00 - Discussion about OutThere feedback
02:07:30 - Back to Rapid Fire
02:21:00 - Discussion about animals, mainly racoons
02:23:20 - Rapid Fire Colorado Trivia
02:25:40 - Tell us about UpaDowna
02:28:25 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack?
Segments
Trek Propaganda
- Appalachian Trail Damaged, Standing Bear Hostel Evacuated Amid Flash Flooding by Katie Jackson
- Why Thru-Hiking Is Your Next Career Power Move (Advice from an Ex-Amazon Recruiter) by Chloe “Chickpea” Jacobs
QOTD: What’s a common phrase you recently learned you were saying incorrectly?
Wedding Dress Thing of the Week
Triple Crown of things that we do to make our lives easier
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
[divider]
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A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bill Jensen, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Carl Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clever Innuendo, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Minty Hikes Studio, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns
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