Impacts of Climate Change on the Colorado Trail with Triple Crowner and Scientist Karl Ford (BPR #315)
Release Date: 07/21/2025
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...
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Triple Crowning with Stage 4 Cancer with Jeff "Long Strides" Vonvai (BPR #330)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we’re joined by Jeff Vonvai, known on trail as Long Strides. This conversation will put life’s problems into perspective—because for the past seven years, Long Strides has been thru-hiking with stage 4 colon cancer, despite being given just a 3–6 month prognosis. Jeff shares what it’s like to balance intense rounds of chemo and surgery between hikes, the challenges of rebuilding his trail legs each time he returns to the trail, and how cancer has transformed his outlook on life—saying he’s...
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Musings on AI, Bikepacking, Past Girlfriends, Horse Facts, and Living Forever with Kenneth "Moron" Pararo (BPR #329)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Kenneth Pararo, known on trail as Moron. This is a podcast we’ve been wanting to make happen for several years now, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Moron is a thru-hiker, long-distance cyclist, philosopher, hopeless romantic, futurist, and most importantly, just a real solid hang. We learn about why he’s all in on AI- as evidenced by him riding cross country rocking his Meta AI glasses, why he quit is corporate tech job to more permanently pursue adventure and experience, how he completed...
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The First Female Hotshot Firefighters, Culture in the 1980s, and the Bigfoot Trail with Mary "Fireweed" Kwart (BPR #328)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Mary “Fireweed” Kwart. Fireweed is a thru-hiker, a Deadhead, and a pioneering figure in wildland firefighting with a career spanning more than 30 years. We dive into the challenges of being one of the first women to join the elite Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots, the culture shock of entering a male-dominated field, and some of the most memorable stories from her decades on the fire line. Fireweed also reflects on how long-distance hiking has evolved since the 1970s,...
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Zach Hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc and Chaunce Got Married! (BPR #327)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by me. Because I hiked Tour du Mont Blanc. We go through all the nitty gritty details of my trip, including how I decided on going with a self-guided tour (aka staying in hotels instead of camping), the differences across the French, Italian, and Swiss portions of the trail, the best towns, the landscape highlights, the crowds, the food, how my knees asked for a divorce from my body, and everything else. But wait, there’s more. Chaunce is fresh off her wedding and honeymoon, she gives us the...
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Thru-Hiking 11,000+ Miles Together with Chris and Sara, aka Endless and QB (BPR #326)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by thru-hiking power couple who’ve hiked more than 11,000 miles together Chris and Sara, known on trail as Endless and QB. “What haven’t they hiked?” is a fair question, because it’s been a lot, including the AT, the PCT (twice), CDT, CT (twice), Arizona Trail, Manaslu Circuit, Hayduke, Long Trail, Cohos Trail, Loowit Trail, Wonderland Trail, Ruby Crest Trail, Why-wash, (ahl-pah-MY-oh) / Santa Cruz Trek, the GR20, and more, believe it or not. They share the story of how they met,...
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Vancouver Island Trails, PCT Pie Record, and Canadian Culture with Spencer "Boiler" Dunn (BPR #325)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Spencer “Boiler” Dunn. Boiler, is a self-described “pro-yapper”, improv leader, former employee of Parks Canada, pie enthusiast, and of course, a backpacker. Spencer takes us through his long trail adventures across Canada, including the Bruce Trail, West Coast Trail, North Coast Trail, and Nootka Island Trail—journeys that brought him face-to-face with some incredible wildlife, from bears to whales to the elusive sea wolf. We also dive into his recent hike on the PCT—how he broke the...
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Fighting a Grizzly Bear and Leaving the Mormon Church with Wesley "Megaman" Tils (BPR #324)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Wesley Tils, known on trail as Megaman. Buckle in because oh boy does Megaman have an origin story. After growing up in the Mormon church, leaving the church to become a pro boxer, quitting boxing to give the church another shot and going on a missionary trip as his trial of faith, and ultimately leaving the church for good during this missionary trip, escaping onto the PCT with several church members essentially chasing him in pursuit, Megaman’s path to thru-hiking was not...
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Jeff Oliver aka IBTAT on Sober Triple Crowning, The Scottish National Trail, and Kungsleden Trail (BPR #323)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek brought to you by LMNT, we’re joined by Jeff Oliver, better known on trail and online as IBTAT. In addition to building a large following on YouTube and Instagram, IBTAT will be a familiar voice to long-time Backpacker Radio listeners, as he was part of our first season of Trail Correspondents. We dive into IBTAT’s story, including his journey to 12 years of sobriety — going from drinking two fifths of liquor a day to cutting alcohol cold turkey overnight, and the dangerous side effects that followed. We also cover his more...
info_outlineIn today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Karl Ford. Karl is a retired environmental scientist, conservationist, and author of Triple Crown Hiking Adventures and The Colorado Trail in Crisis: A Naturalist's Field Report on Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems.
In this conversation, we dive into Karl’s experiences hiking the Triple Crown, his perspective on the current state of conservation and what the future may hold, and how climate change is already impacting our beloved long trails, with a special focus on the Colorado Trail. We also talk about what individuals can do to help combat climate change, and how Karl personally walks the walk when it comes to protecting our planet.
We wrap the show with some convo on pre-hike anxiety, what the Hiker Trash four houses are, the triple crown of gingers, a blood boiling thing of the week, and a listener voicemail about UTIs.
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Interview with Karl Ford
- Karl's LinkedIn
- Karl's Post on the Trek
- The Colorado Trail in Crisis: A Naturalist's Field Report on Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems by Karl Ford
- Triple Crown Hiking Adventures: 8,000 Miles on the Long Trails by Karl Ford
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!
00:10:55 - Introducing Karl
00:11:34 - What’s your trail name?
00:13:04 - What’s your outdoors origin story?
00:23:45 - Do you have a standout story about Colorado Trail history?
00:26:45 - Where did the Ute tribe get sent to?
00:28:40 - Are there popular spots along the CT that retain Ute names?
00:29:38 - Where do you think we’re headed in regards to public lands?
00:33:55 - Do you remember a shift towards conservation when you were young?
00:40:50 - What got you into thru-hiking?
00:47:40 - Discussion about Karl’s tick experiment on the AT
00:49:50 - Have you followed the Lyme disease vaccines that are in development?
00:51:30 - Did you know you wanted to do more thru-hikes after the AT?
00:55:45 - What advice do you have for people who want to start thru-hiking in retirement?
01:00:30 - How do you prevent injury and recover well?
01:04:25 - Discussion about hiking the CT during the pandemic
01:08:20 - What is forest mortality?
01:09:03 - How are beetles related to climate change?
01:15:10 - What’s your level of optimism in slowing the effects of climate change?
01:20:52 - Do you have any optimism about technological solutions?
01:22:40 - Discussion about deforestation and reforestation
01:26:10 - What does the future of the CT look like?
01:30:00 - What are the downstream effects of a primarily lodgepole pine forest?
01:33:25 - Wilderness areas along the CT
01:34:20 - What can we do?
01:39:38 - Stay Salty Question: What is your hottest take in the world of backpacking or the outdoors at large?
Segments
Trek Propaganda: I’ve Dreaded Every Hike I’ve Ever Done — But I Go Anyway by Kelly Floro
QOTD: When you’re a hiker what are the four houses you are sorted into?
Triple Crown of gingers
Blood Boiling Thing of the Week
Listener Voicemail
Mail Bag
4 Star Review
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