Liz "Handstand" Kidder: Scary Moments in the Sierra, Skydiving Near Miss, and Donating a Kidney (BPR #322)
Release Date: 09/08/2025
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 Topo Athletic, we are joined by social media and YouTube sensation, Liz “Handstand” Kidder. Liz is a thru-hiker, vlogger, dreadlock artist, former skydiving fanatic, and a handstand-expert. Liz gives us her full story, including the events that lead to her becoming sober in 2014, how she nearly died in a horrifying skydive gone wrong, how the internet got way too much into her biz almost immediately into her thru-hiking journey, the time she donated a kidney, and we make her choose which trail reigns supreme between the AT and PCT- for which she does not hesitate to pick a winner.
We wrap the show with why you shouldn't wear underwear on a thru-hike, a call for 2026 Blogger applications, which is better- hiking steep and short and long and steady, I offer a REPEAT stupid thing of the week, and we do the triple crown of things we'd step in barefoot.
Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKFALL15” at topoathletic.com.
Gossamer Gear: Use code "LT520" for 20% off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com.
Ka’Chava: Get 10% off at kachava.com/backpacker.
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Interview with Liz “Handstand” Kidder
Time stamps & Questions
00:05:15 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter, apply to blog for the Trek and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!
00:08:40 - Introducing Liz
00:12:50 - Where’s the most epic place you’ve done a handstand?
00:15:10 - Do you have tips for someone who wants to get better at handstands?
00:17:10 - What was your introduction to the world of backpacking?
00:21:05 - What is the New Hampshire uniform?
00:22:00 - Tell us about skydiving
00:31:00 - How as the first week on trail?
00:32:40 - Had you done any social media prior to the AT?
00:34:50 - What was the drama?
00:36:35 - At what point were you hooked by the AT?
00:38:24 - Why did you end the AT in a more sour mindset than the JMT?
00:39:40 - How did the trail change you?
00:43:24 - Tell us about donating your kidney
00:52:10 - Tell us about your career
00:55:35 - How do you create dread locs?
00:57:20 - Do you get a lot of business through hiking?
01:00:10 - Tell us about the Annapurna Circuit
01:04:35 - How did the Annapurna Circuit compare to your other hikes?
01:06:45 - Tell us about the Colorado Trail
01:07:45 - How has the PCT experience compared to the Colorado Trail?
01:12:00 - Tell us about the scary moments in the Sierra
01:22:24 - Tell us about the Tehachapi challenge
01:30:20 - Tell us about spraining your ankle
01:38:30 - How did you feel about going home during trail?
01:40:51 - Are you still on a continuous footpath?
01:45:00 - Did you capture either of the sprains on camera?
01:47:45 - Do you like the PCT or the AT first?
01:50:11 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack?
Segments
Trek Propaganda
- Day 93: The Katahdhin Stream Campground Miracle Arrives by Anniversary and the Historian
- Why You Shouldn’t Wear Underwear on Your Thru-Hike by Kelly Floro
QOTD: Would you rather hike 2 miles uphill with no switchbacks, steep grade, or 5 miles uphill with switchbacks, moderate grade?
Stupid Thing of the Week
Triple Crown of things you’d step on/in barefoot
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
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