How to Start Off-Trail Hiking and Routes with Eric Volk (BPR #340)
Release Date: 01/12/2026
9 Tips for Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2026 (BPR #348)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek brought to you by LMNT, we are breaking things down for the class of 2026 PCT thru-hikers with another edition of our top tips for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Chaunce and I are joined by everyone’s favorite sauce/SOS, Elise Ott to share some brand new tips for trekking between Mexico and Canada, including advice about managing the sun, thoughts for approaching the trail during a high snow year, tips for dealing with wildfire, the beauty of cowboy camping, the importance of rolling with the punches, and much more. We wrap the...
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Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, myself, along with Jabba, Jolly, and Jess are giving you a rundown of our recent hike of the San Diego Trans County Trail. And this one is about as long as the trail itself, as we give a detailed daily overview of our hike, including the standout LOL stories, the biggest challenges associated with this trail - namely the amount of private land the route takes you though, the highlights- including some gorgeous desert terrain, an epic western terminus, and how our torrid hiking pace and some...
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Backpacker Radio
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Valentine's Day 2026: Pistol and Lobo's Appalachian Trail Love Story, McAfee Knob Engagement, and Advice for Courting on Trail (BPR #345)
Backpacker Radio
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The Santa Fe to Taos Trail, Backpacking with Your Dad + Brother, and the Transcaucasian Trail with Lauren Roerick 2.0 (BPR #244)
Backpacker Radio
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Hookups, Trail Grooming, and Chafing: Guy Stuff with The Real Hiking Viking and Lt Cookoo Bird (BPR #343)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic…today’s episode is pure chaos. If you’ve listened to any of our Hiking Viking episodes, you already know what I’m talking about. After four “Girl Stuff” episodes, Chaunce figured it was only fair to balance the scales with what we’re officially calling the Guy Stuff episode, a panel-style conversation that goes off the rails almost immediately, featuring Jabba and Lt Cookoo Bird. We cover everything from trail grooming strategy (aka pube management), to whether you’d rather...
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Fancy Feast 2.0: Drinking “Pig Water”, Hiking Through Poodle-Dog Bush, and Trail Work with the PNTA (BPR #342)
Backpacker Radio
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Andrew Skurka & Katie Gerber: Vapor Barrier Layers, Beginner Backpacking Mistakes, and Off-Trail Route Ethics (BPR #341)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined yet again by our pal Andrew Skurka and wayyyyy back former guest and now co-director of Skurka Adventures, Katie Gerber aka “Salty”. Today's episode covers a lot of ground. Today’s conversation is part backpacking advice, part gear nerd chat, part a glimpse inside the operation at Skurka Adventures. We first dive into Katie’s list of the five biggest mistakes she made as a beginner backpacker and her take on why she loves her alcohol stove- after a decade of use....
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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,...
info_outlineIn 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 hiking. Eric gives a detailed overview of how to get started with off-trail adventuring, the biggest differences between hiking on trail and off, recommended “beginner” routes, key gear considerations, the navigational skills required (including the specific tools he uses and recommends), the wide variety of terrain you might encounter, weather considerations, the importance of doing your due diligence, and much more.
Eric also shares some fun stories from his routes, including trekking through the mathematically most remote place in the U.S., incredible wildlife encounters with caribou, grizzlies, musk ox, and mountain lions, and the ethics of publicizing GPX tracks.
LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek.
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Interview with Eric Volk
Time stamps & Questions
00:07:20 - Reminders: Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, apply to be a Trail Correspondent, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and subscribe to The Trek's Youtube!
00:11:00 - Introducing Eric
00:11:50 - How did you initially get into outdoor adventuring?
00:15:07 - Was it easier to start the Lost Coast trail because someone encouraged you?
00:16:52 - Do you like to level up difficulty in other aspects of life?
00:19:42 - What’s your route resume?
00:21:40 - Do off-trail routes spoil you for thru-hiking?
00:22:45 - Where should someone start if they want to start doing off-trail routes?
00:25:15 - What does the class system generally mean?
00:32:10 - What are some navigation skill requirements?
00:45:55 - What are some of the navigation apps you’ve tried?
00:52:00 - What are some tips for someone starting with CalTopo?
00:56:20 - How should someone transition from a GPX track to the real world?
01:02:00 - Discussion about additional navigation tips
01:04:10 - How would someone construct beta for their route?
01:15:45 - What are the gear differences to consider for going off-trail?
01:25:30 - Discussion about the benefits of ultralight and compactness in gear
01:28:25 - Has your first aid kit changed at all?
01:31:20 - What’s the minimum amount of bushwacking that would necessitate pants?
01:37:40 - What’s your sun protection strategy?
01:40:12 - How do you handle weather?
01:45:45 - How structured are your days when routefinding?
01:48:50 - How do you confidently know where to find water?
01:53:45 - What other tips do you have for learning about your surroundings?
01:56:00 - What are some of your standout wildlife encounters?
02:08:35 - Tell us about your Black Belt Triple Crown
02:17:00 - Discussion about Eric’s Alaska route
02:22:30 - Is there a rating scale for remoteness?
02:24:15 - What are the three most challenging elements of this route?
02:29:00 - How much of this route was Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 fun?
02:30:10 - Tell us about the Super Sierra High Route
02:38:20 - Tell us about following the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
02:40:50 - What are the three most challenging elements of this route?
02:46:35 - Discussion about the ethics of hiking around the Grand Canyon
03:01:00 - Discussion about sharing information about routes publicly
03:03:30 - Stay Salty Question: What’s your hottest take in the world of backpacking?
03:05:35 - What’s next for you?
Segments
Trek Propaganda: Fewer People Thru-Hiked the AT in 2025. Is the Trail’s Popularity on the Decline? By Katie Jackson
Thing of the Week
Triple Crown of soups/chilis
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
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