Hiker Trash Radio Blog

For anyone unaware of the job title, Ridgerunners are a vital resource along the Appalachian Trail, functioning as a trail guide, maintainer, and Leave No Trace educator. Working during the peak of no...

The sun-scorched expanses of Death Valley transport all who visit to another world, where jagged peaks, vast salt flats and shifting dunes stretch for as far as the eye can see. Under one of the hotte...

A few years back I wrote a book called The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life, which is a handbook for people who want to prioritize adventure in their lives. Across the years it’s gotten a bit of a readership. ...

I’ve been Colorado-based for almost 10 years now. I don’t live there anymore, but I still go back and back and back. It’s the last place (and maybe the first) that I truly called home. Some of my favo...

What does it mean to become a woman of impact? In 2017, I applied for a kitchen position at Kingswood Camp for Boys for summertime employment. I figured working in a camp kitchen would be a fun change...

I am not a very practical guy. I’m not very organised. I’m not very interested in detail. So I’m not a great person to write practical advice on preparing for your expedition.On the other hand, I’m qu...

It feels like such a distant memory at this point, but stands as a key moment in my development. I simply wouldn’t be who I am, but knowing my character, it was probable that an event like this would ...

I stirred every hour past midnight to check my clock and make sure I hadn’t missed the perfect hour to head to Newfound Gap and meet my Mom and her husband for my resupply. Once 6:20 am flashed on the...

Audrey “Glowstick” Payne poses on the Colorado Trail near San Luis Peak. Credit: Natalie “Ibex” ParkerAs I finished the last dregs of my English breakfast tea, regretting that I no longer had a warm m...

I began my journey toward Crabtree Meadows when a fellow hiker warned me of an impending snowstorm via his Garmin device, set to hit in two days. Concerned, my trail family and I convened, deciding to...

When I first met Hunter, I felt like I was meeting an echo of my younger self. It happened in Houston, of all places, the least cowboy-like corner of Texas. I was there in between thru-hikes, planning...

Something felt off. My instincts tugged at me, urging attention. Sure, I was on a trail, but was it the right one? Lost in thought, rehearsing a speech that might never come to pass, reality hit me li...