In Part 2, Carl Roberson's life after the AT comes into focus: a 14-year-old turned 15 section-hiking Yellowstone, turned 23 doing the Colorado Trail (Waterton Canyon to Durango, 567 miles, right after the Marine Corps), turned hostel volunteer turned author turned potential film subject. The book, The Adventure of a Lifetime, was written by hand in spiral notebooks, pitched to a publisher at Panera Bread by sliding those notebooks across the table, published with three grand from friends who believed in him, and picked up by Lion Gate Films after they fact-checked his story at 14 ranger stations. The movie trailer, filmed with a $400 drone at Port Clinton, Pennsylvania, was submitted to 500 production companies and premiered at the Wilmington Film Festival. Carl does not know if a movie happens. He also did not know he was going to write a book. The hiking hack is a first aid kit plus a sewing kit plus a spark plus some knowledge. The media recommendation is to get off the couch and go outside. He means both of those literally.

If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, start there — it dropped 10 minutes ago.

Show Notes

About the Guest


Carl Roberson is a Delaware-based heavy equipment operator, Marine Corps veteran, author, and — in 1974 — the youngest person to complete a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail at age 14. He was adopted at six months old, summited the Grand Teton at 12, attended NOLS and trained under Scott Fischer at 13, and completed Georgia to Maine at 14 with a 37-pound Kelty pack, per-state guidebooks, no GPS, and a father who threatened to come pick him up if he stepped out of line. He later completed the Colorado Trail at 23, section-hiked Yellowstone and the Rockies throughout his teens, served in the Marine Corps (29 Palms and Camp Pendleton, heavy artillery), operated excavators for 47 years, and has been volunteering at Litway Hostel in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania for the past four years. His memoir, The Adventure of a Lifetime, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. A movie trailer has been submitted to 500 production companies. A film may follow.

What's Covered in Part 2


The Life After the AT

The Hostel — Litway Hostel, Mount Pocono, PA


The Book — The Adventure of a Lifetime


The Film — "Fact-Check Me, Motherf*cker"


The Marine Corps


Hiking Hack — First Aid Kit Plus Knowledge


Media Recommendation — Get Outside


The Legend Deflection


Links & Resources



  • The Adventure of a Lifetime — Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Adventure+of+a+Lifetime+Carl+Roberson

  • The Adventure of a Lifetime — Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com

  • Facebook: CarlDigit1

  • Instagram: CarlRobertson89 / Backpacking Adventures / Aquarius Excavation

  • YouTube: CarlRobertsonYouTube3698

  • TikTok: CarlRobertson3

  • Litway Hostel — Mount Pocono, PA: https://www.lakenojohotel.com


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