John Muir Trail: Candi Skehan on Bears, Backpacking, Women's Trail Challenges & What It Really Takes

What does it really take to hike one of America's most legendary long-distance trails?This week we're joined by our longtime friend Candi Skehan (@ChicksDoIt2), fresh off completing the iconic John Muir Trail. As an experienced overlander, outdoor educator, and Overland Expo instructor, Candi shares what it's really like to spend weeks hiking through the Sierra Nevada carrying everything you need on your back.We dive into the mental and physical challenges of long-distance backpacking, trail logistics, nutrition, recovery, daily routines, sleep, shelters, emergency communication, and the unique considerations women face on the trail.One of the highlights of the episode is Candi's unforgettable stories about multiple bear encounters—including footage from the trail that made this one of our most exciting conversations yet.Whether you're planning to hike the John Muir Trail, curious about backpacking, or simply enjoy hearing incredible adventure stories from experienced outdoorsmen and women, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world experience.In this episode:• What the John Muir Trail is really like• Mental vs. physical endurance• Planning and trail logistics• Women's experiences on the trail• Security and emergency communication• Hygiene and nutrition• Pack weight and gear philosophy• Recovery and daily routines• Tent and sleep systems• Incredible bear encounters• Why Candi chose the John Muir Trail• Traveling by vehicle vs. traveling on foot• Trail knife philosophy and what she actually carriedIf you've ever wondered whether you could complete a thru-hike—or simply want to hear an incredible wilderness adventure—this is an episode you won't want to miss. #RandomWaypointsPodcast #JohnMuirTrail #JMT #Backpacking #ThruHiking #Hiking #LongDistanceHiking #SierraNevada #OutdoorAdventure #Wilderness #Camping #BearSafety #BackpackingGear #TrailLife #WomensBackpacking #OutdoorEducation #Overland #OverlandExpo #AdventureTravel #ChicksDoIt2