Off the Trails

On June 11th, 1998, a man drove his truck into the Devil’s Punchbowl parking lot, locked the doors, grabbed his daypack and hit the trail. Deputy Jonathan Aujay would never return.Sources:Charley Project, Wikipedia, Strange Outdoors, Strange Outdoors-2, OAG, Prison Legal News, Outside Online, WitnessLASupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Sometimes, the most heartbreaking disappearances begin with the most ordinary moments. A summer afternoon. A family vacation. A walk that should have taken only minutes. In today's episode, we're covering the story of nine-year-old Andy Warburton, who set out to meet his brother at a nearby lake but disappeared before he ever got there.Sources:Facebook, The Hammer, Cambridge University, Strange Outdoors, Obituaries, Bookey, YouTubeSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In late November, 1970, a father and his two daughters were out for a morning hike. The older daughter sees a shape in the valley, not quite sure what it is. Maybe trash or something left behind. Maybe a mannequin but the father knows better. When he goes to investigate his fear is confirmed, it’s the body of a woman.Sources:Life in Norway, Medium, Wikipedia, NRK, StatCan, Wikipedia 2, BBCSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

On the first afternoon of a nine-day backpacking trip through one of the most remote areas of the Grand Canyon, three experienced hikers encountered a relatively ordinary obstacle: a hill standing between them and their intended route. Two members of the group climbed up and over it, while the third decided to follow the hillside around. They agreed to meet on the other side, but when the first two hikers arrived, their longtime friend was nowhere to be found. Despite an intensive search across miles of rugged desert terrain, no confirmed trace of him has ever been discovered.Sources:WUSF, Reddit, NPS, Tampa Bay Times, Strange OutdoorsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Today we have two cold cases that are short on details, but both leave us with plenty of questions. In the first case during a routine patrol a sheriff’s deputy noticed a woman camped between highway 96 and the Klamath River. He stopped just to verify everything was ok and the woman confirmed she was fine. The following day she would be gone, but she hasn’t returned home or moved on to another camping spot, she was missing.In the second a drive around a lake seemed innocent enough but many people believe this drive ended in murder, but without any evidence this case remains open.Sources:Charley Project - Angela Fullmer, Charley Project - Grace Sabots ,KTVL.com, Blue Mountain Eagle, Facebook, Siskiyou Daily, Facebook, Action News NowSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Some disappearances leave behind a trail investigators can follow. Others seem to end almost as soon as they begin, leaving no footprints leading away, no dropped gear, no obvious accident scene, and no clear explanation. Today's story is about an experienced outdoorsman who stepped into the forest with six other hunters on what was supposed to be a routine hunt... and somehow vanished without a trace.Sources:NamUs, Substack, Outdoor News, Facebook, Strange Outdoors, Find A Grave, Times UnionSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

We've told you stories about people who vanish deep in the wilderness, off-trail, miles from anywhere. This isn't that story. This is about a teenager who went for a jog along a road heading to a busy all inclusive vacation spot and simply never came back.Sources:NBC News, Reddit, Times Free Press, Denver Post 1, Denver Post 2, Rainbow Trout Ranch, Google Maps, FacebookSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

For many hikers, Glacier National Park is the adventure of a lifetime. Towering peaks, turquoise lakes, and seemingly endless miles of alpine wilderness makes it one of the most beautiful places in North America. But hidden among those postcard views are routes that require experience, careful planning, and a healthy respect for just how dangerous these mountains can be.Today we're looking at two young men who set out on one of Glacier's most challenging traverses just four years apart. Both were hiking alone. Both disappeared without a trace. And despite massive search efforts, neither would be found until it was too late.Sources:Hike734, Obits, NPS, NBC Montana, NPS-2, Flathead Beacon, Strange Outdoors, Find A Grave, Big Fork Eagle, Flathead Beacon-2, Daily Interlake, Big Fork Eagle, Strange Outdoors-2Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

On an August night in 1968, the sky over Maine did something that still doesn't have a clear explanation. By morning, one camper was dead, several others had suffered burns, and more than 100 people woke up feeling the physical effects of whatever had passed through during the night. It wasn't the only time something like this had happened in Maine.Although these events are rare, this was far from a one-time occurrence.Sources:Bar Harbor StorySupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

A Tennessee man heads to his family farm for what should have been an ordinary weekend. His truck is left behind, his valuables are untouched, and his ATV is eventually found in a place that makes almost no sense. More than fifteen years later, despite massive searches and thousands of volunteer hours, no one has ever found a trace of him.Sources: WBIR, Perfex, Charley Project, Strange Outdoors, Wikipedia, Southern StrangeSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In October 2024, a man in Idaho saw a skunk and his kitten about to rumble. He did what most of us would do- he stepped in and grabbed his cat. In the process, the skunk scratched him.He didn't think much of it. It was just a scratch, so he didn't seek medical treatment. Weeks later, he collapsed and died from what initially appeared to be cardiac arrest. However, his cause of death came into question only after his organs had already been donated.Sources:NPR, USDA.GOV, Canadian Veterinarians, CDC, CDC 2, People, AVMA, Todays Veterinary Practice, WikipediaSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Two men. Two familiar places. Two routine outings that should have ended like any other… but didn’t. One would be found days later, his life ending in a place he knew well. The other would vanish without a trace, leaving behind only questions that still haven’t been answered three decades later. Today, we’re heading into the forests of Pennsylvania—where rugged terrain, quiet trails, and a single misstep can change everything.Sources:Doe Network, NamUS, Facebook, Charley Project, WNEP, Daily Item, WNEP-2, Strange Outdoors, Strange Outdoors-2, Trail Link, Instagram, Uncovering PASupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

A video called "Son of an Area 51 Technician" was making the rounds on Youtube. Someone shares something that stops people mid-scroll. People want to know more and suggest he go back to a location and film his adventure. And that's where this story starts going wrong.SourcesKTNV Kenny's YouTube Channel StrangeOutdoors Medium Reddit Wikipedia Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

There are places so vast and unforgiving that a single wrong turn can quickly become something much bigger. Today’s story is about one experienced hiker, one desert he loved… and a mystery that lingered for more than a decade before answers finally began to emerge. This is the story of Bill Ewasko.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

*Enjoy one of our earlier episodes this week and we'll be back with a new episode the week of 5/12/26*Many hikers dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail in full, yet very few see that come true.  A few unfortunate souls have seen their dream end in a nightmare. Join us as we discuss how stepping away from the trail ended in tragedy for Geraldine Largay.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

*Enjoy one of our earlier episodes this week and we'll be back with a new episode the week of 5/12/26*In a world where timing is everything, we often hear about being at the "wrong place, at the wrong time", but as search and rescue volunteer Pam Bales hiked Mt Washington one fall afternoon, the power of being in the right place at the right time was revealed.   Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In August of 1996, twenty-year-old Michael Madden packed his car early, left a note for his family, and set off toward the mountains with his dog. Only one of them would return.Sources:StrangeOutdoors, CharleyProject, ModBee, OAG CA, BIVY, Reflections.Live, FS USDA, The Dyrt, Yelp, UncoveredSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

It only takes a moment… One turn around a bend… one step just a little too far ahead… And suddenly, the person you were just walking beside… is gone.In the open expanse of the desert, where visibility stretches for miles and silence carries farther than sound- you wouldn’t expect someone to simply disappear. But in July of 2019, that’s exactly what happened.Sources:Inside Edition, Sacramento Bee, Facebook, Nixle, X, RedditSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In August 2007, a 12-year-old girl found a shoe on the beach in British Columbia. There's a foot inside. Six days later, another shoe washes up thirty miles away. Different location. Different shoes. Different size but one major similarity - another foot inside.That was just the beginning. Over the next fifteen years, more than twenty detached human feet washed up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest.Sources:Snohomish County WA, Fox 13, Atlas Obscura, Wikipedia, Big Think, Herald, Edmonds NewsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In November 2020, an experienced hiker reached the summit of a remote peak in the Pyrenees and sent a quick message to her partner. It was the last time anyone heard from her. What followed was a massive search across rugged mountain terrain… and an eventual, devastating discovery.Sources:Wikipedia, BBC, BBC_2, Daily Mail, Explorers Web, AllTrailsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Sometimes the most dangerous places don’t look dangerous at all.They don’t always come as a sudden storm or  an obvious cliff or anything that screams danger. Sometimes they look peaceful. Beautiful even. A smooth blanket of snow in the warm spring sun. But on Mount Washington, especially in a place like Tuckerman Ravine, the hazards aren’t always obvious and when something happens there isn’t always time to react.Sources:UScourts.gov, White Mountain Ski, NH Magazine, Mount Washington Avalanche Center Book: Death on Mount Washington - Randi MinetorSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

A hard truth of heading out into the wild is that sometimes the biggest danger isn’t the weather, an animal or environment itself. The biggest danger can be our own choices and the decision not to heed clear warning signs.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Kauai is often described as paradise. It’s the oldest island in Hawaii, known as The Garden Isle for its lush jungles, dramatic cliffs, and emerald valleys that plunge into the deep blue Pacific. Every year, hikers from around the world travel there to explore its legendary trails. But paradise can also hide secrets. Since 1975, more than 80 people have gone missing on the island of Kauai, many of them never found. Today we’re going to talk about two of those cases. Two young men… Two disappearances… Both connected to one of the most breathtaking- and dangerous- places on the island. The remote wilderness of Kalalau Valley along the Nā Pali Coast.Sources:SFGate, AllTrails, Utah Dept. of Public Safety, Charley Project, Civil Beat, FacebookSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Glaciers are more than frozen ice. They are both time capsules and archives. Increasingly, they are revealing secrets long buried in their depths.Sources:National Geographic, CBS News, The Guardian, Wikipedia, Stripes, War.govSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

When people talk about climbing Everest, most of us picture the iconic summit image. The snow, the flags, the breathtaking view. What we don’t picture is that getting there takes about two months, tens of thousands of dollars, weeks of slow suffering, and a real risk of never making it home.Sources:Seven Seas Media, Wikipedia 1, Wikipedia 2, Himalayan Recreation, D Magazine, Britannica, WFAA, Outside Online, Himalayan Trekkers, Facebook, Alchetron, Dallas News, How Stuff Works, HCA Health Care TodaySupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

It was supposed to be a quiet morning in the mountains- just a father and son, a morning fishing session, and the promise of one last summer memory before school started. But sometime after 8 a.m., a twelve-year-old boy turned to walk back to camp... and was never seen again. This is the disappearance of Garrett Bardsley.Sources:Bizarre Unsolved Cases, AllTrails, KUTV, Missing Kids, KSL News Utah, Herald Extra, Wikipedia - Uinta Mountains, USFSSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

On a national holiday five kids headed out to play with their friends. Their parents assume they’re out in the neighborhood like any other day. Yet, by the next day, an entire nation is searching for children who seem to have vanished. This is the story of the Frog Boys and of how sometimes a normal day can quickly transform into decades of unanswered questions.The five boys were Woo Cheol-won, Jo Ho-yeon, Kim Young-gyu, Park Chan-in and Kim Jong-sik.Sources:Wikipedia, Reddit, Channel News Asia, Korea Joongang Daily, Criminally IntriguedSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Most of us go into the woods looking for a break from day-to-day life- a soft reset, a chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and disappear into nature for a while. But on an October afternoon in Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a 19-year-old musician with a budding career stepped onto one of the park’s most popular trails… and never made it back. This is the story of Taylor Mitchell- and the rare, terrifying attack that changed how people in Canada, and beyond, think about coyotes forever.Check out Taylor's music on SpotifySources:CNN, Global News, Dark Tales, Parks Canada, Mirror, Urban Coyote Research, International Boreal Forest Research Association, Tapatalk, Facebook - Project CoyoteSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Perfect conditions can’t promise a perfect outcome. On November 14th, 2021, the skies over Suffolk, Virginia, were clear, the winds were calm, and everything about the day said go. For Jordan Hatmaker, it was supposed to be just another jump and one step closer to a skydiving license. What started as a perfect day would end in disaster.Sources:Readers Digest, Drive Medical, Drive Medical 2, Daily Mail, The Guardian, NY PostSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

He was a doctor, a father, and an experienced outdoorsman on a long-planned trip into Colorado’s backcountry. It started off according to plan- until he continued on alone. What followed was a disappearance that sparked a massive search and left behind more questions than answers.Sources:Reddit, Edmonds and Evans Funeral and Cremation Services, Historic Fix, Cleveland Clinic, Post Independent, South Bend Tribune, Strange Outdoors, Eiseman HutSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Compassion is caring enough to see the person, not the mistake, even when you disagree with the choices they made. As I share today's story, you will have opinions. Likely strong ones. About what they shouldn’t have done. About what they could’ve done differently. About what you would’ve done if they were your family, but passing judgement doesn't bring anyone back to life.SourcesReddit CBS News The Independent Axios The Guardian Business Insider Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Yosemite is a place people go to disappear into nature. Granite walls, endless forests, and trails that seem to stretch forever. But for some, disappearing quickly changes to missing. And in September of 2016, that’s what happened to one hiker. A remote campground. A solo hike. And no answers. This is the story of Peter Fancher Jackson.Sources:NamUs, NPS, Charley Project, Your Central Valley, Reddit, Medium, More Than Just Parks, YouTube - Northern Crimes, YouTube - The Missing EnigmaSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

One minute, you’ve just picked up dinner and you’re on your way home. The next, the road ahead of you is completely obscured by snow. No matter how well your vehicle handles in snow or how close to home you might be, no one can drive in zero visibility.Sources:Remembering Inspire More Reader's Digest CBC Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

There are moments at sea where experience, preparation, and even luck mean nothing. Where a single sound in the dark can turn a lifetime of knowledge into pure instinct. Tonight’s story is one of those moments. A family, four children, a dream years in the making—and a reef that should not have been there. This is the story of John Silverwood, the Emerald Jane, and the night everything changed.Sources:CBS News, Coronado Times, Dr. Akuna Kumar, Godswell Sailing, YouTube - National Safe Boating Council, YouTube - CBS, The Week, Black Wave, Risen MagazineSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

There’s something appealing and romantic about foraging and there’s a special kind of calm that comes from working in your yard or garden.  But when plant encounters go wrong, you don’t just get a bad taste in your mouth, it could be your last meal.Sources:CDC, News.com, KSBW, NIH, BBC, MDA State, Food Safety, Bon Appetit, Poison Control Utah, Local 12Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Imagine this - you're standing on a mountain ridge almost four miles above sea level. The wind is howling, and screaming, and you’re barely able to stay standing. The world around you is white in every direction. You’re cold and you know that there will be no rescue tonight. You’re experiencing a fierce storm on Denali. A place that can be deadly when the weather turns . Luckily you’re only imagining this scenario but in the summer of 1967, twelve men walked straight into one of the worst storms the mountain had seen in decades. Only five returned.Sources:Outside Online, Explorers Web, Britannica, Wikipedia, AAC Publications, UAA Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Some people spend their lives searching for treasure. For mushroom hunters, that treasure grows quietly in the shadows. But sometimes, unknown dangers can also be lurking in those same shadows.Sources:NamUs, Seattle Times, Facebook, Reddit, Your Source One, YouTube - The Missing EnigmaSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In a small mining town in the Colorado Rockies, a man and his dog walked into the mountains and never returned. Less than a year later, another man working in the exact same location took interest in the disappearance from the year before. Soon he would follow the same trail and he too would vanish.  One mountain, two men, countless theories.SourcesFRNWH Unsolved Strange Outdoors CBSNEWS Chicago Tribune Historic Mysteries Colorado.gov MRA.orgSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

It was supposed to be a peaceful setting—an artist setting up his easel by the roadside, surrounded by the wild, glacier-cut beauty of Washington’s North Cascades. But for days, his car would sit abandoned. His canvas, unfinished. And the man himself—gone. What happened to Alexander Pisch?Sources:Go Skagit, NPS, Fox13 Seattle, KATV, Reddit, Facebook, Websleuths, Strange Outdoors, More Than Just Parks, InstagramSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Some trails are just trails, a good workout, fresh air, a chance to clear your head, and  maybe a nice view. And then there are the other ones. The ones that feel… different. Maybe it’s the way the trees seem to close in around you. Or how the silence gets heavier the farther you go. Sometimes, it’s the way the hair on the back of your neck stands up when you catch a shadow. In this episode these are trails that are beautiful by day and eerie by night.jahernandez.com Portland Ghosts Willhiteweb Find a Grave Blue Ridge Country.com Lexington Virginia Outside Online Maine Trail Finder News Center MaineSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

It should have been a quick flight, just a few hours across the Andes Mountains from Uruguay to Chile. Onboard were members of a rugby team, and many of their friends, and family. Spirits were high, the mood light. But as they crossed into the mountains cloud cover dropped visibility to almost nothing. What would happen next would end or define the lives of the 45 people on board.Victims Gastón CostemalleAlexis HouniéGuido MagriDaniel ShawCarlos ValetaDr. Francisco Nicola, Team physicianEsther Horta Pérez de NicolaEugenia Dolgay Diedug de ParradoFernándo VázquezFrancisco AbalFelipe MaquirriainJulio Martínez-LamasGraciela Augusto Gumila de MarianiSusana ParradoDaniel MasponsJuan Carlos MenéndezLiliana Navarro Petraglia de MetholGustavo NicolichMarcelo Pérez, Captain of rugby teamEnrique PlateroDiego StormArturo NogueiraRafael EchavarrenNuma TurcattiSurvivors José Pedro AlgortaRoberto CanessaAlfredo DelgadoDaniel FernándezRoberto FrancoisRoy HarleyJosé Luis InciarteÁlvaro ManginoJavier MetholCarlos Páez RodríguezFernando ParradoRamón SabellaAdolfo "Fito" StrauchEduardo StrauchAntonio "Tintin" VizintínGustavo ZerbinoSources Rare Historical Photos Britannica Wikipedia BBC All Thats Interesting Mental Floss ABC News Find a GraveSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Today, we’re heading deep into Yosemite National Park- a place known for its stunning granite cliffs, towering waterfalls, and wild, untouched beauty. But even in a place so breathtaking, things can go wrong fast. This is the story of Jeanne Hesselschwert- a woman who vanished on what should have been a simple roadside stop… and the chain of events that followed.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Some places create a feeling as soon you step into them. It’s not just the air or the silence, it’s something heavier, like the land is holding something dark. Today, we’re traveling to a few of those places.A forest at the base of Mount Fuji where the world falls silent.A hidden island where a tribe defends their home from the modern world.An island in the Philippines where the dead rest beneath the sea.A patch of land off Brazil’s coast crawling with deadly snakes.And a tiny stretch of canal south of Mexico City where dolls hang from the trees creating a feeling of being watched.These are the places where beauty, history and a feeling of unease can exist side by side.Sources:Wikipedia - Snake Island CNN Global Debauchery Atlas Obscura. Wikipedia - Aokigahara Survival International A-Z Animals Wikipedia - Island of the Dolls Yamanashi-Kankou Vocal Media Guinness World RecordsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In February of 1979 five friends set off in a small fishing boat. The men smiling, laughing, heading out for just another day on the water off the coast of Maui. But no one would return. This is the mystery of the Sarah Joe.Sources -Wikipedia Travel News FRNWH Medium 1 Medium 2 Hawaii Activities Maui News Unsolved Mysteries Listverse Dusty Track BlogSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Sometimes the scariest moments outdoors aren’t about what you see - they’re about what you feel. Today, we’re hearing stories from listeners who’ve crossed paths with the unexplainable, from phantom voices to haunted trails to places that simply didn’t want them there.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Crater Lake–impossibly blue, ancient, and eerily still. It’s a place born from fire, shaped by collapse, and steeped in legend. But in the fall of 2006, this sacred landscape became the backdrop for one of Oregon’s most heartbreaking mysteries–the disappearance of an eight-year-old boy who seemed to vanish into thin air.Autism Anchoring Dogs is no longer in operation. Please see below for a list of other service dog organizations;https://www.autismspeaks.org/assistance-dog-informationEpisode Sources;USA Today, Facebook, Autism Anchoring Dogs, Strange Outdoors, People, More Than Just Parks, YouTube, Travel Medford, NPS, Crater Lake Institute, Crater Lake Institute-2Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

The ocean has always been a place of mystery. It gives and it takes, and sometimes, it keeps its secrets. Every so often, a ship is found drifting across open water- its sails torn, the wheel unmanned, meals still sitting on the table- yet no one aboard. From the Mary Celeste in 1872 to modern-day mysteries like the MV Alta, stories of ghost ships have haunted sailors and storytellers for centuries. In today’s episode, we’re setting out to sea to uncover the legends, the facts, and the lingering questions behind some of the eeriest vessels ever found afloat.SourcesYouTube, Smithsonian, Britannica, Listverse, Unilad Tech, History Extra, Britannica 2, NPR, Wikipedia - Kaz_II, Wikipedia - Flying_Dutchman, The Guardian, Strange OutdoorsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

In the fall of 2018, deep in the Idaho wilderness, a seasoned outdoorswoman vanished from a remote hunting camp. Connie Johnson had decades of backcountry experience. For her, the wilderness wasn’t just a place to visit- it was her life. But one October morning, when the hunting party she was working with returned to camp, there was no sign of Connie or her dog, Ace. That was the beginning of a mystery that remains unsolved today.SelwayBitterroot.org, klewtv, IdahoNews, IdahoCountyFreePress, Reddit, UNH, Medium, ListVerseSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

Imagine setting out on what should have been a routine dive- clear skies, calm seas, everything going exactly to plan. But within hours, you’re stranded twenty miles from shore, drifting further into the vast Pacific Ocean with nothing but your wits, your dive buddy, and a growing list of dangers beneath the surface.Episode Sources:YouTube - I Shouldn't Be Alive, Neemyd, LinkedIn, IMDB, Getty Images, Britannica, Emperor Divers, Travel Zone, NOAA, Smithsonian, A-Z Animals, PBase, How Stuff Works, Snow Brains, Metro, NASA, EYOS, Google MapsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.

This week, we’re bringing you a special collaboration with Outside She Goes. Together, we’re diving into four haunting cases of women who vanished in the wild. From the rugged mountains of Colorado and California, to the unforgiving trails of Vermont and Alaska-Michelle Vanek, Rosemary Kunst, Paula Jean Welden, and Sharon Buis set out into nature and were never seen again. These stories remind us of the beauty, mystery, and danger that live side by side in the outdoors.Episode Sources:NamUs, Strange Outdoors_SB, The Doe Network, KTOO, YouTube - Bryan’s Mysteries & Adventures on Trail, AllTrails, Goldbelt Tram, Strange Outdoors_RK, Find a Grave, WebSleuths, Valhikes, State of California Dept. of Justice, 5280Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at [email protected]  Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!**We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.