Trail Tales - Thru-Hiking & Backpacking
by Kyle Hates Hiking
What’s it like to hike and live in the backcountry for 5 months? Host and thru-hiker & YouTuber Kyle Hates Hiking (Kyle O’Grady), who has completed every last step of the Appalachian Trail, interviews other thru-hikers, peak-baggers, and backpackers who are almost as crazy as him. Is life while thru-hiking really as glamorous as the social media stars make it out to be? Is pooping in the woods really that big of a deal? Find out these answers and more on Trail Tales.
Episodes
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#122 | You Need to hike in Colorado ASAP with Baker Bokorney
Baker is back once again, and this time he GOES OFF on some of the insane Colorado hiking/backpacking adventures he has had. We also spend some time talking about our future PCT hikes (wink wink), and of course sprinkle plenty of jokes/nonsense throughout the episode. Please consider joining my...
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#121 | Why would anyone bother to Thru Hike in Wisconsin? Let's learn about the Ice Age Trail with Lucas Smith
Lucas Smith has taken a, dare I say... untraditional route into the world of thru hiking. Rather than take on the Appalachian Trail or the PCT, Lucas has started his thru hiking journey by hiking the Buckeye Trail in Ohio, and the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. In this episode we mostly focus on the...
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#120 | My Worst Hiking Injury Ever plus Rose "Comics" Turner spills the beans about being an Appalachian Trail Shuttle Driver
In this two-part episode I start off by talking about the worst hiking injury I've ever experienced, which happened recently while backpacking the Cranberry Lake 50 in the Adirondacks. I talk about what went wrong, what we can do to learn from it... and how much it sucked. Here's a link to the...
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#119 | Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker on CRUSHING the Appalachian Trail
Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker is back on Trail Tales to talk all about her successful Appalachian Trail thru hike! Taylor hiked the trail in an impressive 121 days, and in this episode we talk all about it... including some of the most frequent troll comments she would receive on her videos. Taylor's...
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#117 | Basically an Entire Episode of my Audience Roasting Me with Baker Bokorney
The last time Appalachian Trail thru hiker Baker Bokorney was on the show, we put out a call for Trail Tales listeners to send him DMs on Instagram. That was pretty much the only criteria, and 8 of you delivered. Many of the messages discussed cool/lesser known thru hikes that folks want to...
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#113 | Getting Caught in Your Underwear at a Campsite by a YouTube Fan with ADK Woods Walker
Jay Morrison, aka ADK Woods Walker joins the show this week. Jay's channel is one of my personal favorites, due to his positive attitude, relatability and of course... his love for the Adirondacks! Be sure to listen until the end of the episode, because Jay tells a hilarious story of the time he...
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#112 | Frozen from Outdoor Adventures on the Foothills Trail, Appalachian Trail, and More!
Thru Hiker and backpacking YouTuber Frozen joins the show, for the second time! This time we discuss his hike of the Foothills Trail (and lets be honest, mine as well), some of the random hikes in the PA area that he has done, and much more! Frozen's channel is a favorite of mine, I really...
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#111 | How do Thru Hiking Movies compare to Reality? With Rose Turner
In this episode, Trail Tales editor and badass hiker Rose "Comics" Turner is back on the show, this time to discuss thru-hiking movies! We talk about the movies "A Walk in the Woods", "Wild", and a few more. I have not seen any of these movies, but Rose has, and I make some assumptions about them...
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#110 | If you could thru hike ANY Trail with no limitations, what would it be? With Baker Bokorney
Baker is back, and in this episode we discuss what our DREAM thru hikes would be, if money, logistics, and all other obstacles were eliminated. Plus, we extend an open invitation for someone, literally anyone, to send Baker a DM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbokorney/ If you're really...
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#109 | Camp Chairs Suck... with Jacob Younger
Jacob Younger is back on the show for a pretty goofy episode. We each go over a list of backpacking items that we would RATHER carry than a Camp Chair. If you enjoy listening to Ultralight backpackers feel much more enlightened than they actually are, this is the episode for you :) Jacob's...
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#107 | Navigating Off Trail in Colorado with Baker Bokorney
Baker is back... again. This time we talk about navigating off trail in the Colorado wilderness, sun protection, and the band Puddle of Mudd? It's weird yo. If you're really into Trail Tales and want to receive some bonus content, please consider supporting the show on Patreon:...
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#104 | Starting your own Backpacking Gear Company with Jacob Younger
Jacob Younger and I met each other on the Northville Placid Trail in September 2020. He told me about making his own gear, starting a company, and I thought it was really interesting and invited him on the podcast! Check out Jacob's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjyoungs/ Like what…
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#101 | How to Solve the Adirondack's Overuse Problem with James Appleton
James Appleton, host of The 46 of 46 Podcast comes on for his second Trail Tales episode. We spent most of this episode talking about the 'overuse' issue in the Adirondack High Peaks....although calling it such is a massive simplification. James lives in the Adirondack Park, and thus has some...
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#100 | Baker interviews the #1 HOT NEW Hiking Influencer: Kyle Hates Hiking
In the 100th episode special, Baker takes over the job of interviewer and asks me all about my journey to becoming the #1 HOT NEW hiking influencer....lol. He asks me about the process behind my content, Flossy's involvement, my favorite YouTubers/podcasts, and much much more. PLUS this episode...
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#99 | The White Mountains are a Photographer's dream with Corey McMullen
One of my favorite photographer's based in the White Mountains, Corey McMullen joins the show! I pick his brain about living in North Conway, which is a fantasy of mine lmao, and of course we spend a lot of time talking about the process behind his amazing photos. If you're not a photographer…
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#98 | A Brutal Face Injury in the 100 Mile Wilderness with Appalachian Trail thru hiker Nikoline Hamann
Nikoline Hamann joins the show all the way from Denmark to talk about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail! We talk about the inspiration it took to commit to the idea of the Appalachian Trail despite living on a different continent, some of the highs and lows of her thru hike, and at the end…
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#97 | When a NOBO and SOBO pass each other on the Appalachian Trail with Rose "Comics" Turner
Rose "Comics" Turner joins the show this week to talk all about the Appalachian Trail and creating comics on it! That's right, Comics made creating art an integral part of her Appalachian Trail thru hiking experience. Also, since she hiked a good portion of the trail SOBO in 2018, we spend some...
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#96 | 44 Things that went wrong on the John Muir Trail with Natalie Reynoso
Natalie Reynoso joins Trail Tales to talk about the John Muir Trail... and what could go wrong when hiking it! We all know about the little random things that can go wrong when backpacking, and we cover basically all of them in this episode. Check out her Instagram:...
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#95 | The Northville Placid Trail is not as bad as I said it was... with Sophia Garber
Sophia Garber joins the podcast to tell the story of her 2020 Northville Placid Trail thru hike in the Adirondacks. She hiked it very shortly after Flossy and I did, and despite the similar time-frame... her hike sounded way more fun! So if you thought my NPT story was kind of a downer, give...
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#94 | Setting the White Mountains Redlining FKT with Philip Carcia
The White Mountains legend is back for another episode! We talk about Philip setting the FKT for the White Mountains Redlining project, and how it was much tougher than he estimated it to be. As per usual, Philip details the highs and lows of his achievement, and sets the record straight about…
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#93 | Does Winter Backpacking Really Suck?? With Justin Outdoors
Justin Outdoors joins the show to talk all about the Canadian Rockies, winter backpacking, and much much more. He has an awesome YouTube channel that focuses on gear reviews, trip videos, and hiking tips! Go check him out: https://www.youtube.com/user/jhick777 Huge thanks to CS Instant Coffee for...
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#92 | A 2020 Appalachian Trail thru hiker answers TOUGH questions about Covid with Rune Ravn
It's no secret that thru hiking in 2020 is a very controversial topic. I usually try to stay out of controversial issues, but due to a number of listeners who reached out to me (and my own curiosity) I finally cracked... I present to you, and interview with Rune Ravn, a 2020 Appalachian Trail…
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#91 | SUCCESSFULLY Thru Hiking the Northville Placid Trail... but it wasn't easy
Flossy and I successfully completed the Northville Placid Trail in the Adirondacks. This was my second attempt at thru hiking this trail so I finally got my redemption. However... it wasn't easy. It was the hardest hike that we have attempted since the Appalachian Trail in 2018. Tune in to find…
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#90 | Ripping around Canada's Long Distance Hiking Trails with Ryan Bunting
Ryan Bunting joins the show to discuss a few lesser-known thru hikes in Western Canada. He explains what the Great Divide Trail, Sea to Sky Trail, and Vancouver Island trails are, and all about some of the crazy experiences he's had on them. Ryan's YouTube channel:...
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#89 | Flossy and I are Thru Hiking the Northville Placid Trail... hopefully
Flossy joins me once again to discuss the backpacking and hiking we have done since our last episode (episode 89), as well as our hiking plans for the future. We are going to be attempting to thru hike the Northville Placid Trail in the Adirondacks... we talk about what we are excited for, the...
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#88 | CRUSHING the FKT for the White Mountains Direttissima
Will Peterson thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019, and after cancelling a 2020 PCT thru hike he decided to go after the White Mountains Direttissima FKT. Despite no previous experience setting FKTs, Will crushed the route and ended up setting the new unsupported FKT at 5 days, 13 hours and 5...
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#87 | Sintax77 on hiking the DEVIL'S PATH in the Catskills
Sintax77 joins me again to talk about our hike of the Devil's Path in the Catskill mountains of New York. We did this hike in mid-August of 2020... and it absolutely kicked my butt. We were successful but I certainly underestimated the trail, so it was a humbling experience! In this episode we...
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#86 | Hiking the Vermont Long Trail as a first Thru Hike
My good friend Kayla joins the show this week to talk all about her FIRST THRU HIKE EVER in which she completed MY FAVORITE TRAIL EVER i.e the Vermont Long Trail! The Long Trail is tough, and hiking it in a group of 4 is even tougher, so I think it's awesome that she was able to crush it! We talk...
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#85 | Thru Hiking the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway with Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker
Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker joins me this week to talk about our thru hike of the Monadnock to Sunapee Greenway Trail! This trail is a 50-mile HIDDEN GEM in southwestern New Hampshire. We talk about why this trail is so amazing, how we got woken up by an ATV in the middle of the night, and much…
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#84 | Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail with a Plastic Trombone!
Amy "Slider" Hunsucker joins the show this week to talk about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail! Not only did she complete the Appalachian Trail, but she did so carrying a plastic trombone! Tune into this light-hearted episode to hear all about her adventure. Also, sorry about the audio...
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#83 | Kraig Adams on being a Full Time Hiking YouTuber
The one and only Kraig Adams joins me this week to chat about his wildly successful YouTube channel. Kraig started out as a more 'traditional' YouTuber and has transitioned his content into that of a hiking channel. This is very much a rapid fire episode, with me asking many questions that were...
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#82 | Never Before Heard Backpacking Gear INVENTION IDEAS with Baker Bokorney
Baker is back, and for this episode we blatantly rip off Backpacker Radio's patent pending idea. We spent the entire episode discussing our ideas for new backpacking gear inventions. From Bear Spray trekking poles to a poop trowel which doubles as a spork, this one was a riot. Huge thanks to CS...
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#81 | Never let Your Guard Down while Hiking with Philip Werner of SectionHiker.com
Philip Werner is the creator behind SectionHiker.com, one of the first and most popular backpacking blogs on the internet. His website has been an important source of information to me since I first began hiking, so I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to chat with him. We talk a…
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#80 | An Absolute FULL SEND in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with Socked In Hikes
Socked In (Rebecca Sperry) is attempting to set the female FKT for the White Mountains Redlining project. She just started and is full of ambition, and has a plan. She is a very experienced hiker and loves the Whites, and it was great to talk about the logistics and difficulties that will come…
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#79 | We had to Sleep Behind a Dairy Queen on the Appalachian Trail
Flossy is back! We talk about the hikes that we've been lucky enough to complete so far this year, why Flossy moved to Vermont, and of course why we ended up sleeping behind a Dairy Queen on our Appalachian Trail thru hike! This is the first IN PERSON interview for Trail Tales, so you are about…
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#78 | A Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hiker Shares it All with Ryan Stratton
Ryan Stratton hiked the PCT in 2018 and also happens to be a member of the same fraternity as me. In this episode I ask him a bunch of questions about West Coast thru hiking that make me nervous to venture out there... most of you probably know what half those things already are at this point....
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#77 | An Adirondack Single Season WINTER 46 with Jonathan Zaharek
Jonathan Zaharek is an accomplished hiker, having most recently completed a single season winter 46 in the Adirondack High Peaks. Not only does he crush miles like a boss, but he is also an amazing photographer and filmmaker. In this episode we talk all about the Adirondacks, his hiking related...
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#76 | How NOT to Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail with Joe Biasi
Joe Biasi thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Like many other thru hikers, Joe struggled to keep up with the mental challenges of the Appalachian Trail. Rather than quitting, he continued on out of stubbornness and ended up finishing the trail. This might seem like an inspiring story, but…
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#75 | Two Thru Hikers talk about Backpacking Tents, Packs, and other Gear
BAKER IS BACK. I can't get rid of this guy... in this episode we talk all about ultralight backpacking gear! We talk about backpacking tents, backpacks, and lots of other gear. I've said numerous times on Trail Tales that I don't care about gear... but folks, I'm getting back into my gear phase....
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#74 | Follow Bigfoot on the Superior Hiking Trail
Follow Bigfoot joins the show to talk all about the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota. I've been curious to learn about this trail for a long time, so it was great to hear Bigfoot share all the essential information one must know before attempting a thru hike. In addtion, Bigfoot shares stories...
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#73 | Behind the Scenes of the Backpacking YouTube Niche with Devin from Backcountry Exposure
Devin from the YouTube channel Backcountry Exposure joins me this week! We talk about fishing in the backcountry, living/hiking in Utah, and being a YouTuber in the backpacking niche. Make sure you listen to the end, because Devin tells a pretty gnarly story about hiking with his dog - a story...
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#72 | A Near Death Experience on Mount Whitney with Philip Carcia
The man, the myth, the White Mountain legend Philip Carcia is back! In this episode we talk about his hiking experience BEFORE the White Mountain Single Year Grid, including his experience on the Appalachian Trail and Colorado Trail. Towards the end of the episode, Philip tells an INSANE story...
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#71 | Jupiter Hikes Sells me on the Florida Trail
The trail-legend Jupiter Hikes joins the show this week to discuss the Florida Trail, the International Appalachian Trail, and mail drops! I went into this conversation with some pretty negative ideas about the Florida Trail, and Jupiter was able to clear many of those up, and start to nudge me…
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#70 | ALL ABOUT THE ADIRONDACKS with James Appleton of the 46 of 46 Podcast
It's been too long since I've talked about the Adirondacks on this show, and James Appleton was the perfect guest to do so with. We talk about the Adirondack 46, James's podcast "The 46 of 46 Podcast", and the Lake Placid 9er challenge - a peak bagging challenge that is created and managed by…
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#69 | How Covid-19 Affects Thru-Hiking with Julia Sheehan
Unfortunately, due to the rapidly unfolding COVID-19 situation, it is likely that Julia "Rocket" Sheehan will have to post-pone her 2020 PCT thru hike. In this episode, we talk about her updated plans, and her recommendation as a thru hiker and nurse for those that are currently on a thru hike or...
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#68 | Julia Sheehan (Rocket) on Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail
Thru Hiker Julia "Rocket" Sheehan joins the show this week! We talk all about her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, and her plans to thru hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020. Unfortunately, this episode was recorded before the escalation of COVID-19, which has changed Julia Sheehan's plans for...
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#67 | A Medical Emergency while in the Backcountry with Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker Christopher Johnson
Christopher Johnson thru hiked the Appalachian Trail SOBO in 2019. We caught up with one-another on Episode 54 of Trail Tales, but shortly after our conversation he suffered a dire medical emergency while in the backcountry on his thru hike. In this episode he takes us through what happened, and...
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#66 | Pushing the Limits of Late Start Dates on the Appalachian Trail with Ryan Fox
Ryan Fox thru hiked the Appalachian Trail SOBO starting in August 2018 - which is a very unique time to start! He followed that up by crushing a good portion of the PCT the following year, and is currently planning on competing in the 2020 Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon. This dude does it all! We...
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#65 | Juliana Chauncey on How to Support a Thru-Hiker From Home
Juliana Chauncey has thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and is the co-host of the Backpacker Radio podcast! In this episode we chat all about her thru hikes, and her book 'Hiking From Home: A Long-Distance Hiking Guide for Family and Friends' which will be available in…
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#64 | Pushing the Limits of What's Possible in New Hampshire's White Mountains with Arlette Laan
Arlette Laan has done some incredible things in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and elsewhere. She is a triple crowner, and currently holds the FKT for the woman's unsupported White Mountain Direttissima. Not only that, but she also crushed the first ever WINTER Direttissima with her…
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About this show
What’s it like to hike and live in the backcountry for 5 months? Host and thru-hiker & YouTuber Kyle Hates Hiking (Kyle O’Grady), who has completed every last step of the Appalachian Trail, interviews other thru-hikers, peak-baggers, and backpackers who are almost as crazy as him. Is life while thru-hiking really as glamorous as the social media stars make it out to be? Is pooping in the woods really that big of a deal? Find out these answers and more on Trail Tales.
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Kyle Hates Hiking
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