Trails Worth Hiking

Dawn Kinsel joins Jeremy to talk about their 2017 trek together with their families on the Tour du Mont Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland.  Traveling more than 100 miles, this impressive trail circumnavigates Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps.  In addition to impressive peaks, glaciers, and wildflowers, the trek takes hikers through quaint villages and to fantastic mountain refuges.  And Dawn and Jeremy reveal the next international trek they will be doing together with their spouses this coming summer.Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com

Jeremy's French teacher Mia joins him to talk about her adventure in the Himalayas on the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek.  Although Kashmir has a history of conflict that continues to this day, it is also a region with a rich multicultural history and unparalleled beauty.  Although the hike is in what is today India, Kashmir remains a land disputed and divided.  And hear from Mia about why you should always find out how well someone can actually ski before you go ski touring with them.Comments, questions, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com

Back in episode 7, Jeremy interviewed Road Trip Ryan (Ryan Cornia) about his hike of the Ruby Crest Trail in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada.  Jeremy had previously tried to hike the trail in 2018, but had been thwarted first by snow and then forest fires.  But in 2021, Jeremy finally hiked the trail, along with his son Justin and hiking buddy Tony Wong.  In this special update episode, Jeremy, with some help from Justin and Tony, brings us the ups and downs of their 2021 experience on the Ruby Crest Trail, a fabulous alpine adventure rising straight out of the remote desert of northeastern Nevada.  Stick around to the very end to hear the "Wong wobble" in action.Listen to episode 7: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1235132/6168730Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.comOutdoor Herbivore (10% off for TWH listeners):  https://outdoorherbivore.com/

Taryn Eyton of Happiest Outdoors joins Jeremy to talk about the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.  This coastal trail off the west coast of Canada takes hikers through temperate rainforest and along beaches, and features ladders, hand-operated cable cars, and ferries as part of the adventure.  Taryn also talks about Happiest Outdoors and her recent guide book for backpacking in southwestern British Columbia.  And Jeremy tells us why if it's mountain lions you love, Vancouver Island is the place for you.Happiest Outdoors:  https://happiestoutdoors.ca/Taryn's guide to the West Coast Trail:  https://happiestoutdoors.ca/guide-to-the-west-coast-trail/Taryn's book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia:  https://www.amazon.com/Backpacking-Southwestern-British-Columbia-Essential/dp/177164668310% off backpacking meals at Outdoor Herbivore:  https://outdoorherbivore.com/Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com

Jeremy describes the route his family traveled in summer 2021 on their adventure in Yosemite National Park where they visited two of the park's two most iconic features, Half Dome and Cloud's Rest.  The episode even includes audio recorded during the trip.  And of course Jeremy brings us the history of Yosemite Valley and Yosemite National Park, as well as a discussion about Yosemite's most famous residents: its bears.  Listen to the end to hear Justin tell us what's next on his bucket list.Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com10% discount on backpacking meals:  https://outdoorherbivore.com/

Listener Dan Koehne joins Jeremy to talk about the Overland Track in Tasmania, Australia.  After Jeremy gives us some of the history of Tasmania, including one pretty grim prison escape story, Dan tells us about his 2016 solo hike of the Overland Track, which traverses the wilds of Cradle Mountain - Lake St. Clair National Park.  Dan also talks about what it was like growing up in Papua New Guinea, and stick around to the end of the conversation to hear about one interesting way to fix the brakes on your vehicle used by the locals in Ladakh, India.Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com10% discount on backpacking meals for TWH listeners:  https://outdoorherbivore.com/

Nancy East of the Hope and Feather Travels blog joins Jeremy to talk about the Foothills Trail in upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina.  This adventure takes hikers through some of the most beautiful hiking scenery in the southeastern United States, including by some pretty amazing waterfalls.  Nancy also talks about her record-setting month-long hike of every single mile of trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which she did to raise money for charity.  Before the interview with Nancy, Jeremy explains the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment, the dramatic setting for this hike, and the conservation history of the area.Hope and Feather Travels:  https://www.hopeandfeathertravels.com/Nancy's post on the Foothills Trail:  https://www.hopeandfeathertravels.com/planning-guide-for-a-foothills-trail-thru-hike/Outdoor Herbivore (10% off for TWH listeners):  https://outdoorherbivore.com/questions, comments, and suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.compodcast cover art by Vincent Bouyssounouse (@vipcentart on Instagram)

After Jeremy introduces us to Nepal and the Himalayas, Jeremy and Tony recount their 2019 adventure hiking the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal.  This trip had everything:  chaotic Kathmandu, wild jeep rides, deep river gorges, monkeys, remote villages, monasteries, high waterfalls, momos (Nepali dumplings), teahouses, suspension bridges, yaks, a snowy mountain pass, views of one of the tallest mountains in the world, and even a solo trekking dog.  Listen all the way to the end of the episode to hear some of the sounds of the adventure.  Earthbound Expeditions:  https://enepaltrekking.com/Manaslu Circuit information:  https://manaslucircuittrek.com/Outdoor Herbivore (10% off):  https://outdoorherbivore.com/Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.comCover art by Vincent Bouyssounouse (@vipcentart on Instagram)

Rajan Simkhada of Earthbound Expeditions joins Jeremy on this bonus episode to talk about trekking in Nepal, the country that contains many of the highest mountains on earth.  Rajan and Jeremy discuss what trekking in Nepal entails and how you can do it.  Rajan gives listeners lots of great tips for planning their first trek in Nepal, including how to choose a trekking company and what you can expect when you come to Nepal.  This episode is a prequel to our next episode, which will cover Jeremy and Tony's 2019 trip to Nepal.Earthbound Expeditions:  https://enepaltrekking.com/Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.comPodcast cover art by Vincent Bouyssounouse  (@vipcentart on Instagram)

Katie Cook of Trees and Tents joins Jeremy to talk about the Three Sisters Loop hike through the wonderful volcanic Three Sisters Wilderness in the Cascades of central Oregon.  Jeremy gives us some of the geologic history of this colorful and awe-inspiring wilderness, and riffs a bit about two of his own trips to the area.  Katie also tells us about Trees and Tents, her inspiring website that seeks to get more women out backpacking.  And Jeremy even quotes Mike Tyson in this episode, of all people.Trees and Tents:  https://www.treesandtents.com/Katie's guide to the Three Sisters Loop:  https://www.treesandtents.com/trailguide/backpacking-the-three-sisters-loop-from-devils-lake-trailhead/10% discount for TWH listeners on backpacking meals:  https://outdoorherbivore.com/Questions, comments, or suggestions:  trailsworthhiking@gmail.com