Cascade Hiker Podcast - Backpacking and Hiking

This celebrity guest is co-host of the popular Trail Show, a podcast with the tag line "Less Gear, More Beer". The Princess of Darkness (POD) is a triple crown long distance hiker, who has teamed up with a group of other long distance hikers to encourage listeners to get on the trail! We chat about her list of long distance hikes the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. The list doesn't stop there! She has also completed the Colorado Trail, Sierra High Route and many others including the Te Araroa in New Zealand. She documented some of her triple crown on her website trailjournals.com/darkness, I recommend going there for the pictures alone. We talk a bit about Women on the trail where she recommends her recordings with fellow female hikers on the Trail Show Bonus Shows: The Red Tent Shows 1 and 2 found here- store.cdbaby.com/artist/thetrailshow Find POD on social media- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FeliciaDarkness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetrailshow/ Website: http://thetrailshow.com Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

A Walk for Sunshine is a book by Jeff Alt all about his Appalachian Trail hike in 1998. He decided this would be a walk to help raise money for Sunshine Community, a disabled home that his brother lives at.  His brother, Aaron, suffers from Cerebral Palsy and has lived at Sunshine for many years. This year was the 20th anniversary of the run, walk and roll fundraiser inspired by Jeff's hike. To date the event has raised more than $500,000!  We discuss the "ups and downs" of his 2,160 mile trek and stories of bears, bugs, blisters and skunks. His recount of fellow hikers is fun to follow along with. His hiker name, Wrong Foot, follows him through the entire journey. I also ask Jeff about other books he has authored including:  Four Boots One Journey about hiking the John Muir with his wife after her brother passed away Get Your Kids Hiking a self explanatory book written after his son was born. The Adventures of Bubba Jones a series for kids about our National Parks. Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop:  REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Andrea and Jerry Dinsmore have been Trail Angels for north and southbound Pacific Crest Trail thru hikers at the Stevens Pass portion of the trail. They started while living in the Skykomish area and have since moved a bit down river to the town of Bering. Known as PCT Mom, Andrea has been a key online help with trail closures and snow reports. She loves the hikers and they love her! Jerry and I sit down to talk about the past, present and future of Hiker Haven. He tells me that their daughter and grandson will be helping out in years to come. Jerry and I talk mostly because Andrea has been very sick this summer. She is in bed most of the time. ALDHA West (http://www.aldhawest.org), who also gives out the well known Triple Crown Award, voted the Dinsmores as Trail Angels of the year this year. The audio I recorded of the presentation, though a bit "busy", is heart felt. Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Join the new Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1639347902756382/ That is where Bryan Miller asked me a question that sparked this episode. Where should I buy cheap gear? I pulled answers from some past guest of this podcast to get a well rounded answer for you and for Bryan. I suggest going to MyTrail or REI Those are my affiliate links. Check out to see if they have Discontinued items and those are always a cheap route! Nick Lenn from episode 37 mentions the Columbia Outlet Store where you can buy cheap Mountain Hardware jackets and shoes at a great price. Kate Hoch aka Drop N Roll from episode 37 suggest the $300 backpacking setup from PMags it is called the Frugal Backpacker. Lisa Holmes from episode 34 lives in the Portland area and love the store there called Next Adventure. Used hiking and backpacking gear for those that live in the area. Bryan Schaeffer from Best of the Northwest and episode 24 suggests a few spots like TJMaxx, Sierra Trading Post and Goodwill. I think Goodwill will have some good stuff, though it is hard to tell when the gear would be put out into the store. Jessi Lorech from episode 5 mentions another great article that is on WTA called Dirt Cheap Gear. Shannon Cunningham from episodes 1 and 35 says Play It Again Sports which is a used sporting goods store and Offer Up. Offer Up would be a lot like Goodwill without having to go onto the store! Please check out patreon.com/cascadehikerpodcast Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Tenley Lozano hikes with her service dog, Elu. They have section hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in Southern California and the Goat Rocks in Washington. I asked her about taking her hiking partner into National Parks where dogs are not allowed. Elu helps Teneley with her Post Traumatic Stress. I asked her if she ever gets people questioning her about her service dog because she appears to look ok. I asked this because I truly already knew the answer, I just wanted her to explain that not everyone with an issue has a certain "look". We also talked about gear for Elu on the trail, what has worked for Tenley and what has not. How do they sleep in the backcountry and what does Elu eat? Find Tenley at: tenleylozano.com https://www.instagram.com/tenleylozano/ Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

The Whimsical Woman is sort of an alter-ego for Jennifer Mabus. She wanted to express her lifestyle in an atmosphere that she controls, so she started a blog. People in her life tend to want her to settle down and start a family. Jennifer wants to explore and travel. She was a cheerleader at her college in Nevada and is now living and working in Seattle. Seattle seems to be the perfect place for her to go and run into the mountains every weekend in the summer. We talk about a few of her recent blog posts and her plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in the summer of 2018. Instagram Facebook thewhimsicalwoman.com Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

While most people think of painting in a studio or classroom, Mark Boyle loves to paint at the scene he is painting and in the moment to catch all of the exact colors. He explains that pictures never seem to show the true colors of what he sees in person. Mark sometimes finds a backcountry spot he can drive to and paint a river or forest. Sometimes he packs in a smaller easel to capture a deep scene miles from his car. The fish don't sit still for him, but he described to me a tedious process he endured when trying to match the color of Sockeye Salmon. He took his paints up to an Alaskan river and waded out, standing in one spot mixing colors for hours. He finally found the perfect mix! His series of paintings with a bunch of clam diggers along the Pacific Ocean are stunning and after talking with Mark about these, I can now imagine him standing out there amongst these diggers painting away. When he paints subjects fishing or the fish themselves, he is actually looking at them and painting them in the moment. Mark talks in our interview about having his friends stand in the same spot by a backcountry campfire for way too long. The easels that Mark uses are found at: allaprimapochade.com Please check out his work at: markboyle.com Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

I took a trip down to Cascade Locks, Oregon this past weekend and hung out at PCT Days with the ALDHA West folks.  I met some new friends and hung out with some old friends. I also ran into 3 or more listeners down there! This short podcast was also a way for me to let you dedicated listeners know that I will be taking a 3-4 week hiatus during a family move and the Labor Day weekend.  Stay tuned for the next episode after the break! Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop:  REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSqtP_gDgOE We were in total darkness, feeling our way through the center of Boulder Cave, when I decided to investigate the source of the screaming we could hear. These weren’t the sounds of terror, however, but the distinctive sound of children who were having a blast. They weren’t in our cave though, so of course we needed to investigate! It started when I grabbed my wife, Rhonda, and our two girls for a random adventure. We decided on Yakima Valley as the destination. Rhonda researched spots to stay and ran across the Elk Ridge Campground. I liked the idea of camping and she loved the idea that the campground offered cabins.  Without doing too much research (or planning) beforehand, we loaded up our mini van and headed over Chinook Pass on Highway 410. Rhonda reminded me of her hiking rule, which states that all family hikes must be on a wheelchair-accessible trail. None of the four of us require a wheelchair, but she Rhonda flat out doesn't like to hike and assumes that ADA trails will likely be flat. This rule has become a law of sorts for our adventures and I have found some great spots. Boulder Cave was recommended by Tim Hoefer, the proprietor of Elk Ridge Campground. I pulled him aside and asked if it was wheelchair accessible. He glanced at my kids and wife and then nodded saying something about getting a stroller up there if we needed to. So, he had said yes(!) and confirmed with a nod! (That rule turned law is not written down anywhere and I find gray areas when in a pinch.) The hike itself was very easy, but the heat made the haul up a short hill (300 feet gained) somewhat of a drag. Rhonda was complaining and asking where all the wheelchair hikers were. I reminded her that there were some handicapped spaces back at the parking lot and that softened her up a bit. We reached the entrance to Boulder Cave in a short time and this is when we heard kids screaming and laughing just up and off the trail from here. I asked Rhonda if she wouldn't mind hanging out while me and the girls went to check it out. "Of course we could," she said with a relaxed exhale, sitting on a rock next to the sign reading Stay on Trail. (Note: This was for safety inside the cave, where we went was ok.) We scrambled some rocks and couldn't believe what we discovered hidden beyond the main trail. A waterfall flowed into a crystal clear pool inside a smaller cave. It was straight of a movie or fantasy fiction. The girls got in and I snapped some pictures, but we would have to come back another day to explore this place some more. If I stood just right, Rhonda came into view and she was playing on her phone. We needed to head back before she lost all patience. We hopped the same rocks back and after telling Rhonda all about it, I sensed a little spark of adventure. She might not ever admit it, but she wants to see this small bit of paradise someday. Now for the main cave. There are signs about bats and all four of us wiped our feet clean as directed. The trail itself is very easy to follow and gets just dark enough in the middle to get a sense of total darkness. We shut our flashlights off, just our phone flashlights were plenty bright. This made the girls a bit nervous, not that they’d admit it. The far side of Boulder Cave had a series of stairs and decking platforms. The views were stunning! The same creek that fell into that other cave and created the most picturesque pool that I have ever seen, also carved out a beautiful little canyon here. We climbed back out and then back down to the car. My wife muttered something about never going in a cave again. I took note of this new rule and have already thought of a few workarounds. I had promised the family hot food and beer. Well, the kids wanted hot food and I wanted a beer. Just down the 410 before hitting the actual town of Naches, we passed Bron Yr Aur Brewering Company. This place was perfect for all of us! Their pizza is the best we found in the Yakima Valley and their beer was top notch as well. Our family will stop for a slice anytime we pass through from now on. Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Author Deborah Wall comes on to talk about her new book, Base Camp Las Vegas. Millions of people visit Las Vegas every year and some of those people use the airport as a "base camp". This guidebook gives those that rent cars, places to visit in the surrounding areas. This book turns the cheap flights for partying couples into family adventures. Why waist all of your steps on the Las Vegas Strip when there are hikes just 20 minutes out of town?

The Trail Blazers, a volunteer group for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), were formed in 1933 and in that time they would attach a five gallon milk can to a Trapper Nelson backpack. They were stocking the lakes with thousands of fish without taking into consideration the overall sustainability of the food for that many fish and overpopulation concerns.  It didn’t take the WDFW long to figure out their oversight, cutting back on the number of fish stocked all the way into the 1970’s. Even today the lakes are constantly adjusted as more knowledge is gained.  Before 1933 there were few lakes being stocked. If they were stocked, then it was usually by miners or small local groups of fisherman.  The high lakes of the Cascade Mountains did not have fish until they were first stocked in recent years. Way back to the Ice Age, these small lakes were left with no access for fish to migrate. Some bigger valley bottom lakes however were connected and therefore had some native fish and they still have native fish today. Brian Curtis joined the Trail Blazers in 1987 when he took his love for hiking and fishing to the WDFW volunteer organization. He recalls his Dad taking him to various high lakes to fish back in the 1960’s. When Brian is stocking lakes today, he often sees people fishing. They are usually curious and he loves to show them what he does. In 1963, after the Leopold Report, Our National Parks started to revert back to a more natural state. Things like a golf course on Mount Rainier were taken out. This included the non-native fish in lakes. Chemicals, gill nets and electricity have been used to eradicate them. North Cascades National Park was different because it was created after the Leopold Report. WDFL was able to raise a voice at the meetings, swaying politicians to see the benefit of the fish and ultimately a bill was passed by President Obama just a few years ago to allow the lakes to be stocked.  Brian has packed in as few as twenty fish to a high lake and has been a part of a group, carrying 5,000 fish. The amount of fish vary based on the size of the lake or the productivity of the lake. Productivity would be things like food for fish and how many people are reaching the lake to fish it. All fish are picked up at one of three main fish hatcheries at North Bend, Arlington or Mossy Rock. Accidents do happen, Brian mentions that sometimes the fish don’t make it for various reasons. One example he gives is if they are sitting in the sun too long. The fish being stocked can not breed and the goal is to keep them from doing so. Fish left to their own mating can over populate a lake which can change the other living organisms of this unique habitat and not allow the fish to grow healthily. The season for stocking high lakes with fish is very similar to our hiking season. Brian talks about needing to break ice off of some lakes in early and even late season. Different breeds of fish are better to stock in early season, Golden Trout however do better when stocked closer to September or October. If a hiker wants to become a Trail Blazer, the first step is attending meetings regularly. Being active in the club by joining other volunteers on a stocking trip and learning the skills. Go to watrailblazers.org to find out all the information on meetings and some great archive photos also. Limit your catch, don’t catch your limit is a motto that the Trail Blazers hope all high lake fishers keep in mind when they recreate. It is fun to catch fish and important to keep a few in the lake for the next person.​​​​​​​ Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Some hikers get an non threatening injury or have pain/soreness, they might joke about using their Vitamin “I”. Are we self prescribing too much Advil? Ibuprofen and asprin slows down the bodies natural response to healing and affects long term recovery. If someone sprains their ankle and takes Ibuprofen so they can hike the next day, it won’t heal the injury and could lead to a worse injury later. I would suggest bringing some whiskey, Marajuana or CBD instead for the pain and discomfort. Fresh water in the mountains and people still add flavor to it. What are your thoughts? Sweeteners alter your bodies natural response to insulin. This could cause a drop in blood sugar leaving a hiker with very low energy and could be a bad situation. New research is showing a correlation with artificial sweeteners and Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's. The connection between our brain and our gut cannot be fooled be artificial sweeteners. Mentioned The Dorrito Effect by Mark Matzger and Hack Your Taste buds. What do you think about energy drinks on the trail? I am a fan of caffeine. Stick to coffee or tea if you can. More of a natural source is best. Use some caffeine to push yourself every once in a while, but you shouldn’t always depend on it. (Episode 17) Another good way to fuel your body are healthy fats like Ghee Butter or Coconut oil. Try not to over do the fats, if you aren’t climbing mountains! Should we be scared of ticks on the trail? Prevention is key, so try to use DEET and Permethrin. Be aware of the migrating pain that comes with Lymes Disease so you know wether or not you have any issues. Garlic has also been known to thwart ticks. Ticks can also affect people differently based on our immune systems so eating correctly and getting enough sleep can help in the long run. This could be the same for Giardia and how it affects each of us. What about mold? Should hikers be concerned about mold in our gear? We can test for this now in patients. Some of the signs are foggy memory or forgetting things like where you left your keys or peoples names. It is important to note that only 25 percent of our population are genetically susceptible to mold toxins. What are your thoughts about moving your body more naturally and stretching to lessen chances of injury? Katy Bowman and Anot Benal are supporters of movement and alternative methods like foam rollers, trigger point therapy or dry needling. Backpackers that have heavier packs need to do something to help out their spine. Find Mike Mutzel: highintensityhealth.com, Facebook, or YouTube Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop:  REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Tim Hoefer is my guest today. He and his wife Julie own and operate Elk Ridge Campground along the 410 Highway in Yakima Valley.  My family recently took a trip to the area and found his campground online. After staying two nights, I decided that Tim would be a great guest, with his knowledge and platform in the area. We talk about his facility, as well as the area around. We used Elk Ridge Campground as a landing pad for hiking and brewery hopping. We visited all the breweries in Yakima Valley and ate at some amazing spots.  Our daughters loved the bakery items at nearby Sticky Fingers Bakery and Cafe. My favorite spot that we stopped was the beer and pizza at Bron Yr Aur Brewering Company. My wife enjoyed the downtown atmosphere where we did a short brew hike between Berchman's Brewing Company, Hop Nation Brewing Company and the Beer Shoppe! Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop: REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)

Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE Heather and Josh Legler from the First 40 Miles Podcast are my guests in this episode. They released their first episode back on December 16th, 2014. Their latest episode 139, features me! Heather, and her sidekick Josh, explain the history of their podcast and hiking experience. The First 40 Miles is geared toward new hikers and the intro on every show says- "If you’re new to hiking and backpacking then this podcast is for you.  We’ll talk about the essentials, how to lighten your load and how to make the most of your time on the trail. Welcome to The First 40 Miles!" We talk about clothing they create through Zazzle. Also their three published books-  Trail Fuel: 40 Quick and Easy Recipes for Wilderness Backpacking 40 Backpacking Hacks Volume 1 40 Backpacking Hacks Volume 2

Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE Demetri Coupounas, known as Coup, started GoLite in 1998 with his wife and Father. Ultimately, the company went out of business; the major reason being small stores that had too large of a layout. The contracts helped drag down costs, despite a well loved product.  Now Coup has opened a new business called My Trail. It launched with the help of past customers turned small investors, of which you could be a part of. The first items Coup chose to launch with were also the top sellers for obvious reasons and they were all equipment items.  Slowly more and more items have and will be added to the My Trail line. As a note; Though the items are basically the same, the names have all been changed to reflect the new company. The next wave was a small amount of mens and women’s clothing. This allowed them to open their first, very small store which is now on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado. We talk all about the next few seasons product releases.  Of the 350 past members that have already invested in My Trail, item request have been flowing in. Investors receive a 20 percent discount on all items offered on the website, which includes shoes from Xero, Nite Ize and trekking poles from Leki.  Don't forget to shop our Cascade Hiker Hats and Bumper Stickers! Join Me at Patreon to get exclusive content! Click HERE @N_CascadeHiking Like our Facebook Page CLICK HERE On Instagram Cascade Hiker Podcast Check out Whiskey Fever: https://www.reverbnation.com/whiskeyfever The song used in the intro is 'Tall Grass' from their album Gonna Wake Up This Whole Town. Shop:  REI Amazon My Trail Company (GoLite)