This season, we have the following big-time guests lined up for you: Gulnur Tumbat – a dear friend of mine, and expert mountaineer. Gulnur, who goes by G, has climbed 6 of the 7 tallest summits in the world, having only Vinson in Antarctica left. She’d be the 1st Turkish women to accomplish this. In G’s episode, we talk training – mental and physical – and in depth about her 7 summits journey, including recapping her most recent summit of Mt. Everest. Andrew Skurka – I got tipped off by Andrew from an article of a man who is inventing a new long-distance route in the High Sierras. I thought to myself, “yeah, this is a guy who knows a thing or two about hiking/backpacking”. Turns out Andrew made a name for himself doing, super long-hikes (we’re talking 5-7K miles) that no one had documented before. These include the Sea-to-Sea route, including one from Quebec to Washington, the Great Western Loop, and the Alaska Yukon Loop (reminder, Alaska is a large state!). Listen in for the stories, and long-distance hiking tips --- I know 5-7K mile hikers are not a prime audience, but someone who has that many miles will definitely drop a tip or two for us 10 mile hikers. Ryan Branciforte – Ryan and I met a few years back, where I learned about his personal journey in utilizing the tech in our hand to connect us to the wilderness we all play in. I know that feels oxymoronic, using tech to connect to wild places, but his mobile app, Outer Spatial, is helping Parks and Preserves alike stand up their profiles by helping users plan, get alerts, and connect with the people that actually visit the park. It’s a great tool, just getting traction and users! Liz Thomas – Liz! In researching Liz, her bio mentions that she wrote what others called “the bible of thru-hiking”. I read that, and knew I needed to have her on, and then order the book. Liz has many accomplishments --- triple crown hiker, author, and recently, dubbed the Queen of Urban hiking. She’s an inspiration, and an energetic, just plain happy guest, and one who is really trying to help people connect to places in the wild, and in their cities, simply by walking. Even if you don’t plan on hiking 100s of miles, she’ll make you want to walk around your local town/parks a bit more. Chase Huntley – I heard Chase talk about public lands, the BLM, and climate change a few years back and have been pinging him non-stop to have a chat. Have you ever been confused by what the BLM does? Do you have strong feelings or interest in how public lands are used? Chase is here to provide the history and some of the ongoing developments towards how public lands – primarily in the West – are being used and what we can do to help. And yours truly, sharing some of my favorite hikes from last season and some on the trail “intermediate expertise” along the way. Hit the favorite/subscribe button on your favorite podcast service and please tell your friends to do the same.
