Trail Stories - The Burros Built it

Three trails. One year. Fewer than 30 people in history have done it. The Big Year: A Calendar Year Triple Crown Documentary is a four-part narrative audio series coming soon to Hiker Trash Radio. It starts with a sign in a bar in Duncannon. It ends on New Year's Eve in Key West, with two hikers finishing and two more waiting to start. In between: The longest snow year on record in the Sierra. A helicopter evacuation at 3,000 miles in. A wildfire. A cardiac ICU. A tent that slid downhill on the first night. 10,070 miles and no injury at the finish. And the question behind all of it: why? #HikerTrashRadio #CalendarYearTripleCrown #CYTC #TheBigYear #PodcastDocumentary Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Madeline Hryse spent four years nomadic — three years backpacking through Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China, and one year cycling solo and with company from southern China to Sweden, through Central Asia and Europe. She grew up in Southern California with a mountaineer father who built bikes in his backyard. She's newly sponsored by Tumbleweed Bikes for her next ride: the Continental Divide, Canada to Mexico. Episode Highlights The Short-Term Fear The Mountain Pass The Skill She Didn't Want to Need The Crankset Disaster What the World Taught Her The Hiking Hack — A Piece of String Links & Resources Madeline Hryse — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/very__odd Tumbleweed Bikes — Madeline's new sponsor for her upcoming Continental Divide ride. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio. The full interview with Madeline drops Wednesday in two parts. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guest Featured Jasmin Paris First female finisher of the Barkley Marathons: veterinarian, mother of two, Green Runners co-founder Key Themes The calculated three-year progression: Fun Run in 40 hours, then 36, then the finish The decision to go out on loop four despite feeling awful, and the stubbornness that distinguishes finishers Jared Campbell's offer of the clockwise direction on loop five, the gesture that made history The final kilometer: calculating splits in her head while her body screamed to stop What the race strips away, and what it leaves behind The Green Runners: why she wore patched shoes and a borrowed bag to the most watched ultra finish in history Standout Moment 'I got to the gate and just pretty much fell over it. Because I had no control of myself anymore. I was getting to the gate and I hadn't gone into the calculation of how to decelerate or touch the gate and sit down in a normal fashion. I just hit it and basically fell over.' Series Context Bonus Episode 03 of 06. The emotional centerpiece of The Source Material. Next episode: The Endurance Artist - Jared Beasley at the 2025 race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Shane Weigand is the founder of New Mexico Pack Burros, based outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. In addition to running backcountry packing trips and clinics, he directs five pack burro races on the Southwest racing circuit, co-runs a beverage burro business for weddings, and works full-time in public lands infrastructure for the federal government. He has six burros, three acres, and a half-ton truck with a horse trailer. Links & Resources New Mexico Pack Burros — Website: https://www.newmexicopackburros.com New Mexico Pack Burros — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newmexicopackburros Unbranded — Documentary (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unbranded BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro Backcountry Burro — Shane's book. Order from the website for a signed copy and sticker. OTTR (Off the Trail Recreation) — Durable, high-quality outdoor gear. Sponsors the Hiking Hack segment. Hilltop Packs — Lightweight, durable, custom gear. Sponsors the Off the Beaten Path segment. Pack Burro Racing — Key Events Fairplay, Colorado — Birthplace of pack burro racing, 1949. Annual race to the top of Mosquito Pass. Part of Burro Days festival. Leadville, Colorado — Flagship race, centerpiece of Boom Days festival. Shane completed 150 miles of the Colorado Trail before racing here with Comet. Tombstone, Arizona — One of Shane's favorite venues. Incredible burro race with strong historic atmosphere. Ruidoso and Silver City, New Mexico — Fall races on the New Mexico circuit. International — A race ran in France two years ago. The circuit is growing. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Shane Weigand is the founder and chief burro wrangler of New Mexico Pack Burros, based outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. A former wildland firefighter and wildlife biologist who managed public lands in New Mexico, Shane picked up his first burro off Craigslist about ten years ago and has since built a community business centered on pack burro packing trips, wilderness clinics, burro racing, and the book Backcountry Burro: Your Guide to Packing Burros and Donkeys in the Backcountry. He currently owns six burros of all three size classes, directs five pack burro races on the Southwest racing circuit, and runs a tequila burro at weddings on the side. Links & Resources New Mexico Pack Burros — Website: https://www.newmexicopackburros.com Backcountry Burro: Your Guide to Packing Burros and Donkeys in the Backcountry — Shane's book. Available on Amazon or signed with a sticker from the website. Garage Grown Gear — Ultralight backpacking gear supporting small and cottage brands. Sponsors this episode. Free shipping on orders over $40. Six Moon Designs — Ultralight backpacking gear. Sponsors the Trailblazer's Toolkit segment. Triple Crown Coffee — Fine coffee supporting national scenic trail preservation. $1 per pound donated to trail nonprofits. Sponsors the Hiking Poll. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio.   Part 2 drops in 10 minutes. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Full Traverse is a new long-form narrative format on Hiker Trash Radio. Each episode draws from multiple years of conversations with a single guest to tell the complete story: where they started, what shaped them, and who they became. This is Episode 1. Guest: Christine Reed, trail name Lady Unicorn, author, thru-hiker, FKT holder, and founder of Rugged Outdoorswoman Publishing. Book: Alone in Wonderland: Longing for Connection and Adventure in the Shadow of Mount Rainier, Christine's debut memoir, originally self-published in 2021 and re-released in April 2026 through Rocky Mountain Books. The new edition includes an afterword written five years after the original. Available wherever books are sold. Also mentioned: Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Christine's anthology of women's outdoor stories, featuring 26 contributors. Winner of the BAMF Award at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. Bethany Adams: FKT holder and author of her own memoir published through Rugged Outdoorswoman Publishing in March 2026. Trails featured in this episode: Appalachian Trail Wonderland Trail, Mount Rainier National Park Colorado Trail Long Trail, Vermont Ouachita Trail, Arkansas Womble Trail, Arkansas Mount Whitney, California POTS: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. A form of dysautonomia affecting the autonomic nervous system. Christine was diagnosed in 2020 after living with symptoms her entire life. For more information: dysautonomia.org FKT: Fastest Known Time. An informal record-keeping system for completing trails or routes. Records are tracked at fastestknowntime.com and are open to anyone. Follow Christine: Instagram: @ruggedoutdoorswoman Website: aloneinwonderland.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Shane Weigand is the founder of New Mexico Pack Burros, based outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. A former wildland firefighter and wildlife biologist who spent his career managing public lands, Shane picked up his first burro off Craigslist about ten years ago and has since built a community-driven business around backcountry packing trips, wilderness clinics, pack burro racing, and the book Backcountry Burro: Your Guide to Packing Burros and Donkeys in the Backcountry. He currently owns six burros of all three size classes — miniature, standard, and mammoth — and directs five races on the Southwest pack burro racing circuit. New Mexico Pack Burros is in its first year of guided multi-day expeditions in the Pecos Wilderness. Episode Highlights The Craigslist Burro Donkey, Burro, Mule — The Definitive Guide Why Burros — The Practical Case Pack Burro Racing The Guided Expedition The History the Horse Didn't Write The Water Stories Comet — He's Family Links & Resources New Mexico Pack Burros — Website: https://www.newmexicopackburros.com New Mexico Pack Burros — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newmexicopackburros BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro Backcountry Burro: Your Guide to Packing Burros and Donkeys in the Backcountry — Shane's book. Available on Amazon or order signed with a sticker from newmexicopackburros.com. Unbranded — Adventure documentary following a group of men who trained wild mustangs and rode from Mexico to Canada. Available free on YouTube. Shane's media recommendation. Strong cinematography and a fair treatment of the wild horse and burro issue on public lands. Pack Burro Racing — Key Events Fairplay, Colorado — Birthplace of pack burro racing, 1949. Annual race to the top of Mosquito Pass. Part of Burro Days festival. Leadville, Colorado — Flagship race. Centerpiece of Boom Days. Shane completed 150 miles of the Colorado Trail before racing here with Comet. Tombstone, Arizona — One of Shane's favorite venues on the circuit. Ruidoso and Silver City, New Mexico — Fall circuit races. Full circuit — 20 to 30 races annually across the Southwest. Season runs January through fall. A race ran in France two years ago. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio. The full interview with Shane drops Wednesday in two parts. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guests Featured Richard Shannon Zambia: first Zambian to run the Barkley Marathons Isobel Ross Australian at her third Barkley attempt Elizabeth Bespalov Isobel's daughter, crew member, learned about the race at age 5 Ben Wernick South Wales, ran despite near-fatal rhabdomyolysis two weeks prior Chris Fisher Former Navy SEAL Hell Week, on 'elective suffering' Kelly Halpin 3D model of Frozen Head, trained with nightmares about topo lines Brian Ralph Kelly's crew, the Indy car pit stop analogy Tomo Ihara From Japan on his sixth Barkley attempt John Clark Ten years working toward this start Kris Rugloski First-ever DNF, at the Barkley Dena Carr Runner, pre-race conversation Key Themes Who the Barkley selects for: the application process as first filter Elective suffering: the philosophy connecting SEAL training, ultra running, and the Barkley Crewing at a race with no information, the unique anxiety of waiting at the gate How people arrive at the Barkley from completely different corners of the world The post-race reckoning: pride, disappointment, and the immediate question of whether to come back Standout Moment Elizabeth Bespalov: 'I first learned about this race when I was maybe five or six. I'd fallen asleep in the car and when I woke up, all I heard was that the race was about books. And I was just enthralled because I loved books. I was like, this is the best race ever, mom.' Series Context Bonus Episode 02 of 06. Follows Ground Zero at the 2025 Barkley Marathons. Next episode: 99 Seconds - Jasmine Paris. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our 2026 Pacific Crest Trail correspondent Austen Goring made it 76 miles before a mysterious ankle injury forced him off the trail. In this episode, Doc sits down with Austen to talk about what happened out there — the physical toll of a desert that doesn't negotiate, the emotional weight of stepping off a dream, and the strange, coyote-adjacent ending to his first attempt at the PCT. In this episode: The lead-up to the trail — gear prep, resupply boxes, and that last restaurant dinner Life in the desert: solo hiking, deep thoughts, and an urgent craving for fruit How the ankle injury developed — and why Austen kept going anyway The decision to step off trail, and the guilt that came with it A missing shoe, a suspected coyote, and one very clear sign from the universe What Austen would do differently — and why 2027 is already on the radar Mentioned in this episode: Chris "Winslow Walks" Anderson, former HTR guest FarOut app Kennedy Meadows Julian, CA Sponsors: Six Moon Designs | Triple Crown Coffee | Off the Trail Recreation | Hilltop Packs | Vera Watches | Far Out | Garage Grown Gear | Jolly Gear Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Will Roquemore — trail name Last Strap — is a fourth-generation Idahoan, PCT class of 2025 finisher, and full-time Prius nomad based in Boise, Idaho. He produces hiking content on YouTube at Sucker for Side Quests and is currently editing his PCT series. He hiked the first 50 miles of the Arizona Trail in March before tapping out due to record heat and body burnout after the PCT. What's Covered in Part 2 The Breakup — Five Days In The Hot Take — Thru-Hiking Is Not Therapy Prius Life — The Philosophy Nomad Gatherings and Skooliepalooza The Best Hitch — Gunner the Chihuahua The Trail Romance Warning Post-Trail Depression and the AZT The Dad Story — Harts Pass Hiking Hacks — Three for the Price of One Off the Beaten Path Pay It Forward — SPONC Idaho Hot Springs Links & Resources Sucker for Side Quests — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuckerForSideQuests Liz Kidder (Handstand) — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LizKidder Dean's List (Forerunner) — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeansListHiking SPONC — Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer: https://www.spohnc.org Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio.   Leave a review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 60 seconds and makes a real difference. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.