Hike

Explore Virginia is a new podcast coming Summer 2025 brought to you by the creator of Hike. Virginia has 43 state parks with more than 700 miles of trails, 24 wilderness areas, 22 national park sites and over 100,000 miles of streams and rivers. Whether you hike, bike, camp, paddle or are looking for a day trip itinerary, this podcast will highlight the best of what Virginia has to offer the outdoor adventure seeker. Subscribe hereFollow on Instagram or FacebookMusic clip credit:"Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Emma of the Hudson Bay Girls chats with Lori about their Boundary Waters expedition. Abby, Olivia, Emma, and Helena will be paddling the Boundary Waters from Grand Portage on Lake Superior to York Factory on Hudson Bay over the summer. They hope to call attention to women and girls in paddling and also the protection of the Boundary Waters. In this episode Emma describes how the trip came about, the planning that went into it, and how friends, family and the outdoor community are supporting their journey. Go follow their journey:Hudson Bay Girls websiteFind out how to Save the Boundary Waters Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Chris Powers hiked from the Northern Terminus to the Natural Bridge area as part of attempting a longer thru hike of the Sheltowee Trace Trail. We talk about what led to him deciding to leave the trail and lessons he learned along the way. We get into planning and logistics (gear, camping, food and water), the hard reality of road walking and its impact on his hike, and the joy found in photography along the trail. We also discuss some of the ways being a climber can help with both planning and executing a hike. Connect with Chris:InstagramPhotographyFind Hike at the Virginia Black Bear Festival on June 7th; come say hi and pick up free stickers and I'll have a few new and exclusive Hike items for purchase. Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Philip Werner comes on the show to discuss his new book, "Hiking over 60: A modern guide to Hiking Gear and Techniques for Active Adults". Philip's website SectionHiker.com has been sharing gear and trail advice for almost two decades. It's a great resource whether you are new to hiking or at the intermediate or expert level. This episode is a great introduction for those new to hiking and we talk about how this new book is meant for both those new to hiking and those who are reintroducing themselves to the hiking world after some time away. We cover topics - Finding Local Trail Systems - Essential Gear and Being Safe- Hiking over 60 considerations- Leave No Trace- Some of Philip's hikes in the White Mountains and beyondBuy the book (Amazon)Hike Giveaway AlertEnter the Hike Celebrates 250k Giveaway here (open through 5/9/25)5 Random winners will be chosen to receive either a Sticker, Yeti Tumbler, Button or HatStay tuned for how you can purchase your own Hike merchandise or send me an email/DM to inquireSupport the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Lori gives an update on her Shenandoah 500 progress after officially making it halfway through the challenge. She chats about:Winter hiking and favorite trails for the winter season, getting acclimated to elevation after life as a flatlander, navigating water crossings and blowdowns, memorable moments on trail Some of the trail links:https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/blackrock-summit.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hawksbill-summit.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hawksbill-summit.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/dark-hollow-falls.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/lower-whiteoak-falls.htmhttps://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/BrownMountain/images/Map.pdfhttps://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/SHEN_BCTrip-Big_Run_Loop_and_Big_Run_Portal_B008-508.pdfPATC Store: https://potomactrailclub.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/potomactrailclub/giftstore.jspMusic Credit: https://thornandshout.bandcamp.com/album/thorn-shoutSupport the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Vegas comes on to chat about his 2023 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail and how those experiences shaped his current life as guide and started his quest for completing the triple crown in long distance hiking. We talk about trail magic, tramily life, gear, and a lot of lessons learned. We touch on other long distance hikes and thru hikes - including his Sheltowee Trace completion and international hike of the West Highland Way in Scotland. Vegas also shares his prep for tackling the PCT this year and what he's looking forward to as part of his trek. Go give Vegas a follow:InstagramYouTubeSupport the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Jessica Cocciolone is the Executive Director of the Shenandoah National Park Trust. She has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars and establish sustainable organizations. Jessica comes on Hike to share some of the projects that the Shenandoah National Park Trust help fund for Shenandoah National Park. SNP Trust projects are wide reaching and touch on every aspect of the park operations and visitor experience. Whether it's supporting the  clearing of overlooks or a scientist in residence who is performing archaeological digs, they are behind many of the programs that make an everyday difference. Find out more:www.snptrust.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SNPTrustInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/snptrust/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snptrustSupport the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Strider comes back on Hike to discuss completing his 2024 thru hike on the International Appalachian Trail (IAT). He started on the Pinhoti Trail and went all the way up to the tip of Newfoundland, though his hike was not always linear. We learn more about that in this interview, including how this hike led to his completion of the C2C (Coast to Coast) trail. We chat about some of the logistics of hiking across the Northern border including: border crossings, hitching a ride, camp sites, hiking during hunting season and resupplies. Connect with Strider:stridernct@gmail.comFacebook - StriderC2CListen to our previous episode about the North Country Trail (2020)Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Brian of Keep Virginia Cozy comes back on the podcast to share updates on what's they've been up to, including corporate & community cleanups and being able to clean up 1,000,000 pounds of trash thus far. We also talk about trail! We cover hiking trails in Shenandoah National Park, The Great Outdoors Challenge in Scotland, Trans-Catalina Trail, and the Wonderland Trail.Connect with Keep Virginia Cozy:Instagram: @keepvirginiacozyFacebook: Keep Virginia CozyWebsite: Keep Virginia CozyCheck out our 2021 episode hereMusic clip credit:"Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com

Best selling Author and Long Distance Hiker, Lauralee Bliss, comes on the show to talk about her experiences in the outdoors. She is a 2x AT Thru-hiker and is currently working on her 3rd hike of the Appalachian Trail as a section hike. With over 10,000 miles of hiking, she has many experiences to share with listeners about her time in the outdoors. We also talk about the founding of the Shenandoah 500 challenge and some of her favorite parts and moments in Shenandoah National Park.Lauralee has written 2 books on hiking and is currently working on a memoir about her time as an Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner.  She spent 6 years working as a ridgerunner in both Maryland and Virginia, assisting hikers and helping promote leave no trace on the trail. She also is a best selling historical fiction novelist who takes inspiration from historical events and her own love of adventure and the outdoors. We chat about her most recent work of fiction which was just released on January 1st titled, "When the Avalanche Roared" which is based on the Wellington, Washington train disaster. Connect with Lauralee Bliss: https://lauraleebliss.comhttps://lauraleebliss.com/blissful-hiking-adventures/ Blissful hiking blog - https://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/New book When the Avalanche Roared - https://lauraleebliss.com/books/when-the-avalanche-roared/Shenandoah 500 - Hike all the trails in Shenandoah National ParkFind out more on the Shenandoah 500 Challenge by joining the Facebook group Shenandoah National Park Hikershttps://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BVfheYEZ4/Music clip credit:"Whiskey on the Mississippi" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast @shenandoahexplorerFacebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com