In the summer of 2018 eleven people ventured into Montana’s Absorka-Beartooth Wilderness on Backpacking Light’s guided Whitetail Trek. They faced snow, hail, high temperatures, exposed conditions above treeline, and unstable footing. On top of all that, they were off-trail almost the entire way.
The point of the trip was to gain the skills and confidence necessary to route plan and navigate off-trail in the mountains. Today’s episode examines navigational strategies and tools through the lens of the Whitetail Trek.
Ryan and Andrew get things started by giving you a brief rundown of the trip before introducing this episode’s guest. Chris Shultz is an M.D., a hockey player, a most importantly (to us!) an ultralight backpacker who participated in the trek.
After the interview, the guys cover a range of navigational topics: tools and resources for finding your way, books, apps, maps, and getting lost. Ryan touches on the planning for next year’s trips, and Andrew introduces a new podcast segment. The boys wrap up the show with a brief discussion of risk management, and Andrew plugs a great book he’s been reading lately. Spoiler alert: it’s a scary one.
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Episode 101 | Take Less, Do More, With Glen Van Peski
Episode 100 | Celebrating our Listeners and Gear for Hiking in the Sun
Episode 99 | How to Hide Your Food from Bears
Episode 98 | Canister Stoves in the Winter
Episode 97 | Backpacking with Dogs
Episode 96 | Building Resilience for Backcountry Adversity
Episode 95 | Natural Fibers in Outdoor Performance Apparel
Episode 94 | Backcountry Cooking + SOS Buttons
Episode 93 | Wilderness Emergency Rescue
Episode 92 | Tenkara, Ultrarunning, and Performance Minimalism
Episode 91 | Fishnet Mesh Base Layers
Episode 90 | Alpaca Wool Baselayers
Podcast 89 | Fall Layering Systems
Episode 88 | 2023 Ultralight Gear Update
Episode 87 | Publisher’s Gear Guide
Podcast 86 | Ultralight Shelter Fabrics
Episode 85 | Backcountry Lightning Risk Management
Episode 84 | Satellite Messaging (ZOLEO)
Episode 83 | Shelter Condensation
Episode 82 | Fabric Repairs in the Backcountry
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