Hikes and Mics Podcast

S14 - Episode #04 - Cody Taylor

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a touring musician trades the stage for the trail — and starts breaking records?Meet Cody Taylor: former drummer, endurance coach, and unsupported FKT holder of both the Bruce Trail (900km) and the International Appalachian Trail.In this episode of Hikes and Mics, Cody takes us deep into what it really means to go fully unsupported — carrying a 55-pound pack, filtering water from the ground, and sleeping on course while burning more calories than he could eat. He breaks down the brutal lessons learned on the Bruce Trail — hallucinations from zero sleep, back chafing from a failing pack, running out of food with 100km left — and how those hard lessons transformed his IAT experience into something extraordinary.We talk nutrition, magnesium, mental toughness, pack weight strategy, and why dialing in your sleep system changes everything. Cody also opens up about his identity shift from musician to athlete, running a coaching business with his high school sweetheart, and why he's now eyeing an unsupported out-and-back record on Vermont's Long Trail.Whether you're planning your first overnight trip or your next big FKT attempt — Cody's story will make you want to put something on the calendar.Episode Links:Cody on InstagramCody's WebsiteCody on YouTubeCody on FacebookCody on TikTokThis episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @HikesandmicsThis episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

S14 - Episode #03 - Monet Izabeth

Send us Fan Mail700+ miles. Alone. Dragging a sled across Antarctica with nothing but training, grit, and the kind of stubbornness that makes history — and she did. Meet the first American woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. On January 18, 2026, Monet Izabeth made history — skiing solo and unsupported across 700+ miles of Antarctic ice to the South Pole. The wild part? Three years before that, she had never once slept outside in winter.In this episode, Monet traces the full, unlikely arc: from being dragged on hikes as a kid who wanted nothing to do with the outdoors, to a jaw-dropping Facebook message about her great uncle's WWII plane found on Mt. Kenya, to a brutal polar shakedown in Svalbard that left her thinking, "Damn it. Now I have to do it."We go deep on what a goal this size actually demands — over $89,000 just for the expedition itself, two and a half years of all-consuming physical and mental training, and a decision to bet her own savings when sponsors wouldn't take the leap. We also get into the mental game of hauling a sled across a frozen continent alone, her philosophy on summits and why she'd rather you have fun than bag a peak, gear hot takes, tea house trekking in Nepal, and what's coming next (spoiler: a book).Monet's story will make you rethink every excuse you've ever made about not being ready.Episode Links:Monet on InstagramMonet's GoFundMeMonet's SubstackMonet's 2026 Group TripsThis episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @HikesandmicsThis episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

S14 - Episode #02 - Jared “Snackbox” Champion

Send us Fan MailSnacks, Stories, and the Trail That Changed Everything**The first half of the episode Jared's microphone came from his iPods, the second half is from his condenser microphone.**What happens when a college writing professor trades plagiarism cases for backcountry trails? You get Jared Champion, aka Snackbox, one of the most thoughtful voices in the outdoor storytelling space.In this episode, Jared shares how motorcycle road trips through National Parks first sparked his love of the outdoors, leading to a deep dive into backpacking on the Colorado Trail and a life-changing pivot away from academia. We unpack the origin of his legendary trail name (earned on the JMT, snack wrappers included), and explore how he channeled his passion for writing into founding Backcountry Champions Creative Studio, a nonprofit helping outdoor adventurers turn their trail experiences into published books.We talk about the anthology More Than Hope: Lessons from the Colorado Trail, a PCT book coming out this summer, and Jared's unique process for helping first-time authors find the specific, personal stories only they can tell.We also get into the deeper stuff: why storytelling builds community, why the outdoor space needs more diverse voices, and why hiking hasn't gotten old for him the way everything else has.Plus, his ambitious plans to link the High Sierra Trail and the John Muir Trail in one epic trip, and a hard take on earbuds vs. nature sounds that you won't want to miss.Episode Links:Jared on InstagramOutside Comfort Zone YouTubeBackcountry Champions Creative StudioThis episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics AllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

S14 - Episode #01 - Tami and Elise

Send us Fan MailSeason 14 is HERE — and we're kicking things off with a reunion three years in the making.Welcome back to Hikes & Mics! For our Season 14 premiere, I recorded in person on the banks of the Salt River in Arizona with two beloved returning guests: Tami and Elise — first featured back in Season 2.In this episode, we cover:🥾 Elise's life on two coasts — guiding women through her business HER (Hike, Explore, Recharge), REI gear testing, volunteering with the Fountain Hills Sonoran Conservancy, and what "Stay Curious" really means to her.🧊 Tami's wild three years — from knee replacement to the John Muir Trail, Rim-to-Rim, the Enchantments, Tour du Mont Blanc, the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, and summiting The Fang ice climb in Vail on her birthday.🎉 The story that started it all — how the podcast connected these two, and how Tami surprised Elise on the trail during the final miles of the AZ Bootleg 100.🏔️ Enchantments permit tips, mindset shifts, wilderness first responder training, and a round of This or That with Four Peaks as our backdrop.🎥 This is also an official VIDEO episode of Hikes & Mics, now available on our YouTube channel — watch the full conversation as it happened on the Salt River. And fair warning: stick around for the very beginning of the video for a special (and very relatable) blooper — Elise swallowed a fly on camera, and it's exactly as good as it sounds.Whether you've followed Elise and Tami since Season 2 or you're meeting them for the first time, this episode is a reminder of why we do this — the trails, the people, and the connections that outlast any single adventure.Episode Links:Tami on InstagramTami on FacebookElise on InstagramHike, Explore, Recharge WebsiteElise's LinktreeThis episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @HikesandmicsThis episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic AllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order. 

Season 14 Trailer

Send us Fan MailSeason 14 of Hikes & Mics launches March 23rd — and it's our biggest season yet. This season's guests include the first American woman to ski solo and unsupported across Antarctica, an ultra-endurance athlete setting FKTs on some of North America's most demanding routes, a conservation photographer documenting climate-threatened wildlife in the alpine and the Sonoran Desert, an outdoor storyteller and author behind a celebrated Colorado Trail anthology, a community organizer who built a hiking group around craft beer culture, and a cancer survivor turned landscape photographer inspiring others to get outside. Plus — a special video premiere episode recorded in Arizona featuring two returning guests from Season 2. Whether you're a day hiker, backpacker, or just someone who loves a great adventure story, Hikes & Mics Season 14 has something for you. Subscribe and follow along wherever you listen to podcasts. This Season was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeysFollow us on Instagram, @HikesandmicsAllTrails+I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.