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Winter trails, fresh stories, and a brand-new season of Hikes & Mics. We’re kicking things off with a special bonus conversation — a returning mountaineer whose journey from the Pacific Northwest to the summit of North America’s tallest peak reminds us what resilience really looks like.

Then we launch into Season 13 with guests who push the edges of adventure and creativity — from a survivalist whose time in the wilderness tested grit and teamwork, and who now brings that same creative spirit into her life off-trail… to an outdoor educator whose path has carried him from the volcanic spine of the Northwest to the desert canyons of the Southwest.

We’ll travel north to the snow-capped landscapes of the Canadian Rockies… hear powerful stories of community and belonging from a group opening the outdoors to BIPOC families… and step into the world of long-distance love stories built mile-by-mile on some of the world’s great trails.

This season also brings reflections from authors, physicians, musicians, founders, and thru-hikers — voices who remind us that the trail is more than a place… it’s a teacher.

Season 13 runs through the winter hiking season — and it all begins December 29th. Lace up… and let’s hit the trail together.

This Season was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys

Follow 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.

Send us a text

🌿 Season 12 Finale: One Year Later with Chickpea — Movement, Mindfulness & Coming Home 🥾✨

For the Season 12 finale of Hikes & Mics, we welcome back Chickpea for a powerful, full-circle conversation—one year after her first appearance on the podcast. In that time, Chickpea has taken bold leaps off trail and in life, becoming a full-time traveler, backpacking and mindset mentor, yoga instructor for hikers, and writer, helping others take their first brave steps into the outdoors.

We dive into a year shaped by long trails and inner work, from Scotland’s West Highland Way to Portugal’s stunning Rota Vicentina Fisherman’s Trail, and her return to the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington—including a deeply meaningful honeymoon hike through the Cascades and Olympic Coast. Chickpea opens up about redefining the idea of home, navigating the tension between constant movement and stillness, and how mindfulness on trail has become the foundation of both her personal life and coaching work.

Along the way, we talk trail curiosities and joys—vino verde and gooseneck barnacles, honesty boxes, birdwatching discoveries, elopement magic, and why Oregon might be one of the PCT’s most underrated sections. The conversation closes with heartfelt encouragement for anyone sitting at a desk dreaming of adventure but doubting themselves—and a reminder that you don’t need to have everything figured out to begin.

🎧 An inspiring send-off to Season 12, this episode is a love letter to curiosity, courage, and coming home to yourself—one step at a time.

Episode Links:
Chickpea on Instagram
Chickpea’s Website

This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys

Follow 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.

Send us a text

🎙️ The Trail Angel With a 7-Course Welcome

This week we sit down with Ben — better known on trail as Paladin — whose story threads together the Appalachian Trail, the PCT, Trans-Catalina sunrises, and a whole lot of good humanity along the way.

From childhood summers tracking animals on his grandfather’s farm to section-hiking the Smokies in college, his path into long-distance hiking runs deep. The AT became home. The PCT became a dream. And somewhere between snowfields and desert rain, a trail name was born from a Western theme song and a code of honor he still stands by.

We talk about postholing misery, trail-family dynamics, the power of kindness from strangers, and how he now pays it forward with legendary Trail Magic — full resupplies, campfires, and multi-course meals for weary hikers.

At the heart of it — legacy, connection, and the belief that moments shared outside can change us forever. 🌄

Episode Links:
Ben on Instagram
THRU-r on Instagram
Hartford County Woodshop

This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys

Follow 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.