Best Mary Cochenour Podcasts (2024)

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46. How to Read the Avalanche Forecast with Snow Science Expert Simon Trautman 1:02:07

2+ y ago1:02:07

1:02:07

Checking the avalanche forecast before you head out into the winter backcountry should be at the top of your safety checklist. It predicts the avalanche risk for your zones and gives you a heads up on worrisome problems within the snowpack. But how much stock can you really put into an avalanche forecast? USFS avalanche expert Simon Trautman says t…

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45. Avoiding Summit Fever with Ski Mountaineers Luke Smithwick and Iain Kuo 1:15:11

2+ y ago1:15:11

1:15:11

In the fall of 2021, ski mountaineers Luke Smithwick and Iain Kuo attempted an unsupported, first ski descent of the world's seventh tallest peak - Mount Dhualagiri in Nepal. They spent weeks advancing to the mountain's 26,705-foot summit, but high winds and increasing avalanche danger held them back from the top. Smithwick and Kuo were forced to r…

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44. Lessons from a Deadly Avalanche Accident with Forecaster Nikki Champion 52:59

2+ y ago52:59

52:59

With avalanche danger rated high in the Wasatch Mountains, two separate backcountry ski parties went searching for safer, lower-angle terrain. They headed for Wilson Glade, a relatively mild slope that beckons skiers when conditions seem too dangerous to head into the steeps. The two groups checked the avalanche and weather forecasts, made a conser…

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43. The Most Deadly Avalanche Season with CAIC Director Ethan Greene 58:39

2+ y ago58:39

58:39

Last year, a record number of people died in avalanches across the United States. Ethan Greene, PhD, Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), looks back at the contributing factors. He says a perfect storm of weak snowpack conditions and stressed decision-making led to last year's high accident rate. Dive into the surprising de…

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Trailer - Winter Safety Series 3:20

2+ y ago3:20

3:20

Last year was the deadliest avalanche season in modern U.S. history. Why was last season so deadly and what can we do to stay safer this year? We set out to answer those question in a four-episode winter safety series to be released December 15, 2021. Stay tuned as we pick the brains of experienced mountaineers, avalanche forecasters, and experts f…

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42. Sat Comm with ZOLEO founder Morris Shawn 42:42

2+ y ago42:42

42:42

It's your worst nightmare. You're all alone, miles from the trailhead, when you trip over a rock and break your leg. What do you do? If you have a satellite communication device, you press a button and send a message for help. Yes, rescue in the backcountry has become that easy. In this episode, Morris Shawn, president of ZOLEO inc, breaks down the…

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41. Thru-Hiking Secrets with Halfway Anywhere 1:09:13

2+ y ago1:09:13

1:09:13

Mac of Halfway Anywhere has been conducting surveys on the PCT for eight years, and on the CDT for four. In this episode of Out and Back, Mac (aka Tyler Fox) weaves his eight years of survey data together with his first hand observations to illuminate how the PCT and CDT have evolved over the past decade. Hint: he doesn’t think it’s all been for th…

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40. Backcountry Coffee with the Pros 45:05

2+ y ago45:05

45:05

Making a good cup of coffee in the backcountry is complicated. You can bring a French press but then you are stuck with hauling out messy grounds. On the other hand, instant coffee is convenient but the flavor often falls short. Professional hikers Heather Anderson, Hiking Viking, Adventure Alan, and Liz "Snorkel" Thomas enlighten us with their fie…

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39. Mike Clelland - Owls and UFOs 45:16

3y ago45:16

45:16

In this very special episode of Out and Back, ultralight backpacking expert Mike Clelland dives into the mysterious world of owl synchronicities — and their connection to UFO abductions. Yes, you read that correctly. It all started with a highly charged owl encounter on top of a mountain...By Gaia GPS

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38. She Dreams of Alpine, Allison Boyle 51:24

3y ago51:24

51:24

Allison Boyle, the face behind the ultra-popular hiking resource She Dreams of Alpine, lays out the big three fears new backpackers often face. She shares her tried and true strategies for overcoming them, as well as why almost everyone wants to back out of their trip right before they start. Plus, learn how she turned her passion for the outdoors …

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37. Life With Fire (Amanda Monthei) 1:04:45

3y ago1:04:45

1:04:45

Wildfire Public Information Officer and former wildland firefighter Amanda Monthei breaks down why wildfires remain vital for ecosystem health, and how humans misunderstand this life force. She gets into the history of wildfire management in the US and how we’ve primed conditions for fires of unprecedented scope. Amanda dives into what we can learn…

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36. Jeep on Fire: Casey Kaiser (Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast collaboration) 50:19

3y ago50:19

50:19

Casey Kaiser, an experienced overlander with a penchant for finding abandoned homesteads in the desert, takes us on a complete misadventure. Thirty miles off the grid, Casey’s fully upgraded Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JKU suddenly caught fire, leaving him stranded in the middle of the night in Oregon’s high desert. Casey made it home safely to tell us w…

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35. Jenny Jurek - Bikepacking in Japan (with toddlers!) 1:01:47

3y ago1:01:47

1:01:47

In August of 2019, Jenny and Scott shipped their bikes across the world, and with their one and three-year-olds in tow, they embarked on a month long bike-packing tour across the mountains, beaches and farmlands of Hokkaido, Japan. The family covered 600 miles and camped in a new location every night while carrying all of their own gear. Tune in to…

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34. A Wedding Proposal 43:52

3y ago43:52

43:52

Maps are like love letters. They enable boldness, and they break down barriers to the impossible. This episode of the Out and Back Podcast is a love letter written directly onto a map. In fact, a map played an integral role in putting a ring on a couple's relationship.By Gaia GPS

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33. Emily Ford - The Ice Age Trail 45:00

3y ago45:00

45:00

After 69 days of walking through sub-zero temps and knee-deep snow, Emily Ford became just the second person, and the first woman, to complete a winter thru-hike of Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail. She also found a new best canine friend in the process. Find out how (and why) she took on this midwestern beast during the toughest time of year.…

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32. Alan Adams - 2.5 Million Vertical Feet 22:31

3y ago22:31

22:31

In 2013, a life-threatening crash in a cycling race sent Alan Adams into a spiral of bad decisions. He quit bike racing and faded into the worst shape of his life. After seven years, Alan finally felt stable in his relationship and job as a Patagonia sales rep. He was ready to reclaim his fitness and ambition by taking on an audacious goal. So for …

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31. The Packraft Handbook with Luc Mehl 36:56

3y ago36:56

36:56

Adventurer Luc Mehl has spent decades exploring Alaska in the most creative ways. He’s skied from Haines to Juneau, ice-skated a 100+ mile route on frozen lakes and seashores above the Arctic Circle, and bikepacked portions of the Iditarod Trail. In 2006, he discovered a much more efficient way to cover miles in the mountains: packrafting. He’s tak…

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30. The Pacific Crest Trail with Barney "Scout" Mann 49:07

3y ago49:07

49:07

Since 2006, thousands of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers have started their 2,660-mile journey from Barney and Sandy Mann’s suburban San Diego home. The ultimate trail angles, the Manns offer to pick up arriving PCT hikers from San Diego’s airport, bring them to their five-bedroom house, feed them dinner, entertain them with music, and teach them t…

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29. Vasu Sojitra 38:44

3y ago38:44

38:44

Vasu Sojitra is one of the most accomplished adaptive athletes on Earth. He’s notched first independent adaptive ascents and descents on everything from the Grand Teton in Grand Teton National Park to Tuckerman's Ravine on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. This past winter, he summited Wyoming's formidable Mount Moran and skied its infamous Skille…

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28. Backcountry Fitness 1:05:45

3+ y ago1:05:45

1:05:45

The days are getting longer and warmer — hiking season is well on its way! But for many of us, nearby trails are still covered in ice and snow. And for many more, we are cooped up in the city or live in geographical regions as flat as a pancake. How can we gear up for summer adventures?Well...personal trainer Billy Gawron of Backcountry Fitness is …

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27. Adrian Ballinger 1:13:04

3+ y ago1:13:04

1:13:04

Alpinist Adrian Ballinger has made a career of climbing the Himalaya’s 8,000-meter giants. Since 2008, he’s summited Mount Everest eight times, including once without supplemental oxygen. He has also climbed other lofty and daring peaks in the region like K2, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Manaslu. In this fun and lighthearted chat, Ballinger speaks openly w…

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26. Matt Segal - Alpine Start 1:03:05

3+ y ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Professional rock climber Matt Segal knew that climbing would never be enough for him. Plus, he was fed up with drinking bad coffee on climbing expeditions. As a result, Segal founded Alpine Start, an artisan instant coffee company, while continuing to raise the bar in climbing.In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Abby and Shanty catch up w…

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25. Sonya and Necota Staples - Valentine's Day Special 45:40

3+ y ago45:40

45:40

After 10 years of marriage, Sonya and Necota Staples reached the brink of divorce. They had gotten so caught up in the business of living that they drifted apart. That’s when these city dwellers tried something new: camping. That one trip changed the trajectory of their lives.In this special Valentine’s Day episode of the Out and Back podcast, Abby…

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24. Luke Smithwick - The Himalaya 500 56:03

3+ y ago56:03

56:03

Shanty and Mary catch up with Luke Smithwick, one of the most prolific ski mountaineers and guides in the world. Smithwick is 200 lines deep into his Himalaya 500 skiing project — a mission to highlight 500 of the most unique and beautiful backcountry runs in the world’s tallest mountains. With more than 75 Himalayan mountain expeditions to his nam…

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23. Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy (GearJunkie) - Backcountry Skiing Gear 1:10:30

3+ y ago1:10:30

1:10:30

If you’re wondering what kind of backcountry ski gear to buy this season, you’ll want to listen to this chat with big mountain skier Sophia Schwartz and Sean McCoy, editorial director of GearJunkie.Schwartz, a multiple top-ten World Cup finisher and the 2013 U.S. Freestyle champion, describes her journey from the mogul course to the backcountry gla…

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22. Bluebird Backcountry (w/ Erik Lambert) 55:54

3+ y ago55:54

55:54

If the transition to backcountry skiing seems daunting, then you won’t want to miss this Out and Back episode with Erik Lambert from Bluebird Backcountry. Bluebird Backcountry is a totally new concept — a ski area without lifts. That’s right, alpine touring only. Lambert says he started the Colorado resort as a way for skiers and splitboarders to f…

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21. Caught in an Avalanche - Bruce Tremper 27:56

3+ y ago27:56

27:56

In 1978, Bruce Tremper nearly died in an avalanche. This incident changed the trajectory of Tremper’s life, leading him to become one of the preeminent avalanche experts in the world. This week on the Out and Back podcast, Tremper (after discussing snow science and avalanche safety on the previous episode) recounts that harrowing tale. He gives a b…

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20. Bruce Tremper - Avalanche Science and Safety 1:14:27

3+ y ago1:14:27

1:14:27

This episode of Out and Back dives into the nitty gritty details of snow science and avalanche risk assessment, as Shanty and Mary talk with renowned avalanche expert Bruce Tremper. Author of "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain" and "Avalanche Essentials", Tremper gives his hard-won and masterful tips for avalanche safety. Tremper draws on his 30-p…

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19. Charles Pitman - Summit County Search & Rescue 57:17

3+ y ago57:17

57:17

We kick off the first episode of our backcountry ski series as Shanty and Mary sit down with Colorado’s Summit County Search and Rescue mission coordinator, Charles Pitman. Tune in as Pitman enlightens us on what backcountry enthusiasts can do to stay safer this winter, including how to recognize and avoid avalanche danger in backcountry travel, wh…

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18. Courtney Dauwalter (w/ co-host Abby Levene) 1:25:07

3+ y ago1:25:07

1:25:07

What drives people to set seemingly impossible goals, and what fuels them to succeed? Shanty and professional ultra runner Abby Levene dig into these questions with the queen of ultra running, Courtney Dauwalter. Courtney is renowned in the ultra running community and beyond for her definitive wins at everything from the Moab 240-mile trail race, t…

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17. Buzz Burrell - "Father of the FKT" 1:28:38

3+ y ago1:28:38

1:28:38

Shanty and Mary review this year’s FKT round up with Buzz Burrell, co-founder of FastestKnownTime.com and co-host of the FKT Podcast. Buzz takes us through the rise of the FKT, what makes a solid FKT route, the allure of the solitary push to set a speed record, and why the FKT has become so popular in this year of pandemic lock downs, civil unrest,…

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16. Grizzly 399 45:15

3+ y ago45:15

45:15

Everyone loves a good bear story. This week, we bring you the tale of Grizzly Bear 399 — perhaps the most famous bear in the world. For more than a decade, Griz 399 has been living in the front country of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Thousands of tourists, wildlife watchers, and photographers flock to the park’s Pilgrim Creek area to catch …

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15. Zach "Badger" Davis and The Trek (w/ co-host Real Hiking Viking) 1:30:31

3+ y ago1:30:31

1:30:31

This week, Out and Back delves into the psychological side of backpacking. Special guest host and previous Out and Back guest "The Real Hiking Viking" joins Shanty to chat with one of Viking’s buddies: hiking legend Zach “Badger” Davis. Thru-hikers may know Badger as the founder of the popular backpacking resource, The Trek. Badger has also written…

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14. Scott Turner: National Parks and Day Hikes 58:44

3+ y ago58:44

58:44

Shanty and Mary are joined by hiker, guidebook author, and licensed therapist Scott Turner. Turner has written guide books to five national parks and well as his home of San Diego County, CA. He shares insight on how to get the most out of a one-day visit to a national park, including insider tips for beating the crowds, secret ways to get off the …

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13. Her Odyssey: An Adventure Across the Americas 1:53:30

4y ago1:53:30

1:53:30

Shanty and Mary catch up with world adventurers Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes and Lauren “Neon” Reed for an update on their journey across the Americas. Hughes and Reed have spent the last five years hiking, biking, and paddling their way across South/Central America, Mexico, and the United States on their non-motorized tour of the American continents. T…

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12. Solo Backpacking with a Stalker 46:33

4y ago46:33

46:33

When Mary Cochenour became a wilderness ranger, she was forced to conquer her fear of solo backpacking. It took some time, but with a lot of practice, Mary eventually grew comfortable camping alone in the woods. That is until she realized she wasn’t alone after all. A man had been stalking Mary even in the farthest corners of the wilderness. Mary s…

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11. Backcountry Foodie - Aaron Owens Mayhew 46:57

4y ago46:57

46:57

In 2017, registered dietitian Aaron Owens Mayhew quit her job to hike the PCT. The only catch: she hated — and hated paying for — freeze-dried meals. Meal planning for a five-month thru-hike felt impossible, as did carrying enough nutritious food. So Owens Mayhew put her culinary expertise to work. Her thru-hike didn’t go as planned, but Backcountr…

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10. Rue McKenrick and the American Perimeter Trail 1:16:44

4y ago1:16:44

1:16:44

Right now, the longest hiking route in America is being designed, mapped, and tested. The American Perimeter Trail circles the contiguous United States to make a 12,000-mile loop of existing trails, roads, and off-trail travel. Long-distance hiker Rue McKenrick dreamed up the route after completing America’s thru-hiking Triple Crown and found himse…

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9. Justin "Trauma" Lichter 58:59

4y ago58:59

58:59

On episode 9 of the Out and Back podcast, world adventurer and author Justin "Trauma" Lichter shares his wildest stories from across the globe. Lichter recounts how stampeding elephants and stalking lions stopped him in his tracks on his attempted thru-hike of eastern Africa and how he successfully completed a 2,000-mile high-altitude traverse of t…

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8. Will "Akuna" Robinson 1:12:04

4y ago1:12:04

1:12:04

When Army veteran Will Robinson returned home from a combat tour in Iraq, he struggled with depression and PTSD. He spent more and more time at home, withdrawing from civilian life and turning to alcohol for self medication. One day, he flipped on the TV and saw Reese Witherspoon wrestling with an oversized backpack in the movie “Wild.” That movie …

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7. Liz "Snorkel" Thomas 58:13

4y ago58:13

58:13

If you’ve ever wondered how much money it takes to set off on a long thru-hike like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, guess no more. In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Shanty tackles thru-hiking’s financial costs with author, gear reviewer, and dedicated long-distance hiker Liz Thomas. Known as “Snorkel” in the trail commu…

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6. "Adventure Alan" Dixon 51:20

4y ago51:20

51:20

Shanty has a deep conversation with "Adventure Alan" Dixon, who inspires all of us to simply put “two feet on the trail” and get out there.A trailblazer of ultralight backpacking and author of one of the most popular and comprehensive backpacking websites available (adventurealan.com), Dixon is widely known for his spec-heavy, detail-oriented backp…

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5. Lifestyle Overland 1:04:35

4y ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Take a ride with Kevin and Sarah McCuiston of "Lifestyle Overland" in episode 5 of the Out and Back Podcast. Known for their full-time overlanding adventures, the McCuistons casually stepped into the sport when they were “looking for something to do” in rural New Mexico. Surrounded by public lands and sprawling open space, the couple quickly became…

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4. Daniel "The Blackalachian" White 57:42

4y ago57:42

57:42

Episode 4 has Shanty sitting down with Blue Ridge Outdoors 2020 Hiker of the Year, Daniel White. Known as "The Blackalachian" in the outdoor community, White tackled his first thru-hike in 2017 when he turned to the Appalachian Trail to get away from a bad break up and burn out at his job.In this episode, White recounts the ups and downs of his AT …

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3. Andrew Skurka 54:51

4y ago54:51

54:51

Shanty catches up with backpacking and navigation expert Andrew Skurka. Skurka started his long distance hiking career in 2002 when he completed the 2,170-mile Appalachian Trail as a novice backpacker. From there, Skurka took his hiking status to the next level by laying down the first tracks on three enormous, untouched routes in America. Through …

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2. Thomas "The Real Hiking Viking" Gathman 58:36

4y ago58:36

58:36

Shanty catches up with free-spirited and fun-focused Thomas Gathman, who picked up the trail name "The Real Hiking Viking" due to his Norse-like beard and his warrior status as a former Marine Scout Sniper. Viking served two combat tours in Iraq before coming home, selling all his possessions, and hiking more than 20,000 miles on America's longest …

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1. Heather "Anish" Anderson 55:00

4y ago55:00

55:00

The Out and Back Podcast launches with Heather “Anish” Anderson, who spells out the complex set of factors that drove her to accomplish speed records on the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Arizona Trail, as well as become one of a handful of athletes to nab all three long trails, some 7,500+ miles of hiking, in a single calendar…

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Mary Cochenour Podcasts

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