Ep. 512: Creating Your Own Thru-Hiking Route - Erik Schlimmer

Erik is an experienced peak-bagger, long-distance hiker, author (of seven books), and has immense amounts of knowledge about off-trail travel and wilderness adventuring, especially in the northeast of America. He has climbed over 200 remote peaks in the Adirondacks during winter, with many of them not having a trail to the summit. He’s an expert in toponym research (why things are named what they are) and sustainable trail design. All this knowledge and skill has led him to achieve what many outdoor enthusiasts can only dream, create his own thru-hiking route; the Trans Adirondack, a 235-mile backpacking route in the Adirondack mountains that includes off-trail navigation and bushwacking. It’s broken down like this, 182 miles of trails (76%), 50 miles of roads (21%), and 8 miles of trackless woods (3%) to get from one end of the Adirondack Park to the other. His knowledge is vast, his demeanor unassuming, and his attitude superb. I hope you’re as inspired as I am after this conversation with a truly humble legend of trail-travel and development. Don’t forget to buy some of his books at the links below! transadk.com beechwoodbks.com @transadk **ANNOUNCEMENT** ADVENTURE GRANT APPLICATION OPEN  Go to athleticbrewing.com/adventure-grant-application to apply for our first ever $1,000 adventure grant, funded by Athletic Brewing Company!  Follow the link for all the rules and instructions for how to apply! Athletic Brewing Company is a pioneer in craft non-alcoholic beer. They make great-tasting beer for the healthy, active, modern adult. Athletic uses certified all organic grains and only 50-70 calories a can. With IPA, Golden Ale, stouts, and tons of seasonal style offerings. Save 15% by using ADVENTURE at athleticbrewing.com @athleticbrewing AfterShokz, the award-winning headphone brand, best known for its open-ear listening experience. To learn more and save $50 on AfterShokz Adventure Bundles visit asp.aftershokz.com @aftershokz If you're in need of some personalized advice before buying your gear, go to backpacktribe.com. You're not only able to purchase the gear you need on their website but talk with someone with the experience and know how. They also offer gear bundles and free shipping. @backpacktribal Get your insulated Swayy hammock today at swayyhammocks.com and enter code ADVENTURE for 20% off your hammock today. @swayyhammocks CS Instant Coffee is 100% Arabica, they use compostable packaging provides that guilt-free convenience, and is perfect for the trail, office, and fitness. Visit csinstant.coffee and use promo code 'Adventure' for 20% off at csinstant.coffee @c.s.coffee Support the Adventure Sports Podcast by giving as low as $1/month to our efforts to produce this show at patreon.com/AdventureSportsPodcast Call and leave us a voicemail at 812-MAIL-POD or 812-624-5763 or send an email to info@adventuresportspodcast.com Our Sponsors: * Check out Shopify and use my code ASP for a great deal: www.shopify.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy