Episodes
May 6, 2025
Episode #307 Lagniappe - How Good Are Your Manners?
Whether you are a seasoned hiker or fresh and new to the trail, we could all use a little brush up on good manners on the trail. Links- Hiking Etiquitte from the NPS - Hiking Etiquette (U.S. National Park Service) Hiking Etiquette from the US Forest Service - Bridger-Teton National Forest - Recreation Leave No Trace - lnt.org Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com You can find the Trail Dames at: Our website: Trail Dames The Summit: The Summit 2024 - Presented by the Trail Dam...
April 29, 2025
Episode #306 - Laura Clark
Laura M Clark grew up in Southern California. She moved to Colorado in her 20s, and has enjoyed hiking there ever since. She has summited over 600 peaks above 13,000′ solo, including being the first woman to solo summit all the Colorado 14ers, as well as the centennials. After each hike, she writes trip reports for each one and publishes them on her blog, which is read by fans all over the world. She has been a Girl Scout since she was 6 years old, and a Girl Scout Volunteer for over 20 years, l...
April 22, 2025
Episode #305 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 25)
Lite Shoes tackles the most famous, and difficult, mile on the whole AT! Yep, she has finally hit Mahoosuc Notch! Bio- Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDH...
April 15, 2025
Episode #304 - Ginger DeHaan (part 2)
My name is Ginger DeHaan; my trail name Iris. I'm a mother of eight, grandmother of four, wife of a Chef, and wrangler of three sassy dogs. I also teach first grade at a title one school in upstate South Carolina. Each year I pretend thru-hike my students. Last year we did Bama-to-Baxter. This year, we completed the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT). Next year we will school calendar year Triple Crown!!! From Leave No Trace Principles to Trail Magic, we incorporate as much love and respect for the...
April 8, 2025
Episode #303 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 24)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Lite Shoe, along with many of those origin...
April 1, 2025
Episode #302 - Ginger DeHaan (part 1)
Guest Bio- My name is Ginger DeHaan; my trail name is Iris. I'm a mother of eight, grandmother of four, wife of a chef, and wrangler of three sassy dogs. I also teach first grade in the Piedmont region of South Carolina. Each year I pretend to thru-hike my students. We have hiked Bama to Baxter twice, the Eastern Continental Trail, and this year we are doing a border-to-border school calendar year Triple Crown with time to run the Iditarod. From Leave No Trace to Trail Magic, I incorporate as mu...
March 25, 2025
Episode #301 - Lite Shoe's Tales of the AT (August 22-23)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Lite Shoe, along with many of those origin...
March 18, 2025
Episode #300 - Tami Brooks
Tami Brooks is a freelance travel writer and author living in East Texas. When she's not out on the trails or kayaking, you can find her on her back deck plotting her next adventure. Tami loves to blend her experiences in nature with her writing, sharing her passion for the outdoors and travel with others. Guest Links- Tami’s Website - https://tamis-trippin.com/ Tami on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tamis.trippin Tami on Linktree - https://linktr.ee/TamiB?utm_source=linktree_profile_sha...
March 11, 2025
Episode #299 - Lite Shoe's Tales of the AT (August 20-21)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
March 4, 2025
Episode #298 - Amanda K. Jaros
Amanda K. Jaros is the author of In My Boots: A Memoir of Five Million Steps Along the Appalachian Trail and 100 Things to Do in Ithaca Before You Die. She is the editor of Labor of Love: A Literary Mama Staff Anthology. Her literary nonfiction has appeared in journals and magazines including Flyway, http://Terrain.org , Newfound, Appalachia, and elsewhere. She served in a variety of editorial positions, including editor-in-chief, at Literary Mama for ten years. She lives in Ithaca, NY with her ...
Feb. 25, 2025
Episode #297 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 18 [pt. 2]-19 )
Bio- Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Lite Shoe, along with many of those o...
Feb. 18, 2025
Episode #296 - Amazing Women, Amazing Writers!
We have three extraordinary writers coming up on the Trail Dames Podcast and today we share their stories of Colorado wildlife in the dark, the hope and anxiety of the AT approach trail and the undeniable call of the Grand Canyon. And no worries, Lite Shoe will be back next week!!! Guest Links- Laura M Clark aka Wild Wanderer http://www.wildwanderertripreports.com Amanda K Jaros - http://www.amandakjaros.com/ Tami Brooks - https://www.amazon.com/52-Weeks-Hikes-Reluctant-Life-Changing-ebook/dp/B...
Feb. 11, 2025
Episode #295 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 17-18)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Feb. 4, 2025
Episode #294 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 15-16)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Jan. 28, 2025
Episode #293 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 13-14)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Jan. 21, 2025
Episode #292 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 10-12)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Jan. 14, 2025
Episode #291 - Lite Shoe's Tales of the AT (August 8-9)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Jan. 7, 2025
Episode #290 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 6-7)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Dec. 31, 2024
Episode #289 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 4-5)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Dec. 17, 2024
Episode #288 - Lite Shoe's Tales of the AT (August 3)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Dec. 10, 2024
Episode #287 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (August 1-2)
Bio- Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Lite Shoe, along with many of those o...
Dec. 3, 2024
Episode #286 - Lite Shoe's Tales of the AT (July 30-31)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Nov. 26, 2024
Episode #285 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (July 29)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...
Nov. 19, 2024
Episode #284 - Lite Shoes Tales of the AT (July 28)
Jan Leitschuh was bitten by the AT bug in 2002. With no real backpacking experience, she threw herself into learning, training and stomping down fears and questions that swirled around her preparations. She joined the infamous Pack 31- a group of hikers that met online and named themselves after the date they started, March 1, 2003. This community, built on meetings at the ALDHA Gathering and a thousand online hours, still remain friends to this day and Liteshoe, along with many of those origina...