In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, the Cinnamon Connection catches up with Bill Manning, the Executive Director at the Colorado Trail foundation. We do a deep dive on all things Colorado Trail related, including the best time to hike the trail, the biggest mistakes aspiring thru-hikers make, and the inner workings for keeping such a beautiful trail afloat. Chaunce lets us in on a mega surprise, and we cover the most popular sleeping bags used on the AT last year.
Subjects discussed in today's show include:
- Gossamer Gear Anniversary Video
- Sawyer Permethrin
- Sawer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze
- Chaunce's big reveal
- How to Get to Springer Mountain
- Barefoot Hills Hostel (formerly Hiker Hostel)
- NikWax Down Wash
- DownTek Products
- Ursack
- Loksak Opsak
- Bill Manning interview
- Bill’s backpacking experience - has done full length of the CT split between horse, bike, and hike
- Difference between cycling and hiking route
- Do you notice tension between the bikers and hikers
- How he got involved with Colorado Trail Foundation
- Responsibilities as executive director
- Difference between Trail Crews and Adopt-a-Trail
- Why do Trail Crews cost money?
- What kind of skills does someone need to work on a trail crew?
- The biggest challenges the CT currently faces?
- Biggest mistakes Bill sees people make who want to thru-hike the CT
- Recommendations for dealing with altitude
- NOBO / SOBO/ SWOBO / NEBO?
- How has the trail changed since Bill's involvement with the CTF
- How have hikers changed
- Story of Gudy Gaskill
- Collegiate East vs Collegiate West
- Bill’s favorite section of trail
- What does the future of the Colorado Trail look like?
- What to do if you see a moose.
- What’s the most bizarre story Bill's heard on trail?
- Ideal time to start the trail
- Ctf@coloradotrail.org
- Colorado Trail Photos
- Trek propaganda
- The Top Sleeping Bags, Quilts and Pads on the Appalachian Trail
- TOP BRANDS
- 1. Enlightened Equipment
- 2. Rei
- 3. Kelty and Big Agnes
- TOP SLEEPING BAG MODELS
- 1. Kelty Cosmic
- 2. Zpacks Classic (hybrid quilt and sleeping bag)
- 3. REI Joule and REI Magma
- TOP QUILTS
- TOP SLEEPING PADS
- Therm-a-Rest NeoAire Xlite, followed by the Z-lite
- Fan mail (podcast@thetrek.co)
- 5-Star Reviews
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A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner, Andre Oosthuizen, Randy Harter, and Peter Leven
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