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Just Up The Trail

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with Chris Townsend

Season 1, Ep. 1
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Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail // with Chris Townsend


In the very first podcast from Just Up The Trail, I sit down with hiker, writer and outdoorsman, Chris Townsend.

Chris’ book “Rattlesnakes and Bald Eagles” inspired me to move on from single day hikes and mountain days to the bigger challenge of multi-day backpacking trips. I read it one Christmas and by Easter we were hiking the the West Highland Way.


Chris has hiked many miles over the years and written over 25 books about his trips and the outdoors but today he joins me to discuss his 1982 hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, the 2653 mile trail from Mexico to Canada, and the book that inspired me to got out further and longer.


During the conversation we touch on:

  • How a young man from Lancashire finds out about a ribbon of trail halfway around the world, in 1980.
  • Chris’ first encounter with the heat of desert hiking
  • The importance of solitude in the outdoors 
  •  How the PCT defined the next 40 years of his life.


A massive thank you to Chris for coming out to play and being the very first contributor to what promises to be a wonderful library of stories and adventure from the outdoors.



A little more about Chris Townsend

Chris Townsend writes regularly for TGO Magazine and has written 22 books on the outdoors, including the award winning The Backpacker's Handbook. His recent publications feature two long-distance walks he undertook in the USA. Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams documents his hike on the Pacific Northwest Trail and Rattlesnakes and Bald Eagles his 1982 hike on the Pacific Crest Trail as well as more recently, Along The Divide in which he walks 700 miles of the Scottish watershed.

You can find Chris’ writings and musings on his extensive blog www.christownsendoutdoors.com and his books on Sandstone Press here.



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Support The Show

You can support the show at our Patreon Page. If you can spare £5 a month you will help keep the show free for those who can’t afford it and you’ll come away with a general feeling of soundness and kindness.

Links to products mentioned in the show, along with some of the gear we rely on for our adventures can be found on the website here.


Keep in Touch

Keep up to to date with developments and guest announcements on our social media pages as well as loads of extra stuff on the website

Instagram: @justupthetrail

Facebook: @justupthetrailuk

Youtube: Just Up The Trail



Website: www.justupthetrail.com

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