Every walk begins long before the first step. Our Trail 2026 correspondents share how they’ve been preparing for their AT, PCT, and CDT hikes—physically, logistically, mentally, and emotionally. From deliberate zero-prep approaches to 123-sheet replenishment spreadsheets, the range of strategies is as diverse as the trails themselves. One thing they all have in common: the trail has a way of humbling even the most prepared hiker.
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List of correspondents
In this episode, we hear from:
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Hosted, produced and edited by Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin (instagram). Trail Correspondents is a The Trek production.
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