On today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, presented by LMNT, we’re joined by Stephen Palazzo, aka Near Miss, an Army veteran, hiker, and peak bagger who has completed the AT, CDT, AZT, and Colorado Trail, summited all 58 of Colorado’s 14ers, and cleared three of the seven summits.
This executes the tactic. Stephen guides us through 24 years of military service, from crossing into Iraq in the first wave of the ground war in 2003 to negotiating with Al Qaeda’s number two over a dispute over solitary confinement and a geopolitically very complicated deployment in Syria. He also shares how hiking became what finally led him to put down the bottle, why his post-trail depression was stronger than anything he’d experienced in the war, and a magical moment in the Wind River Range where he looked up at a moose. And, as Chaunce faces his impending move, his mission is to make every podcast an ultramarathon. This one is sure to give you enough content to get you through the week (or year). Also, warning: This episode contains discussions of war, combat, death, PTSD, and alcohol abuse.
We end the show with an article on hikers’ rights, discussing why a Sawyer filter lasts a lifetime but you’re supposed to change a Brita every few months, the Triple Crown of mountain peaks, a new series of hoodie reviews, a detailed mailbag about one listener’s experience on the San Diego Trans County Trail, and Chaunce schedules an impromptu summit of Mount Rainier.
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Interview with Stephen «Near Miss» Palazzo
Timestamps and questions
00:05:25 – Reminders: Check out our new merchandise, get tickets to our LIVE farewell podcast from Chaunceapply to be a guest co-host, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon
00:13:40 – We present the near accident
00:15:50 – What made you start in the army?
00:22:00 – Were you still on your five-year plan when 9/11 happened?
00:26:45 – Talk to us in your drill sergeant voice
00:28:30 – Discussion of Stephen’s time in the military after 9/11
00:40:50 – Did you prefer your more managerial or front-line roles?
00:45:40 – What are the stories you tell about your implementations?
00:49:18 – What was one of your near-death experiences?
00:53:00 – Discussion on post-trail depression
00:55:30 – Post-traumatic stress disorder discussion
00:56:00 – How did you handle your drinking problems?
01:01:15 – Do you have any advice for hikers who want to process something on the trail?
01:06:17 – Chaunce Voice Note Story
01:09:50 – As a drill sergeant, what bothers you the most?
01:14:00 – How many people left in the first weeks?
01:21:00 – Tell us about your Ursack frozen in a tree
01:26:50 – Have you convinced any of your veteran friends to go hiking?
01:28:30 – Was there a moment when you realized that hiking was healing you?
01:35:00 – Tell us about your trip to Ecuador
01;37:30 – Discussion on rhabdomyolysis
01:40:45 – How did you become interested in mountaineering?
01:44:16 – Do you have any advice for someone who wants to save money for an adventure?
01:51:45 – How did you decide to follow the CDT next?
01:56:10 – Is there a difference between the fear you experienced while deployed and the fear you experienced while hiking?
01:58:50 – What are your favorite CDT stories?
02:02:10 – What’s the realest thing about ghosts, aliens and cougars in New England?
02:14:35 – In what time frame did you complete all the Colorado 14ers?
02:18:30 – Discussion about parachutists.
02:25:15 – What was your first of the 7 summits?
02:31:17 – Denali summit discussion
02:38:15 – Fuck, marry and kill: Denali, Kiliminjaro, Aconcagua
02:39:50 – If you had to remove one summit from the list, which one would you remove?
02:43:00 – Discussion about the decision to abandon a walk and the city food
02:49:50 – Tell us about the 13ers you’ve done recently.
02:52:00 – Are you afraid of dying?
02:53:55 – What do you wear in very cold conditions?
02:55:45 – What advice would you give to someone interested in starting mountaineering?
03:03:30 – Do you feel like a different person now?
03:06:00 – Zach and Chaunce get into a fight.
03:12:50 – What’s next on your agenda for you?
03:13:45 – How did you get exhausted hiking?
03:16:40 – Tell us about your Buffalo Wild Wings points
03:23:00 – Stay Salty Question: What is your best view of the backpacking world?
03:25:50 – If you were 18 again, would you join the army again?
Segments
Propaganda Clues: 7 All-Over-Common Signs of Entitlement I’ve Noticed in the Hiking Community per wooden leg
QOTD: Why does a Sawyer filter last a lifetime but you’re supposed to change a Brita every few months?
Triple Crown of mountain peaks
mail bag
5 star review
Check out our sound technician. @mi_chico_pauly/ and your coffee.
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