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The Backpacking Light Podcast

The Backpacking Light Podcast explores the technology, gear, skills, and philosophy of backcountry wilderness travel through stories, interviews, and investigative reports.

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Latest Podcast Episodes
May 1, 2026
Episode 146 | Dirtbag Rich with Blake Boles

Ryan Jordan interviews Blake Boles, author of Dirtbag Rich, about redefining wealth through time, purpose, flexibility, and outdoor freedom. They explore dirtbag culture, careers, housing, relationships, risk, and the pursuit of a life built around adventure, simplicity, and meaningful time outside before retirement.

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April 2, 2026
Episode 145 | Backpacking at Altitude

How altitude affects backpacking performance, sleep, fatigue, acclimatization, and AMS – with practical strategies for planning safer trips.

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March 3, 2026
Episode 144 | Trail Steepness vs. Difficulty

How physiology and biomechanics shape hiking effort across terrain – and why slope doesn’t predict time or energy linearly.

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February 18, 2026
Episode 143 | Managing Fatigue

This episode presents an operational framework for fatigue management in backcountry travel grounded in a non-circular load–fatigue–capacity model. Load is defined as external demand, fatigue as accumulated physiological and cognitive degradation, and remaining capacity as current ability. Risk is treated as the ratio of current load to remaining capacity. The discussion emphasizes field-relevant behavioral levers that reduce load, slow fatigue accumulation, and improve recovery.

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January 19, 2026
Episode 142 | The 72 Hour Backcountry Reset

Why 72 hours in the backcountry delivers lasting mental reset: attention, stress, sleep, and decision-making—plus 24-hour options.

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December 15, 2025
Episode 141 | Hiking at Night in a Blizzard

Critical winter layering, handwear, footwear, lighting, and navigation systems for safely hiking out through a sub-freezing blizzard at night.

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December 9, 2025
Episode 140 | Winter Storm Decisions

Use a six-question framework to decide whether to stay put or bail when winter storms, terrain, and fatigue raise backcountry risk.

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November 20, 2025
Episode 139 | Repair Kits

Learn how to build ultralight repair kits using context, consequence, and capability. Ryan Jordan compares short-term and expedition trips and addresses how to fix shelters, packs, footwear, lighting, and water treatment without carrying excess gear.

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November 10, 2025
Episode 138 | Plan-Focus-Trust

Learn the Plan–Focus–Trust framework and discover how preparation removes fear, presence builds clarity, and trust turns small wins into lasting confidence – a mindset for wilderness travel and life goals.

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November 3, 2025
Episode 137 | The Risk Control Continuum

Learn how to manage backcountry risk using the Risk Control Continuum framework: use hazard triggers, control layers, and field tools like the HEAT and ECG checklists to detect drift, make better decisions, and stay safe in the backcountry.

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