Episodes

  • 137: From Freefall to Everest

    137: From Freefall to Everest
    Jan 21 2026
    Perfect conditions can’t promise a perfect outcome. On November 14th, 2021, the skies over Suffolk, Virginia, were clear, the winds were calm, and everything about the day said go. For Jordan Hatmaker, it was supposed to be just another jump and one step closer to a skydiving license. What started as a perfect day would end in disaster.


    Sources

    Readers Digest Drive Medical Drive Medical 2 Daily Mail The Guardian NY Post

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    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    35 mins
  • 136: A Fatal Fall in the Backcountry

    136: A Fatal Fall in the Backcountry
    Jan 14 2026
    He was a doctor, a father, and an experienced outdoorsman on a long-planned trip into Colorado’s backcountry. It started off according to plan- until he continued on alone. What followed was a disappearance that sparked a massive search and left behind more questions than answers.

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    31 mins
  • 135: Beyond the Mistake - Vance Family Tragedy

    135: Beyond the Mistake - Vance Family Tragedy
    Jan 7 2026
    Compassion is caring enough to see the person, not the mistake, even when you disagree with the choices they made. As I share today's story, you will have opinions. Likely strong ones. About what they shouldn’t have done. About what they could’ve done differently. About what you would’ve done if they were your family, but passing judgement doesn't bring anyone back to life.

    Sources

    Reddit CBS News The Independent Axios The Guardian Business Insider

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

    Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcast

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    43 mins
  • 134: Lost at White Wolf - The Disappearance of Peter Jackson

    134: Lost at White Wolf - The Disappearance of Peter Jackson
    Dec 30 2025
    Yosemite is a place people go to disappear into nature. Granite walls, endless forests, and trails that seem to stretch forever. But for some, disappearing quickly changes to missing. And in September of 2016, that’s what happened to one hiker. A remote campground. A solo hike. And no answers. This is the story of Peter Fancher Jackson.

    Sources:
    NamUs, NPS, Charley Project, Your Central Valley, Reddit, Medium, More Than Just Parks, YouTube - Northern Crimes, YouTube - The Missing Enigma

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    46 mins
  • 133: Some Heroes Wear Mittens & A Rain Jacket

    133: Some Heroes Wear Mittens & A Rain Jacket
    Dec 23 2025
    One minute, you’ve just picked up dinner and you’re on your way home. The next, the road ahead of you is completely obscured by snow. No matter how well your vehicle handles in snow or how close to home you might be, no one can drive in zero visibility.

    Sources:
    Remembering Inspire More Reader's Digest CBC

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

    Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcast

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    32 mins
  • 132: The Silverwood Family Shipwreck

    132: The Silverwood Family Shipwreck
    Dec 16 2025
    There are moments at sea where experience, preparation, and even luck mean nothing. Where a single sound in the dark can turn a lifetime of knowledge into pure instinct. Tonight’s story is one of those moments. A family, four children, a dream years in the making—and a reef that should not have been there. This is the story of John Silverwood, the Emerald Jane, and the night everything changed.

    Sources:
    CBS News, Coronado Times, Dr. Akuna Kumar, Godswell Sailing, YouTube - National Safe Boating Council, YouTube - CBS, The Week, Black Wave, Risen Magazine

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

    Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcast

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    46 mins
  • 131: Trail Mix - Deadly Flora

    131: Trail Mix - Deadly Flora
    Dec 9 2025
    There’s something appealing and romantic about foraging and there’s a special kind of calm that comes from working in your yard or garden. But when plant encounters go wrong, you don’t just get a bad taste in your mouth, it could be your last meal.

    Sources:
    CDC, News.com, KSBW, NIH, BBC, MDA State, Food Safety, Bon Appetit, Poison Control Utah, Local 12

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

    Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcast

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    39 mins
  • 130: The Wilcox Expedition

    130: The Wilcox Expedition
    Dec 2 2025
    Imagine this - you're standing on a mountain ridge almost four miles above sea level. The wind is howling, and screaming, and you’re barely able to stay standing. The world around you is white in every direction. You’re cold and you know that there will be no rescue tonight. You’re experiencing a fierce storm on Denali. A place that can be deadly when the weather turns . Luckily you’re only imagining this scenario but in the summer of 1967, twelve men walked straight into one of the worst storms the mountain had seen in decades. Only five returned.

    Sources:
    Outside Online, Explorers Web, Britannica, Wikipedia, AAC Publications, UAA

    Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!

    Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcast

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    If you have your own outdoor misadventure (or adventure) story that you'd like us to include in a listener episode, send it to us at offthetrailspodcast@gmail.com

    Please take a moment to rate and review our show, and a big thanks if you already have!

    **We do our own research and try our best to cross-reference reliable sources to present the most accurate information we can. Please reach out to us if you believe we have mispresented any information during this episode, and we will be happy to correct ourselves in a future episode.
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    28 mins