Trail Correspondent Austen Goehring - Follow Up

Our 2026 Pacific Crest Trail correspondent Austen Goring made it 76 miles before a mysterious ankle injury forced him off the trail. In this episode, Doc sits down with Austen to talk about what happened out there — the physical toll of a desert that doesn't negotiate, the emotional weight of stepping off a dream, and the strange, coyote-adjacent ending to his first attempt at the PCT. In this episode: The lead-up to the trail — gear prep, resupply boxes, and that last restaurant dinner Life in the desert: solo hiking, deep thoughts, and an urgent craving for fruit How the ankle injury developed — and why Austen kept going anyway The decision to step off trail, and the guilt that came with it A missing shoe, a suspected coyote, and one very clear sign from the universe What Austen would do differently — and why 2027 is already on the radar Mentioned in this episode: Chris "Winslow Walks" Anderson, former HTR guest FarOut app Kennedy Meadows Julian, CA Sponsors: Six Moon Designs | Triple Crown Coffee | Off the Trail Recreation | Hilltop Packs | Vera Watches | Far Out | Garage Grown Gear | Jolly Gear Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.