S8E23 - Calendar Year Triple Crown with Brandon "Horsepower" Weis

·1 hr 13 min·5 clips

Brandon 'Horsepower' Weiss is one of only 10 people to hike the Triple Crown in a single year, starting in dead winter.

The episode features an interview with Brandon 'Horsepower' Weiss, author of 'This Is Gonna Hurt', about hiking the Triple Crown—the Appalachian Trail (2,193 miles), Pacific Crest Trail (2,653 miles), and Continental Divide Trail (2,600-3,100 miles)—within a single calendar year. Hosts Tony and Joey introduce Brandon as a 'superhero' for this achievement, with only 10 people having done it before. Brandon explains his background from flat Northwest Ohio, where he had no mountain experience until a college backpacking trip in 2018 sparked his interest. He originally planned to hike one trail per summer but condensed it to one year due to COVID disruptions, inspired by the fact it had been done before. He started on January 13, 2020, delaying for an Ohio State football game, and faced immediate winter hardships on the Appalachian Trail, including frozen shoes, frostbite, and sleeping in bathrooms for warmth. Logistics involved minimal pre-planning; he texted his parents to send resupply boxes as needed, with a base weight of 10.5 pounds in summer. Physical challenges included losing 60 pounds, foot fungus, and constant pain, but he averaged 30-40 miles daily with few zero days. Key moments include a scary avalanche chute incident in Wyoming's Wind River Range, which he compares to a 'light assault' by a grizzly bear. Brandon emphasizes mental resilience, laughing off bad situations and carrying notes from friends for motivation. The episode covers trail communities, gear choices, and his post-hike recovery, ending with hints of future adventures like the Hayduke Trail.

As heard by us

A winter hiking story built from bathrooms, weather setbacks, and the stubborn pull of the trail.

Brandon "Horsepower" Weiss's story is at its best when it stays close to the unglamorous facts of winter hiking: a night in a public bathroom, lights that never switch off, something cycling on every 15 minutes, and the plain value of four walls, a roof, and warmth.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if winter hiking priorities and a public bathroom shelter sound oddly compelling.

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