HikeStrong Podcast
Episodes
Travel Better, Not More: Insights You’ve Never Heard | HikeStrong | Ep. 37
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most hikers focus on the trail—almost no one understands what shapes the experience before they arrive.What does it really take to create a great hi...
Training for the Camino After a Heart Attack: One Man’s Return to Hiking | HikeStrong | Ep. 36
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hike Strong Podcast, Marcus Shapiro sits down with Joel — a 63-year-old retired physician who went from a heart attack, beta-...
Training for Mount Kilimanjaro at 68: Sibling Summit Story | HikeStrong | Ep. 35
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How do you train for Mount Kilimanjaro at 60+ without living near mountains? Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro isn’t just about summit night — it’s abo...
Who’s Really Behind the Hiking Gear Videos You Watch? | HikeStrong | Ep. 34
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most hikers research hiking gear and watch gear reviews before a trip.You’ve probably watched hiking gear videos before your last hike—but have yo...
Inside the Outdoor Industry: Lessons from REI, Osprey, and Years Filming in the Field | HikeStrong | Ep. 33
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do years inside the outdoor industry actually teach you about gear, preparation, and creating in nature?In this episode of the HikeStrong Podcast...
Swiss Alps Hiking at 63 – Part 3: Planning a Swiss Hut-to-Hut Adventure | HikeStrong | Ep. 32
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Thinking about a Swiss Alps hut-to-hut hike but don’t know where to start? How do you actually plan it—and what do most first-timers get wrong?In ...
Swiss Alps Hiking at 63 – Part 2: From Training to the Trail | HikeStrong | Ep. 31
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After months of training, what is it actually like to hike hut-to-hut in the Swiss Alps for the first time? This is the reality of a first Swiss hut-t...
Swiss Alps Hiking at 63 – Part 1: Training, Mindset, and Starting from Scratch | HikeStrong | Ep. 30
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to train for a Swiss Alps hut-to-hut hike at 63—especially if you’re new to multi-day hiking? For Dave, it became a path ...
Training for Mount Rainier: Blake’s Two-Attempt Journey to the Summit — Part 2 | HikeStrong | Ep. 29
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of this conversation, Blake Hansen returns to Mount Rainier with lessons learned from his first attempt. This episode focuses on what change...
Training for Mount Rainier: Blake’s Two-Attempt Journey to the Summit — Part 1 | HikeStrong | Ep. 28
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, I sit down with Blake to walk through the beginning of his Mount Rainier journey — why the mountain became ...
I Don’t Hate Backpacking Anymore: Michele's Midlife Confidence Comeback | HikeStrong | Ep. 27
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Michele shares how one miserable backpacking experience in Yosemite — a trip that began with a rolled ankle and a 5,000-foot descen...
How Training for Adventure Strengthens Family Bonds | Part 2 – Hilary and Alexis’ Kilimanjaro Journey | HikeStrong | Ep. 26
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2, Hilary and Alexis take us through the final weeks of training, their milestone breakthroughs, and the moments on Mount Kilimanjaro that rev...
How Training for Adventure Strengthens Family Bonds | Part 1 – Hilary and Alexis’ Kilimanjaro Journey | HikeStrong | Ep. 25
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Hilary and her daughter Alexis signed up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, they each trained on their own schedule but stayed connected through shared ...
20 Weeks, 20 Lessons & The MT Sobek Story | Part 2 – Lisa’s TMB Journey | HikeStrong | Ep. 24
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of this conversation, Marcus and Lisa pick up where they left off—digging into the peak phase of her 20-week training plan leading up to t...
20 Weeks, 20 Lessons to Stay Trail Fit | Part 1 – Lisa’s TMB Journey | HikeStrong | Ep. 23
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I had a pretty ambitious goal going into this conversation with my client, Lisa. The idea was to cover all 20 weeks of her Tour du Mont Blanc training...
23 Stairs, a Treadmill & 61,350 Feet: Alicia’s Journey to Kilimanjaro | HikeStrong Podcast Ep. 22
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to climb Kilimanjaro when you don’t live near mountains? And what happens when you decide to do it all over again for the Inca Tra...
What Every Traveler Should Know About Guides | Chris Anderson (Part 2) | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 21
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most travelers walk away from a guided trip thinking, “That was amazing”—but they have no idea what it actually took to make it feel that way.In...
Rise and Fall of REI Experiences | Conversation with Chris Anderson (Part 1) | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 20
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When REI announced it was shutting down its Experiences Division, the internet exploded with outrage. For many, it felt like the company was abandonin...
52 Days on Everest: It Will Break You - Unless You’re Ready. Alex Harz Was. | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 19
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this exhilarating episode, I talk with Alex Harz, creator and star of the captivating documentary "The Quest Everest." Alex shares incred...
Pro Athlete Turned Hiker Tia Banks’s Mind Over Mountains Journey After a Grade 5 Knee Tear | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 18
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tia Banks never laced up hiking boots until her mid-30s—after a career as a pro basketball and flag-football athlete was cut short by a Grade 5 cart...
94K Feet Up, 88 Pounds Down: 30-Day Upper Dolpo Nepal Trek at 67—Stairs, Treadmills & Deadlifts | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 17
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ll never forget the email that landed in my inbox last November. “Failure isn’t an option,” Trudy wrote. “How do I get in tip-top shape fo...
Kilimanjaro Confidence Blueprint: Altitude Adaptation, Route Savvy, Guide Magic | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 16
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve been a fitness partner with Thomson Safaris since 2009. So when I finally got the chance to interview someone from their team, I didn’t waste...
Free 12-Week Hiking Training Plans Helped Matthew Summit Kilimanjaro, Choose Any Hiking Challenge and Train | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 15
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of the Hike Strong Podcast, I'm talking with Matthew, who shares his inspiring journey from feeling unhealthy and unmotivate...
A Hiker’s Story: From Doubt to Determination | Exercise to Hiking-Focused Training | Kili to Backpacking | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 14
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Renee—one of my amazing clients living in Montana at the time of her successful summit, no...
14ers, Everest Base Camp & Kilimanjaro | Your Path to Non-Technical High-Altitude Trekking | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 13
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I sat down once again with Will Burkhart, founder of Badass Adventures, to dive into a new topic: non-technical high-altitude mountaineering. Will was...
Required R2R & TMB Listening, Hiking Training Tips, Dealing with Knee Pain | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 12
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with one of my amazing clients from Maryland, John. He was 62 years old at the time he hiked the ...
Ultralight Wisdom: Glen Van Peski on Gear, Adventure, and Life Lessons | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 11
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Hike Strong podcast, host Marcus Shapiro sits down with a true icon in the ultralight backpacking world, Glen Van Peski. Known ...
Backpacking Training Success with Zero Hiking, Building Confidence for Wilderness Backpacking, Endorsement Episode | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 10
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My name is Marcus Shapiro, a hiking strength and conditioning coach and the founder of FitForTrips.com. Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with one...
Ultralight Backpacking Ideas for Beginners, Tips to Lighten Your Backpack, How to Transition to Lighter Backpacking | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 09
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My loyal audience is accustomed to tuning in to my interviews with hiking and backpacking guides. But today, I'm taking a detour to speak with ...
Kilimanjaro Training Tips, Building Confidence To Summit Kilimanjaro, Endorsement Episode | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 08
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My name is Marcus Shapiro. I am a hiking strength and conditioning coach and founder of FitForTrips.com. Today, I had the privilege of speaking with o...
Sunny Stroeer, Hiking at Altitude Explained, Fueling For Hikes, Trekking Pole Powers | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 07
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Oh, so you don’t know who Sunny Stroeer is? Do you know what an FKT is? Have you heard a clear explanation of how to hike successfully at high altit...
Backpacking Challenges, Discover New Grand Canyon Hikes, Training Tips, Mt. Whitney | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 06
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As you read this, take a moment to ask yourself: Would I benefit from testing my mental and physical capabilities? If you answer yes, I have an altern...
Hiking to Mountaineering How-To, Training for Mountaineering, What are the First Mountains to Climb in U.S. | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 05
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To all you hikers out there who want to give mountaineering a go, this episode is for you. Marcus flushes out some fantastic knowledge from Karsten ...
Half Dome Hiking 150+ Times, Cable Route Technique & Advice, Avoid Falls, Permits | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 04
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's delve into the world of Half Dome hiking, a thrilling Yosemite National Park adventure that requires both safety precautions and a strong d...
Hiking the White Mountains vs Colorado Rockies, Training Tips, Best White Mountains Trails, Mount Washington | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 03
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Shapiro is joined by Dave Fatula, White Mountains hiking expert and founder of Guineafowl Adventure Company. Dave successfully makes a strong...
Tour du Mont Blanc Training Tips, How and When to Hike TMB, Wisdom | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 02
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Shapiro is joined by Mags and Olly - Tour du Mont Blanc experts! They both share a passion for the Tour du Mont Blanc hike a.k.a. TMB. Afte...
Rim to Rim 55x, How to Hike R2R, Training Tips | Hike Strong Podcast | Ep. 01
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Shapiro is joined by Will Burkhart, owner of Badass Adventures. Will has Guided and hiked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim 55+ times and is one ...