Off the Trails

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 12Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

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 offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Some people spend their lives searching for treasure. For mushroom hunters, that treasure grows quietly in the shadows. But sometimes, unknown dangers can also be lurking in those same shadows.Sources:NamUs, Seattle Times, Facebook, Reddit, Your Source One, YouTube - The Missing EnigmaSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

In a small mining town in the Colorado Rockies, a man and his dog walked into the mountains and never returned. Less than a year later, another man working in the exact same location took interest in the disappearance from the year before. Soon he would follow the same trail and he too would vanish.  One mountain, two men, countless theories.SourcesFRNWH Unsolved Strange Outdoors CBSNEWS Chicago Tribune Historic Mysteries Colorado.gov MRA.orgSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

It was supposed to be a peaceful setting—an artist setting up his easel by the roadside, surrounded by the wild, glacier-cut beauty of Washington’s North Cascades. But for days, his car would sit abandoned. His canvas, unfinished. And the man himself—gone. What happened to Alexander Pisch?Sources:Go Skagit, NPS, Fox13 Seattle, KATV, Reddit, Facebook, Websleuths, Strange Outdoors, More Than Just Parks, InstagramSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Some trails are just trails, a good workout, fresh air, a chance to clear your head, and  maybe a nice view. And then there are the other ones. The ones that feel… different. Maybe it’s the way the trees seem to close in around you. Or how the silence gets heavier the farther you go. Sometimes, it’s the way the hair on the back of your neck stands up when you catch a shadow. In this episode these are trails that are beautiful by day and eerie by night.jahernandez.com Portland Ghosts Willhiteweb Find a Grave Blue Ridge Country.com Lexington Virginia Outside Online Maine Trail Finder News Center MaineSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

It should have been a quick flight, just a few hours across the Andes Mountains from Uruguay to Chile. Onboard were members of a rugby team, and many of their friends, and family. Spirits were high, the mood light. But as they crossed into the mountains cloud cover dropped visibility to almost nothing. What would happen next would end or define the lives of the 45 people on board.Victims Gastón CostemalleAlexis HouniéGuido MagriDaniel ShawCarlos ValetaDr. Francisco Nicola, Team physicianEsther Horta Pérez de NicolaEugenia Dolgay Diedug de ParradoFernándo VázquezFrancisco AbalFelipe MaquirriainJulio Martínez-LamasGraciela Augusto Gumila de MarianiSusana ParradoDaniel MasponsJuan Carlos MenéndezLiliana Navarro Petraglia de MetholGustavo NicolichMarcelo Pérez, Captain of rugby teamEnrique PlateroDiego StormArturo NogueiraRafael EchavarrenNuma TurcattiSurvivors José Pedro AlgortaRoberto CanessaAlfredo DelgadoDaniel FernándezRoberto FrancoisRoy HarleyJosé Luis InciarteÁlvaro ManginoJavier MetholCarlos Páez RodríguezFernando ParradoRamón SabellaAdolfo "Fito" StrauchEduardo StrauchAntonio "Tintin" VizintínGustavo ZerbinoSources Rare Historical Photos Britannica Wikipedia BBC All Thats Interesting Mental Floss ABC News Find a GraveSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Today, we’re heading deep into Yosemite National Park- a place known for its stunning granite cliffs, towering waterfalls, and wild, untouched beauty. But even in a place so breathtaking, things can go wrong fast. This is the story of Jeanne Hesselschwert- a woman who vanished on what should have been a simple roadside stop… and the chain of events that followed.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Some places create a feeling as soon you step into them. It’s not just the air or the silence, it’s something heavier, like the land is holding something dark. Today, we’re traveling to a few of those places.A forest at the base of Mount Fuji where the world falls silent.A hidden island where a tribe defends their home from the modern world.An island in the Philippines where the dead rest beneath the sea.A patch of land off Brazil’s coast crawling with deadly snakes.And a tiny stretch of canal south of Mexico City where dolls hang from the trees creating a feeling of being watched.These are the places where beauty, history and a feeling of unease can exist side by side.Sources:Wikipedia - Snake Island CNN Global Debauchery Atlas Obscura. Wikipedia - Aokigahara Survival International A-Z Animals Wikipedia - Island of the Dolls Yamanashi-Kankou Vocal Media Guinness World RecordsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

In February of 1979 five friends set off in a small fishing boat. The men smiling, laughing, heading out for just another day on the water off the coast of Maui. But no one would return. This is the mystery of the Sarah Joe.Sources -Wikipedia Travel News FRNWH Medium 1 Medium 2 Hawaii Activities Maui News Unsolved Mysteries Listverse Dusty Track BlogSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Sometimes the scariest moments outdoors aren’t about what you see - they’re about what you feel. Today, we’re hearing stories from listeners who’ve crossed paths with the unexplainable, from phantom voices to haunted trails to places that simply didn’t want them there.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Crater Lake–impossibly blue, ancient, and eerily still. It’s a place born from fire, shaped by collapse, and steeped in legend. But in the fall of 2006, this sacred landscape became the backdrop for one of Oregon’s most heartbreaking mysteries–the disappearance of an eight-year-old boy who seemed to vanish into thin air.Autism Anchoring Dogs is no longer in operation. Please see below for a list of other service dog organizations;https://www.autismspeaks.org/assistance-dog-informationEpisode Sources;USA Today, Facebook, Autism Anchoring Dogs, Strange Outdoors, People, More Than Just Parks, YouTube, Travel Medford, NPS, Crater Lake Institute, Crater Lake Institute-2Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

The ocean has always been a place of mystery. It gives and it takes, and sometimes, it keeps its secrets. Every so often, a ship is found drifting across open water- its sails torn, the wheel unmanned, meals still sitting on the table- yet no one aboard. From the Mary Celeste in 1872 to modern-day mysteries like the MV Alta, stories of ghost ships have haunted sailors and storytellers for centuries. In today’s episode, we’re setting out to sea to uncover the legends, the facts, and the lingering questions behind some of the eeriest vessels ever found afloat.SourcesYouTube, Smithsonian, Britannica, Listverse, Unilad Tech, History Extra, Britannica 2, NPR, Wikipedia - Kaz_II, Wikipedia - Flying_Dutchman, The Guardian, Strange OutdoorsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

In the fall of 2018, deep in the Idaho wilderness, a seasoned outdoorswoman vanished from a remote hunting camp. Connie Johnson had decades of backcountry experience. For her, the wilderness wasn’t just a place to visit- it was her life. But one October morning, when the hunting party she was working with returned to camp, there was no sign of Connie or her dog, Ace. That was the beginning of a mystery that remains unsolved today.SelwayBitterroot.org, klewtv, IdahoNews, IdahoCountyFreePress, Reddit, UNH, Medium, ListVerseSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Imagine setting out on what should have been a routine dive- clear skies, calm seas, everything going exactly to plan. But within hours, you’re stranded twenty miles from shore, drifting further into the vast Pacific Ocean with nothing but your wits, your dive buddy, and a growing list of dangers beneath the surface.Episode Sources:YouTube - I Shouldn't Be Alive, Neemyd, LinkedIn, IMDB, Getty Images, Britannica, Emperor Divers, Travel Zone, NOAA, Smithsonian, A-Z Animals, PBase, How Stuff Works, Snow Brains, Metro, NASA, EYOS, Google MapsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

This week, we’re bringing you a special collaboration with Outside She Goes. Together, we’re diving into four haunting cases of women who vanished in the wild. From the rugged mountains of Colorado and California, to the unforgiving trails of Vermont and Alaska-Michelle Vanek, Rosemary Kunst, Paula Jean Welden, and Sharon Buis set out into nature and were never seen again. These stories remind us of the beauty, mystery, and danger that live side by side in the outdoors.Episode Sources:NamUs, Strange Outdoors_SB, The Doe Network, KTOO, YouTube - Bryan’s Mysteries & Adventures on Trail, AllTrails, Goldbelt Tram, Strange Outdoors_RK, Find a Grave, WebSleuths, Valhikes, State of California Dept. of Justice, 5280Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Survival can come in a lot of forms. Sometimes it’s sheer willpower. Sometimes it’s faith. Sometimes it’s a stroke of luck. But in some survival stories, the reason people make it home safe isn’t any of those things—it’s their dog. In today’s stories these dogs were upgraded from man’s best friend to hero.Episode Sources:Huffpost, ABC7 NY, The Guardian, AKC, VNews, CBS News, People, USA Today, Today, Petful, The Barry Foundation, Must Share News, People_2, NBC Los Angeles, CNNSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

Glacier National Park. Known as the Crown of the Continent, it’s one of the most stunning—and rugged—landscapes in North America. With jagged peaks, alpine lakes, hidden glaciers, and winding trails that take you deep into the wilderness, it draws millions of visitors every year. But behind its beauty lies danger. The park’s cliffs, rivers, and weather can turn a day of adventure into a fight for survival in seconds.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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!Episode Sources:Utah News Dispatch, People, NPS_Astle, Utah Valley Funeral, NPS_Patil, AllTrail_Avalanche Lake, Nep York, Oregon Live, CBS News, NPS_Tones, GoFundMe_Tones, People, CBS News_Marcuccio, Columbia Mortuary, CBS News_Fuselier, NPS_Fuselier, Brothers Mortuary, AllTrails_Reynolds Mountain, NPS_Glacier, Under Canvas**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.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

American Fork Canyon is beautiful with quiet trails, mountain views, and fresh air. But in 2018, it was also the location of a mystery that lasted more than a year after Jerika Binks went for a morning run and never returned.SourcesRunners World 1 Runners World 2 Fox 13 News Runners World 3 Yahoo News Vocal Media Strange OutdoorsSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.

In 2023, Chelsea Grimm vanished on a road trip through northern Arizona. Strange sightings, abandoned belongings, and cryptic messages hint at a story no one fully understands. Where was she heading—and what really happened along the way?Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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!Episode Sources:Investigation Discovery, AZ Family, YouTube - Truth Be Found, YouTube - Missing Enigma, Dept. of Homeland Security, YouTube - Bodycam Footage**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.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, with benefits starting at the $3 tier!Follow us on Instagram at offthetrailspodcastFollow us on Facebook at Off the Trails PodcastIf 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.