Hikes and Mics Podcast
Hikes & Mics is where the trail meets the conversation. Each week, host Ivan Orozco brings together hikers, backpackers, and outdoor adventurers to share the stories, lessons, and inspiration they’ve found in the great outdoors. From life-changing summits to quiet moments on local trails, our guests open up about how nature has shaped their journeys—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Every episode blends thoughtful storytelling with a dash of fun, closing out with our signature This or That: Hiking Edition lightning round. Whether you’re a weekend wanderer, a long-distance thru-hiker, or someone who simply loves the outdoors, this podcast is your campfire circle for connection, community, and adventure. New episodes drop every Monday—plus occasional bonus episodes on Fridays. Lace up your boots, plug in your headphones, and join us on the trail.
Hikes and Mics Podcast
From Gatekeeper to Guide: Why He Stopped Hiding Arizona's Backcountry | Christian O'Connor | Backpack Arizona
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🎙️ For years, Christian O'Connor was what he calls a "hardliner gatekeeper", quietly discouraging people from the Arizona backcountry he grew up in. Then he became a guide.
Christian traces the path from a Montreal kid dropped into the Sonoran Desert at age five to founding Backpack Arizona, the only overnight backcountry guiding operation working the Tonto, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. We get into the 2011 Wallow Fire that hardened him, the shift that changed his mind ("they're gonna come anyway"), and why he now believes access is the best chance wild places have.
We also cover why he caps trips at four guests, "the return", that moment discomfort snaps you back into your own body and the biggest misconception about backpacking Arizona (hint: it isn't all saguaros, the Sky Islands climb past 10,000 feet). Christian also ranks the backcountry threats actually worth worrying about, and neither rattlesnakes nor bears take the top spot.
Plus: his brutal first backpacking trip: a yoga mat lashed to a Costco pack, eight unnecessary liters of water, and a machete. The pack photo he takes at every trailhead, the Coca-Cola that carried him out of a canyon, and news on the new Tonto permit opening year-round Superstitions trips this October.
Episode Links:
Backpacking Arizona Website
Backpacking Arizona on Instagram
Backpacking Arizona on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
This episode's music was created by Ketsa, follow him on Instagram @Ketsamusic
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