# (Corrected) Trail Correspondent Austen Goehring - Follow Up

An episode of [Hiker Trash Radio](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1497165058), 11 Jun 2026, 24 min.

Audio: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/1385/injector.simplecastaudio.com/6d2da267-75e0-4996-8f52-dc96c283fcb3/episodes/4ee10d3d-f3db-4964-b073-9e8e121f78a3/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=6d2da267-75e0-4996-8f52-dc96c283fcb3&awEpisodeId=4ee10d3d-f3db-4964-b073-9e8e121f78a3&feed=TGxnwCmZ

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.

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