For those who like their podcasts raw, but directly from the source, Backpacker Magazine is now offering a series of podcasts wherein the magazine’s Rocky Mountain editor Steve Howe blabs about his experiences hiking the Sierra High Route in California. Or at least, that’ s what the first page of podcasts embedded into the page here, are about. I listened to several of them and thought they could use a little production work .The audio is poor quality and tinny, but Howe takes them seriously, offering useful, sometimes philosophical, information about hiking. One feature I like a lot is the “track Steve’s Progress” feature on Google earth. A nice touch.
Although they are a little boring at times, hard-core hikers will probably find them interesting for some of the technical info Howe discusses. The first file on the page has Howe pleasantly surprised that a hike he took brought him near a place called Frozen Lake Pass that he’d never seen before. Another has him giving tips on how to properly haul your way up a wall of scree. If I were Backpacker, I’d make sure these got into itunes so that people can subscribe…something they may have done, but that they do not advertise well enough on the site. Also, most people will probably want to listen on their ipods or MP3 players, so you probably want to use the feed if you’re to keep up on this podcast.