Common Land
The Wild Lens Collective
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About This Podcast
Follows show producer Matt Podolsky as he attempts to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail with his 65-year-old mom, Candy. Matt and his mom face extreme weather, illness, and injury as they trek 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Along the way, Matt shares stories of remarkable people, surprising history, and the modern challenges facing the Appalachian Trail — all as the iconic footpath marks its 100th anniversary. Season two of Common Land was produced by The Wild Lens Collective, in partnership with New Hampshire Public Radio.
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Recent Episodes
S2 BONUS - The Race to Save the Cherokee Language
This bonus episode comes from The Broadside, produced by North Carolina public radio. The Broadside explores stories from the American South, focusing on topics that might not be on the front page,…
S2E12 Appalachian Trail Episode 12: Journey's End?
Katahdin is the Northern terminus of the AT, and one of the trail’s most iconic mountains. As Matt attempts to reach Katahdin’s summit and finish his thru-hike, we explore some of the controversy…
S2E11 Appalachian Trail Episode 11: The 100-Mile Wilderness
Matt enters Maine, the last state of his AT journey, and by far the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail. We explore recent plans to protect large swaths of the 100-mile wilderness - but…
S2E10 Appalachian Trail Episode 10: The Alpine Hut Paradox
Matt, Candy and their tramily continue through the White Mountains, reaching New Hampshire’s highest peak, Mt. Washington. A frustrating experience with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s alpine hut…
S2E9 Appalachian Trail Episode 9: Tramily Matters
While Candy prepares to return to the trail, Matt connects with a fun group of hikers and forms a “tramily.” As Candy rejoins, the group enters New Hampshire’s White Mountains, famous for both…
S2E8 Appalachian Trail Episode 8: Roadblocks
As Candy is forced off trail, Matt experiences numerous obstacles as he tries to continue the hike. He learns of a Native American reservation in Connecticut that threatened to shut down the trail,…
S2E7 Appalachian Trail Episode 7: Climate Change on the Trail
Matt and Candy experience some of the most challenging terrain along the entire AT during an intense thunderstorm. The weather is changing, and that makes an AT thru-hike more dangerous and difficult…
S2E6 Appalachian Trail Episode 6: The Trailblazing Grandma Gatewood
Candy reflects on how few older women she sees thru-hiking the AT, and we dive into the history of Appalachian Trail thru-hikes. This history begins with Grandma Gatewood, the woman who popularized…
S2E5 Appalachian Trail Episode 5: Halfway There
As Matt and Candy reach Harper’s Ferry, known as the psychological mid-point of a thru-hike, we explore how the trail went from simple footpath to a uniquely shaped National Park. The AT’s history is…
S2E4 Appalachian Trail Episode 4: Walking Off the Grief
Matt and Candy experience tragedy on the AT. A friend and fellow hiker loses his life in a tragic accident, forcing Matt to reflect on the loss of his dad, and his reasons for thru-hiking. The AT was…
S2E3 Appalachian Trail Episode 3: Fear and the Chestnut Tree
Matt and Candy hike their first 20 mile day, despite Candy’s fear of injury. There are other things to fear on the trail too - Matt and Candy have their first encounter with a Timber Rattlesnake, and…
S2E2 Appalachian Trail Episode 2: Trailnames and Cherokee footpaths
Matt goes birdwatching on the trail and discovers his trailname. The exploration of trail names continues with another thru-hiker who thru-hiked the AT to connect with the experiences of his Cherokee…
S2E1 Appalachian Trail Episode 1: The Journey Begins
Matt and his mom Candy begin their thru-hike in Georgia. As they begin to get a feel for their new routine, we explore the history of the former Cherokee Nation in Northern Georgia.Advertising…
S2 Season Two trailer
Season two of Common Land follows show producer Matt Podolsky as he attempts to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail with his 65-year-old mom, Candy. Matt and his mom face extreme weather, illness, and…
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: Katahdin
Mount Katahdin sits at the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, in the remote central Maine woods. This bonus episode documents host Matt Podolsky's ascent of this iconic mountain, marking the…
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: Cars Versus Hikers
Navigating trail towns and road crossings along the Appalachian Trail can be a challenge for long distance hikers. Most towns lack pedestrian infrastructure, forcing hikers to get creative when…
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: A Not-So-Perfect Day on Bellvale Mountain, NY
Not every day is perfect, and in this mini-episode we explore one of the most challenging days that producer/thru-hiker Matt Podolsky has had on his Appalachian Trail journey.Advertising Inquiries:…
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: Birding the AT
Birdsong is ever present on the Appalachian Trail, and in this mini-episode, host Matt Podolsky shares recordings that he’s gathered of birds that he’s seen and heard on his AT thru-hike thus…
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: The Loss of a Fellow Thru-hiker
Just a few weeks ago, a 23-year-old thru-hiker lost his life on the Appalachian Trail. This mini-episode is a reflection on this tragic loss.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
S2 Dispatches from the Appalachian Trail: A Perfect Day on Roan Mountain
An update from the Appalachian Trail, in which producer Matt Podolsky and his mom Candy share stories from one of their best days of the journey thus far.Advertising Inquiries:…
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Land has published 37 episodes since December 2019, covering topics in Documentary, Government.
Common Land is currently dormant with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 23m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Common Land, including email and social media links.
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