Welcome to the Just Trek Podcast — where elevation is our recreation. Hosted by Justin "Justroc" Rimon, the Just Trek Podcast features inspiring conversations with hikers, backpackers, wildlife photographers, outdoor entrepreneurs, conservationists, solo travelers, and everyday adventurers. Rooted in the LA & SoCal outdoor community while sharing stories from around the country + world, each episode delivers hiking tips, outdoor inspiration, trail recommendations, mental wellness, and…
In this solo episode special, I head deep into California’s Sierra Nevada to take on two incredible peaks that live in the shadow of their more famous neighbors: Cloud’s Rest and Mount Langley . Just 2 weeks apart, I day hiked Cloud’s Rest in Yosemite, standing at 9,926 feet and looking down on Half Dome, a summit I’ve completed twice - before heading to the Eastern Sierra for a massive 22+ mile…
In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series, I chat with Gina Franco, a SoCal based marathon runner, breast cancer survivor, and new to hiking convert, about her first Colorado 14er attempt on Mount Shavano (14,230 ft) with her 18 yr old son Dylan - a summit push that turned into a life threatening descent just two weeks before this recording. Gina shares how receiving a Mount Whitney…
On this episode, I am joined by a SoCal based outdoor adventurer, solo backpacker, traveler, community builder, outdoor creator, and founder of Les Ventures - Melanie Daisy. We dive into Mel's outdoor roots from boulder hopping in the Mojave Desert with her mom as a kid to discovering trail maintenance in Laguna Canyon as a source of healing during a difficult divorce. That connection to the land…
On this episode, I sat down with a bunch of damn Fools! And what I mean by that is they’re all participants of the legendary Fool’s Traverse Challenge. Back on Saturday, June 13th, our good friends over at TRVRS Outdoors hosted their infamous Fool’s Traverse — an absolutely brutal 11 peak endurance challenge through the mountains of the Mount Baldy region. If you’re a longtime listener of the pod,…
On this episode, I sit down with LA based visual artist, illustrator, climate strategist, birder, wildlife photographer, and outdoor adventurer Valeree Catangay at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Los Angeles, California. Val takes me through her Long Beach roots, how Animal Planet and Tree Musketeers sparked her love for nature, and a formative Earth Watch scholarship trip to Texas studying…
On this episode, I sit down with LA based outdoor adventurer, award-winning writer/editor, and Basecamp Outdoor founder/CEO Ali Carr at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Ali takes me through her Southern California outdoor roots - skiing Big Bear, camping, backpacking - then how a year in New York City led her to Outside Magazine and a mountain-filled life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She breaks down…
In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series, I chat with Tyler Wagoner, a San Diego native and new-to-hiking convert, about his Mount Whitney redemption push on June 24th, 2024 - a 22-mile day hike to the tallest peak in the continental U.S. (14,504 ft) that turned into repeated close calls. Tyler shares how he was turned back in 2023 at Trail Camp after being told he was ill-equipped for…
On this episode, I’m joined outdoors in Palos Verdes, California by Corbin Pickett (@outdoorswithcorb), also known as “Brotha Nature” — a SoCal trekker, outdoor creator, community builder, board member of Black Men Hike LA, and founder of Kuji Hiking Crew. We talk about his earliest outdoor memories, how the 52 Hike Challenge became a life changing spiritual “walkabout” while he lived in Atlanta,…
In this volume of the Trails & Tribulations series on the Just Trek podcast, I welcome back Juan Flores (Outdoor Adventures+, Nature’s Palette, Urban Youth Nature Project) as he recounts first attempt of big bad, Iron Mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains near Bridge to Nowhere in December 2021. Starting at midnight on a 16 mile out-and-back, Juan and his friend encounter mountain lion chirps…
On this episode, I release the exclusive recording from the show’s fourth live podcast at the Just Trek Pod's 6 Year anniversary celebration at Happier Cafe along the LA River in Frogtown, Los Angeles. I reflect on launching the podcast during the March 2020 pandemic shutdowns to amplify outdoor voices, then moderated a live panel featuring Rolland Tizuela (Camp Anthropology/Camp Homies), Nikki…
