# Stalked by a Mountain Lion, a 25-Foot Fall in the Sierra, and Canoeing 2,400 Miles Down the Mississippi with Matthew "Masochist" Hengst (BPR #362)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-228477/stalked-by-a-mountain-lion-a-25-foot-fall-in-the-sierra-and-canoeing-2-400-miles-down-the-mississippi-with-matthew-masochist-hengst-bpr-362
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-228477/stalked-by-a-mountain-lion-a-25-foot-fall-in-the-sierra-and-canoeing-2-400-miles-down-the-mississippi-with-matthew-masochist-hengst-bpr-362.md
Podcast: [Backpacker Radio](https://stenobird.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-228477)
Published: 2026-06-22T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://backpackerradio.libsyn.com/stalked-by-a-mountain-lion-a-25-foot-fall-in-the-sierra-and-canoeing-2400-miles-down-the-mississippi-with-matthew-masochist-hengst-bpr-362
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/claritaspod.com/measure/prfx.byspotify.com/e/mgln.ai/e/441/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/backpackerradio/BPR_Ep_362_-_Masochist.mp3?dest-id=635059
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/backpacker-radio-228477/episodes/stalked-by-a-mountain-lion-a-25-foot-fall-in-the-sierra-and-canoeing-2-400-miles-down-the-mississippi-with-matthew-masochist-hengst-bpr-362
Duration seconds: 12466

## Resource

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Matthew Hengst, aka Masochist, an IT-professional-turned-full-time-adventurer who over the past eight-plus years has racked up 20,000 miles hiked, nearly 3,000 miles paddled, 2.5 million feet of elevation climbed, and somewhere north of 300 diving sessions across multiple continents. Masochist walks us through canoeing 2,400 miles down the Mississippi, the time he fell 25 feet in a remote part of the Sierra and laid there for 15 hours waiting for a helicopter, catching COVID and norovirus back to back at 12,000 feet on the CDT, navigating stealth camping across rural America, terrifying encounters with dogs, and his favorite parts of the Eastern Continental Trail. Matthew also makes a strong case for why the Florida Trail and the Condor Trail are two of the most underrated long trails, and explains why he has no plans to stop adventuring anytime soon. We wrap the show with the devastating news that Timberline Lodge has ended its breakfast buffet, debating whether poop pees count as full pees, a sun hoodie review on a product that's maybe not a sun hoodie, the triple crown of words for penis (with Chaunce publicly soliciting micropenis photos), and the best way to move legos across the country. Topo Athletic: Use code "TREK15TOPO" at topoathletic.com . Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com . OnX Backcountry: Use code "TREK70" for 70% off at onxmaps.com [divider] Interview with Matthew "Masochist" Hengst Matthew's Youtube Matthew's Instagram Matthew's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:45 - Reminders : Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek , subscribe to The Trek's Youtube , join us for Chaunce's live podca…

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