Stay Safe on the Trail: Expert Advice from a Search and Rescue Specialist Mike Leum

Stay Safe on the Trail: Expert Advice from a Search and Rescue Specialist Mike Leum

In this Rise and Wander Podcast episode, I talk with Mike Leum, assistant director of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Search and Rescue, who has 35+ years with the department and 32+ years in SAR; he says LA County had 756 rescue missions in 2025 across eight teams. We focus on hiking safety: knowing your fitness and choosing appropriate trails, making a plan and telling someone (and not hiking alone), checking conditions and weather with multiple sources, and carrying the 10 essentials. Mike explains how iPhone 14+ satellite SOS can send exact coordinates directly to their station and has saved dozens of lives, while devices like InReach can take about 40 minutes to route. We discuss getting lost, hydration, heat risks for dogs, turnaround times, storms/flash floods, snow gear like crampons, and a memorable rescue of a deaf, autistic man. Show Notes: LA County Sheriff Hiking Plan: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lasd/163961_LosAngelesCountySheriff-HikingPlan.pdf [https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lasd/163961_LosAngelesCountySheriff-HikingPlan.pdf] 10 Essentials: https://www.52hikechallenge.com/pages/the-10-essentials [https://www.52hikechallenge.com/pages/the-10-essentials] Cal Topo: https://caltopo.com/ [https://caltopo.com/] Navigation Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0kPQAHkIc [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0kPQAHkIc] GAIA GPS: https://www.gaiagps.com/ [https://www.gaiagps.com/]

Adventure Smart: Education and Safety for Every Hiker

In episode 13 of season four, focused on hiking basics, I explain why education is essential for safe hiking, drawing from my own learning since starting hiking in 2014 and taking courses like Sierra Club wilderness travel, snow travel, ropes, mountaineering, navigation, and more. I recommend learning through classes, books, YouTube, community groups, and resources like REI, the National Park Service, and Leave No Trace, including topics like maps and compass, the 10 essentials, AllTrails, CPR/first aid and wilderness first aid, animal and weather safety, risk management, and starting small, local, and safely whether solo or with groups. Show Links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@52HikeChallenge [https://www.youtube.com/@52HikeChallenge] Facebook Groups: https://www.facebook.com/52hikechallenge/groups [https://www.facebook.com/52hikechallenge/groups] REI: https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN [https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN] Sierra Club: https://wildernesstravelcourse.org/ [https://wildernesstravelcourse.org/] Dr. Rob Scanlon "Surviving the Trail" Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Trail-Rob-Scanlon/dp/1493090127?crid=1C7EV2MFAEAF4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jsSgVyVwP9Vw2O0KfIjXHHr-7qVXpb1-AV-dQAzA8AzOZAZSW8LK38ZOWl84-rMFQq3GuTyiCbWAXebDFYIVtB41CN3q117-vHftoM7rucBYF10KnnluguBT505btE0bKVGWHaT55vYsEiedxkZV8Ac8DVOOYr2qQOn4vgSz9U_JImyRIaW4mHVgVYdprOTt.FGgbGDcPjhEtx0BngaCIRIVFGq0GWt3vwZtWl3_ds3w&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+scanlon&qid=1774914160&sprefix=rob+scallo%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=52hikechallen-20&linkId=7e5c2c8ec5702cad82cfe4959b4385e2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl [https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Trail-Rob-Scanlon/dp/1493090127?crid=1C7EV2MFAEAF4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jsSgVyVwP9Vw2O0KfIjXHHr-7qVXpb1-AV-dQAzA8AzOZAZSW8LK38ZOWl84-rMFQq3GuTyiCbWAXebDFYIVtB41CN3q117-vHftoM7rucBYF10KnnluguBT505btE0bKVGWHaT55vYsEiedxkZV8Ac8DVOOYr2qQOn4vgSz9U_JImyRIaW4mHVgVYdprOTt.FGgbGDcPjhEtx0BngaCIRIVFGq0GWt3vwZtWl3_ds3w&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+scanlon&qid=1774914160&sprefix=rob+scallo%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=52hikechallen-20&linkId=7e5c2c8ec5702cad82cfe4959b4385e2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills Book: https://rei.pxf.io/vPAXrd [https://rei.pxf.io/vPAXrd] Bear Safety Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQR9I8dBvRs&t=4s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQR9I8dBvRs&t=4s] Leave No Trace Course: https://learn.lnt.org/courses/101 [https://learn.lnt.org/courses/101]

Navigating & Planning Your Hikes: Tools and Tips for Success

In this episode, I focus on hiking basics—especially planning and preparation—by defining what counts as a hike, encouraging people to "hike your own hike," and sharing ways to find trails through apps like AllTrails, blogs, books, friends, groups, parks, and local chapters. I explain how to assess hike difficulty using mileage, elevation gain, terrain, and altitude, and I demonstrate map-reading fundamentals like contour lines, map scales, landmarks, and AllTrails elevation profiles to avoid route misunderstandings. I also cover parking, permits, road conditions, backup hikes, public transit options, tracking progress, and taking navigation classes. Show notes: AllTrails: https://alltrails.pxf.io/KjngNx [https://alltrails.pxf.io/KjngNx] REI: https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN [https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN] REI Topo Maps: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/topo-maps-how-to-use.html [https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/topo-maps-how-to-use.html] Hikingguy: https://hikingguy.com/ [https://hikingguy.com/] Dr. Rob Scanlon "Surviving the Trail" Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Trail-Rob-Scanlon/dp/1493090127?crid=1C7EV2MFAEAF4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jsSgVyVwP9Vw2O0KfIjXHHr-7qVXpb1-AV-dQAzA8AzOZAZSW8LK38ZOWl84-rMFQq3GuTyiCbWAXebDFYIVtB41CN3q117-vHftoM7rucBYF10KnnluguBT505btE0bKVGWHaT55vYsEiedxkZV8Ac8DVOOYr2qQOn4vgSz9U_JImyRIaW4mHVgVYdprOTt.FGgbGDcPjhEtx0BngaCIRIVFGq0GWt3vwZtWl3_ds3w&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+scanlon&qid=1774914160&sprefix=rob+scallo%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=52hikechallen-20&linkId=7e5c2c8ec5702cad82cfe4959b4385e2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl [https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Trail-Rob-Scanlon/dp/1493090127?crid=1C7EV2MFAEAF4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jsSgVyVwP9Vw2O0KfIjXHHr-7qVXpb1-AV-dQAzA8AzOZAZSW8LK38ZOWl84-rMFQq3GuTyiCbWAXebDFYIVtB41CN3q117-vHftoM7rucBYF10KnnluguBT505btE0bKVGWHaT55vYsEiedxkZV8Ac8DVOOYr2qQOn4vgSz9U_JImyRIaW4mHVgVYdprOTt.FGgbGDcPjhEtx0BngaCIRIVFGq0GWt3vwZtWl3_ds3w&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+scanlon&qid=1774914160&sprefix=rob+scallo%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=52hikechallen-20&linkId=7e5c2c8ec5702cad82cfe4959b4385e2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/get-local [https://www.sierraclub.org/get-local] Latino Outdoors: https://latinooutdoors.org/ [https://latinooutdoors.org/] Just Trek Podcast Episode with Corbin: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5r3yvFlYBNRkseXjV1XLZr?si=5f6ab2429b9c49ea [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5r3yvFlYBNRkseXjV1XLZr?si=5f6ab2429b9c49ea] 52 Hikes Journal: https://www.52hikechallenge.com/products/52-hike-challenge-journey-journal [https://www.52hikechallenge.com/products/52-hike-challenge-journey-journal]

Navigating Life's Journeys: A Conversation with Traveling Jackie

In this Rise and Wander Podcast episode, I interview Traveling Jackie (Jackie Nourse) about her award-winning, long-running travel podcast, her inclusive "adventure-hungry" audience, and how studying abroad and learning multiple languages launched her travel path. We discuss slow, immersive travel, practical tips for beginners (passport, choosing destinations, booking the flight), and the courage to take the first step. Jackie shares how divorce led to years of nomadic solo travel, women's retreats, and lessons on self-support, and she recounts a challenging chapter living in a truck camper during COVID before moving toward buying a home. Links: REI.com [https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN] for Darn tough socks, NikWax and more www.52hikechallenge.com [http://www.52hikechallenge.com] https://travelingjackie.com/ [https://travelingjackie.com/]

Stepping Into Adventure: The Ultimate Guide to Hiking Footwear

This hiking basics season episode focused on footwear with guest Scott from Oboz Footwear. Scott stresses that foot health starts with proper fit using a Brannock device (length, width, arch) measured seated and standing to account for swelling, recommend limiting try-ons to three brands, and discusses waterproof vs non-waterproof options, traction/outsoles, midsoles, and insoles (including replacing insoles around every 500 miles). We cover blister and toenail prevention, lacing techniques, sock selection (wool over cotton), gaiters, and shoe maintenance with DWR reapplication and Nikwax cleaning. Links: Obozfootwear.com [http://obozfootwear.com] REI.com [https://rei.pxf.io/6yKVeN] for Darn Tough socks, NikWax and more https://dirtygirlgaiters.com [https://dirtygirlgaiters.com/about-us] www.52hikechallenge.com [http://www.52hikechallenge.com]