🚨 Survival Starts Before the Trail: Wilderness Safety & Smart Preparation with Dr. Rob Scanlon 🥾💧

What actually gets hikers into trouble on the trail — and more importantly, what keeps them alive?

In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Dr. Rob Scanlon — physician, backpacker, and author of Surviving the Trail: Five Essential Skills to Prepare Every Hiker for Adventure’s Most Common Perils. With more than two decades of trail experience and a career in critical care medicine, Dr. Rob brings a rare and eye-opening perspective on the realities behind hiking accidents, rescues, and preventable emergencies.

Rather than focusing on dramatic survival stories, Dr. Rob makes a powerful case for something far less glamorous — but far more important: preparation. We dive deep into the five critical variables every hiker must understand to stay safe in the backcountry: dehydration, body temperature regulation, falling, drowning, and getting lost.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Rob breaks down the subtle warning signs hikers often miss, the compounding risks of small mistakes, and why even experienced adventurers frequently underestimate hazards like weather shifts, navigation errors, and stream crossings. We explore the psychology of fear versus preparedness, the life-saving value of analog navigation skills, and how wilderness medicine reshapes decision-making under stress.

🎒 Whether you’re new to hiking or planning bigger objectives, this episode is packed with practical, potentially life-saving insights — because the goal isn’t just reaching the destination, it’s making it home safely.

Episode Links:
Dr. Rob Scanlon on Instagram
Buy Surviving the Trail on Amazon

This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

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S13 - Episode #08 - Dr. Rob Scanlon