Podcast Summary: "Is The Triple Crown Of Hiking 'Dumb'?"

The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary
Host: Colin True
Guest: Shantae Salabert
Date: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Rock Fight, Colin and Shantae dig into the motivations and community values behind some of the most cherished—and arguably overhyped—achievements in outdoor adventure, like the "Triple Crown" of US long-distance hiking (AT, PCT, CDT). The episode unfolds with candid, sometimes irreverent banter, poking holes in sacred outdoor cows and celebrating real, sometimes messy, triumphs and fails. From scandals in alpinism to the cultural meaning of accomplishment stickers, the conversation stays true to the podcast’s mission: unfiltered, communal, and a little bit skeptical.

Main Discussion & Key Insights

1. Alpinism Fraud Scandal

[10:13 – 16:09]

• Colin introduces a news story about Italian climber Marco Confortola, accused of Photoshopping summit photos to fake several of his 8,000-meter peak ascents.

• Shantae’s reaction: Frustration at how mountaineering has become an ego-fueled pissing match, lamenting that “it’s always about men and their egos.”

  • Quote [12:45]:
    “I have zero desire to turn my experiences in the mountains into some sort of competition … it’s this whole idea of the mountains as a pissing match of like using them to boost your ego that really bothers me.” — Shantae

• Both agree the competitive aspect of high-level alpinism feeds deceit and unhealthy dynamics, with Colin pointing to the legitimate pressures around awards like the Golden Ice Axe.

2. Nepal’s New ‘Free Peak’ Strategy

[17:32 – 21:39]

• Nepal offers free climbing permits for 97 lesser-known Himalayan peaks to reduce traffic on Everest, whose permit will soon cost $15,000.
• Shantae doubts this will ease Everest pressures, describing it as a “beacon” for those with means. She advocates for discovering less-popular objectives and finding beauty beyond famous destinations.
  • Quote [21:30]:
    “You know what? There’s incredible places in the same vicinity … You don’t need to have a name. Way more fun, too, by the way.” — Shantae

3. Outdoor Fads & Culture: Expanding the Lens

[22:31 – 23:37]

• Both share experiences of getting more out of under-the-radar hikes or alternative routes, rather than re-hiking trophy trails.
• Shantae shares a reflective piece she wrote about the excitement of the unknown in the outdoors, inspired by Sierra expert RJ Secor.

4. Lightning Round: When Nature Strikes Back

[24:29 – 27:14]

• News stories of hikers being killed by wildlife (bears in Japan, rattlesnakes in Tennessee) and a spike in paddleboarding fatalities.
• Conversation shifts to the need for respecting nature, with a tongue-in-cheek idea of putting “Don’t pick me up” bandanas on rattlesnakes.

5. Main Story: The 'Triple Crown' of Hiking — Accomplishment or Ego Trap?

[29:11 – 39:37]

• The main topic examines whether the “Triple Crown” through-hiking achievement is overhyped, elitist, or genuinely meaningful.

• Shantae’s nuanced view: For her, seeing “Triple Crown hiker” in a social media bio is mostly background noise. She acknowledges the achievement, but doesn’t use it as a standard for assessing fellow outdoorspeople.

  • Quote [31:10]:
    “I don’t think more or less of you if you’ve hiked the AT, CDT, PCT or any other trail. I just think you’ve probably done a much better job than I have of prioritizing hiking over anything else in your life. And honestly, I’m a little bit jealous of that.” — Shantae

• Colin critiques the competitive culture and “sticker mentality” (“26.2,” “13.1”), arguing many achievements are arbitrary and can become tools for one-upmanship. He wonders what the intent is behind these public declarations.

  • Quote [32:33]:
    “This is the backpacking through-hiking equivalent of the 13.1, 26.2 sticker on the back of a car. I hate those too.” — Colin

• Shantae points out these labels help foster a sense of community, but recognizes the risk of exclusion and insecurity they can breed.

  • Quote [34:20]:
    “I think for some people it really is about that, it’s about broadcasting to other people—like, hey, I think we might be like the same kind of people. Do you see me? I see you.” — Shantae

• Both agree: The further you go in outdoor pursuits, the less you feel the need to announce your bona fides.

  • Quote [37:34]:
    “The more confident you get, the less you feel like you have to say anything.” — Colin

• Shantae closes with practical advice: Soul search for your motivation before pursuing a monumental outdoor feat; it should be rooted in intrinsic reward, not just public accolade.

Parting Shots

Shantae’s Call to Action: Climate Justice for Katrina 20

[40:00 – 43:22]

• Shantae encourages listeners to participate in Taproot Earth’s Katrina 20 Impact Ride, a weeklong call to collectively move seven miles (representing the scale of Katrina’s destruction and its legacy) in support of community-based climate action.

  • Quote [40:24]:
    “It’s fun to do things like climb peaks and hike long trails for their own sake, but I always appreciate it when people use these efforts to amplify and fund some sort of greater good.” — Shantae

• She also plugs America Outdoors with Baratunde as exemplary outdoor storytelling.

Colin’s Dig at Fourteener Culture

[43:39 – 46:38]

• Colin relays a Reddit AMA by Killian Jornet, highlighting Jornet’s view that California’s High Sierra is tougher than Colorado’s 14ers, poking gentle fun at Colorado’s elevation-obsessed culture and the “arbitrariness” of popular peak lists.

  • Quote [44:47]:
    “The whole fourteener phenomena is completely arbitrary and weird and no one else cares about something they have zero control over, like fourteener obsessives do.” — Colin

• Shantae responds by defending the human impulse to create lists and objectives, sharing a nostalgic anecdote about trying to earn Girl Scout badges as an adult.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mountain Egos
  “Why is it always about men and their egos? … I have zero desire to turn my experiences in the mountains into some sort of competition.” — Shantae [12:45]
• On Outdoor Bragging Rights
  “It becomes a pissing match because it is competitive, because it is people taking things away from each other.” — Colin [14:01]
• On Sticker Achievement Culture
  “This is the backpacking thru-hiking equivalent of the 13.1, 26.2 sticker on the back of a car. I hate those too.” — Colin [32:33]
• On Outdoor Confidence
  “The more confident you get, the less you feel like you have to say anything.” — Colin [37:34]
• On Inclusive Community
  “It’s about broadcasting to other people—like, hey, I think we might be like the same kind of people. Do you see me? I see you.” — Shantae [34:20]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:09] Humorous cold open/banter and episode framing
• [04:44] Leadville ultramarathon records & skepticism about the direction of ultra culture
• [10:13] Alpinism summit fraud scandal and pissing-match culture
• [17:32] Nepal's Everest solution: free permits for lesser-known peaks
• [22:31] Off-the-beaten-path hiking as a richer experience
• [24:29] Lightning round: animal attacks and paddling fatalities
• [29:11] Main discussion: The cultural meaning and relevance of the Triple Crown
• [40:00] Shantae’s parting shot (Katrina 20 / climate action)
• [43:39] Colin’s parting dig at 14er culture
• [46:38] Closing banter

Summary & Takeaways

This episode dismantles the reverence around “official” outdoor achievements, making the case that our outdoor experiences—whether climbing Everest, chasing the Triple Crown, or earning a Girl Scout badge in 2025—are best when grounded in intrinsic motivation and shared community, not status or ego. The hosts urge listeners to expand their definitions of adventure, question why we value certain badges of honor, and, ultimately, remember that the most meaningful experiences often come from the unknown, the local, or the less Instagrammed.

For further listening:

• Send questions or feedback to: myrockfightmail.com
• Support climate action: Taproot Earth
• Watch: America Outdoors with Baratunde

Skip to the main story at [29:11], but the laughs (and wisdom) run throughout the episode.