Off the Trails
So many of us venture into nature seeking serenity, solitude and adventure, but some unlucky ones find misfortune instead. We're here to share these stories. Grab your pack and join us as we go off the trails. Join Danielle and Maegan each week for stories of mystery and misadventure in the great outdoors.Presented by Unknown Media
Episodes
112: Disappearance - Chelsea Grimm
In 2023, Chelsea Grimm vanished on a road trip through northern Arizona. Strange sightings, abandoned belongings, and cryptic messages hint at a story no one fully understands. Where was she heading—and what really happened along the way?
111: Trail Mix - Disappearances in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is famous for its granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls, and breathtaking valleys, but over the years, more than 30 people have vanished here without explanation. Today we’ll share the stories of a few who went into t…
110: Survival - Danelle Ballengee
She had climbed every 14er in Colorado in just over two weeks, conquered some of the most grueling multi-day adventure races in the world, and pushed her body beyond what most would consider humanly possible. But in December of 2006, it was…
109: Trail Mix - Surviving the Outback
The Australian outback doesn’t often give second chances. Enduring weeks in the wilderness easily pushes the limits of what humans can survive. With incredible stories of survival sometimes come controversy, questions and suspicion.Support …
109: Trail Mix - Surviving the Outback
The Australian outback doesn’t often give second chances. Enduring weeks in the wilderness easily pushes the limits of what humans can survive. With incredible stories of survival sometimes come controversy, questions and suspicion.Support …
108: Death - Tennessee Colony Massacre
Land disputes, a tale as old as time, have far too often ended in tragic loss of lives for those staking their claims. Land is a valuable and finite commodity, and those who feel they are losing control over it may resort to extreme measure…
107: Death - Jordan Grider
He wasn’t lost and he wasn’t inexperienced. Jordan Grider went into the northern Minnesota woods with supplies, experience, and a plan to spend the winter. Six months later, they found his campsite buried under snow but with evidence of blo…
106: Trail Mix - Disappearances in Yellowstone Pt. 2
Yellowstone is a place of extremes- intimidating wildlife, remote backcountry, towering peaks, and violent geological forces simmering just below the surface. It’s a landscape that draws millions each year, promising awe and escape. But not…
105: Disappearance (Death) - David Gonzales
In 2004 nine year old David Gonzales walked 50 yards to the family car in the middle of a sunny afternoon… and disappeared. For nearly a year, no one knew what happened. And then only a mile away a discovery was made.Support us on Patreon f…
104: Survival - Tom and Linda Bosworth
Tom and Linda Bosworth set out for what should have been a fun off-road day in the New Mexico backcountry- but when their Jeep rolls over miles from help, everything changes. Stranded with scorching heat, limited water, and no way to call f…
103: Survival - Stuart Diver
The ground beneath our feet isn’t always as solid as we like to believe. There’s activity we can’t see. Sounds we never hear. And sometimes, without warning… the ground shifts. One night in 1997 Stuart and Sally Diver along with many others…
102: Death - Heidi Childs and David Metzler
Two Virginia Tech students, a quiet date under the stars, and by morning — a double murder that still haunts the Appalachian woods. Over fifteen years later, the killer has never been found. Today we head to Caldwell Fields to ask: who took…
101: Death - Mike Turner
It was 1998 Reverend Mike Turner set out alone into the wild beauty of Wyoming’s Wind River Range. He had his gear, his journal, and his loyal dog Andy by his side. This hike was a final challenge to close out a well deserved sabbatical, bu…
100: Disappearance - Raymond Salmen
In June of 2013, a seasoned outdoorsman set out for a solo camping trip in British Columbia. When his abandoned campsite was found, a search quickly began—one that would lead to a few clues, a lot of questions, and no clear answers.Support …
99: Disappearance - Nancy Ng
Nancy Ng had found her happy place at a yoga retreat along a lake in Guatemala. That was until she disappeared while kayaking. The hours and days that followed raised far more questions than answers.Support us on Patreon for as little as $1…
98: Survival - David Whittlesey
In 1991, David Whittlesey set off alone to raft the Grand Canyon in winter. When his boat capsized deep in the canyon, he was left stranded — barefoot, injured, and without supplies. For seven days, he battled the cold, hunger, and isolatio…
97: Survival - William Pike and James Christie
In 2007 William Pike and James Christie set off for a night on Mount Ruapehu. As they settled in for the night the volcano erupted and their adventure turned into a life-or-death race against timeSupport us on Patreon for as little as $1 a …
96: Death - Jeffrey Gebhardt
In the fall of 2012, two friends set off for a weekend hunting trip in rural Georgia. They split up– each to their own tree stand. But only one of them came back. Was it murder? A tragic accident? Or something no one expected? The story tha…
95: Death - Rachel Lakoduk
In October 2019, Rachel Lakoduk set out on a solo hike to Hidden Lake Lookout in Washington’s North Cascades. She planned to spend the night in the historic fire cabin to celebrate her 28th birthday. But a fast-moving snowstorm rolled in an…
94: Disappearance - Matthew Greene
In the summer of 2013, experienced climber Matt Greene disappeared without a trace in Mammoth Lakes, California. His car was in the shop, and there was no clear destination or reason for his sudden absence, leaving behind a trail of unanswe…
93: Trail Mix - Faked Disappearances
We all wish we could escape our problems at some point, but rarely does anyone consider taking it to the extreme—faking their own death. It sounds like something straight out of a thriller novel, but these are real cases of people who went …
92: Survival - Matthew and Shannon McGough
Stranded in the harsh Great Victoria Desert, father and daughter Matthew and Shannon McGough face dehydration, scorching heat, and desperation. With no water and hope fading, will they both make it out alive?Support us on Patreon for as lit…
91: Survival - The Stolpa Family
In December 1992, James and Jennifer Stolpa, along with their infant son Clayton, found themselves trapped in the middle of nowhere after a wrong turn onto a snow-covered road in Nevada. What started as a simple detour quickly became a nigh…
90: Death - Paul Miller
The mysterious disappearance of 51-year-old Paul Miller during a 2108 solo hike in Joshua Tree National Park turned a celebratory vacation with his wife into a puzzling tragedy. Despite an extensive search, it would take over a year to get …
89: Death - Aaron Hedges
The Crazy Mountains of Montana are a place of rugged beauty, and unsettling energy. In September of 2014, Aaron Hedges set out on a hunting trip with two friends. But something went wrong. A missed turn. And then—silence. Days turned to mon…
88: Disappearance (Death) - Egbert Rimkus, Georg Weber, and Cornelia and Max Meyer
In 1996, four German tourists disappeared in Death Valley, leaving only their abandoned van behind. Years later, when skeletal remains were finally discovered, the mystery deepened as to what happened in their final days.Support us on Patre…
87: Disappearance - Joseph Wood
Mount Rainier is as deadly as it is beautiful. With unpredictable weather, tough terrain, and a history of disappearances, it’s no stranger to mystery.  In July 1999, Joe Wood set off for a short hike—but was never seen again. Despite exten…
86: Survival - Mark Sorensen and Robert Rusnak
The Sea of Cortez—a breathtaking yet unpredictable expanse of water teeming with life, where beauty and danger exist side by side. In May 1995, cousins Mark Sorensen and Rob Rusnak set out on a daring sailing trip, but when a violent storm …
85: Survival - Tommy Hendricks and Matthew Smith
In November 2006, two teen hikers set out on what was supposed to be an epic adventure up Mount of the Holy Cross. Instead Tommy Hendricks and Matthew Smith, both confident and experienced, soon found that nature has a way of humbling even …
84: Death - Mitchell Dale Stehling
In June of 2013, a man vanished during a visit to Mesa Verde National Park on what should’ve been a quick and easy hike. Despite an extensive search,his whereabouts remained unknown for years—until skeletal remains were discovered in 2020, …
83: Death - Thomas Mullarkey
Bear Valley Ski Resort is a winter paradise in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but it’s also the location of several untimely deaths. In March 2018, experienced skier Thomas Mullarkey vanished during a solo trip, despite extensive searching no…
82: Disappearance - Teresa "Trenny" Gibson
Friday, October 8th, 1976 began like any other for 16-year-old Trenny Gibson, a student at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. But when she disappeared during a field trip, the investigation that followed would leave authorities an…
81: Disappearance - Douglas Legg
After more than two decades of family memories and days spent by the lake, Douglas Legg and his family were spending one last summer at their camp. Instead of enjoying their time together they found themselves in a shared nightmare when Dou…
80: Survival - Donna and Gina Cooper, Jenny Leung
What starts as a simple day trip to a museum in Death Valley National Park quickly turns into a fight for survival when three women get lost in the desert. With supplies dwindling, no service, and the unrelenting heat, can they find their w…
79: Survival - Lincoln Hall
In 2006, Lincoln Hall summited Mount Everest for his second time. The afterglow of success was short lived as he developed symptoms of severe altitude sickness during his descent. After nine hours he was unable to move, and there were no si…
78: Death - Russell Hill and Carol Clay
A secret camping trip in Australia’s Alpine National Park turns deadly when Russell Hill and Carol Clay vanish without a trace. Was it a tragic accident or something far more sinister? As the investigation unfolds, a shocking discovery lead…
77: Death - Nicola Bulley
On the quiet morning of January 27, 2023, Nicola Bulley set out on a routine walk with her dog along the scenic River Wyre in Lancashire. What began as an ordinary day quickly spiraled into a mystery that would grip the nation. With Nicola’…
77: Death - Nicola Bulley
On the quiet morning of January 27, 2023, Nicola Bulley set out on a routine walk with her dog along the scenic River Wyre in Lancashire. What began as an ordinary day quickly spiraled into a mystery that would grip the nation. With Nicola’…
76: Disappearance - Michael Bryson
In this episode, we delve into the mysterious disappearance of Michael Bryson, a 27-year-old from Eugene, Oregon. Michael vanished on August 5, 2020, during a rave at the Hobo Camp Campground near Dorena Lake, leaving behind a devastated fa…
75: Disappearance - Alfred Beilhartz
July 1938, a family camping trip in Rocky Mountain National Park takes a dark turn. Four-year-old Alfred Beilhartz was there one moment and gone the next. No trace, no clear answers, only a series of strange clues and unsettling and substan…