Midwest Mountaineering staff step out and start their own ‘Backyard to Backcountry’ Blog/Podcast!

It’s finally here! The three of us got our act together (and mainly I mean Adam, our technical genius, got tired of waiting for me and Steve to figure out the internet) and made a blog. So without further ado, welcome to the momentous Backyard to Backcountry Podcast Blog!

To start things off right, I think it would be worth it for you, the reader, to get to know the three of us just a little bit. A few years back, Steve hired Adam and I (Kevin) at Midwest Mountaineering, an outdoor shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the three of us quickly learned that what we had in common was a deep passion for the outdoors, an insatiable thirst for adventure and wild places, and an intense concern for the health of the environment. Although the three of us came from different walks of life, and our outdoor resumes are vastly different, these common values made us fast friends. It wasn’t long before we started scheming and dreaming of doing a podcast about the outdoors. So who are we?

Steve Schreader, our host extraordinaire, is a Minnesotan whose passion and enthusiasm for the outdoors was fostered over hundreds of trips in Minnesota’s famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. When he’s not paddling he loves to ski, climb, backpack, and is currently starting down the path of alpinism, getting ready for a trip to Mount Rainier. Steve is a wealth of knowledge and experience, and has forgotten more about outdoor gear than most of us will ever know.

Adam Vachon, our east coast transplant from Maine, is our inventive co-host and go-to thru-hiker. When he’s not creating his own ultralight gear or solving our technical issues, you can find Adam out on the trail. His outdoor pedigree includes a thru-hike of the Appalachian trail, multiple paddle trips through the BWCA, and countless backpacking trips. He is currently preparing for a second go at the AT. This time, he wants to complete it in two and a half months!

As for me, your third co-host, my name is Kevin Malloy and I’m originally from Michigan’s unparalleled Upper Peninsula. My childhood was filled with forest adventures, camping, paddling, skiing, and snowshoeing. These days, my passions have grown to include backpacking, climbing, writing, photography, and of course, gear! I have spent the last 12 years or so working on a PhD in Archaeology, and have been fortunate enough to travel all over the world doing what I love. I try to take every opportunity I can to see as much of this beautiful planet as possible. Much of my time has been spent in the Scotland where I fell deeply in love with the Scottish highlands, specifically the largest, most challenging group known as Munros (every mountain over 3000 feet). My dream is to summit all 280 of them (of which I’m currently at 22).

[ Click here to visit ‘Backyard to Backcountry’ blog post archive ]

[ Click here to return to our list of MountainEar blog posts ]