Tonight we head deep into the uneasy intersection of wilderness, mystery, and disappearance.

First, a roundup of recent outdoor news from America’s public lands, including deadly falls at Zion National Park and a fatal bear encounter in Glacier National Park.

Then we dive into the strange disappearance of Monica Reza, a scientist and experienced hiker who vanished in broad daylight near Mount Waterman in California’s Angeles National Forest. Massive search efforts. No confirmed trace. No answers.

Along the way we explore rugged terrain, wilderness psychology, search-and-rescue realities, and the strange way mystery still survives in the modern outdoors.

Not every trail leads home.

Listener discretion advised for discussions involving death, disappearances, and wilderness accidents.

Takeaways

• Lake Lanier's history is filled with legends, lore, and tragedy
• The lake's cursed reputation is associated with unresolved grief and unresolved mysteries

Episode 1 — “Welcome to The Great Weird Outdoors”

This is where it begins.

In the first episode of The Great Weird Outdoors, I introduce who I am, why I built this project, and what draws me to the strange side of the wilderness. From years spent hiking, working, and living in the outdoors, I’ve learned that not every experience out there fits neatly into a guidebook.

Then we head into South Carolina—to the dark, humid edges of Scape Ore Swamp—where a late-night encounter in 1988 sparked one of the most famous cryptid cases in the United States: the Lizard Man.

A flat tire.
A lonely road.
And something moving fast out of the trees.

This is just the beginning.