Learning something new as an adult can be daunting, especially when it's something that a lot of people have been doing since childhood.
On this episode, Naomi Mellor takes us from a beach in Australia to an archipelago in the UK and explores how she got past her fears and pushed herself to take a big plunge.
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In Finland, it’s commonplace to go swimming in the winter — outdoors.
The practice offers surprising mental-health benefits, and it isn’t just for die-hard adventurers. On this episode, we share the story of one woman who started “ice swimming” in an effort to soothe the brain by shocking the body.
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As a nonbinary person, Newt Schottelkotte never felt at home in Appalachia. But then, they went on a road trip with their dad. Driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains, something started to shift. This is a story about figuring out how to be yourself without abandoning where you’re from.
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Sierra Club panel: Diverse Perspectives in Outdoor Media
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Carolyn McDonald's depression had gotten so bad that she couldn’t see a way forward.
Then, one particularly miserable day, she went to the beach — and something happened that she never could have imagined. Something that opened the door to healing and sparked a deep and genuine joy.
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We’ve all had moments when we feel lost. Sometimes it’s literal; sometimes it's emotional. Either way, it’s unnerving. And lonely.
This episode takes us from the deserts of California to the jungles of the Philippines, and explores how one young woman got back on track, when she lost her way, both literally and figuratively.
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When someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, there’s often a flood of difficult emotions. Grief. Depression. Learning to live without hope.
But more and more, people are experiencing that kind of anguish even when they’re perfectly healthy.
In this episode, we bring you the story of a young man named Jacob Erickson, who almost died from climate anxiety — before a pivotal moment in nature rekindled his will to live.
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This season, we’re exploring the theme SECRETS OF THE EARTH.
Each episode, we’ll share a story about an outdoor experience that uncovered new truths. Through introspective personal narratives, we’ll harness the power of nature to make sense out of our lives and give us a fresh look at humanity.
Here’s a little taste.
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Clock time is a human invention. So it shouldn’t be a box that confines us; it should be a tool that helps us accomplish the things we care about.
But consider the system of standard time, first imposed by the railroad companies in the 1880s. It constrains people who live 1,000 miles apart—on opposite edges of their time zones—to get up and go to work or go to school at the same time, even though their local sunrise and sunset times may vary by an hour or more.
And it also consigns people who live on the eastern edges of their time zones to ludicrously early winter sunsets.
For over a century, we've been fiddling with standard time, adding complications such as Daylight Saving Time that are meant to give us a little more evening sunlight for at least part of the year.
But what if these are just palliatives for a broken system? What if it's time to reset the clock and try something completely different?
This is a guest story from the podcast Soonish, first published in 2021.
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NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow
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Most parents would never consider leaving their kids in the dark woods at night, and letting them find their way back. But the Dutch do just that. They call it Dropping.
This is a guest episode from Nocturne, a podcast that explores the night and how thoughts, feelings and behaviors transform in the dark.
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NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023
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“Fallen Sky,” a work of installation art at New York’s Storm King Art Center, is like a moon map etched into a hillside.
On this episode, Tamar Avishai explores how Sarah Sze’s striking sculpture helps visitors pay attention to the world around us — and the world inside our heads.
This is a guest episode from The Lonely Palette, a podcast that returns art history to the masses, one object at a time.
NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023
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Every year, in the mountains of Vermont, a group of ultra runners gather for a 550-mile race called Infinitus. It’s one of the toughest trail running races in existence.
Jordan Wirfs-Brock was no stranger to ultra marathons, but Infinitus broke her: she failed to finish. Surprisingly, though, the failure turned out to be one of the best things that's ever happened to her.
This story first aired in 2016, and it won a gold medal for best independent podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc., or PRNDI.
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Dewey Gallegos and Jessica Flock bonded over their passion for the outdoors. But the thing they had in common was also one of their biggest differences. Their story explores how hard it can be to share the thing you love most, with the person you love most.
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When Sam Anderson’s father invited him to go hunting for the first time, Sam was worried. What if he couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger? And conversely, what if he could? What would that say about him?
On this episode, Sam takes us into the woods of New Jersey and explores the emotional complexity of taking the life of an animal.
This story first aired in 2017, and it won a gold medal for Best Independent Podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc.
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We often hear that “the outdoors is free.” But for Charlsie Shaver, just driving to a trailhead was often cost-prohibitive; hitting the road to explore America’s wild places was a luxury she could only dream of.
On this episode, Charlsie explores what it takes to build the life you want. How do you balance the need for stability with a thirst for freedom? And how do you keep dreaming, when you can barely pay the rent?
This story first aired in 2019.
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Why are some people overly generous? On this episode, we visit with a “trail angel" (someone who offers free food, drinks, and encouragement to thru-hikers on long trails), and we explore what makes a person commit acts of altruism for total strangers. (Hint: it’s probably not what you’d expect).
This story first aired in 2018, and it won a gold medal for best independent podcast from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, or PRNDI.
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Tiffany Duong had achieved the pinnacle of success: she’d finished law school, worked for a big firm in LA, and traveled as much as she could. But she was miserable.
Then she went scuba diving in the Galapagos, and everything changed. Her story is about letting go of your safety net, embracing the unknown, and finding bliss.
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In 2015, Out There host Willow Belden signed up for a 70-mile mountain bike race. She had always liked big athletic challenges, but this time, pushing her limits turned out to be a mistake. On this episode, she shares her story. It's about trying to prove yourself — and learning when to say no.
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How do you decide whether to leave someone for dead?
This is the story of a trip up Mt. Everest, in which climber Myles Osborne comes face to face with one of the hardest decisions mountaineers ever have to make.
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Click here to see the full show notes for this episode.
The number of Americans hunting and fishing is declining, but women are bucking the trend.
On this guest episode from The Modern West podcast, journalist Melodie Edwards finds a sisterhood at an all-women hunting camp—and catches her first fish with her dad.
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It’s healthy to know who you are. But sometimes, defining yourself too rigidly can be problematic.
On this episode, Bo Jensen takes us from the Gulf of Mexico to the Camino de Santiago and explores what happens when you stop forcing yourself to choose a single identity.
SURVEY: What did you think of this season?
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When we lose a loved one, many of us seek healing from the outdoors. But what happens when the weather is bad, and your happy place is miserable?
Today’s story takes us to “the most beautiful beach in Washington State” and explores what can we learn about grief and acceptance when nature is at its ugliest.
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