When British explorer George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, he famously replied, “Because it’s there.” But what if the real answer is simpler and potentially more beautiful?

Today on Open Container, Doug explores the deeper meaning behind Kilian Jornet’s “States of Elevation” project, a 3,200-mile, human-powered journey linking all 72 fourteeners in the lower 48 states. Jornet ran, climbed, and biked his way across America’s highest peaks, not to set a record, but to experience the wild beauty of the mountains.

Joining Doug is Bryon Powell, ultrarunner, writer, and founder of iRunFar.com, who ran with Jornet on Colorado’s Handies Peak and witnessed the project firsthand.

Topics include:

• The philosophy behind Jornet’s project: why beauty, not conquest, drives true adventure.
• How the “States of Elevation” linked wilderness, athleticism, and mindfulness.
• The power of community and support in massive endurance undertakings.
• Indigenous and public land connections to the mountains we climb.
• Why projects like this remind us to protect and cherish wild places.
• How everyday runners and hikers can find their own “states of elevation” close to home.

Doug and Bryon also discuss how outdoor storytelling and recreation can spark stewardship and how being out there makes us care more deeply about what’s at stake for public lands.

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What happens when you build trails that everyone can ride?

In this episode of Open Container, host Doug Schnitzspahn talks with Berne Broudy, writer, filmmaker, and director of Best Day Ever, and Greg Durso, adaptive athlete and Senior Program Director at the Kelly Brush Foundation.

Together, they share the story behind Best Day Ever, a film and movement that began when a few friends realized their local trails weren’t accessible to adaptive riders.

Doug, Berne, and Greg dig into:

• How the Vermont community came together to build The Driving Range, a fully adaptive mountain bike trail network.
• The power of collaboration between adaptive and non-adaptive riders.
• Why accessibility doesn’t mean easier, it means better trails for everyone.
• How the Best Day Ever film is changing perceptions around disability and outdoor recreation.
• The growing blueprint for inclusive trail design spreading across North America.
• The emotional core of the project: joy, friendship, and redefining what’s possible.

At its heart, this is a story about community. How shared effort, empathy, and dirt under your fingernails can create a future where everyone can ride together.

Where to Watch the film: https://www.bestdayever.mov/

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Welcome to Open Container, where we unpack the most urgent issues facing the outdoor community - culture, conservation, and the power of nature to heal.

Today, Doug Schnitzspahn sits down with director and photographer Ben Clark to explore a rare story of restoration and resilience on America’s wild lands.

Drawing on his background as an adventurer and filmmaker, Ben shares behind-the-scenes insights from his new documentary, Preserved, which chronicles the ambitious revitalization of Vermejo Park Ranch - a 560,000-acre landscape in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Doug and Ben discuss environmental destruction and rebirth, reflecting on how even scarred places, whether clear-cut forests in Idaho or polluted beaches of the Jersey Shore, can find new life with hope, hard work, and innovative conservation.

00:00 America's Expanding Environmental Scars

03:28 "Nature's Resilience and Regrowth"

09:21 Collaborative Conservation Efforts

11:37 Science Communication Challenges

13:58 Landscape Filmmaker Focuses on Characters

16:57 Backpacking and Filming in the Rockies

23:01 Indigenous Stewardship and Land Models

26:34 Conservation Success in North America

29:37 "Dividing Vast Wilderness: A Journey"

32:09 Reduce Excessive Spending Habits

35:31 "Open Container: Follow & Engage"

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Welcome to Open Container, where today we're discussing one of the defining features of the American experience: our public lands.

Host Doug Schnitzspahn kicks things off with a personal reflection on how these wild places are woven into our national identity and the critical roles they play, not just as recreation spaces, but as battlegrounds for conservation, resource extraction, and cultural connection.

Joining Doug is Chris Keyes, former editor in chief of Outside magazine and founder of RE:PUBLIC, a new non-profit newsroom dedicated to covering the politics, people, and future of America's public lands.

Together, they explore what makes the American public lands system unique in the world, how it’s managed, and why it stirs such passionate, bipartisan support.

From the legacy of Indigenous stewardship to the modern pressures of population and politics, the episode asks: Who really owns America's wild places, and how do we ensure their future?

• 00:00 Hope in Public Lands
• 04:35 "Finding Healing on the Road"
• 07:34 Freedom of Camping on Public Lands
• 12:58 Bipartisan Support for Public Land Conservation
• 13:53 Legacy of American Public Lands
• 19:30 Journalism's Advertising Dependency Crisis
• 20:44 Journalism: Navigating Bipartisan Challenges
• 25:42 Nonprofit Media: Partnership Over Competition
• 27:45 Media's Role in Legislative Awareness
• 31:30 "Advertising Threatens Editorial Independence"
• 33:47 Long-Form Journalism's Enduring Appeal
• 37:13 Nature's Restorative Powers: Access Essential

Click here to learn more about RE:PUBLIC.

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In this episode of Open Container, host Doug Schnitzspahn is joined by Jordan Campbell who is a journalist, photographer, mountaineer, and award-winning documentary filmmaker, to discuss his latest project, Ukraine Under Fire.

Campbell, known for his career in the outdoor industry and international expeditions, has turned his focus toward humanitarian storytelling in conflict zones. He shares his experience embedding with medics, civilians, and soldiers on the frontlines of Ukraine, capturing the resilience of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.

Topics include:

• How a career in climbing and the outdoor industry prepared Campbell for work in war zones.
• The misinformation and propaganda surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• The resilience and humanity of everyday Ukrainians, from news presenters to frontline medics.
• The moral weight of documenting war and maintaining hope amid devastation.
• How outdoor values—risk, resilience, and connection—translate into humanitarian action.
• The legacy of Peter Fouché, a frontline medic featured in the film who was killed in 2024.

Jordan’s story is one of risk, responsibility, and resilience. It’s about what it means to live with compassion and document truth, even in the harshest conditions.

Learn more about the film and upcoming screenings at ukraineunderfire.org.

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is once again under threat. Politicians and oil companies see short-term gain; conservationists, Indigenous peoples, and outdoor advocates see the loss of one of America’s last truly wild places.

In this episode of Open Container, Doug speaks with Kristen Miller, Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League and co-chair of the Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign. They explore what’s at stake in Alaska’s wilderness and why it matters for all Americans, even those who will never set foot there.

Doug & Kristen discuss:

• Why Alaska represents the last frontier of American wilderness.
• The scale and significance of the Arctic Refuge, the Western Arctic, the Arctic Ocean, and the Tongass.
• Indigenous leadership and the cultural ties of the Gwich’in people to the caribou migration.
• How development and climate change threaten fragile Arctic ecosystems.
• The political battles over drilling, roadless rules, and public lands policy.
• Why wilderness isn’t a partisan issue, and how ordinary people can use their voices to protect these lands.

Alaska’s wild places are more than resources to exploit; they are cultural, ecological, and spiritual lifelines that belong to us all.

Learn more and get involved at alaskawild.org

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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The American South is often overlooked in outdoor conversations but it holds some of the richest stories in climbing, culture, and community.

Today Doug Schnitzspahn opens the container with photographer, filmmaker, and writer Andrew Kornylak, whose new book Spare These Stones: A Journey Through Southern Climbing Culture (Mountaineers Books) captures the hidden corners and unsung heroes of the Southern climbing world.

Doug and Andrew explore:

• Why the South is one of the most underrated outdoor regions in America.
• The transition from secret stashes and handshake access to organized land trusts and sustainable stewardship.
• How climbing culture in the South reflects modesty, humility, and a deep respect for community.
• Stories of iconic characters, legendary crags, and grassroots conservation victories.
• Why the lessons learned in the South matter for climbers, paddlers, hikers, and outdoor lovers everywhere.

Spare These Stones isn’t just a climbing book, it’s a love letter to Southern landscapes, music, people, and culture.

Order Spare These Stones at andrewkornylak.com or wherever books are sold.

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Today we open the container with Gear Abby herself, outdoor journalist and author, Shawnté Salabert.

Doug begins the episode looking at the interconnectedness of humanity and nature noting that the outdoors is not a separate entity but an integral part of our existence.

Doug is then joined by writer, podcaster, and educator Shawnté Salabert to talk about what it really means to “be outdoors”? From feral kid neighborhood adventures to life changing miles on the PCT, Shawnté brings heart, humor, and a sharp perspective on:

• Hiking as meditation (and why two nights outside changes everything)
• The culture of sharing on long trails
• Rethinking outdoor history through Indigenous names and stewardship
• Finding wildness in LA, New York, and beyond
• Launching her new podcast Gear Abby right here on the Rock Fight Podcast network!

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Today we open the container with Arkansas' first Director of Office of Outdoor Recreation, Katherine Andrews.

Doug begins the show highlighting the transformative potential of outdoor recreation in revitalizing small-town economies. Because, as we learned from Ray Kinsella's voice "if you build it, they will come."

Doug is then joined by Katherine Andrews. As Arkansas' Director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation, Katherine understands how strategically developed recreational facilities and infrastructure can stimulate economic growth and attract new residents.

Doug & Katherine look at Arkansas as a leader in recreation. A place where successful initiatives have leveraged outdoor activities to foster community engagement and economic sustainability.

Together they explore the role of local governments and community involvement in recreation and emphasize that economic development does not need vast resources or power.

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Today we open the container with environmental journalist, Sophie Benson.

Doug begins the show discussing the need for sustainability; both due to consumer behavior and in order to achieve environmental conservation. He explores the idea that individuals gravitate towards choices that are easy, obvious, and convenient, which directly impacts their decision making processes and spending habits.

Doug is then joined by Sophie Benson,  a journalist whose work focuses on sustainable fashion, the environment, workers’ rights, and consumerism. Their discussion takes a look at the complexities of human behavior in outdoor settings, where hikers frequently opt for shortcuts, underscoring the challenge of encouraging environmentally responsible practices.

Doug and Sophie go on to examine the relationship between sustainability, economic viability, and the welfare of our communities while positing that meaningful change necessitates a holistic approach that integrates ethical considerations with practical solutions.

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

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Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Send your feedback, questions, and comments to [email protected].