Out There

On this bonus episode, we bring you tales from Out There’s live storytelling night earlier this month.

Each story touches on the theme of being a beginner in the outdoors:

• Ashley White shares the story of his son’s injury on their first-ever backpacking trip together

• Jessica Taylor explores the lessons she’s learning as she transitions from life in a house to a life on the road

• Natasha Buffo reflects on the intertwined experiences of falling in love with backpacking, and losing a parent

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Melanie Chambers loved traveling alone. So when she set off on a four-month solo bicycle trip through Japan and Korea, she wasn’t worried.

But almost immediately, loneliness set in.

On this episode, Melanie shares her story. It’s a story of trying to prove yourself, of discovering the limits of your independence, and of making sense of a worldview that prizes self sufficiency.

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When Out There turned five earlier this year, we promised to throw a party.

That party is happening tomorrow, in the form of a live storytelling night. The theme for the evening is “beginners,” and five storytellers from across the country will share personal tales of first times in the outdoors.

On this bonus episode, we give you a taste of what you can expect if you join us.

Click here to register for the event!

Susan Conrad was supposed to begin a three-month expedition up the Inside Passage on May 16. But like so many plans that have been derailed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, her voyage has been cancelled.

On this episode, we talk with Susan about how she’s coping with a disappointment of this magnitude.

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On this episode, we share a story from the podcast Shelter in Place, about a backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail. The story takes us into the mountains of California and explores the parallels between hiking in the wilderness and adapting to a life of social distancing.

We also chat with Shelter in Place Host Laura Joyce Davis about how producing a daily podcast is helping her ward off depression and find bright spots amidst the hardship.

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For Ben Montoya, summer camp was more than just a place to play outside: it was his community, his tribe. As a teenager, he remained friends with fellow campers. And as a college student, he taught at the same camp he had attended as a child.

But in grad school in New York City, he started feeling the need to wean himself off the camp community. He told himself it was time to grow up.

Then Coronavirus struck.

Quarantined in a basement with flu-like symptoms, Ben began to re-evaluate the role that community plays in our lives. On this episode, he shares his story.

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In times of uncertainty, listener contributions matter more than ever. If you have a stable income, please consider becoming a patron of Out There.

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The wilderness might seem like a good place to hide out during a pandemic. But the organizations that care for many of the nation’s long-distance trails are asking thru-hikers to cancel their trips this year.

The concern is that hikers could spread COVID-19 to communities along the trails when they stop to resupply.

On this episode, we talk with two hikers who have cancelled their trips: Maggie Slepian, managing editor at The Trek, and Allison Gonzalez, who aborted her thru-hike of the Arizona Trail after just one week.

We talk about the ethical considerations that went into their decisions, the emotional impact of giving up a potentially life-changing journey, and some silver linings from the situation.

When we lose a loved one, we often experience competing emotions and urges. On the one hand, we cling desperately to memories and mementos; on the other hand, we strive to “move on.”

Balancing the two can be tough.

On this episode, journalist Matthew Schneeman brings us the story of a fatal accident, and of one woman’s efforts to preserve the memories of her fiancee.

It’s a story that takes us from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, and explores how you can remember someone, while still moving forward.

When Elizabeth Miller teaches kids to ski, her goal is to introduce them to the joy of winter.

But lately, she’s been wondering whether it’s cruel to help children fall in love with something they’re about to lose. With climate change threatening to shorten ski seasons by as much as three-fourths in some parts of the country, winter could become a rare commodity.

On this episode, Elizabeth explores the merits of introducing children to natural wonders they won’t be able to enjoy as grownups.

When Kristina Marcelli Sargent was nine years old, her father was struck by lightning. Immobilized by fear, she watched helplessly, wanting to help but unable to make herself move.

As she grew older, Kristina found herself freezing up over and over again in scary situations.

Then one day, a hike in the mountains changed everything.

On this episode, Kristina shares her story. It’s a story about how we react to fear — and about what happens when our natural responses don’t serve us.