When we open our ears to the marvels of natural soundscapes, we experience the energies of the world in a unique way—and begin to understand the mysteries behind them. But when we habitually ignore what we’re hearing, we both miss out on one of the best parts of being human and enable the loss of an enormous diversity of species on this planet. So argues biologist and acclaimed author David Haskell in his new book, Sounds Wild and Broken. Considered by many as the premier nature writer in America today, Haskell believes that one of the most important things we can do to heal the earth is remember how to listen. In this episode, Haskell walks us through the rich history of sound and offers a powerful lesson in sonic awareness.

This episode is brought to you by Outside Learn, a new online education hub loaded with instructional courses guided by best-in-class experts, like climber-filmmaker Jimmy Chin. See our growing list of offerings at learn.outsideonline.com.

Something surprising is happening on the video app best known for silly dance moves: users are finding inspiration for adventure. There are some fundamental differences in the way TikTok works that make it stand out from other social media platforms, and those differences may make it a space that’s more prone to bringing different kinds of people together to try new things. Camping. Hiking. International travel. It’s no utopia—like other social apps, TikTok has been called out for causing harm to younger users and spreading misinformation—but there’s a unique energy here that can be a force of good.

This episode is brought to you by Outside Learn, a new online education hub loaded with instructional courses guided by best-in-class experts, like climber-filmmaker Jimmy Chin. See our growing list of offerings at learn.outsideonline.com.

In the ten years since Cheryl Strayed published her memoir about grief, addiction, and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, her life has changed dramatically. When the book came out in March 2012, she was a working mother of two, snatching whatever time she could to write. But within months, Wild was picked for Oprah’s Book Club and became a bestseller. Strayed has since published two more books and become a beloved advice columnist with a popular podcast, Dear Sugar. Meanwhile, the PCT has seen a dramatic surge of thru-hikers—the so-called “Wild effect.” We talk with Strayed about the impact all this has had on her and the outdoor community, and ask her to share her advice for aspiring adventurers.

Outside is hosting a live Zoom Q and A with Cheryl Strayed on Tuesday, April 5, at 6 p.m. Mountain Time. You can register to join us here.

This episode was brought to you by Lake Hartwell Country, with support from Discover South Carolina and Pickens County, South Carolina. Start planning your trip to this stunning adventure playground now at lakehartwellcountry.com.

What motivates someone to run more than 3,000 miles around a single city block? Transcendence. Just ask the entrants in the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, which takes place every year in Queens, New York. In order to get to the finish line ahead of the cutoff, competitors must complete the equivalent of two marathons a day for 52 days in a row. As physically grueling as that sounds, the greatest challenges are mental. In this replay from our Sweat Science series from a few years back, we investigate the surprising tools we use to convince our bodies to do the seemingly impossible.

This episode is brought to you by Outside Learn, a new online education hub loaded with instructional courses guided by best-in-class-experts like climber-filmmaker Jimmy Chin. See our growing list of offerings at learn.outsideonline.com

An ex-punk and former train engineer who is self-taught in the sciences, Joey Santore does not fit the mold of the stereotypical botanist. He has lots of tattoos and no college degree and is known for illegal tree-planting projects. Then there’s his voice: a native Chicagoan, he can sound like he’s on an SNL skit about Da Bears. Maybe all this explains why his YouTube channel, Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't, has more than a quarter-million subscribers. We join Santore on a peyote hunt in the South Texas scrublands to try to understand how he’s getting so many different kinds of people to geek out on plants.

This episode is brought to you by Visit Mississippi, a wonderland for outdoor lovers. Learn more about all the adventures to be had across Mississippi at visitmississippi.org.

On the outside, Drew Petersen seemed like a guy who was living the dream. He is extremely fit with a powder-snow-catching beard, and he’s prone to hoots of joy when skiing down amazing mountains around the world. But on the inside, he was for many years hiding loneliness, anger, and a deep sadness. Only recently, in the wake of a near-death accident on Oregon’s Mount Hood, has he begun to face the mental health challenges that nearly drove him to oblivion. He’s also made the bold choice to be jarringly open about what he’s gone through—because he knows that he’s not the only one.

This episode is brought to you by Ikon Pass, which gives you access to the most iconic skiing and snowboarding mountains in the world. Ikon Passes for the 2022–23 season go on sale March 10 at the lowest price of the year. Learn more at ikonpass.com.

In recent years, research has demonstrated that spending time in nature can help with everything from anxiety to attention deficit disorder to high blood pressure. Florence Williams knows this as well as anyone: her celebrated 2017 book The Nature Fix, explained the science behind the many physiological and emotional benefits of being in natural environments. So when she went through a painful divorce from her husband of 25 years, she turned to the outdoors for healing—and chronicled her experiences in her latest book, Heartbreak. In this episode, we eavesdrop on a conversation between Williams and Outside contributing editor Elizabeth Hightower Allen to learn about broken-heart syndrome (a real medical condition), the chemical explanation for rebound relationships, and whether taking a solo river trip immediately after a breakup is the best idea.

This episode is brought to you by Visit Mississippi, a wonderland for outdoor lovers. Learn more about all the adventures to be had across Mississippi at visitmississippi.org.

Professional skier Markus Eder had a fantasy of an impossible descent that would take him across glaciers, through frozen tunnels, into a terrain park, even out of the back of a pickup truck. It made no sense. And yet somehow, over eight years, he found a way to make it happen by thinking more like an artist than an athlete. The result is [The Ultimate Run](http:// https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqHK8i-HdA), a wildly creative stoke film that’s loaded with gnarly stunts and stands out thanks to the pure, contagious joy emanating from every frame. Somehow, we get to be inside Eder’s fantasy right along with him—which, as he tells it, is exactly what he intended.

This episode is brought to you by Fat Tire, maker of delicious, easy-drinking beers and a company that’s taking action to address climate change. Join Fat Tire in calling on the International Olympic Committee to require all future sponsors of the Games to be be climate leaders at pointofsnowreturn.com

In 1999, Alex Lowe was a star climber and father to three young boys when he died on Tibet’s 26,335-foot Shishapangma along with expedition cameraman David Bridges. The lone survivor of the accident was Conrad Anker, Alex’s climbing partner and best friend. A year after the tragedy, Anker married Jennifer Lowe, Alex's widow and mother to their three young boys, Max, Sam, and Isaac. Ever since, storytellers have been captivated by this tale, but now a powerful new documentary by Max Lowe, Torn, reveals how grief can evolve over decades—and how love can heal even the deepest emotional wounds. In this episode, Lowe shares what it’s been like to tell his family’s story and what he hopes we can all learn from it.

This episode is brought to you by Fat Tire, maker of delicious, easy-drinking beers and a company that’s taking action to address climate change. Join Fat Tire in calling on the International Olympic Committee to require all future sponsors of the Games to be be climate leaders at pointofsnowreturn.com

The most dominant ski racer on the planet is constantly questioning her talents—which may be the secret of her greatness. Mikaela Shiffrin has won two Olympic gold medals and more than 70 World Cup races, but unlike fellow American skiing stars Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller, she isn’t known for her speed-demon recklessness. Instead, she’s lauded for her perfect form, tactical brilliance, and workaholic approach to training. In this episode, based on excerpts from an exclusive extended interview with Outside for our five-part docuseries, Mikaela Shiffrin: Passion and Purpose, she reveals how underneath all that there’s a burning doubt she has learned to embrace.

This episode is brought to you by Ikon Pass, which gives you access to the most iconic skiing and snowboarding mountains in the world. Ikon Passes for the 2022–23 season go on sale March 10 at the lowest price of the year. Learn more at ikonpass.com.