She Explores

For people who wear plus-size apparel, it’s often downright impossible to find the gear necessary to get out and stay warm, safe, and dry on the mountain. That’s what this two-part series is about. 

In part two, we hear from Mon Balon, the founder of Plus Snow - an online retail shop that sells plus size snow gear to fulfill the need for quality gear that fits a variety of plus size bodies. Mon shares the origin story of Plus Snow, talks about how misleading supply & demand can be within the industry, and shares why she's so passionate about this work.

In part one, we talk with Marielle Elizabeth. Marielle is a photographer, model, fat advocate, and the writer of a viral essay in The Cut titled “Apparently, I’m Too Fat to Ski.” Marielle speaks first hand about the need for plus size winter apparel, as well as the changes she’d like to see across the outdoor industry. Part 1 is also available now in your feed.

Featured in this episode:  Marielle Elizabeth

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Danner &  IKON Pass

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

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Resources

• Featured in this episode: Mon Balon
  • Plus Snow website
  • Instagram: @plussnow
• Marielle's Essay in The Cut: "Apparently, I'm Too Fat to Ski."
• Unlikely HIkers
• Plus Snow
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• IKON Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by James Childs and Kazi Jay via MusicBed

Every outdoor adventure we go on is affected by climate change. Listen to the experiences of two women, Dani Reyes-Acosta and Doreen Wong, as they share specific ways their adventuring has been impacted by extreme weather, wildfires, and glacial ice melt.

Featured in this episode:  Dani Reyes-Acosta and Doreen Wong

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  IKON Pass, Danner, & Betterhelp

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Featured in this episode: Dani Reyes-Acosta
  • Website
  • Instagram: @notlostjustdiscovering
• Featured in this episode: Doreen Wong
  • Instagram: @herclimateadventure
  • LinkedIn
• Submit Your Voice for New Miniseries Highlighting Girls & Women Outdoors
• Protect Our Winters
• Los Angeles Times article on California Fire Damage
• Intersectional Environmentalist
  • She Explores Episode featuring Leah Thomas: "Embracing Intersectional Environmentalism"
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• IKON Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.
• Betterhelp: Get 10% off your first month by heading to Betterhelp.com/explore

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by James Childs, Wil Pearce, Gracie & Rachel

Olivia Deihs, founder of Women in Outdoor Work, helps women land jobs in the outdoor industry and the environmental nonprofit world. Olivia helps us get a sense of what kind of outdoor jobs are out there, how to decide what’s right for you, and tips to navigate the application process. She’ll also give us a peek into her vision for the outdoor industry.

Featured in this episode:  Olivia Deihs

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  IKON Pass & Danner

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Featured in this episode: Olivia Deihs, founder of Women in Outdoor Work
  • Women in Outdoor Work Website
  • Instagram: @womeninoutdoorwork
  • Facebook Group Community
  • TikTok: @womeninoutdoorwork
• Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps
  • She Explores Episode featuring Agnes Vianzon: "Laying the Groundwork"
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• IKON Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by James Childs, Wil Pearce, Nick Box, Human Pyramids, CHPTRS, Monako Davis, One Hundred Years

Artist Amy Won is a big believer in making time in your life for wonder, even magic. And you can access it by walking out your front door. 

Wherever you are out there listening, today might just be a particularly tender day in an especially tender year.  Around the world, we’re all still grappling with the rippling impacts of the pandemic, keeping up with a contentious U.S. election,  and navigating a historic social uprising. Most everyone we’ve been in contact with is having some kind of hard time between the isolation, the uncertainty, and the collective trauma of this time. This is why we wanted to talk with Amy Won about the power of making time for wonder in our lives.

In this episode, we’ll talk bout how a sense of enchantment got away from Amy, how she harnesses it today, and how you can access it in your daily life through nature big and small.

Featured in this episode:  Amy T. Won

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  IKON Pass, BetterHelp, & Danner

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Featured in this episode: Amy T. Won
  • Website
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
• Wonder Walking Deck
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• IKON Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.
• Betterhelp: Get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/explore

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by James Childs, Wil Pearce, Nick Box, Human Pyramids, CHPTRS, Monako Davis, One Hundred Years

Brittani Coury is a Paralympic snowboarder and registered nurse who loves spending her winters in the mountains. It’s where she’s found a second family, it’s where her stubbornness and dedication have helped her realize her potential as an athlete.

Brittani hasn’t had a straight path in her athletic career. So she knows a thing or two about starting over, pushing through, and having fun. Which makes her the perfect person to learn from in this episode, whether you’re new to skiing or snowboarding, or looking to level up in skill and the amount of time spent on the mountain.

We asked you what questions you have about skiing and snowboarding. Our hope is that everyone out there listening will be empowered by Brittani’s story and expertise to safely explore the slopes - whether It’s possible this season or in the many winters to come.

Featured in this episode:  Brittani Coury

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  Ikon Pass

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Featured in this episode: Brittani Coury
  • Website
  • Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
• Ikon Pass
• She Explores Episode on COVID-19 and Outdoor Rec:
  • Listen on Apple Podcasts
  • Listen on Spotify
  • Listen on She-Explores.com
• KSL Classifieds (Utah Marketplace where Brittani has found used gear)
• REI Used Gear
• Ski Resorts with Adaptive Skiing Programs
• Chill Denver - Snowboard & Skateboard programs for youths 10 - 18.
• Team Summit: Elevating Youth
• Ski Duck: Skiing for Disadvantaged Kids
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Ikon Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by  Utah, Jacob Montague, & Uncle Skeleton via Musicbed.

In this final episode of the Where We Walk miniseries, we take a look at volunteering by hearing from Michela Williams and Brittany Leavitt: two individuals who have had a big hand in volunteer positions for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, as well as other leadership roles where they get to see firsthand how powerful volunteering can truly be. 

Brittany and Michela say it best, but as you’ll hear, volunteering is a way we build paths-- not just through the physical act, but also building connections, exposing ourselves to new experiences, taking on leadership roles, and utilizing our time as volunteers to create pathways for others: recreationalists, stewards, and community members alike.

About the series: This story-forward six-part series, in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and made possible with support from REI, highlights the Appalachian Trail through both the women who helped to build it as well as those who continue to make it what it is today. Our goal is to tell a multi-dimensional story of the Trail through a range of voices from diverse backgrounds. Each episode will have a unique theme that helps tell the story of the way we shape the Trail, but more importantly — how the Trail shapes us. 

Featured in this episode: Brittany Leavitt & Michela Williams

Hosted by Laura Borichevsky & Gale Straub

A Production of Ravel Media

Resources:

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Volunteer
• The interviewees:
  • Brittany Leavitt
    • Instagram: @bleavitt8
    • Website: britleavitt.com
    • Brittany’s experience hiking with Outdoor Afro following the Underground Railroad
  • Michela Williams
    • Instagram: @_chaurayyyyy and @blacktooearth
    • Black Too Earth Website: blacktooearth.com

You can find the entire miniseries in the She Explores podcast feed and through a “Where We Walk” Spotify playlist where we’ve queued up every episode just for you.

Music by Josh Woodward & Monplaisir using a Creative Commons Attribution License.

How many times have we been told the story of the fearless leader — in work, in politics, in the mountains? When the stakes are high, it’s natural to place our confidence in strength and certainty. To turn to the leader and believe that they have no doubt, that they've built up a kind of resilience that will carry us all to safety.

Today’s episode isn’t about how to become a fearless leader in the mountains. Nor is it about how to overcome your fear, or even how to harness it. But it is about listening to what fear is trying to teach us. It’s an opportunity to consider what kind of leader you need, as well as the one you might want to be.

Lindsey Falkenburg shares the story of her season as a lead for BOEALPS, a mountaineering club in Seattle.

Featured in this episode:  Lindsey Falkenburg, Ashley Abril, and Kristen Jones

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  IKON Pass, BetterHelp, & Danner

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Featured in this episode:
  • Lindsey Falkenburg - Instagram: @TandemTrekking
  • Ashley Abril - Instagram: @ashjustgoes
  • Kristen Jones - Instagram:
• BOEALPS 
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• IKON Pass: Learn more about 20/21 winter season at IkonPass.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.
• Betterhelp: Get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/explore

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Ad Music is by Josh Woodward & Swelling

In the fifth episode of Where We Walk, we hear from two incredible human voices, conservationist Sally Naser and bird researcher Amber Wendler, who are dedicated to better understanding and appreciating the wildlife on the Appalachian Trail. But unlike other episodes in this series, we're also going to hear from many wildlife voices you might not stop to hear often-- so that next time you're outdoors, you might be encouraged to move a little slower and observe the world around you. 

With thousands of species of animals to encounter, it's clear that wildlife on the Appalachian Trail is plentiful. But here’s a question: how much do you see and experience when you're outdoors, especially when you're hiking? Do you take some time to observe? Do you practice patience to discover what's around you? Or do you focus on moving from Point A to Point B? Of reaching the summit? Of covering the miles you planned for the day?

This episode is immersive and will take you on a journey walking on the Trail for a day through listening to the world of wildlife you can discover when you’re outdoors.

About the series: This story-forward six-part series, in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and made possible with support from REI, highlights the Appalachian Trail through both the women who helped to build it as well as those who continue to make it what it is today. Our goal is to tell a multi-dimensional story of the Trail through a range of voices from diverse backgrounds. Each episode will have a unique theme that helps tell the story of the way we shape the Trail, but more importantly — how the Trail shapes us. 

Featured in this episode: Sally Naser & Amber Wendler

Hosted by Laura Borichevsky, with Gale Straub
A Production of Ravel Media

Resources:

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy
• The interviewees:
  • Sally Naser: CR Wildlife Cams
  • Amber Wendler: @amberwendler

Episodes of “Where We Walk” will air weekly on Mondays.

Music by Josh Woodward & Monplaisir using a Creative Commons Attribution License. Additional sound is by various recorders using a Public Domain License.

Laura Navar, Outreach Manager at National Parks Conservation Association, considers herself to be a bit of a late bloomer in the conservation nonprofit world. She didn’t know that the environmental field would be of interest to her because conservation wasn’t something that was talked about growing up. And yet, as we’ll hear, it’s always been embedded in her Latinx family culture.

In this episode, Laura will share her unique path to a green career and to claiming the title of an environmentalist. 

Featured in this episode: Laura Navar 

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by  BetterHelp, Danner, & Sierra Designs

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Follow Laura Navar on Instagram: @sweetgrassbh
• LA Young Leaders Council
• National Parks Conservation Association
• Latino Outdoors
• An Intro to Latin American Magical Realism in 6 Novels
• About Juana Inés De la Cruz
• Black Girls Trekkin'
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Sierra Designs: Learn more about their 2020 Reach Out Initiative
  • Follow Black Girls Trekkin' on Instagram
• Danner: Learn more about the Danner Trail 2650's.
• Betterhelp: Get 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/explore

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Ad Music is by Josh Woodward & Swelling

In the fourth episode of Where We Walk, we hear from Brittany and Laura, two women who share a longing and a love for the Appalachian Trail. Brittany fulfilled her goal of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019, despite facing the devastating loss of her husband a few years prior. Laura dreams of hiking the Trail, but forces outside of her control have kept her from doing it. 

There’s a lot of talk about the universal nature of the Appalachian Trail. And there are a lot of aspects of a thru hike that unites a trail community. But the individuals that hike the A.T. bring their full, unique, selves to the trail. Laura and Brittany are different: in upbringing, in background, in temperament. Laura’s Latina, she and her parents immigrated from Colombia to Georgia when she was six years old. Brittany’s white and grew up in North Dakota. But they have something in common that’s core to what attracts them to the Trail: a need, at a particular point in their lives, to do something entirely for themselves.

This episode is for anyone who dreams of hiking the Trail, or who loves living vicariously through others’ thru-hiking stories. 

About the series: This story-forward six-part series, in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and made possible with support from REI, highlights the Appalachian Trail through both the women who helped to build it as well as those who continue to make it what it is today. Our goal is to tell a multi-dimensional story of the Trail through a range of voices from diverse backgrounds. Each episode will have a unique theme that helps tell the story of the way we shape the Trail, but more importantly — how the Trail shapes us. 

Featured in this episode: Laura Alarcon & Brittany Comins

Hosted by Gale Straub, with Laura Borichevksy

A Production of Ravel Media

Resources:

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Thru-Hiking
• The interviewees:
  • Brittany Comins: Instagram @FlickerTailonTrail
  • Laura Alarcon: Laura isn't on social media, but if you listen to the episode and her story resonates, feel free to reach out via email - [email protected]

Episodes of “Where We Walk” will air weekly on Mondays.

Music by Josh Woodward & Monplaisir using a Creative Commons Attribution License