AJ's Unfiltered Journey: Overcoming Obstacles to Find Freedom on the Slopes

Thrilled to introduce AJ Cargill! AJ is not just an incredible skier; she’s also a creative entrepreneur who co-founded @alpine_revival and is the driving force behind @buckmountaindrygoods. Her motto? Keeping an open heart and mind. If you’re looking for inspiration from someone who truly embodies those values, you won’t want to miss this episode!

In this inspiring conversation, AJ Cargill shares how she turned her passion for skiing into a successful business. She candidly discusses the challenges of entrepreneurship, showcasing her resilience and determination. Proving that with hard work, your dreams can become reality!

AJ tackles questions we all think about: Have you ever wanted to give up on something you love? Her journey will show you why you should keep going. What’s stopping you from following your dreams? AJ shares how she turned her fears into stepping stones for success. Can a hobby really become a career? She explains how she made it happen.

This episode is packed with practical advice on being strong and creative. Whether you're thinking about starting a business or just need some inspiration, AJ's story is one you don't want to miss. Tune in and discover how she turned her passion into a thriving career!

We are fundraising to tell Aj's story in film. The world needs real hero stories. Get in touch to hear more and get involved. 

Episode Chapters:

01:30 - Skiing in Michigan: The DIY Experience

04:00 - Family Ski Trips: Building Community on the Slopes

10:33 - Going Straight to the Top: A Child’s Thrilling First Ski

10:58 - From Fear to Joy: Embracing the Skiing Highs

12:02 - Sun Valley Culture Shock: Fitting In as a Young Skiier

16:16 - Badass Women in Skiing: The Power of Representation

27:20 - Sorority Life: Stepping Out of Comfort Zones

30:46 - First-Generation Student: The College Struggle

31:14 - Financial Aid Failures: The Reality of College Life

32:45 - Crutches and College: Finding Strength in Vulnerability

40:21 - From Alpine to Mogul: A Natural Transition

43:18 - The Pressure of Expectations: Young Athletes Under Siege

48:19 - Mogul Competitions: Learning from the U.S. Ski Team

54:33 - Skiing Films: The Intersection of Sport and Art

22:00 - Breaking the Mold: The Hard Truth About Sponsorship in Skiing

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajcargirl/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aj.cargill.9

Website: https://www.alpinerevival.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaarmnYZWO5iFrmBNGUb8poCL57h6JAZEv_9KXZZAgPBR8K8vnoWQbE0SbU_aem_Xdaw7vDbc7Pz01gSEuICDQ 

https://www.instagram.com/wyominguntrapped?igsh=MXc3aWk5cGd2cm95NA%3D%3D&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabxkLtVBtfo5PX_CIVVhMI38Ardj4V3zlV737tDwPgD1boR8mQLrFrHS8g_aem_uJMkn_iEnoMzExTLOsrWOg 

Micah Black has never been a timid persona and today he shares what it was like to Show Up for some of the most pivotal era of modern skiing. 

If you love skiing, it's hard to sometimes not be nostalgic for a time when a day pass didn’t cost two hundred dollars and ski towns weren’t some of the most expensive places in the country to live. I think now and then most of us imagine what it would have been like to live in Jackson in the 90’s or to be skiing when fat skis were radically new tech and the world of freeride skiing was just being created.

 Micah Black and I go through his story from riding on his dad’s shoulders as he skied to riding with the Jackson Hole Airforce. He was there when extreme skiing wasn’t the dialed-in, polished sport it is today and rode that wave into the pages of Powder Magazine and into Teton Gravity Research segments. 

We also talk about the price he paid to make that life possible, about the toll that takes not only on your body but on your mind. We discuss what the years of taking risks do to you and how you come back from that. 

Here is one of Micah’s most legendary lines in the Jackson Hole backcountry. 
https://youtu.be/dYnWvetmy6g?si=H-ydObP-jypY4Pauhttps://youtu.be/dYnWvetmy6g?si=H-ydObP-jypY4Pau

Thank you so much for listening! If you enjoyed this conversation, give us a review on iTunes, spread the word! Be sure to subscribe! 

Support the show by contributing on Patrion  or purchasing a limited edition piece of gear on UnicornPicnic.com. 

Book a ski or training day with Lynsey Dyer in Jackson Hole here:  [email protected]

If you’d like to support Micah Black’s upcoming book get in touch!

Until next time, see you in the mountains unicorns.❤️

What’s more is that they didn’t have a big corporate sponsor or even a crowdfunding page. A few companies helped them out, but it was a trip planned and funded by the brothers for their own reasons. We talk about what those are as well as what their day-job is like, being professional lifeguards. Oh, and we don’t gloss over the less-glamorous details of thousands of miles of self supported adventure. That includes how the brothers got along with each other, what happens when you break a board and what you do when nature calls when you’re sealed up tight in a wetsuit. By the way, I don’t mean having to take a whiz.

This is the first in a series of live episodes with Lynsey's trainer, Adam Ticknor. Adam is a former US Marine Scout sniper who now works as a survivalist expert, health and wellness coach, and teacher of nonverbal communication. In this episode, he talks about two areas of his expertise: survivalist skills and tactical health and fitness. He explains the importance of basic skills such as gardening and walking, and why learning a few practical survivalist tricks can make all the difference. He also talks about why certain foods are toxic to our bodies, the benefits of positive and negative motivation, and why community is vital to our happiness and longevity. Adam also shares some of his craziest adventure stories, like a first date he went on in Hawaii that almost got him killed, and the time he found himself wading through a river of dog poop while on a mission in the jungle during his military career. He also talks about one of his clients, who, at age 62, went from barely being able to walk, to deadlifting 145 pounds. 

Jenna Malone is a ski patroller, teacher at the American Avalanche Institute, and healthcare worker who recently spent time caring for covid-19 patients in one of New York's hardest hit areas. This interview took place on Instagram Live just a few days after Jenna had returned to her home in Utah and was still in quarantine. She talks about what it was like to be on the frontlines of the pandemic before most of the country had experienced it firsthand, why she volunteered to go there in the first place, and what her daily routine was like while working in the ICU. She also explains why she feels uncomfortable with the outpouring of gratitude that has been directed towards healthcare workers since the start of the pandemic, and shares some of the emotional moments she had with her patients and their families. 

Yanira Castro is the communications director of Outdoor Afro, an organization that celebrates and inspires black connections and leadership in nature. In this episode, Yanira talks about the hike that inspired her to leave her finance job and join Outdoor Afro, her life changing trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, why Harriet Tubman was exemplified outdoorsmanship, and why black leadership in the outdoor industry is so important. 

Adam Ticknor returns to talk about fitness and nutrition.