The Shadows Run Podcast

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode is the third installment of the six-part WRFI Stories series rolling out on the podcast from July to December, where I am partnering with the Wild Rockies Field Institute to help tell some of the stories of WRFI's history and impact on the world over time. The Wild Rockies Field Institute is a nonprofit organization that offers college level field courses accredited through the University of Montana, and their mission is to "offer academically rigorous, place-based field courses that develop engaged, informed citizens and strong leaders capable of addressing complex social and environmental issues."

This episode features long-time field instructor, Dave Morris. Dave has been a field instructor for the Wild Rockies Field Institute since 2001, and is still teaching today! He also served as WRFI's program manager for a time, and sat on WRFI's Board of Directors from 2004-2010. Dave has instructed and guided for many outdoor education programs since 1990, has taught almost every course that WRFI offers, and was instrumental in designing and crafting the itineraries and curriculum for a number of the courses WRFI offers today.

I would argue this conversation is both engaging and deep, adventure-packed and a bit philosophical. We covered topics ranging from Dave's cross-country bike trip post-college, to his experience working with incarcerated youth, to his many years teaching and designing WRFI courses, to his thoughts on what makes for a meaningful life...and so much more.

Thank you for being here!

Wild Rockies Field Institute website: https://www.wrfi.net/

Ways to Support WRFI: https://www.wrfi.net/support/ways-to-give/

WRFI's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild_rockies/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via: • Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

David Gonzales is a professional filmmaker, author, and photographer. Some of his more notable work includes co-writing the narration for Renan Ozturk's The Ghosts Above and Renan and Alex Honnold's Life Coach; and founding Treefight in 2008, a nonprofit that raised awareness about the plight of whitebark pine trees in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

He is also somewhat of a local Teton celebrity, possibly best known these days as the guy who started the "Picnic," which has become a well-known unofficial triathlon in the Tetons. He has also pioneered a number of other "Picnic" variations both in the Park, and elsewhere in the country.

David is also an advocate for various environmental issues in the West, and has been involved with a number of non-profit organizations across his career.

In this conversation we talk about...:

• what brought David to the Tetons
• working with high profile mountain athletes (Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold, etc)
• mountain triathlons and where the inspiration for the Picnic came from
• David's relationship to fear
• scary experiences on Picnic attempts
• why we pursue the goals that we do
• how the response to the first Picnic surprised him
• ...and a whole lot more

If you love adventure-packed storytelling, this is the episode for you!

David's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treefighter/

The Picnic Website: https://thepicnic.medium.com/whats-a-picnic-df675c8ec6d1

Protect Our Water Jackson Hole: https://protectourwaterjh.org/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via: • Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode is the second installment of the six-part WRFI Stories series rolling out on the podcast from July to December, where I am partnering with the Wild Rockies Field Institute to help tell some of the stories of WRFI's history and impact on the world over time. The Wild Rockies Field Institute is a nonprofit organization that offers college level field courses accredited through the University of Montana, and their mission is to "offer academically rigorous, place-based field courses that develop engaged, informed citizens and strong leaders capable of addressing complex social and environmental issues."

This episode features one of the three original founders of the organization back in 1993, Dave Havlick. Dave holds a Masters in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, as well as a PhD in Geography from the University of North Carolina. He has taught at the college level at multiple institutions for over 30 years, and currently works as a professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He has written multiple books, and has made contributions to countless publications over his career.

Dave and I share in a engaging conversation includes...:

• stories of his 1990 adventure on the Continental Divide Trail
• the origin story of WRFI
• some wild early stories on field courses
• his philosophy on life and teaching
• Dave's unusual PhD research
• ...and so much more.

If you, like me, are interested in how great ideas are born, this is the episode for you.

Thank you for joining us!

Wild Rockies Field Institute website: https://www.wrfi.net/

Ways to Support WRFI: https://www.wrfi.net/support/ways-to-give/

WRFI's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild_rockies/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via:

• Email: [email protected] • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/ • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode features a conversation with friend and former co-worker, Sean Mack. Sean is a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist, a father, a husband, former U.S Army Officer, and now an initiated shaman - named Ayan Kam - within the Spirit of Wolf International Shamanic Community! Sean and I worked together my first season at Grand Teton National Park as a Park Ranger. We bonded over a shared interest in culture, ancestry, and connecting to a meaningful form of spirituality.

In this conversation we talk about...:

• Sean's 21 years in the military and what that experience taught him
• shadows and shadow work - learning how to face, work with, and ultimately appreciate the challenging sides of ourselves and of our lives
• Sean's journey more deeply into spirituality over the last few years, specifically his work with Spirit of Wolf Shamanism
• men's work and Sean's experience with a Sacred Sons event
• what gives him a sense of hope in the world
• ...and so much more.

I think Sean is a fascinating human being, and someone with a very unique lived experience that all of us can learn from or resonate with in some way. His perspective is full of hope, a celebration of the light within us, and I hope that this conversation serves to uplift you and remind you of your unique beauty and value, just exactly as you are.

Thank you for being here!

Sean's Website: https://theshamanictouch.com/

Spirit of Wolf: https://www.spiritofwolf.net/

Sacred Sons: https://www.sacredsons.com/

Support for Gaza/Ukraine/Sudan/Congo:

Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/

The Sameer Project: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject

Gaza Soup Kitchen: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-in-gaza-daily

Amal For Palestine: https://amal4palestine.org/

Let's Talk About Palestine: https://letstalkpalestine.com/

The Palestine Pod Podcast: https://www.palestinepod.com/

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This book: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad | Goodreads

The Hundred Years' War On Palestine book: The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi | Goodreads

UNICEF: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/children-are-dying-famine-conditions-deepen-gaza ; https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/emergency-response-sudan ; https://www.unicef.org/drcongo/en/what-we-do/emergency-response/eastern-drc

Ukranian Freedom Fund: https://ukrfreedomfund.org/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via:

• Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast! I am your host, Eva Happy.

Today's episode is really exciting. In format and content it is really no different than what you are used to hearing on the show, but it marks the start of a new partnership on the podcast!

Today's guest is Matt Baker-White, who is the current Executive Director at the Wild Rockies Field Institute. The Wild Rockies Field Institute is a nonprofit organization that offers college level field courses accredited through the University of Montana. I took part in a 2 month course during the fall of 2021, backpacking and kayaking around the state of Montana. Their mission statement reads: "The Wild Rockies Field Institute offers academically rigorous, place-based field courses that develop engaged, informed citizens and strong leaders capable of addressing complex social and environmental issues."

What you are listening to today is episode 1 of what will be a 6-episode series rolling out with one episode a month over the next 6 months, the objective being to tell a variety of stories from the organization's history, and of the impact WRFI has had and is continuing to have on countless lives. You will be hearing from folks like Matt, who currently oversees the operation as a whole as it stands today; you will hear from field instructors with experience on the ground with students in wild places; you will be hearing from one of the founders of the Wild Rockies Field Institute back in 1993; and a whole lot more. It is our hope that these stories inspire you to think beyond traditional binaries, push your limits, and get out there into the world to explore and connect meaningfully with the people and landscapes around you.

With that, I am so excited to bring you this first episode in the WRFI Stories series, an engaging and wide-ranging conversation with father, partner, adventure enthusiast, and executive director of the Wild Rockies Field Institute, Matt Baker-White!

Wild Rockies Field Institute: The most beautiful classrooms in the world - Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI)

Ways To Support WRFI: Ways to Give - Wild Rockies Field Institute

WRFI's Instagram: (4) Instagram

Things Mentioned In The Episode:

Overland Summers: Summer Adventure Camp for Kids & Teens | Overland Summers

Responder Alliance: Responder Alliance | Resources for the responder community

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions: Home - Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions

An Ethic of Excellence Book: An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students by Ron Berger | Goodreads

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via:

• Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

This episode is part 2 of my conversation with friend and former roommate, Lauren Gardner. We pick up right where we left off in part 1, with Lauren describing how she made her next moves after being let go from a dream job working in Montana and Alaska in her late 20s.

We go deeper in this one, exploring more of Lauren's core values and how she has found community and purpose throughout her life.

We talk about...:

• her 12 years living in intentional community on the San Juan ridge in California
• the story of how she found mentorship and inspiration working with and learning from Indigenous seed keeper and food sovereignty activist Rowen White, as well as teacher and healer Martín Prechtel
• seed-keeping work and what it means to keep seeds of culture alive alongside the literal seeds of plant foods and medicines that we all rely on
• Lauren's journey to connect back to her unique gifts and strengths, and the ways she is and has been offering these gifts to the world over the past few years
• the challenge of maintaining integrity and continuing to walk a meaningful path in life when that path doesn't necessarily align with societal or familial expectations of how we should live

I am so grateful to Lauren for sharing so much of herself in this conversation, and feel honored to share her story with all of you. Thank you for being here!

Ayurveda: Ayurveda | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Rowen White: https://www.permaculturewomen.com/rowenwhite/ ; Rowen's Story - Sierra Seeds

Martín Prechtel: https://floweringmountain.com/testimonials/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via: • Email: [email protected] • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/ • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode features part 1 of a conversation with friend and former roommate, Lauren Gardner. This interview was slightly different from what I usually do, because I really just wanted Lauren to tell her story. She has lived such a unique and interesting life, guided by intuition and curiosity and integrity, and maybe just a little bit of magic…

Lauren went to college in Durango in the late 90s and has made it somewhat of a home base throughout her life, which is how I met her, but she has done so much and been so many versions of herself in that time as well.

In this half of our conversation we talk about:

• Lauren's childhood growing up on a 2,000 acre cattle ranch in Texas
• ritual and the connection to nature and spirituality that has been a part of her for as long as she can remember
• her life in the yachting industry as a young adult and the experiences that ultimately led her to leave that life behind
• how she has followed signs throughout her life guiding her to the next step on her path
• manifestation and some of the wild experiences that have flowed from it for her
• ...and truly so much more.

In part 2 we get more into Lauren's values and beliefs about why we are here and what the world needs from us, which I find especially beautiful and important in this cultural and historical moment we find ourselves in. Stay tuned for that coming out two weeks from today!

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via: • Email: [email protected] • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/ • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode features a conversation with EJ Porth, representing the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. EJ has been with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) for the last 11 years, most recently as the Associate Director. Just after we recorded this conversation EJ left her role at GVLT to pursue something new, so I was happy to catch her right at the end of her time there!

In her role as Associate Director, EJ "supported the organization's operations, communications, outreach, strategy, organizational culture, and fundraising. She worked with local governments to advocate for trails and conservation in land-use planning policies and decisions. EJ founded and facilitated GVLT's NextGen Advisory Board, a group of rising trails and conservation leaders and GVLT ambassadors. EJ led GVLT's efforts on the 2018 ballot measure to renew funding for the Gallatin County Open Lands Program."

Over the 35 years that they have been in operation, GVLT has done some incredible work in the Bozeman community, conserving working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, while also creating trails for public recreation. EJ and I talk about the various tools GVLT uses to make their work possible, and we get into some of their major challenges and successes over the years. We also talk about the future of GVLT and the Gallatin Valley as a whole, and EJ shares some inspiring thoughts about building strong community.

Thank you for joining us - I am so happy you are here.

Gallatin Valley Land Trust Website: https://www.gvlt.org/

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via:

• Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run podcast!

This episode is part 2 of my conversation with father, grandfather, partner, friend, business owner, and leader in his community, Charlie Tilt.

In this half of our conversation we talk more about Charlie's spiritual journey throughout his life, and then move in to a conversation about the men's work he has been part of. We talk about the importance of modeling and creating spaces for healthy emotional expression for men in our culture, and how Charlie has charted the course for deeper connections with men in his own life.

We close with some discussion around what it means to be an elder in our culture right now, and how Charlie is thinking about his own position within that role as he transitions into it. He shares some thoughts about seeking to be the mentor figure for others that he didn't have growing up, and also about the importance of humility within that role.

I sincerely hope that something we speak to resonates with you as the listener, or inspires you to try something new in your own life! Thank you for being here.

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via:

• Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social

Hello, and welcome back to the Shadows Run Podcast!

Today's episode is part one of a two-part conversation with Charlie Tilt. Charlie is a father, a grandfather, a partner, a friend, a business owner, and a leader in his community. He is a multi-faceted, multi-talented human being, with experience and expertise in countless realms of life - the kind of person who would have something to offer in virtually any situation imaginable.

In this conversation we explore...:

• Charlie's emotional and spiritual evolution, from childhood through to the present moment
• his unusual childhood living in various countries across the globe and how those experiences shaped his understanding of the world
• his experience with bulimia in his late teens and how that set him on a path of healing, seeking greater depth and connection with himself and the world around him
• what some of that spiritual path has looked like for him over the years
• some of the beliefs and understandings he has arrived at personally
• ...and a whole lot more

We get pretty deep in this one, and cover topics that may be a little out-there or abstract for some folks listening. But I believe that with an open mind, there is something for everyone in this conversation - nuggets of wisdom or threads of experience that you can trace back to your own life.

Thank you so much for being here!

I love to hear from you! Get in touch with me via : • Email: [email protected] • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowsrunpodcast/ • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/shadowsrunpodcast.bsky.social