Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is the subject of campfire stories and heated conversation as people ponder Bigfoot’s existence. You can go down a YouTube rabbit hole and find convincing evidence on either side of the debate. Cliff Barackman has dedicated much of his life to studying Bigfoot. He owns the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon, and he was one of the main experts featured on Animal Planet’s show, Finding Bigfoot. In the spirit of the season, we invite you to listen in on our conversation with Cliff as we let ourselves wonder: is Bigfoot out there? 

Wild Ideas Worth Living episodes to listen to:

• The Dark Divide with Tom Putnam

Podcasts to listen to:

• Camp Monsters

Connect with Cliff Barackman:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Resources:

• Cliff’s Podcast - Bigfoot and Beyond with Cliff and Bobo
• North American Bigfoot Center
• Theodore Roosevelt’s book, The Wilderness Hunter

Episode Sponsor:

• Teva + Cotopaxi

Professional surfer Pete Devries surfs waves that not many have experienced. That’s because he lives in Tofino, B.C., and spends most of his time surfing the frigid waters up north. Pete has traveled to plenty of more tropical locales during his career, but he feels at home in Tofino. Plus the chilly temps mean he’s often the only one in the water. He spends his days traveling to untouched rocky coves, surfing against evergreen backdrops and enjoying the serene landscapes of Canada.

Connect with Pete:

• Instagram

Episode sponsors:

• Arc’teryx
• Teva

Climber Alannah Yip spent her summer competing on the international stage in Tokyo, Japan. Even though she’s been a competitive climber since she was six years old, this competition was unlike anything she’d ever done before. It was the first year that rock climbing was included on the international athletics circuit, and in order to participate Alannah had to overcome some major obstacles. Following a stunning qualifying performance, she was one of the climbers on the wall making history in Japan. 

Connect with Alannah:

• Facebook
• Instagram

Episode Sponsors:

• Arc'teryx
• Teva

Florence Williams has spent years researching the physical and mental impact of spending time outside. She’s a journalist, author and podcaster whose work focuses on how our environment shapes our wellbeing. In Florence’s book, The Nature Fix, she sets out to explain how the outdoors can improve our health, promote reflection, stimulate innovation, and strengthen our relationships. In this episode, Florence shares with us some of her research, her tricks for slowing down outside and getting our nature fix, no matter where we live. 

Connect with guests:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Episode sponsors:

• Arc’teryx
• Teva

In early 2021, Misha Euceph spent six weeks on the road visiting national parks and recording a new podcast series for REI Co-op Studios called Hello, Nature. As a Pakistani-American writer, podcast host and journalist, Misha set out to find the new, lesser known stories of America's national parks through the lens of Black, Indigenous, and people of color. 

Misha’s interest in national parks is relatively new, but she’s no stranger to podcasting. Her production company, Dustlight Productions, produced The Michelle Obama podcast, and Barack Obama and Bruce Springstein’s podcast Renegades: Born in the USA. In this episode, Misha talks about making her latest project, Hello, Nature.

Connect with Dustlight Productions:

• Website
• Twitter
• Instagram

Connect with Misha:

• Website
• Twitter
• Instagram

Resources:

• Hello, Nature Podcast from REI Co-op Studios
• Misha’s Guide, How to Make a Podcast

Episode Sponsor:

• Sonos
• Teva

When we’re alone in nature, all of our senses are heightened — which can be wonderful, but it can also be intimidating. There's a lot of messaging out there that tells us doing things alone isn't safe. Nicole Snell, self defense instructor and owner of Girls Fight Back, believes in solo adventuring and wants to provide people with the tools and confidence to get out there. Nicole has trained so she can feel comfortable doing what she wants and has made it her mission to change the conversation around personal safety. 

Connect with Nicole Snell:

• Website
• Instagram
• YouTube

Connect with Girls Fight Back:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Resources:

• Outdoor Defense YouTube series

Episode sponsor:

• HOKA
• Sonos

Any long distance hiker will tell you about a magical encounter they had with a trail angel. Trail angels are awesome people who provide support to those on long treks — a meal, a shower or a ride into the nearest town. 

Barney and Sandy Mann are two of the most well-known trail angels in the U.S. Their house is an hour from the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail. The two offer hikers dinner and a place to sleep, but also camaraderie as they start their journey north.

Connect with Barney and Sandy: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Episode Sponsor:

• Sonos

When you think of KEEN, you probably think of their iconic sandals, the ones with bungee cord straps and big rubber toe caps. Over the years, KEEN has prioritized social and environmental responsibility. In this bonus episode, Shelby chats with Erik Burbank, the vice-president of the KEEN Effect and Kirk Richardson, a KEEN Effect advisor. Their mission is to have a positive impact on the world through philanthropy and sustainable footwear. 

Learn more about KEEN. 

Mikah Meyer is a record-breaking road tripper. His cross-country adventures started at 19 years old when his dad passed away. On Mikah’s first trip, he traveled for 260 days. Five years later, he spent three years living out of a van, venturing to all 419 U.S. National Park service sites. As he documented his trips online, his following grew and he realized he had a platform. He now travels with the goal of promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the outdoors with his Outside Safe Space Campaign.

Connect with Mikah:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

Resources:

• Outside Safe Space
• “Across” series

Episode Sponsor:

• Sonos
• Parks Project

Sika set this goal 6 years ago and was aiming to achieve it in 2019. But nothing could have prepared her for the bike accident she experienced in that year during a race in Texas. Sika isn’t one to let any obstacle stand in her way and she trained hard to come back stronger than ever. Now, she uses the experience of her accident and the success of getting her pro card to talk to youth, particularly Black Americans, about getting involved in triathlon.

Connect with Sika:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Resources:

• Iron Man
• Black Marathoners

Season Sponsor:

• Ford

Episode Sponsor:

• Sonos
• HOKA One One