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    Out There

    Out There is a podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories in the great outdoors.
    enWillow Belden100 Episodes

    Episodes (100)

    Closing the Gender Gap

    Closing the Gender Gap

    Women are often told we can do anything we want in life: ride bikes, scale cliffs, surf waves. But in some areas of outdoor recreation, the gender gap remains shockingly large.

    In this episode, we visit a women’s mountain bike camp in Wyoming and explore what’s really needed to get people of all genders on equal footing.

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    Rowdy Gowdy Camp

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    Out There
    enNovember 30, 2023

    The Flood

    The Flood

    This is a story about fear.

    It makes sense to be scared when we're facing danger. But what happens when disasters occur in unexpected places?

    In this episode, we travel from a desert in Utah to a suburb in Missouri and explore how a flood changed one woman's relationship with fear and risk.

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    Out There
    enNovember 02, 2023

    Learning to Swim

    Learning to Swim

    Learning something new as an adult can be daunting, especially when it's something that a lot of people have been doing since childhood.

    On this episode, Naomi Mellor takes us from a beach in Australia to an archipelago in the UK and explores how she got past her fears and pushed herself to take a big plunge.

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    Out There
    enJuly 13, 2023

    Excavating Grief

    Excavating Grief

    Mykella Van Cooten was angry, and she didn’t know why. It got so bad that she began to feel unhinged.

    And then, she went to a little cabin in the woods. In this episode, she tells the story of what happened. It’s a story about stopping, about letting go, and about uncovering the real feelings that are buried deep beneath the surface.

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    Out There
    enJune 29, 2023

    Ice Swimming

    Ice Swimming

    In Finland, it’s commonplace to go swimming in the winter — outdoors.

    The practice offers surprising mental-health benefits, and it isn’t just for die-hard adventurers. On this episode, we share the story of one woman who started “ice swimming” in an effort to soothe the brain by shocking the body.

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    Out There
    enJune 15, 2023

    Queer in Appalachia

    Queer in Appalachia

    As a nonbinary person, Newt Schottelkotte never felt at home in Appalachia. But then, they went on a road trip with their dad. Driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains, something started to shift. This is a story about figuring out how to be yourself without abandoning where you’re from.

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    Sierra Club panel: Diverse Perspectives in Outdoor Media

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    Out There
    enJune 01, 2023

    Rekindling Hope

    Rekindling Hope

    Carolyn McDonald's depression had gotten so bad that she couldn’t see a way forward.

    Then, one particularly miserable day, she went to the beach — and something happened that she never could have imagined. Something that opened the door to healing and sparked a deep and genuine joy.

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    Out There
    enMay 18, 2023

    Moonlight

    Moonlight

    We’ve all had moments when we feel lost. Sometimes it’s literal; sometimes it's emotional. Either way, it’s unnerving. And lonely.

    This episode takes us from the deserts of California to the jungles of the Philippines, and explores how one young woman got back on track, when she lost her way, both literally and figuratively.

     

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    Out There
    enMay 04, 2023

    Living Without Hope

    Living Without Hope

    When someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, there’s often a flood of difficult emotions. Grief. Depression. Learning to live without hope.

    But more and more, people are experiencing that kind of anguish even when they’re perfectly healthy.

    In this episode, we bring you the story of a young man named Jacob Erickson, who almost died from climate anxiety — before a pivotal moment in nature rekindled his will to live.

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    Out There
    enApril 20, 2023

    Secrets of the Earth

    Secrets of the Earth

    This season, we’re exploring the theme SECRETS OF THE EARTH.

    Each episode, we’ll share a story about an outdoor experience that uncovered new truths. Through introspective personal narratives, we’ll harness the power of nature to make sense out of our lives and give us a fresh look at humanity.

    Here’s a little taste.

     

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    Out There
    enApril 06, 2023

    This Is How You Win the Time War

    This Is How You Win the Time War

    Clock time is a human invention. So it shouldn’t be a box that confines us; it should be a tool that helps us accomplish the things we care about.

    But consider the system of standard time, first imposed by the railroad companies in the 1880s. It constrains people who live 1,000 miles apart—on opposite edges of their time zones—to get up and go to work or go to school at the same time, even though their local sunrise and sunset times may vary by an hour or more.

    And it also consigns people who live on the eastern edges of their time zones to ludicrously early winter sunsets.

    For over a century, we've been fiddling with standard time, adding complications such as Daylight Saving Time that are meant to give us a little more evening sunlight for at least part of the year.

    But what if these are just palliatives for a broken system? What if it's time to reset the clock and try something completely different?

    This is a guest story from the podcast Soonish, first published in 2021.

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    NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow 

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    Out There
    enMarch 02, 2023

    Notes in the Trees

    Notes in the Trees

    Most parents would never consider leaving their kids in the dark woods at night, and letting them find their way back. But the Dutch do just that. They call it Dropping.

    This is a guest episode from Nocturne, a podcast that explores the night and how thoughts, feelings and behaviors transform in the dark.

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    NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023

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    Out There
    enFebruary 02, 2023

    Fallen Sky

    Fallen Sky

    “Fallen Sky,” a work of installation art at New York’s Storm King Art Center, is like a moon map etched into a hillside.

    On this episode, Tamar Avishai explores how Sarah Sze’s striking sculpture helps visitors pay attention to the world around us — and the world inside our heads.

    This is a guest episode from The Lonely Palette, a podcast that returns art history to the masses, one object at a time.

    NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023

    SUPPORT OUT THERE: Become a patron

    Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke.

    Out There
    enJanuary 12, 2023

    Fear is the Thing with Fins

    Fear is the Thing with Fins

    Fear is a powerful indicator that something could hurt us. But sometimes, the fear itself is the most dangerous part.

    This is the story of marathon swimmer Pat Gallant-Charette. Because of something that happened to her when she was a teenager, Pat has to overcome a fear of deep water every time she competes. But she doesn’t let that stop her.

    This is a special guest episode from The Briny, a podcast about how we’re changing the sea, and how the sea changes us.

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    Out There
    enDecember 01, 2022

    High on Failure

    High on Failure

    Every year, in the mountains of Vermont, a group of ultra runners gather for a 550-mile race called Infinitus. It’s one of the toughest trail running races in existence.

    Jordan Wirfs-Brock was no stranger to ultra marathons, but Infinitus broke her: she failed to finish. Surprisingly, though, the failure turned out to be one of the best things that's ever happened to her.

    This story first aired in 2016, and it won a gold medal for best independent podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc., or PRNDI.

     

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    Out There
    enNovember 10, 2022

    Pedaling and Paddling

    Pedaling and Paddling

    Dewey Gallegos and Jessica Flock bonded over their passion for the outdoors. But the thing they had in common was also one of their biggest differences. Their story explores how hard it can be to share the thing you love most, with the person you love most.


    PITCH US A STORY: Details here

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    Out There
    enOctober 20, 2022

    The Instinct to Kill

    The Instinct to Kill

    When Sam Anderson’s father invited him to go hunting for the first time, Sam was worried. What if he couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger? And conversely, what if he could? What would that say about him?

    On this episode, Sam takes us into the woods of New Jersey and explores the emotional complexity of taking the life of an animal.

    This story first aired in 2017, and it won a gold medal for Best Independent Podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc.

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    Out There
    enSeptember 29, 2022

    Too Poor to Dream?

    Too Poor to Dream?

    We often hear that “the outdoors is free.” But for Charlsie Shaver, just driving to a trailhead was often cost-prohibitive; hitting the road to explore America’s wild places was a luxury she could only dream of.

    On this episode, Charlsie explores what it takes to build the life you want. How do you balance the need for stability with a thirst for freedom? And how do you keep dreaming, when you can barely pay the rent?

    This story first aired in 2019.

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    Click here to see the full show notes for this episode. 

    Out There
    enSeptember 08, 2022

    Selfless Acts

    Selfless Acts

    Why are some people overly generous? On this episode, we visit with a “trail angel" (someone who offers free food, drinks, and encouragement to thru-hikers on long trails), and we explore what makes a person commit acts of altruism for total strangers. (Hint: it’s probably not what you’d expect).

    This story first aired in 2018, and it won a gold medal for best independent podcast from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, or PRNDI.


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    Click here to see the full show notes for this episode. 

    Out There
    enAugust 18, 2022