Out There
Award-winning podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors.
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My Dad's Depression
04/18/2024
My Dad's Depression
For Paul Barach, hiking is an antidote to depression. Is it that way for everyone? This episode takes us from Washington State to Joshua Tree National Park and explores what happens when we try to impose our own life solutions on a loved one. --- Links: Support Out There on Tell a story at our night Follow Out There on and --- Out There is a proud member of
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Rekindling the Spark
04/04/2024
Rekindling the Spark
We’re told to follow our dreams. But often, that’s disappointing. Reality typically doesn’t measure up to what we’d imagined. So what then? How do you reignite your passions? On this episode, we travel from an observatory in Puerto Rico to a hillside in New Jersey, and explore how one scientist overcame the disillusionment of academia. --- Links: Support Out There on Out There is a proud member of
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Silence
03/21/2024
Silence
Our upcoming season is all about silence. From the Grand Canyon to South Korea, we’ll travel the globe, exploring how we find stillness amidst the noise — whether literal or figurative. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the stories. The season launches April 4, 2024. --- Out There is a proud member of
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Building Self-Confidence
01/04/2024
Building Self-Confidence
Maya Kroth’s goal for the New Year was to build self-confidence, and she decided to start by taking herself snowboarding. But things did not go well. In this episode, Maya shares her story and explores how we can get our mojo back when life throws us curveballs. --- Links: --- Out There is a proud member of
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Closing the Gender Gap
11/30/2023
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. --- Links:
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The Flood
11/02/2023
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. --- Support Out There on Out There is a proud member of .
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Learning to Swim
07/13/2023
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. --- --- Links: Sign up for our Support Out There on Follow us on and --- Out There is a proud member of
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Excavating Grief
06/29/2023
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. --- Links: Support Out There on --- Out There is a member of
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Ice Swimming
06/15/2023
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. --- Links: Support Out There on --- Out There is a proud member of
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Queer in Appalachia
06/01/2023
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. --- Links: about next season's theme Sierra Club panel: Support Out There on --- Out There is a proud member of
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Rekindling Hope
05/18/2023
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. --- Links: about next season's theme Support Out There on --- Out There is a proud member of
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Moonlight
05/04/2023
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. SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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Living Without Hope
04/20/2023
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. --- SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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Secrets of the Earth
04/06/2023
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. Out There is a proud member of .
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This Is How You Win the Time War
03/02/2023
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 , first published in 2021. Links: VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR: by March 5, 2023 to get an invitation NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Out There is a proud member of .
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Notes in the Trees
02/02/2023
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 , a podcast that explores the night and how thoughts, feelings and behaviors transform in the dark. --- NEW KIDS' PODCAST: is set to launch in February 2023 SUPPORT OUT THERE: and get an invitation to our virtual happy hour Out There is a proud member of .
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Fallen Sky
01/12/2023
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 , a podcast that returns art history to the masses, one object at a time. NEW KIDS' PODCAST: is set to launch in February 2023 SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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Fear is the Thing with Fins
12/01/2022
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 , a podcast about how we’re changing the sea, and how the sea changes us. SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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High on Failure
11/10/2022
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. SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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Pedaling and Paddling
10/20/2022
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: SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of
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The Instinct to Kill
09/29/2022
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. SUPPORT OUT THERE: Out There is a proud member of .
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Too Poor to Dream?
09/08/2022
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. SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Selfless Acts
08/18/2022
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. SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Blue Dive
07/28/2022
Blue Dive
Tiffany Duong had achieved the pinnacle of success: she’d finished law school, worked for a big firm in LA, and traveled as much as she could. But she was miserable. Then she went scuba diving in the Galapagos, and everything changed. Her story is about letting go of your safety net, embracing the unknown, and finding bliss. SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Failure in Success
07/07/2022
Failure in Success
In 2015, Out There host Willow Belden signed up for a 70-mile mountain bike race. She had always liked big athletic challenges, but this time, pushing her limits turned out to be a mistake. On this episode, she shares her story. It's about trying to prove yourself — and learning when to say no. to see the full show notes for this episode. SUPPORT OUT THERE:
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Moral Compass
06/16/2022
Moral Compass
How do you decide whether to leave someone for dead? This is the story of a trip up Mt. Everest, in which climber Myles Osborne comes face to face with one of the hardest decisions mountaineers ever have to make. SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Nature's Nostalgia
06/09/2022
Nature's Nostalgia
A preview of our summer season! SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Adult-Onset Hunting
05/26/2022
Adult-Onset Hunting
The number of Americans hunting and fishing is declining, but women are bucking the trend. On this guest episode from , journalist Melodie Edwards finds a sisterhood at an all-women hunting camp—and catches her first fish with her dad. MARKETING COORDINATOR JOB: SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Beach Bum
05/12/2022
Beach Bum
It’s healthy to know who you are. But sometimes, defining yourself too rigidly can be problematic. On this episode, Bo Jensen takes us from the Gulf of Mexico to the Camino de Santiago and explores what happens when you stop forcing yourself to choose a single identity. SURVEY: SUPPORT OUT THERE: to see the full show notes for this episode.
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Introducing Not Lost
05/04/2022
Introducing Not Lost
Here’s a special preview of Not Lost, a new podcast about finding yourself in places you’ve never been from our friends at Pushkin Industries. Host Brendan Francis Newnam takes us around the world, learning about new places by getting invited to a stranger’s house for dinner. From Montréal to Mexico City, Brendan and his guests drink, dance, and eat, learning as much about themselves as the places they visit. Not Lost is both a travel escape and an insightful look at people — locals and visitors alike — trying to make sense of a constantly changing world. You can hear more from Not Lost at . SUPPORT OUT THERE:
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