Wild Ideas Worth Living | Interviews On Adventure, Outdoors, Travel, Health, Fitness, Running, Business, Surfing, Exploring

Cody Townsend is one of America's most well-known and beloved professional skiers. In his 20s, Cody made a name for himself as a competitive alpine ski racer before starring in dozens of blockbuster ski movies. His fame skyrocketed in 2014 when he skied The Crack, a steep and narrow gully in Alaska. Following this feat, Cody embarked on an ambitious journey to ski the 50 classic lines in North America— a project that isn't quite finished and maybe never will be. Connect with Cody: Website Instagram YouTube If you enjoyed this episode: Snowboarding as a Creative Expression with Travis RiceSpirit of the Peaks with Connor RyanThank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

About a decade ago, entrepreneur Karla Amador set her sights on completing 52 hikes in a year. She didn't consider herself outdoorsy, so it helped to break down her goal into small, actionable steps, like hiking at least one mile each weekend. She called this project "The 52 Hike Challenge." 10 years later, she's turned it into a national company that encourages thousands of participants to get outside.Connect with Karla: Instagram 52 Hike Challenge website & Instagram Listen to Karla's new podcast, Rise & Wander Thank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

Will Gadd has spent his thirty-year career mastering the balance between risk management and innovation in extreme sports. He has set two paragliding distance records, won numerous ice climbing competitions, and achieved multiple first ascents. In 2015, Will became the first person to ice climb Niagara Falls.Connect with Will: Website Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to The Wisdom of Expeditions with Conrad AnkerThank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

Jessie Krebs is a wilderness survival expert and Air Force veteran who prepares people for worst-case scenarios. Since her time in the Air Force, Jessie has used her experience to open her own wilderness survival school with a mission to share her knowledge with everyone, especially women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ folks, so they can more confidently, and safely explore the outdoors.Connect with Jessie: Instagram O.W.L.S. Skills website Thank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

12 years ago Martinus Evans went on his first run. Despite the initial struggle, he went on to complete his first marathon just 18 months later. Today, Martinus is a marathon runner, author, speaker, and the founder of the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 40,000 members that motivates runners of all speeds to go after their big goals. Connect with Martinus: WebsiteInstagramSlow AF website & InstagramThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

Pat Gallant-Charette is a 73-year-old record-breaking marathon swimmer with nine Guinness World Records under her belt. From swimming across the English Channel to navigating Lake Ontario and Lake Zurich, Pat has proven that age is no barrier to big dreams. When she’s not taking on epic swims, you’ll find her tending to her garden, beekeeping, or tapping her own maple trees.Connect with Pat: WebsiteInstagramIf you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Ice Swimming with Melissa KeglerThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

In 2022, Dan Hobbs achieved the record as the fastest self-supported person to climb all 58 of Colorado’s 14ers— a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet in elevation— in just 14 days. Connect with Dan: Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to 100 Peaks in 50 Days with Jason HardrathThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

Mario Rigby is a serial adventurer who pushes himself to his limit out in nature. He's kayaked across Lake Ontario, biked across the entire country of Canada and walked the length of Africa. No matter what kind of expedition he's on, the motivation remains the same, to witness the good in humanity and challenge others to see it as well. Connect with Mario: WebsiteInstagram YouTubeThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

Angelina Huang is a former Team USA figure skater who made the bold decision to retire from the sport at just 18 years old. After taking a step back to reconnect with herself, Angelina found a new passion—wild ice skating, where her love for the ice was reignited by the beauty of natural landscapes around the world.Connect with Angelina: WebsiteInstagram & TikTok Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

Comedian Matt Lyons— trail name Schmutz— is a thru-hiker who makes a living poking fun at outdoor enthusiasts. With a sharp wit and countless trail miles under his belt, Matt brings humor to everything from gear obsessions to the unpredictable mishaps of wilderness life.Connect with Matt: Instagram & TikTokWebsiteThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

Denise Joi is a wildlife pilot and conservationist who’s taken her passion for the outdoors to the skies. Denise works alongside biologists to research, survey, and transport species in an effort to protect biodiversity. Her job is incredibly challenging and takes a lot of planning. But for Denise, it is beyond worth it.Connect with Denise: Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast! 

At 19, Jade Darmawangsa took on the wild challenge of surfing Pipeline—the most iconic and dangerous wave on the planet. There were two major obstacles: she didn't know how to surf, and she couldn’t swim.Connect with Jade: Website Instagram TikTokYouTubeThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI's Camp Monsters Podcast! 

Eric Carter is an alpine athlete and endurance coach who discovered the niche sport of ski mountaineering, or "skimo," and never looked back. Skimo involves skiing uphill in the backcountry and riding the slope back down. Eric also founded Ridgeline Athletics, where he helps mountain athletes chase their own wild outdoor adventures.Connect with Eric: WebsiteInstagram Ridgeline Athletics website Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrell

Lauren Bash is an environmentalist and storyteller who breaks down the complexities of climate change in an inspiring, accessible way. She empowers people with simple, actionable steps to create a healthier environment—and ultimately, a healthier world.Connect with Lauren: WebsiteInstagram TikTok If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Uncovering Climate Mysteries with Lonnie ThompsonListen to Wildfires and Imperfect Activism with Graham ZimmermanThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrell

For the last 20 years, researcher and journalist, Dan Buettner has been studying the happiest, healthiest people on earth. In 2003, Dan started exploring Blue Zones— regions where people live longer than average, many living to be over 100. His work has revealed that by living in places that encourage healthy habits, living a long fruitful life is more possible than people realize. Connect with Dan: Website Instagram Blue Zones website & Instagram Blue Zones Minestrone recipeIf you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Riding Waves with the Boogie Board Wave Chasers Listen to REI's Camp Monsters podcast!! Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesHoney Stinger

Dani Reyes-Acosta is a runner, a snowboarder, a climber, and a filmmaker who is intentional about the why behind her adventures. She’s currently in the middle of making her first independent film series, called OUTLIER. The series tells the stories of boundary breaking Latina athletes as they explore their own identities and the great outdoors. Dani’s path to adventure film started in corporate America, but eventually she decided to quit her job and pursue a life of storytelling.Connect with Dani: WebsiteOUTLIER websiteInstagramThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesHoney Stinger

Joe and Ann Evermore live in Colorado and they take wild parenting to a whole new level. Their kids are five, eight and 10, and each of them is a skilled hiker and rock climber. In 2022, their oldest son Sam became the youngest person to climb El Capitan via rope ascent. Connect with Sam & Joe: Website Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Raising Kids Wildly Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesHoney Stinger

Taku Kondo makes delicious meals outside with ingredients that he forages or catches in the wild. He documents his cooking creations on his YouTube channel, Outdoor Chef Life, which features videos of Taku harvesting the ingredients and preparing meals back at camp.Connect with Taku: Outdoor Chef Life YouTube channelWebsiteInstagramJocelyn & Taku's YouTube, Instagram & website Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesHoney Stinger 

Cheyenne Smith is a multifaceted, adventurer and outdoor guide. She skis, rock climbs, highlines, and leads climbing trips for women of color with a nonprofit called Women's Wilderness. Her guiding style focuses on building community and teaching others to be present and intentional when they're in the wild.Connect with Cheyenne: Website InstagramWomen's Wilderness If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Life on a Highline with Faith DickeyThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesHoney Stinger Check out: REI Co-op Experiences   

Rose McAdoo is trained baker and culinary artist who makes “science desserts” — four tiered cakes or sparkling lollipops that she uses to explain complex environmental concepts. The best part, Rose creates these culinary masterpieces in the wild. She has whipped up desserts at the edges of glaciers, on volcanoes, and in caves and deserts. Each sweet is an educational work of art that tells a story and celebrates science and adventure.Connect with Rose: Website InstagramThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesGU Energy