Outside Podcast

The Olympics is a ridiculous mixture of hit-you-straight-in-the-feels origin stories and Greek god-level athletic prowess. Even in the endless parade of epic performances it inevitably serves up, Jessie Diggins’ will likely stand out. The most decorated American crosscountry skier of all time, Jessie was one of the most thrilling moments in Olympic history when she and teammate Kikkan Randall won the US’s first-ever crosscountry skiing gold in the team sprint at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang. She heads to the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina, Italy as one of the U.S. team’s most recognizable faces and the only crosscountry skier your parents have ever heard of. It would be unfair to say that she doesn’t feel the pressure of carrying the expectations of a country every time she blasts off the starting line, but her perspective on that pressure might surprise you—it’s one that owes as much to her elite accomplishments as it does to her down-to-earth Midwestern roots.

The comeback is central to the mythology of sports, and when one plays out on the already mythic stage of the Olympics, athletes in relatively obscure sports can become legends. That’s the context in which halfpipe skier Nick Goepper finds himself as the U.S. Ski Team prepares to name its Olympians next week. An unlikely ski phenom from Indiana, who first drew attention in the park of his 400-vertical foot local hill, Nick is a three-time Olympic medalist … in slopestyle. A successful late career pivot to halfpipe would be more than enough to make the 31-year-old a compelling main character of the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Games, but that’s not why these Games are a comeback. In the 12 years since earning Bronze at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, Nick battled depression, panic attacks, and substance abuse, all of which culminated in a very public arrest for criminal mischief. Nick has been guarded about his mental health journey until now, as he opens up about how you can only chase your dreams if you’re bold enough to face your demons. 

Join guests Kylie Van Horn, a registered dietitian for outdoor athletes, and Sierra Schaefer, editor-in-chief of Ski Magazine, as they unwrap the tasty tradition of skiing and snacking. Kylie reveals the perils of bonking and shares nutrient-packed ski snack tips. Sierra dives into nostalgic ski-food rituals and the frugal tricks that unite skiers. Together, they highlight the emotional connection between food and the mountain experience, proving that whether it’s tailored nutrition or beloved traditions, the joy of skiing is always intertwined with delicious treats.

Roman Dial is engaged in a five-decade exploration of Alaska by raft, mountain bike, and foot … but not trail. Over the course of locally legendary adventures like his 800-mile traverse of the Brooks Range and the 628 miles he once hiked with a single backpack’s worth of food and gear, Dial was forced to invent new means of transport, like the pack raft and a form of bushwack mountain biking called “hell biking.” His commitment to physical pursuits in his adopted home state is matched by intellectual traversing during a 30-plus year career as a professor of science and mathematics at Alaska Pacific University. As a teacher, Roman used his remarkable outdoor skills to lead research expeditions into the bush to mentor generations of scientists, all of which is beautifully captured in a new film about his life, “Arctic Alchemy.” After five decades of these sufferfests, Roman has a perspective on life and adventure that will change your attitude the next time you’re cold, wet, and many miles from home.

Even those of us who seek freedom and adventure in the wilderness are hardwired to keep themselves safe. It’s why we, as a species, outlasted the dodo and reached the top of the food chain. But there is a subset of outdoor athletes who seem to have found the genetic safety switch in their mitochondria and turned it off—folks like ski alpinist Christina Lustenberger. Lusti, as her superhuman friends call her, has racked up more first descents on mountains of consequence than arguably any other other woman in the last 10 years. These culminated in the past few years with the 20,000 foot Great Trango Tower in Pakistan, and Mount Robson, Canada’s tallest peak. But it’s in the less expected parts of her life that Lusti proves that she’s not always fearless. When it comes to facing the relationships in her life that aren’t going well, she feels the sharp end of fear that the rest of us might get staring up Robson. And what she does with that fear might surprise you. 

Cory Richards, a renowned photographer and mountaineer, opens up about stepping away from climbing after a mental health crisis during a Nepal expedition. He discusses the challenges of redefining his identity outside of outdoor adventure, exploring the fine line between solitude and isolation. Cory shares his nostalgic memories of climbing, the evolving nature of his storytelling focus, and the importance of community over achievement in outdoor pursuits. He ponders the duality of the outdoors, emphasizing both its healing qualities and darker influences on his mental well-being.

Rowan Jacobsen, a contributing editor and author specializing in food, nature, and science, dives into the intriguing world of truffle hunting. He shares tales from eerie Italian forests to the Appalachian hills where truffles, worth their weight in gold, are stealthily sought after. The conversation explores the underground economy likened to the drug trade, the thrill of the hunt, and the unique aromas that make truffles irresistible. Rowan also discusses the secretive 'truffle knights' in Hungary and predicts an exciting future for American truffle culture.

Kai Lightner, a celebrated youth climbing champion and founder of Climbing for Change, discusses the intricate balance between physical and emotional challenges in outdoor climbing. He shares how climbing helps him confront fear and anxiety, providing emotional catharsis. Kai reflects on the pressures of being a prodigy and the grounding influence of his mother. He highlights how techniques in climbing translate to life skills, advocating for the importance of resilience and adaptability in both realms. Plus, gear essentials and favorite snacks!

Ella Al-Shamahi, a paleoanthropologist and TV presenter, delves into our intrinsic love for adventure. She explores the evolutionary roots of exploration and reveals how early humans, including fascinating species she refers to as 'Hobbits' and 'Dragon Men,' shaped our DNA. Ella discusses our community-building instincts and how traits like imagination and long childhoods fueled human success. She believes that our urge for adventure helped Homo sapiens thrive while others faded away, linking our innate wanderlust to survival and colonization.

They say it’s not the fall that gets ya, it’s the landing. Fear of falling, or smacking one’s face onto the cold hard earth, is an innate human emotion. Even for athletes who’ve spent a lifetime climbing mountains, traversing sheer cliffs, balancing on knife-edge ridgelines, this fear never disappears. And that’s why folks who paraglide, speedfly, and skydive are both fascinating and confounding. What do they know that the rest of us don’t? Well, champion wingsuit pilot and quantum physicist, Alexey Galda knows a lot about it. Alexey spends his weekdays  in quantum computing at the pharmaceutical giant Moderna. And his weekends are spent jumping out of perfectly good airplanes donning a  “squirrel suit” that lets him move horizontally through the sky at speeds exceeding 200 miles an hour. Even if these worlds seem drastically different, they both impact the other and allow Alexey to, ahem, fly through fear.