The Dirtbag Diaries

Growing up undocumented in Michigan, Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada didn't think skiing was for her, and it wasn't until she moved to Wyoming that she found how much joy it brought her. Last year, she set her sights on skiing Mexico's tallest peak, Pico de Orizaba, with a meaningful twist: her parents, who have never quite understood why skiing was so important to their daughter, would join her at basecamp. On this trip, Vanessa reflects on belonging, creating access, and finding joy.In partnership withKuat Racks1% Percent For the PlanetWant more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Natalie Brechtel joined the U.S. Antarctic Program at the South Pole for a supposed dream gig, but instead it was the start of a year marked by harassment, a toxic work environment and loss. Despite losing the ability to trust both her colleagues and herself, she kept going back, redefining what it means to feel safe. A decade later, she faced one final exit challenge: to lead her team on a 26-day traverse to the South Pole. Support comes fromOne Percent For the Planet

At different points in their lives, both Brice Ruiz and Ashley Lose found themselves at a crossroads. Brice wanted to run his first ultramarathon, but wouldn’t call himself a “runner.” Ashley and her partner had just hit the road when she found out she was pregnant, pushing them to reconsider their definition of home. In each of their essays, Brice and Ashley find a path to creating the lives they wanted to lead. Support comes fromKuat Racks Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today 

Chances are at some point you’ve signed up for an organized race or event. Maybe you’ve participated in a local turkey trot or maybe you’ve run Western States. You register, pay the entry fee, train, show up and try hard. Race day can almost feel like magic. This is a story about the people behind the scenes making all that magic happen.Support comes fromHMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscriptionWant more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today 

During their twelve winters as winter rangers in Yosemite National Park, Rob and Laura Pilewski have learned a thing or two about what it means to love a place– and a person. Support comes fromHMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscriptionKuat Racks Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Both Julia Hoer and Josie McKee suffered traumatic experiences that forced them to reckon with their identities and priorities. But through time in the mountains, each learned that they had within them everything they needed. Support comes fromHMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscriptionWant more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

This year to celebrate the new year, Fitz sat down with professional skier Cody Townsend about his goal of skiing all of the Fifty Classic Ski Descents in North America. We might just have to call this episode the Many Years of a Big Audacious Idea.Support comes fromHMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscriptionKuat Racks AG1Alpenglow Speaker SeriesWant more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

The Grand Traverse is a ski race like no other: skiers begin at midnight and navigate 40 miles through the dark and they often face blizzards, frostbite, and gear failures. The race follows old postal routes through Colorado’s high mountains connecting the iconic ski towns of Crested Butte and Aspen– racers trudge over mountain passes topping out at over 12,000 feet. Needless to say, the event is reserved for hearty and adventurous folks – like Pat O’Neill. Pat is the only person who has participated in the race every year since it began in 1997, and he’s come to realize the race is about more than finishing fast— it’s about the adventure, his ski partners, and the memories. Support comes fromPatagoniaAG1Kuat RacksWant more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today 

As a kid, Lauren DeLaunay Miller desperately wanted to see a shooting star. Years later, in the vastness of the Utah desert, she finally got her wish. Support comes fromPatagoniaAthletic GreensKuat RacksRumpl

A crisp sunny morning with tacky stone. The spring flush of desert sun and good dirt. Long summer days that tangle with night. What’s best?Armed with facts, waxing poetic prose, and a touch of emotional heat, our staff goes toe to toe to determine which region has the best season. It’s tournament time!Today’s episode is from our Dirtbag Diaries+ channel. Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today Support comes fromPatagoniaAG1Kuat RacksRumpl