When Public Lands Meet Instagram

Two travelers. Six weeks. Thousands of miles. Almost no cell signal.

When Nicole Brown, founder of Women Who Hike, and professional photographer and writer Elisabeth Brentano, joined forces for an epic caravan through the Southwest, it was in the name of learning more about public lands as the locals know them-- including how to better protect them.

From their perspective on how to make the most of your time when visiting new parks and monuments, to how social media helps and hurts the places we love recreating on and how we can all do better when it comes to conserving these special outdoor spaces, Nicole and Elisabeth might make you want to take your own trip to the Southwest, and maybe even leave your phone at home.

About Nicole:

Nicole Brown is an avid hiker and the founder of the worldwide community organization, Women Who Hike. Nicole is an advocate for public lands, conservation and using our wild spaces and trails responsibly. Nicole uses the trail as a means of empowerment and healing amidst having been diagnosed with SLE, systemic erythematosus. Today she is fighting to be in remission all the while summiting mountains and also sharing the stories of other empowered women through @WomenWhoHike social channels and organizing group hikes all over the world for other women hikers.

About Elisabeth:

Elisabeth Brentano is a writer/photographer based in California, but her wanderlust takes her all over the world to shoot landscapes, wildlife and the occasional commercial project. After working in Los Angeles newsrooms for nearly a decade, she traded her high heels in for hiking boots and she has been living out of her Jeep since 2016.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why Nicole and Elisabeth decided to take a 6-week road trip through
public lands in the southwestern USThe importance of having local conversations when you visit a new
placeHow seeking out the perspective of Native tribes on public lands is
crucial to understanding a place’s history and significanceWhat to ask when you visit a Ranger StationWhy you should seek out off-the-beaten-path locations at popular
parksThe importance of using Leave No Trace principles on public landsHow certain types of geotagging can impact small local landsWhat the new Leave No Trace social media guidelines mean for
travelersMisadventures and anecdotes from Nicole and Elisabeth’s time on the
roadWhy these two traveled in separate vehicles for their entire tripTips for how to be more self-reliant while travelingWhat two pieces of gear Nicole and Elisabeth recommend for solo travelWhat you can do to support public lands conservation, online and when
traveling

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Nicole Brown on Instagram - @im_nicolemarie and her organization, Women Who HikeElisabeth Brentano on Instagram - @elisabethontheroadNatives Outdoors on Instagram - @nativesoutdoorsThe Leave No Trace 7 PrinciplesLeave No Trace Social Media GuidanceListen to Nicole’s interview on Episode 52 of She Explores

Connect to the community online:

A special On the Road, Our Way Facebook group for podcast listeners!

Podcast Sponsors, Giveaways, and Discounts!

Check out Sawyer, and enter to win a Sawyer Gift Pack on
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purchaseShop Kuju Coffee online and get 20% off your order with code
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Episodes air weekly on Fridays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode. Follow along with Laura Borichevsky on Instagram (@howsheviewsit) and see more of her work through her website, How She Views It.

Music is by Belvedear, Hyson, Jason Shaw, and Josh Woodward.

A production of Ravel Media