Take Me Outdoors

31: Artist/Activist Sarah Uhl on the Art Emotional Connection through Visual Storytelling

January 20, 2018 00:32 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MB

Everyone has unique gifts, and there are always ways to share them with the world. Activism isn’t just about politics or standing around all day arguing with people. There are many people who share their talents and skills in other ways to support activism. Verde seeks out people who inspire conservationism and bring new light to the issues happening in our communities. People like today’s guest, Sarah Uhl. Sarah is a phenomenal artist, who is using her skills to help heal the world. S...

30: SHIFT founder Christian Beckwith Explains the Festival’s History and Importance for Our Futures.

October 31, 2017 08:00 - 30 minutes - 28.7 MB

The last few episodes of the Take Me Outdoors podcast has been building up to this very, very special episode. Just before SHIFT starts up we are joined by the Founder, Director, and reason this event is so successful: Christian Beckwith. Christian Beckwith moved to Jackson, Wyoming, in 1994, and soon thereafter started his first publication, The Mountain Yodel. In 1996 he became the youngest person to edit the world’s premier mountaineering journal, The American Alpine Journal. In 2002 he...

29: How the SHIFT Festival is Growing the Network of the Offices of Outdoor Recreation, One State at a Time

October 26, 2017 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MB

Today’s episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast features Luis Benitez, Colorado’s Director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, and Jon Snyder, Washington’s Outdoor Recreation and Economic Policy Advisor to the Governor, on the topic of growing the number of states that are standing up the Office of Outdoor Recreation. For the third year in a row, the SHIFT Festival will provide a platform for action and the building of best practices around this all-important office -- one that t...

28: SHIFT for the Planet Debuts to Connect Innovative Non-Profit and B-Corps with Funders

October 04, 2017 08:00 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MB

Today’s episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast again focuses on sharing insights into the incredible programming of SHIFT’s Festival. In this episode, you’ll meet TWO amazing leaders who will be part of the SHIFT for the Planet program, which takes place Nov. 1, Day 1 of SHIFT, from 3-5 pm at Snow King Resort. SHIFT for the Planet is a very innovative platform connecting some of the most innovative and impactful examples of outdoor recreation and conservation in the country with funders s...

27: Natives Outdoors’ Founder Len Necefer Brings Much-Needed Cultural Diversity to the Outdoor Community by Giving a Voice to a Group of People who Needed an Outdoor Community of their Own Native Americans

September 08, 2017 08:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MB

We are all aware that there were indigenous people here before Europeans settled on this continent. These people were kicked off their land to reservations, and some of their sacred places were turned into national parks and monuments. These parks are meant for everyone to enjoy, but there are key cultural differences to how the land is viewed, protected, respected and recreated on. Western culture’s mindset leans more toward a domination of these lands through adventures. Native people ...

26: Nine-Year-Old Activist Speaks Out To Save Our National Parks

August 23, 2017 06:00 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MB

In 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant started the very first (in the world) national park, Yellowstone. Ever since then our national park and monument system has expanded tremendously. Generations of people have been visiting our national parks and monuments ever since. After nearly a century and a half of progression our parks are at risk. Trump’s administration has been looking to give up 27 of our national monuments. These are things we need to protect. It can take decades for these nati...

25: IMBA’s ED Dave Wiens Aims to Unite Mountain Bikers and Design a Way Forward that Gets our Voice Heard

June 30, 2017 07:00 - 46 minutes - 63.6 MB

“At the end of a hard work I head out and ride for two hours let all of the stressed of the day melt away.” - David Wiens Are you a mountain biker? We used to think that question didn’t need to be asked, because if you were, you knew it. But mountain biking is unique (in many ways) in that there’s access in so many regions and communities for so many levels of riders. The question ‘are you a mountain biker’ really needs to be rolled out to a far larger group of people. Verde works acro...

24: Mike Glavin: What You Need To Sleep Well Outdoors

June 14, 2017 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.9 MB

“There’s an appetite out there for innovation. People who will buy things before it’s built because they want to be a part of something new and moving forward.” - Mike Glavin Have you been having a hard time finding the right way to sleep when you’re outdoors? Hate bringing a sleeping bag and padding to put underneath it? Can’t get comfortable in a mummy sleeping bag? You’re not alone. In fact a lot of people stopped going camping or to festivals all together just because they were tired o...

23: If You’re Not Helping Nature, You’re Hurting the City with Sarah Knapp

May 31, 2017 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MB

“So many people move to New York or another city, and then realize they need the outdoors.” - Sarah Knapp Looking for a way to get in touch with nature, yet feel stuck in a big city? Often times people move to large metropolitan areas to advance their careers or find more opportunities. When they get there they quickly discover that they need nature. We all used to play outdoors as kids, and that instinct doesn’t leave us when we become adults. Sarah Knapp joins us today to discuss her c...

22: Giving the Outdoors Back to Women with Sally Johnson

May 24, 2017 07:00 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MB

“People have some of the richest, most exciting experiences outdoors, and it’s hard for them to leave” - Sally Johnson Sally Johnson is the senior manager of events marketing at REI, and the leader of a very exciting project from REI, Outessa. Outessa is an event that gives women the chance to experience the outdoors, to form relationships and bonds with other women who appreciate and enjoy the outdoors, and to have the experience of understanding themselves better through their time in th...

21: The Print Industry Has Changed, But Steve Casimiro is Bringing Us Back

May 17, 2017 06:00 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MB

“The experience of reading is going to be luxurious. It’s going to be giving yourself the room and the space to sit down and make a real connection with something.” - Steve Casimiro What does it mean to be adventurous? How often do you find yourself connecting with the outdoor community in a quiet place, without the distractions of cell phones and other devices? With everything now available on your iphone, ipad, or other mobile/desktop devices, we find ourselves moving further away from p...

20: How PeopleForBikes is Keeping Guard of The Biking Industry for You with Jenn Dice

May 03, 2017 07:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MB

“WIth an electric bike, it reduces the barriers of distance, of speed..electric bikes just give you a little boost and make the bike a more viable solution.” - Jenn Dice Bikes can be a great solution to your common car commuting woes. Whether it’s a traditional bike, or the up and coming e-bike, they certainly clean up the commute for many of us out there. Did you know about the PeopleForBikes community, who actually look out for your biking rights, and ensure you get to keep the rights th...

19: Three Decades Worth of Tent Design Has Brought You SlingFin

April 26, 2017 07:00 - 23 minutes - 33 MB

“I like to build products as tools for specific purposes for all users.” - Martin Zemitis Being an outdoor enthusiast, means you most likely own a tent. Tents are the basic go-to when it comes to camping. But what is the thought process behind actually designing, building, and manufacturing them? Are they built to sell, or built to act as a real tool for you in your time of need? You might be surprised how much time, effort, and thought our guest Martin puts into designing his tents. Mar...

18: Radify is Changing the Way Developers Think About Outdoor Building

April 19, 2017 07:00 - 38 minutes - 53.5 MB

“For us, there’s no project without the success of a sustainable environment.” - Johannes Ariens As cities continue to grow, our spaces get smaller and smaller. It can be hard for us to break free and find somewhere to hike, bike, or surf. As outdoor enthusiasts, we like to define ourselves as communal, people who work together towards the same goals and outcomes. We surely don’t mind sharing a hiking trail with our outdoor friends. That’s exactly what Johannes Ariens is doing for the comm...

17: Changing the Face of Adventure with Bold Betties

April 12, 2017 07:00 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MB

“I feel like I’m on top of the world. I can do whatever I want, and whatever I want, which is to give this feeling to women everywhere.” - Niki Koubourlis As women, we are strong, we are powerful, and we can do anything we want! Take Niki Koubourlis for example. Niki came in and bridged the gap for women interested in novice outdoorsy experiences in the Metro Denver Area. She got Bold Betties out of it by taking a huge risk in her personal, and career driven life. Niki Koubourlis joins u...

16: How to become a Rad Creative with Semi-Rad Creator Brendan Leonard

April 06, 2017 19:58 - 46 minutes - 64.7 MB

“To do creative stuff, most people just need permission. And they just need to give it to themselves. They’re afraid to suck, so they don’t do something. My career has contained a lot of suck, but I was trying and wasn’t afraid to fail.” -Brendan Leonard Contrary to popular belief, the American Dream of landing your dream job doesn’t come quickly or easily. But if you give yourself permission to try and if you channel enough grit, you will get there. Or so believes Brendan Leonard, a cli...

15: How to Win at Retail Today with Ken Gart

March 29, 2017 07:00 - 18 minutes - 25.2 MB

“There’s a lot of same old stuff being sold in the same old way, and those retailers are going to go away. You have to be doing something different.” - Ken Gart What is going on in the retail world today? From small companies, to the big ones, to the online retailers that have been dominating the industry, we discuss ways you can still win within today’s extremely competitive retail market. Ken Gart joins us to provide tips and tricks at how to dominate the retail industry, already havin...

14: The Athlete as Entrepreneur With Sonya Looney

March 22, 2017 17:37 - 26 minutes - 36.7 MB

“You can reach people just by being yourself and telling your story.” - Sonya Looney Athlete? Entrepreneur? How about both? Some of us are born and bred an entrepreneur. We often find ourselves in comfortable positions, dreaming of taking the plunge and leaving our full time jobs to pursue our true passions. Most of us don’t take that leap, but for some of us, we jump in head first. Welcome Sonya Looney, joining us to discuss the athlete as an entrepreneur. Sonya is an outdoor adventuris...

13: Grab a Brew with Dave Thibodeau

March 15, 2017 07:00 - 40 minutes - 55.3 MB

“We have that motivation behind us because we have this ridiculous force in front of us that’s trying to squash us all.” - Dave Thibodeau Dave Thibodeau joins us today to discuss the journey of his business, Ska Brewing, and all the awesome beer they brew in Colorado. Dave’s journey is one radical ride into the brewing industry, which started back in the early 80’s, all while underage! On this episode of “Take me Outdoors,” we discuss the product, brand, and experience of Ska Brewery. Da...

12: How Zander Nosler found Success with Kitsbow

March 08, 2017 08:00 - 33 minutes - 46.9 MB

“You have to find a combination of things that you love, things that you’re good at, and things that people pay you to do.” --Zander Nosler Mountain biking isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle! From where they ride, to who they ride with, to what they wear, every piece plays an important role in their day to day life. That’s why Zander decided it was time to bridge the gap in mountain biking apparel. He found most apparel to be poorly constructed, and was tired of having to buy into it...

11: How G3 Went from an Idea to a Globally Recognized Company

March 01, 2017 08:00 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MB

Chasing your dream can really pay off...even if you didn’t mean to chase it. That’s the case with Oliver Steffen, who fell into a series of events that turned his hard work into well deserved success. How did all of this play out, though? Oliver Steffen joins us to discuss his practically overnight success with his back country ski products, and all the work it took to get there. Oliver is the founder behind G3, which stands for Genuine Guide Gear. G3 is a global brand that manufactures sk...

10: Outdoor Entrepreneurism, Education, and Activism with Phil Powers

February 15, 2017 08:00 - 40 minutes - 56.4 MB

“Climbing and the American Alpine Club have grown substantially over the last 10 years, and this growth allows us to do more of what we want to do: more good in the world.” --Phil Powers LISTEN: Outdoor Entrepreneurism, Education, and Activism with Phil Powers Famed climber and alpinist Phil Powers has pioneered thirty personal expeditions around the globe, including the first ascent of the Washburn Face of Denali and climbing K2 without supplemental oxygen. His visionary leaders...

09: Passion-Driven Purpose – Sarah Tescher of the Silverton White Out and Durango Devo

February 01, 2017 08:00 - 34 minutes - 48 MB

The 3rd Annual Silverton White Out Fat (Snow) Bike Event/Gathering takes place Feb. 4, 2017. This episode of the Take Me Outdoors podcast celebrates the founder and director of the Silverton White Out, Sarah Tescher. Sarah is also the co-founder of Durango’s junior development cycling program, DEVO, an educator and entrepreneur, and mom of two boys. She’s also a wonderful friend of mine, and a complete inspiration to so many! Sarah does all of this with an intention to serve. Her MO is to ...

08: Pure Journalism and the Evolving Consumer with Megan Tompkins

January 25, 2017 08:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MB

“Although Bicycle Retailer & Industry News is a trade magazine, it’s really a community magazine with relatives in the outdoor and snow space” - Megan Tompkins Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, commonly referred to as BRAIN, is one of the best read and most respected trade publications in the outdoor and active lifestyle industries. I was lucky enough to sit down with Megan Tompkins, the current publisher at BRAIN, for this episode of Take Me Outdoors. Megan never imagined that she’d be ...

07: The Future of Outdoor Recreation with Jessica Wahl, Government Affairs Manager at the Outdoor Industry Association

January 18, 2017 08:00 - 28 minutes - 39 MB

“It’s an interesting time for outdoor recreation - we were called the sleeping giant just a few years ago. The giant is now awake!” - Jessica Wahl While it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all of the uncertainties in our turbulent political climate, this week’s guest brings some light to all of the positive things that are in motion that affect our lands and industry. I sat down with Jessica Wahl, the Government Affairs Manager at the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) who’s on the front line...

06: Transforming Today’s Youth with Bryan Martin and Big City Mountaineers

January 12, 2017 02:05 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MB

“There’s competition between outdoor companies in the industry. ͞But at the end of the day there is an incredible culture of collegiality and respect for everyone and their work.” – Bryan Martin The outdoor community has been very fortunate to have Bryan Martin working as a non-profit professional for the last 15 years. He cut his teeth with organizations like The Nature Conservancy, the Colorado Mountain Club and the Land Trust Alliance and now heads up Big City Mountaineers (BCM). Brya...

05: Balancing Patience and Passion with Yuri Hauswald

January 05, 2017 08:00 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MB

“I’ve been able to develop this community of friends that have now become like family to me, and I don’t want to slow down, I want to keep going” Yuri Hauswald Where do competition and community meet? As any of you who have tried to build connections at a business or athletic event know, these two impulses can have opposite effects. Our guest this week is a competitive and community ringleader in the cycling industry. Not only is Yuri Hauswald a serious competitor at racing events, b...

04: Possible Big Wins to Come for the Outdoor Industry with Luis Benitez

December 07, 2016 08:00 - 26 minutes - 36.9 MB

“It has less to do with political party, and much more to do with conversation around how to take care of it, how to grow it, and how you focus on the next generation of leadership.” - Luis Benitez Luis Benitez is the state of Colorado’s first director of the newly created office of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry, which was created mid year 2015. We had an important milestone sneak in, close to the very last day of November of 2016. The US Senate passed HR 4665 the Outdoor Rec Act...

03: The Dangers Our Public Recreational Areas Face ft. Brady Robinson

November 28, 2016 08:13 - 31 minutes - 44.1 MB

“Maybe it’s a little stormy out, but we’re gonna keep going.” - Brady Robinson Brady Robinson started off working for North Carolina Outward Bound from 1995 to 2007. He held a variety of positions over the years, from instructor to director of operations. Brady started and ran the Patagonia mountaineering program from 1999 to 2003. "During my final 4 years I oversaw all program operations and safety management for the school," says Robinson. "I remain engaged with the outdoor education worl...

02: An Outdoor Junkie’s Guide to the Best Gear on the Market with Stephen Regenold

November 27, 2016 23:56 - 22 minutes - 31.3 MB

“I'm a big map nerd, and these races are very navigation-intensive. So I love the thinking component, the strategy.” - Stephen Regenold Stephen Regenold, a wildlife enthusiast, discusses different tools and products in the outdoor recreation industry to optimize your experiences. As a journalist major, Stephen Regenold created a magazine publication all about rock climbing, titled “Vertical Jones”, which he worked on for 4 years. After that, Stephen launched Gear Junkie, where he has been ...

01: Why Our Public Lands Are At Risk ft. John Sterling

November 27, 2016 23:36 - 29 minutes - 41.3 MB

“Our wilderness areas and our national parks we all know as the places where we have those iconic outdoor recreation experiences.” - John Sterling John Sterling, the executive director of The Conservation Alliance, joins us to discuss the dangers our federally managed lands face today. John Sterling served as a board member of the Conservation Alliance, at Patagonia in the late 90’s for 7 years. From there, he left to find a way to fund a full time staff position at the Conservation Al...

00: Welcome to Take Me Outdoors!

November 27, 2016 23:33 - 5 minutes - 6.99 MB

Take Me Outdoors is dedicated to bringing visibility and engagement around important topics in and around the outdoors, such as conservation and access, The Outdoor Recreation Economy, Increasing participation and interest for the outdoors and conservation, landmark developments within our world (could be gear, athlete accomplishments and other big news), and more! If you love the outdoors, this podcast is for you! Please subscribe!

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