She Explores

We travel to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia to create a story about the visible impact we leave behind on the country we live in and the countries we visit. We talk with Emily Green, director of the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund about the importance of the social, economic, and political communities teaming together to support the sustainability of the park. Gale also shadows Chilean t...

Traci Lynn Martin is currently attempting two big goals: 1) to set a new world record for number of miles paddled in a surfski kayak 2) to be the first to circumnavigate all 5 Great Lakes in that kayak within 12 months. These are seriously big goals, but to Traci, they're just a series of little goals to show other people with Rheumatoid Arthritis what they could achieve, too. We talk with Traci a...

Last winter Emma Hayward reached out to ask Gale, "What does wilderness mean to you?" Emma was working on her senior thesis project. As an environmental science major with a love for the ocean, she wanted to dig into not only the "what" of wilderness, but the "where." This episode is a piece of Emma's thesis project. It's her personal exploration to find out why wilde...

We talk with Katy Fetters, founder of the movement Cerebral Palsy Strong, about how she's found adaptability and vulnerability to be her strengths on the trail, overlanding in South America, and in every day life. Katy is driven to share stories of other young people with CP as evidence that there are many ways to lead an active lifestyle with differing mobilities. Above all, Katy wants all women...

There's magic to be found in a small park. Writer Korrin Bishop shares Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve through the voices of three women: park superintendent Vicki Snitzler, interpretive ranger Kat Gans, and artist Jean Robertson. For the last summer season, Korrin Bishop balanced her full time job with being an artist-in-residence at Oregon Caves National Monument. In this episode, sh...

Sarah Attar, the first female runner to represent Saudi Arabia in the Olympics, believes in the intimacy of learning a landscape on your own two feet. We talk with Sarah about the inspiration she finds in the mountain town of Mammoth Lakes, the power of tuning in to your speaking voice, and the recognition that every hill, every mile, and every accomplishment becomes a part of you. Featuring Sarah...

We talk with Kylie Fly about how she's creating her own career in the outdoor industry as an adventure photographer, when it's right to say no to opportunities, and why for her, people always come first. Featuring Kylie Fly. Find her on Instagram and see more of her photography in her portfolio . Kylie's tips for making your career: 1) Put yourself out there. Whether it’s the side of a mountain, o...

Host Gale takes her twin sister Lora backpacking for the very first time. They spend the night in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The hope? To be tired but happy, together. Featuring Lora and Gale Straub. Learn more at www.she-explores.com/podcast . Sponsored by Vasque KIND : Get a free 10 pack of full-size KINDbars by visiting www.kindsnacks.com/sheexplores for more details. Just pay shippi...

The smallest moments can have a real impact on our lives. We reflect on those moments in the outdoors, in the workplace, and in our personal lives. In this episode, we hear from a solo sailor approaching fifty years old, an adventure photographer on a mission to learn how to surf, an entrepreneur letting go after a loss, and a cancer survivor celebrating with a hike - among others. Recorded in par...

Ever feel like you need permission to try something new? We talk with Amanda Machado, author of the Vox essay " The Strangeness of Being a Latina who Loves Hiking ." Amanda brings up the astute point that we so often look around us for permission to take a risk, when we just might not find it within our close circles. Amanda's advice? Go for it anyway. We talk with Amanda about growing u...

On the trail, is confidence good, bad, or something in between? We talk with Lisa Michelle, a woman who lost her hiking partner tragically while hiking solo. We discover how Lisa is able to reconcile still doing what she loves when there's risk involved. Lisa doesn’t know the full details of her friend’s death (allegedly she fell while hiking in a foreign country), but she knows that her friend fe...

Can failure bring out the best in you? We're excited to share one of our favorite outdoor podcasts with you, "Out There Podcast." This week, we chat with host Willow Belden and share her award-winning episode, "High On Failure." Last spring, Jordan Wirfs-Brock attempted one of the toughest trail running races in existence: a 550-miler called Infinitus, which took place in the r...

What do you do when your life looks great "on paper" but it isn't the life you want? We talk with Shelby Stanger, journalist and host of the podcast "Wild Ideas Worth Living" about what she gained when she left a high paying job 9 years ago to pursue a freelance journalism career. For Shelby, what looked good on paper, a job that looked fantastic in other people’s eyes and that...

Crystal Brindle is the park ranger only child of two park rangers. She was born to work for the National Park Service in the United States, so why did she decide to start a career as a biodiversity ranger in New Zealand? After a childhood on the move, Crystal found a home of her own. The Spanish notion of querencia that Crystal describes is core to her story - that indescribable feeling that draws...

What's top of mind for women in the outdoor industry right now? We go to the inaugural "Women's Outdoor Summit for Empowerment" in the Presidio Trust of San Francisco with that question in the back of our mind. We find out that "empowerment" is more dynamic than the story we often tell ourselves. Featuring Teresa Baker, Alyssa Ravasio, Kelly Martin, Cicely Muldoon, Jarre Hamilt...

We talk with Chloe O’Neill, founder of " More Than Lyme ." She’s had Lyme Disease for most of her young life. For Chloe, the vague, intermittent, but often debilitating symptoms of the disease have impacted her life view in both negative and remarkably positive ways. Many of the lessons its taught her are surprisingly universal - whether that's becoming more at ease with gray areas or re...

Annie Nyborg isn’t an entrepreneur or an extreme athlete or a thru hiker. She’s as passionate about the environment as she is about spending time in the backcountry as she is about being a mother. After years of feeling like the “grass was greener” everywhere but where she was - Annie let go of her expectations and in doing so, found the closest thing possible to the life work she was searching fo...

Agnes Vianzon has been working hard. After years of experience with the California Conservation Corps (CCC), Agnes decided to take start her own Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps (ESCC), described as a youth and young adult "development and leadership program committed to building a stronger and more inclusive community... through transformational backcountry experiences." Agnes understa...

Sisters Julie Hotz and Shelly Blacketer grew up together in rural Texas but took very separate paths. Living 1,500 miles away, they decided to train for their first race together: a half-ironman. This episode is kind of about that race, but it's more about two sisters coming together in a novel way. You might remember thru hiker and filmmaker Julie Hotz from our second podcast episode, "On Fe...

How has your dad shaped your experiences in the outdoors? Prompted by a message from a new father, we asked you to share your stories and received a breadth of responses. We found that our dads have had a profound impact on our relationship with the natural world, even in his absence. Included in this episode are 21 voice memos from women of all ages and backgrounds. It's a big Venn Diagram - some...

Bridgette Meinhold is selling landscape artwork to help save her backyard: Bonanza Flats, 1,350 acres of alpine meadows near Park City, Utah. Bridgette, fellow residents and nonprofits have until June 15th to close a $15M gap to help the town secure the land and conserve it. Bridgette's passion for Bonanza Flats comes at a time when public land in the United States is at risk. Currently, twenty-tw...

Striking out on your own means a whole lot of hustling. We interview Sarah Knapp, the founder of OutdoorFest and Mappy Hour about how she got started, how she finds time, and how she's learning to appreciate an accomplishment before moving onto her next goal. After graduating from NYU, Sarah applied to work at a ski resort in Alta, Utah. She wanted to immerse herself in the 'ski bum' lifestyle and...

Interview with Shelma Jun, founder of Flash Foxy , the Women's Climbing Festival, and the Never Not Collective . We talk with Shelma about the ripple effect of starting small in a place that she knew: the climbing community. Learn more via www.she-explores.com/podcast Piece in the beginning " Ode to Every Woman Who's Ever Been Called Outdoorsy " by artist Madison Perrins. Sponsored by Or...

Interview with "Wild and Weightless" founder Kristen Ales. We talk about her personal experiences at a young age with binge eating disorder and anorexia, how she's quieted that voice in her head, and how she's driven to help others with eating disorders through wilderness therapy. Note: This episode mentions eating disorders. And while it's constructive in many ways, depending on your ba...

On April 20th, we headed to Carbondale, CO for our first adventure film festival. We talked to its founder, Julie Kennedy, and five creative women who find inspiration in its community. We learn about the trends in adventure filmmaking and the importance of seeking out the people and places that motivate you to create. Featuring Julie Kennedy (Founder of 5Point), Anya Miller (Creative Strategist a...