Exploration Local

Send us Fan Mail Thomas C. Webb is an Emmy award-winning film and video creator who has dedicated his life to waking up at 3am, enduring -30-degree temperatures and climbing to spine-tingling heights to capture the perfect shot. Bringing the client’s vision to life and telling their story in a unique, engaging way is what drives Thomas to wake up well before the sun. For over a decade, Thomas has...

Send us Fan Mail When the weather begins to cool off in the Southeast it means the best season of the year is fast approaching. Apple picking, a favorite fall pastime, actually begins in early September in western North Carolina. And, no apple tastes better than the ones you pick yourself - fresh off the tree. This autumn/fall activity is definitely one to have on your family bucket list. In this...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we highlight some of the latest places we’ve been exploring. Exploration Local Host, Mike Andress, shares some of his favorite small mountain towns, new hikes, waterfalls, scenic drives & mountain biking trails that he's being enjoying with his family. With a little drop in temps here in WNC, the apple farms opening up for the season, and kids returning to...

Send us Fan Mail Leslie Restivo lives in Boone, NC. She is very comfortable in the backcountry of the Highlands and the rugged and scenic Linville Gorge. She has been known to rappel deep into the Gorge to grab the perfect shot. She is a Brand Ambassador at Great Outdoor Provision Co , 2020 Grand Prize winner of the Peering into Pisgah Photo Contest , Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Photographer of 2...

Send us Fan Mail Years of careful study has proven that spending time in a forest can reduce stress, anxiety, depression and anger; strengthen the immune system, improve cardiovascular and metabolic health and boost overall well-being. Exploration Local Host, Mike Andress, discusses his own personal struggle with depression and anxiety and the freedom he experiences from being in the outdoors. He...

Send us Fan Mail After a three month, 14K mile father-and-son camping trip that included 49 campgrounds,, 20 states and provinces across the USA and Canada, and visiting numerous national parks and forests along the way, Earl B. Hunter Jr was astonished that he only saw one other Black family camping on their entire journey. It was then that Earl knew he was being called to a greater mission. In O...

Send us Fan Mail Are you looking to spice up your mountain getaway?  Look no further than DuPont Yurts . Listen in as Sherry & Terry McCracken, owners of DuPont Yurts , talk about how an impromptu wedding anniversary trip staying in a Yurt spawned the heartbeat and vision for a new Yurt Glampground in the adventure rich Dupont State Forest . This husband and wife duo discusses their long range...

Send us Fan Mail Yashdeep Kumar immigrated to the United States from India to attend the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and pursue his Biomedical Engineering Graduate Degree. Listen in as Yashdeep shares amazing stories and talks about how Outdoor Adventures and the outdoor community were the portals to acclimating to life in the USA, and in his own words, "gave him confidence...

Send us Fan Mail The #VanLife movement has taken over social media with more than 7.3 million mentions on Instagram alone. Breathtaking photos of people who have sold their world belongings, purchased a van and headed out on the open road leave followers dreaming of a simpler life and living a bit of the nomadic hippie lifestyle. While not everyone can shed the 9am-5pm life, become a minimalist an...

Send us Fan Mail Will Lovett, a rising senior majoring in Marketing & Management at UNC Asheville doesn't just love mountain biking, he also loves to spread the mountain biking STOKE to his fellow students. He and a group of entrepreneurial friends and fellow mountain bike riders took their love of the sport to the next level and started a mountain biking team at UNC Asheville . Listen in...

Send us Fan Mail Blue Wall Adventures , based in Greenville, South Carolina is a premier source for outdoor adventures in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. They offer guided mountain biking tours and hikes in Dupont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Chimney Rock State Park (Weedpatch Mountain Trail). Blue Wall Adventures also offers professional mountain bike instruction,...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is because of mountain biking but isn’t ALL about mountain biking. It’s about sharing the ride and the journey that comes with it. It’s about falling in love with an idea that has such a strong pull that it ends up becoming a dream that has to be pursued. It’s about giving ourselves the freedom to dream, striving for the pursuit of excellence, advocacy, love for a loc...

Send us Fan Mail Inspired by their deep roots and heritage in outdoor equipment manufacturing, SylvanSport designs products that make playing in the outdoors easy, fun, and accessible. In 2004, SylvanSport set out to make the most innovative pop-up camper and has evolved into a line of some of the most uniquely designed and durable camping and gear trailers ever made. We sit down with Katlyn Moble...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Mary Jo Gordon, Marketing & Communication Specialist with Transylvania County Tourism to get a behind the scenes look at what it is like to support & promote a beautiful mountain destination. Brevard and Transylvania County offer one-of-a-kind opportunities to pursue fly fishing, mountain biking, road cycling, rock climbing, hiking, camping, birding, cruis...

Send us Fan Mail Headwaters is dedicated to providing family-friendly outings along the French Broad River, and beyond: from big groups of 20 family members to the most elite fisher men and women! Their customer service is unmatched and their proud of that. As a small family owned and operated outfitter in Rosman, N.C., they are passionate about sharing their knowledge of Western North Carolina’s...

Send us Fan Mail Matt Moses is the President and CEO of USA Raft in Erwin, TN.  The USA Raft Adventure Resort is nestled between the Cherokee National Forest (with the AT running right through the edge of the property) and the Nolichucky River. With 30+ years of experience, a rigorous raft guide training school and some of the best guides and gear on the river, USA Raft is the leading whitewater r...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Exploration Local Podcast!  In this introduction episode I share how a pop-up camper and traveling through Europe in a Volkswagen Van influenced my love for the outdoors. I created this show to explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge Mountains special and unique, and to encourage you to make adventure and the outdoors a priority in your...