Let's Take This Outside

Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson is Métis and grew up in Treaty 8 territory (northern Alberta, Canada). Her family was nîhithawîwin (Woodland Cree/ “N”) speaking. Her Métis relations are the Cardinal (Peeaysis Band) and Laboucane (Laboucane Settlement) families. She currently lives near Rocky Mountain House in Treaty 6 (central Alberta).  Christianson was formerly a Research Scientist with the Canadi...

Mark Herbst is an endurance athlete, cycling coach, and world-class ultra-racer who has spent decades pushing the limits of what’s possible on two wheels. A multiple national champion in cycling and triathlon, he’s raced the legendary Race Across America four times (including a record-breaking win in the two-man category) and competed twice at the Hawaii Ironman. He recently took on his biggest ch...

Brooke Mitchell traded the Appalachian hills of Ohio for expeditions across the globe, using her Zoology and Biology degrees to dive headfirst into wildlife conservation through adventure travel.  Her conservation science podcast Rewildology takes listeners on wild journeys around the world to experience conservation firsthand—including a Patagonia series that was a Jackson Wild Media Awards Final...

Dr. Alison Criscitiello is an ice core scientist and high-altitude mountaineer. She is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Canadian Ice Core Lab at University of Alberta, and co-founder of Girls on Ice Canada.  Criscitiello explores the history of climate and sea ice in polar and high-alpine regions using ice core chemistry. This involves long months of living in a tent and drilling ice...

Lindsay Davies is a proud Ontario explorer, storyteller, and creative who’s been thoroughly bit by the travel bug. A graphic designer and social media marketer by trade, Lindsay travels the world while documenting her adventures on her blog I’ve Been Bit!, inspiring others to explore with curiosity, respect, and intention. Whether she’s chasing waterfalls, exploring backcountry trails, driving ice...

Today, we’re heading to Lanaudière-Mauricie, in the heart of Québec along the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River, perfectly positioned between Montréal and Québec City, and just a few hours from Ottawa. I was lucky enough to spend some time there over the family day long weekend. This is a region of scale: nearly 50,000 square kilometres of forests, rivers, countryside, and over 30,000 lakes. T...

Bernadette McDonald is an award-winning author, speaker, and one of the world’s leading voices in mountain culture. She has written thirteen books and received many of the highest honours in mountain literature including two Boardman Tasker Prizes, the Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize, Italy’s ITAS Prize, two National Outdoor Book Awards, and India’s Kekoo Naoroji Award. In 2011, the Ameri...

Lee Nordbye is a fine art landscape photographer, speaker, and teacher based in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Known for his bold and soulful style, Lee captures the intimate details and hidden beauty of the natural world. A self-described recovering accountant, Lee left a 26-year career in finance to pursue his creative passion full-time. Since then, he’s become an award-winning and published ph...

From Swansea to the peaks of Patagonia, Ollie Treviso is redefining what it means to live adventurously. An endurance walker and modern explorer, Ollie became the first person to walk the entire length of the Andes, a 14,000-kilometre journey across seven countries that took nearly 20 months to complete. In this episode of Let’s Take This Outside, Ollie opens up about losing direction in his twent...

Born in Calabria, Italy, and raised in Ottawa after immigrating to Canada in 1959, Angelo Fulco’s life is a powerful reminder that discovery does not have an expiration date. After building long careers in retail, finance, insurance, and real estate, Angelo stepped into retirement and found himself not slowing down, but beginning again. In his sixties, Angelo took up long-distance running, progres...

Today I’m joined by Adam Kourakis: lifelong athlete, race director, and co-owner of Somersault Events. Adam’s been part of Somersault for over 20 years. First as a volunteer, then an athlete, and now as the person leading one of Ontario’s most iconic race series. We talk about the Winterlude Triathlon, a one-of-a-kind event that could only happen in Ottawa, where athletes skate, ski, and run as pa...

Meet Jeff Douglas, a Canmore-based mountain guide who recently completed a three-year quest to hike every single one of Banff National Park’s 2,000-plus kilometres of trails… all in hopes of seeing the park’s elusive bison herd. As the owner of Mountain Goat Adventures and a certified guide, Jeff has spent more than 15 years exploring the Bow Valley, Banff, and beyond, turning his passion for the...

Today we’re exploring how art can become activism through the story of aerial artist and climate advocate Sasha Galitzki. After losing her home in the 2024 Jasper wildfire, Sasha turned grief into purpose, using her breathtaking performances to spotlight the fragility and beauty of our changing planet. Her new project, Embers, is a powerful visual journey through loss, resilience, and renewal, ble...

Dr. Julie Rak is a professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta, Canada. Her 2021 book False Summit: Gender in Mountaineering Nonfiction (McGill-Queens University Press) is the first book-length study of gender, feminism and mountaineering narratives ever made- and she hopes that it won't be the last. She has also published on Rockies mountain guide and writ...

Melissa Hafting is an ethical, passionate, and respected birder, photographer, and mentor. Her love for birding has helped shape who she is and has helped with her mental health, along with enabling her to cope with the difficult aspects of grief and loss after the death of her mother and father. Showcasing some of Melissa’s most stunning bird images from the continental United States, Hawaii, and...

Dan Rubinstein is an Ottawa-based writer, editor, and stand-up paddleboarder. His latest book, Water Borne, was published in 2025 and is based on his most recent epic solo paddling journey and also explores the importance of deepening our relationship with water. Dan is also a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who contributes to publications such as The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, and enR...

Marlis Butcher is an environmental conservationist, author, and photographer. She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and of The Explorers Club, an international organization promoting field exploration. Marlis is the first visitor to have “bagged” (visited) all 48 of the Canadian national parks, a third of which do not have road access. Her photographs and articles have been pu...

Julia Weber is a full-time travel blogger and content creator who brings the spirit of travel into everyday life. With a background in marketing and a passion for storytelling, Julia creates compelling photo and video content that resonates with an engaged audience seeking both local discoveries and international adventures. Julia’s mission is to inspire others to live every day with the spirit of...

Shanda Hill is one of the most accomplished ultra endurance athletes on the planet and a proud Canadian from Vernon, British Columbia. She is the only person in the world to have completed three Double Deca Triathlons. Each one includes a 76 kilometre swim, a 3600 kilometre bike ride, and an 844 kilometre run. That is the same as doing 20 full Iron-distance triathlons back to back. In 2024, Shanda...

Flow explores diverse women’s narratives in adventure sports in this anthology that challenges stereotypes while promoting unity. It advocates for a transcultural feminism, one offering hope and empowerment to break barriers and live fully. Flow takes readers on an inspiring journey through the world of women in adventure sports, challenging stereotypes and celebrating the strength, resilience, an...

The winner of numerous writing honours, including a National Magazine Award, Nicola Ross is  the author of 12 books, including the bestselling Loops & Lattes series of hiking guides. Having  sold over 50,000 copies of these self-published guidebooks, Nicola is a fulltime writer and professional hiker.  Her latest book, published by ECW Press in Toronto in 2024, is entitled 40 Days & 40 Hikes:  Lov...

Chris Watson was born and bred in Scotland is the creative force behind the Adventure Diaries, a podcast that delivers authentic stories of adventure, exploration, and the natural world. Chris spends much of his time outdoors, hiking and paddling in the Scottish highlands and has a passion for the natural world, wild places, and adventures. Chris brings a unique blend of curiosity and storytelling...

Emma Terrell, also known as The Urban Botanist, is a passionate advocate for sustainable living and eco-conscious design. After completing a Biology degree at Carleton University in Ottawa, she started her business in 2017 that was created with the intention to connect her community with the natural world around them. With a deep rooted love for nature and over a decade of experience in creating v...

Gloria Dickie is an award-winning journalist and author of Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future (W.W. Norton, 2023). She is currently a global climate and environment correspondent at Reuters News Agency. With over a decade of experience reporting on environmental issues, she has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, Wired magazine, and Scientific American magazine, among others....

Brad Sinopoli is a former CFL Wide Receiver and now the owner of Sinopoli Fishing. Brad played for both the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Redblacks, and was twice named the CFL’s most Outstanding Canadian and has won two Grey Cups. Brad’s passion for the outdoors has seamlessly carried over into his post-football life, as he has become a successful fishing charter operator. Based in Ottawa, Si...