Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Mark Kenyon is an author, podcaster, conservationist, and member of the MeatEater crew. You probably know him from his excellent book "That Wild Country: An Epic Journey Through the Past, Present, and Future of America's Public Lands," the Wired to Hunt podcast, or his contributions to MeatEater's Netflix show and other video productions. To learn more about Mark and his impressive personal and pr...

Nate Schweber is an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured in the New York Times, ProPublica, Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, and more. He's also the author of the new book "This America of Ours: Bernard and Avis DeVoto and the Forgotten Fight to Save the Wild," which was published in early July 2022. If you're looking for an engaging and entertaining history book that highlights...

Pete McBride is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose work is regularly featured by National Geographic, Smithsonian, The Nature Conservancy, and other renowned institutions. His most recent book is titled "Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the World's Most Quiet Places," and it features photographs and stories from more than two decades of his adventures on all seven continents. "Seeing S...

Rick Ridgeway is a world-renowned mountaineer and adventurer who has devoted his life to exploring some of the wildest regions of Planet Earth– from the summit of K2 to the jungles of Borneo to the mountain ranges of the American West and almost everywhere in between. Rick is also a highly regarded author, director, and producer who has written seven books and created numerous films and television...

Dr. Eric Arzubi is the co-founder of Frontier Psychiatry, a Montana-based medical practice that is accelerating and expanding access to high-quality psychiatric care for rural communities. - By many metrics, Montana can be described as the epicenter of the United States' mental health crisis. The large, mostly rural state is home to many vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected b...

Ed's recent interview on the excellent new podcast "GROUND WORK with Kate Kavanaugh" – This episode is a little different-- it's me being interviewed by my friend and past Mountain & Prairie podcast guest Kate Kavanaugh. If you've been listening for a while, then I'm sure you remember Kate-- she's a farmer, butcher, and all-around interesting woman who co-founded Western Daughters Butcher Shop in...

Land Tawney is the President and CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, one of North America's leading and most effective advocates for wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. Founded around a campfire in 2004, BHA uses education, nonpartisan political advocacy, stewardship initiatives, and stakeholder coalitions to ensure the protection of our public lands for generations to come. As its name i...

Betsy Gaines Quammen is a historian and conservationist, and she's also the author of the excellent book " American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, & Public Lands in the West ." Betsy has enjoyed a long career in the conservation world, working on issues ranging from grizzly bears in the West to fish in Mongolia to wildlife in East Africa. She also holds a doctorate in Environmental History from Montana...

Brian Yablonski is the Chief Executive Officer of the Property and Environment Research Center ("PERC"), a Bozeman-based research institute dedicated to promoting conservation by exploring how voluntary trade can produce positive environmental outcomes. For more than 40 years, PERC has explored market-based solutions for major conservation challenges throughout the West, and its current initiative...

Dylan Tomine is a conservationist, angler, and author of the excellent new book "Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman." "Headwaters" is a collection of essays and stories from Dylan's life as a self-proclaimed fly fishing bum, a life that has taken him from his home in the northwest to the far reaches of the globe and back again. You don't have to be a hardcore an...

Liz Moore is the Executive Director of the Montana Nonprofit Association, an organization whose mission is to "provide leadership for Montana's nonprofit sector and partner with charitable nonprofits to promote a sustainable, networked, and influential sector." Founded in 2001, the MNA provides capacity, resources, and networking opportunities that allow Montana's diverse and numerous nonprofit or...

Kate Mannix is a rancher who works alongside her family on the Mannix Ranch in Montana's Blackfoot Valley. The Mannix family has been ranching and stewarding their family ranch since 1882, back when Timothy Benjamin Mannix purchased the land from the Northern Pacific Railroad. For generations, the Mannix family has served as loyal caretakers of this spectacular landscape, and, over the years, they...

Alvin Dedeaux is a renowned Austin-based fly fishing guide who is one of the Lone Star State's most sought-after experts in the pursuit of everything from Guadelupe Bass in Central Texas to Redfish on the Texas coast. Alvin is an ambassador for well-known brands such as Howler Brothers and Yeti, and he's twice been a finalist for Orvis's Guide of the Year award. And on top of all of that, Alvin pr...

Riddy Arman is a singer-songwriter who lives in Montana's Mission Valley, a rural agricultural community in the state's northwestern corner. Riddy's self-titled debut album was released in 2021 and has received praise from renowned institutions such as Rolling Stone, as well as from many highly respected fellow musicians, including Colter Wall. Riddy and her music are highly influenced by the wide...

Yemi Mobolade is an entrepreneur, public servant, and community leader who devotes his seemingly limitless energy toward the betterment of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Born and raised in Nigeria, Yemi immigrated to the United States for college and eventually landed in Colorado Springs, where he has fully devoted himself to serving the community. He's a co-founder and partner in two wildly successf...

Chris Burkard is a prolific photographer, filmmaker, and author who is known for diving headfirst into epic adventures, documenting them with his camera, and producing one-of-kind stories that resonate deeply with millions of people around the world. He's bikepacked across Iceland in winter, scouted cold-water surf breaks in British Columbia, and explored some of the lesser-known corners of the Am...

Longtime Mountain & Prairie listeners will remember Adam Gall– he's a Colorado-based hunting guide who, along with his wife Ana, owns Timber to Table Guide Service. Adam is a highly regarded expert in the pursuit of elk and mule deer, and he offers a variety of outfitting services ranging from public land hunts for experienced hunters to private land hunts for beginners. In my first episode with A...

Elliott Woods is a Montana-based veteran and multimedia journalist who has reported for publications including Outside, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many more. His most recent project is a podcast called THIRD SQUAD, which tells the powerful story of "one journalist, 12 Marines and two decades of war." Back in 2011, Elliott was an embedded journalist with a group of Marines who...

Heather Hansman is a Seattle-based writer and editor, as well as the author of the excellent new book "Powder Days: Ski Bums, Ski Towns, and the Future of Chasing Snow." Longtime listeners will remember Heather's first appearance on the podcast, when we discussed her book "Downriver," one of my favorite books about the complicated subject of water in the West. Heather has an uncanny ability to dis...

Matt Pierson is a fifth-generation Montana rancher who owns and operates Highland Livestock Company alongside his wife and two sons. He's also the founder and President of the Producer Partnership, a newly formed non-profit organization that brings together farmers and ranchers with the goal of ending hunger in Montana. Since its start in spring of 2020, the Producer Partnership has given away ten...

Ryan Busse is a Montana-based conservationist, public lands advocate, and former top-performing firearms executive. He's also the author of the new book "Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry that Radicalized America," which has received advanced praise from everyone from Publishers Weekly to Senator Jon Tester. Ryan is a life-long hunter and angler, as well as a proud gun owner, and he brings...

Lesli Allison and Tuda Libby Crews join me to discuss the critical role of private and working lands in achieving durable conservation outcomes in the United States. Lesli is a founding member and the Executive Director of the Western Landowners Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advances policies and practices that sustain working lands, connected landscapes, and native species. Tuda is a ra...

Hampton Sides is a historian and New York Times bestselling author who is best known for his engaging works of narrative nonfiction, including the books "Blood and Thunder," "Ghost Soldiers," "On Desperate Ground," and more. His latest project is an ebook and audiobook titled "THE EXOTIC: Intrigue and Cultural Ruin in the Age of Imperialism," which details the life and unbelievable adventures of a...

Luke Smithwick is a professional alpinist, ski mountaineer, and mountain guide best known for his cutting-edge climbs and descents in the world's wildest mountain ranges. Luke is based in Victor, Idaho, in the shadow of the legendary Teton Range, but he spends large portions of each year deep in the Himalayas, guiding clients on remote peaks or pursuing personal climbing and skiing objectives on 7...

Shane Doyle is a Montana-based scholar, teacher, and community advocate whose work focuses on the history and heritage of Native American tribes of the Northern Great Plains. Shane is an enrolled member of the Apsáalooke Nation (also known as the Crow Tribe), and he holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Montana State University. His unique personal and professional experiences, comb...