Why We Hike

Michael Braman is a speedy ultramarathon runner and farms microgreens for a living. Michael didn't start running and farming until after the age of 30! He tells his story about rediscovering himself through farming and ultra running and how he overcame self doubts to create the life he wanted. He is great and we love him. Follow Michael!: Instagram : @RunnerFarmer      &nb...

Cindy Davis is a fascinating human specimen. She has gone from hating nature in her teen years to now spending 7 days a week in the mountains. She is a former wilderness therapy guide turned snowboard instructor and has an unmatched love for the at-risk youth she has worked with over the years in her various jobs. Her first tattoo was a big and bold "BOYS BAND" on her leg referring to a group of b...

This is PART 2 of my interview with Caitlyn Nalder. We migrated back to her house in this part of the interview because we were getting frost bitten brains. Caitlyn Nalder is one of the most pure hearted, down to earth people I have ever known. She is one of my Anasazi trail mothers, who taught me how to be a trailwalker at Anasazi. She has been backcountry guide at the Anasazi Foundation for seve...

Caitlyn Nalder is one of the most pure hearted, down to earth people I have ever known. She is one of my Anasazi trail mothers, who taught me how to be a trailwalker at Anasazi. She has been backcountry guide at the Anasazi Foundation for several years, a wilderness survival instructor for California Survival School, a contestant of the TV show ‘Bushcraft Build Off’, and backpacked 700 miles of th...

Meg Evans or “Ol’ Meg” is a former winter olympic-hopeful figure skater turned rock climber turned experienced wilderness therapy backcountry guide turned desert dwelling, spirit following, earth loving, animal skull collecting, wilderness woman. She has gone through a massive life transformation and has developed one of the deepest connections to the earth of anyone I know. Hear Meg’s amazing sto...

Natalie DeMartini began working with horses at Gunstock Ranch in Hawaii, and eventually moved on to the therapeutic side of working with horses at the Arivaca Equine Therapy program for at-risk boys. Natalie has spent a lot of years in wild places on the back of a horse or on her own 2 non-horse feet, as she is now a Trailwalker at the Anasazi Foundation. Natalie talks about the therapeutic healin...

Lana Strathearn is an amazing photographer, seasoned Anasazi Trailwalker and dinosaur impersonator. In this episode, Lana shares some hilarious and moving experiences she has had working with at-risk youth in the wild. Seriously, I cracked up and “loled” 5 times while editing this episode. That is unusual for me. Lana is amazing. Hear her words. Follow Lana!: IG: @LanaRosePhoto    &...

Fjord talks about the strange events the guided him to an ever growing passion for the outdoors in his mid twenties. Aliens were involved. Not really. But do you believe in Aliens? I do. You can follow Ford (me) all over the internets: www. FordThunder.com/merch Instagrams: @Why_we_hike_podcast @Ford_Thunder_Erickson YouTube:  Ford Thunder Erickson ( https://www.youtube.com/fordthundererickson ) P...

Nic Quilter is a seasoned field staff in the wilderness therapy world with Wingate and Anasazi Foundation wilderness therapy programs. Nic is an articulate and deeply insightful man, and In this interview he shares how he overcame his fear of dirt, and how working in the wilderness expanded his personal view of God. This interview was held while camping near the Escalante River in Southern Utah an...

Lindsi Lake is an avid rock climber, cyclist, runner and maple flavored oatmeal eater. We had a marvelous conversation about how to navigate the sometimes toxic comparision culture in outdoor sports and Lindsi tells a miserably scary story she experienced while climbing in southern Utah, and we can overcome things that scare us in our lives. She invented the saying "you go through what you go thro...

Tamra “Ramblin Tam” Hyde is one of the best communicators I know. Her ability to thoughtfully articulate her words consistently edifies my soul, and in this episode she does not disappoint. Tamra has gone through a massive conversion process to the wilderness. She has gone from being an anti-camping “indoorsy cat”, working in the beauty industry, with a self proclaimed shopping addiction to living...

Matt Graham is a globally recognized wilderness survival expert, best known for his TV shows Dual Survival, Dude You’re Screwed, and Bushcraft Build Off. Matt’s unique skill set that combines primitive/traditional style ultralight long distance running with his outdoor survival experience sets him apart. Matt brought me and a few others on one of his multi-day backcountry running survival adventur...

Hazen is the host of National Geographic TV's "Primal Survivor". He has been living with and learning from various tribes throughout world since he ventured out on his own to Ecuador when he was 19. His passion for wildlife and learning about plants is infectious. He makes me want to study nature more so I can get more out of my experience hiking, aside from just the peace and serenity of nature....

Dan Baird is the creator of California Survival School, and has traveled throughout the world learning and teaching ancient survival skills. Dan is a dear friend and one of my favorite people to listen to spout off fascinating information he has learned first hand about survival skills used by many cultures on earth today, including some hunter gatherer tribes. Beyond just learning these practical...

Lexy "Heatwave" Newby is an unsuspecting warrior of a woman. She is a finisher of the Pacific Crest, Appalachian, and Continental Divide hiking trails. Finishing all three trails is roughly 7,000+ miles and is known as the "Triple Crown" of hiking. She talks about how she never camped or knew how to set up a tent before all of this and how each trail taught her something different about herself.&n...

Dan Santovin is a jovial, insightful, compassionate beast of a man. He has been working as a Trailwalker for the Anasazi Foundation wilderness therapy program for at-risk youth, on and off since 2011.  He shares what got him into wilderness therapy, how his first week nearly killed him, and the positive changes he experienced in himself while working with the youth in the Arizona wilderness....

Val Erickson is my dad. Although he says he is not a "hardcore" outdoorsman, he has a deep respect and love for nature. I believe he is the one that laid the foundation for me learning to love the outdoors later in my life. Outside of being a wise, down to earth and insightful Idaho boy, he is also a talented singer songwriter. At the end the podcast there is a snippet of one of his songs "Archer...

Abi Scoma is a long time river raft guide, outdoor adventure junky, but overall a very insightful and incredible human being. She tells her story of self discovery and how the wilderness is helping her continually learn more about herself and her place in the world around her.

My dear friend Stephanie Owen goes hiking ALL THE TIME. We have a great conversation in the middle of a Utah thunderstorm. Follow Stephanie!: https://www.bravelyoutdoors.com/stephanie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravelyoutdoors/

Ford interviews Clutch Lambert while camped in the forest of northeast Washington state. They talk about primitive skills, primitive skill gatherings, finding Native American ruins, eating cheetos. Want more of Clutch? Follow him here: Instagram: Thunderstone86 YouTube: Thunderstone Wilderness Ventures

Heidi Hydrick is amazing. She has done a lot of stuff outside. We have an amazing conversation on the banks of the Verde River. Heidi also tells the TRUE story of what REALLY happened with her and the legend of the rattlesnake.