Why Nick Triolo Walked Around Mountains Instead of Summiting

Nick Triolo is a runner and writer, both of which shape him and his beautifully deep musings on this thing we call life. He’s the managing editor at Magic Canoe, he teaches at the University of Montana, he’s been an adventure guide, he’s made films, and his writing has been featured in Orion, Outside Magazine, and many others. He recently published his first book called The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere. The great nature writer Robert Macfarlane described Nick’s book as “Smart, funny, wise of mind, and vast of heart.” I couldn’t agree more, Nick’s book stirred deep thoughts in me about the current state of things on this planet, made me laugh, and serves as a solid reminder to stay open and curious as we travel through life.Nick joined me over the interwebs from the Western Sierra foothills where he was enjoying a break from his home in Missoula, Montana. We talked about the ancient practice of kora, or circumambulation - in essence walking around the base of mountains (or other sacred sites) instead of summiting them - as a way to examine both inner and outer landscapes from different perspectives. We also talked about how is relationship with trail running joined him up with Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard, the raw natural beauty he experienced practicing kora in Tibet, how life might be different if we didn’t need to summit, the social nature of kora, and we try to figure out the new skillset needed to deftly move between grief and joy in this complex modern era.If you find anything in this episode helpful or inspiring, please share it with a friend so we can bend the algorithms toward nature. Thanks!Episode LinksThe Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere by Nicholas TrioloNick’s WebsiteNick’s Instagram (@nicholas.triolo)Nick’s Substack (The Jasmine Dialogues)Connect with Nature JunkieSubstack: https://naturejunkie.substack.com/Instagram: @naturejunkieradioWebsite: www.naturejunkielife.comProduction CreditsHosted by Jeff JohnsonPodcast cover art by Ahab NimryOutro music by Tyler JohnsonEditing by Aashish M.