PODCAST · society
The Trail Less Traveled
by Mandela Leola van Eeden
Dedicated to documenting humanity by gathering stories & sounds from the most remote locations around the world. The goal for the show is to take you, the listener, back to mankind's earliest form of entertainment: story telling. Therefore, every week features an interview with an adventurer in their natural habitat in order to provide an audible journey packed with adventure (and conservation) information & inspiration. Everyone has a story & different perspective, we aim to share the stories from the world’s diverse cultures & unknown lands. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
-
The Yin + Yang of Conservation Development with Derek Chittenden
Derek Chittenden is a Cape Town–based professional planner and the Director of BlueGreen Planning + Design, with more than 35 years of experience in urban planning, sustainable development, and environmental design. Growing up in Zimbabwe, he developed a deep connection to Africa’s landscapes and…
more -
Jason Poole Part 2 of 2: Evolution, Extinction and the Asteroid That Changed Earth
Jason C. Poole is an American paleontologist, fossil preparator, educator, and paleo-artist currently based in Missoula. Best known for blending scientific accuracy with artistic interpretation, Poole spent 27 years as the Manager of Dinosaur Hall and head fossil preparator at the Academy of...
-
John Crowley on the Alsek, the Grand Canyon and his life between running rapids and raising two daughters.
Born in Arizona, John grew up with a profound love of the Grand Canyon, having started hiking adventures there at the age of ten. He graduated from Northern Arizona University and has been boating the “big ditch” since the early 1990s. He’s also enjoyed the thrill of whitewater adventures in Utah...
-
The Bedrock Sandals Story
Dan Opalacz is the co-founder and co-owner of Bedrock Sandals, an adventure footwear company he launched in 2011 alongside Nick Pence after the pair met while serving as AmeriCorps conservation workers in Northern California. Inspired by long days restoring rivers and hiking rugged terrain…
more -
Paleontology, Dinosaur Art & Montana (Part 1 of 2)
Jason C. Poole is an American paleontologist, fossil preparator, educator, and paleo-artist currently based in Missoula. Best known for blending scientific accuracy with artistic interpretation, Poole spent 27 years as the Manager of Dinosaur Hall and head fossil preparator at the Academy of...
-
A Life on the Zambezi: From Porter to High Sider to River Guide
Kulu (Alec) Banda was born and raised in Livingstone, Zambia, near the mighty Zambezi River and Victoria Falls — known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders.” In 1981, he began working on the Zambezi as a porter, carrying heavy rafts and expedition gear in and out of the…
more -
The Hush of the Land: Smoke Elser shares some of this favorite stories from the Bob Marshall Wilderness
Arnold “Smoke” Elser is a legendary wilderness outfitter, educator, and conservationist whose life’s work is deeply rooted in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. Since his first trip into the Bob in 1956, Elser has spent nearly seven decades guiding thousands of people—many of them first-time...
-
HIV and AIDS: Education, Treatment, and Stigma
Virginia (Ginny) Bond is an educator and public health researcher based in Zambia whose work focuses on HIV, stigma reduction, and community health. Trained as a social anthropologist, she collaborates with health programs and research organizations to better understand the social and cultural...
-
Stewardship and Phenology with Lisa Bickell
Lisa Bickell is an environmental educator and interpretive planner based in Missoula, Montana, and the current board chair of the Montana Natural History Center. She has been involved with the organization for more than 25 years and previously served as its Education Director, helping shape many…
more -
Selway River Adventures with Doug Proctor
Doug Proctor grew up just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, where his love for rivers was seeded early in life. As a boy he spent years canoeing with his family and through the Boy Scouts on class one rivers across southern Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. At the age of 12 he embarked on his first extended...
-
A Culinary Journey Across Continents: The Silk Road Catering & Spice
Sam and Elise Risho are the culinary heart and soul behind The Silk Road Catering & Spice in Missoula, Montana. Their story is rooted in decades of family food tradition and a passion for global flavors. Sam grew up in a restaurant family, learning the love of food and hospitality from his father...
-
Missoula Spotlight: Aimee McQuilkin, Shane Clouse and Dave Stromeyer
Aimee McQuilkin is a Missoula entrepreneur and community builder, best known as the owner of Betty’s Divine and the Clark Fork Yacht Club. Through these beloved businesses, she has helped shape Missoula’s social and cultural fabric by creating welcoming spaces rooted in style, hospitality, and...
-
Defending Wildlife as Public Trust: Frank Szollosi of the Montana Wildlife Federation
Frank Szollosi is the Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation, the state’s oldest and largest wildlife conservation organization focused on protecting wildlife habitat, public lands access, and science-based natural resource policy in Montana. He took on this leadership role in June...
-
Iditarod Lessons: John Wood on Dogs, Distance, and Discipline
John Wood is an Alaska musher from Chugiak who started chasing the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in the late nineteen seventies and went on to finish the thousand mile route to Nome four times in 1978, 1979, 1982 and 1986. Known for his dry humor and honesty about the grind of the trail, he once...
-
Listening to Nature: Master Naturalist, Kelly Dix.
Kelly Dix was raised in Lyndonville, NY, where time spent outside sparked her curiosity and awe of the natural world. She holds degrees in Mathematics, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, and Toxicology. Throughout her career in biomedical research she spent her spare time backpacking and...
-
Return: A Journey Back to Living Wild
Lynx Vilden is a renowned author, wilderness guide, and ancestral skills teacher known for her immersive “Stone Age Projects,” where participants live off the land using only primitive tools and techniques. With over three decades of experience in earth-based living, Lynx has dedicated her life…
more -
A Mountain Man Legacy of Hunting, Gathering & Primitive Wisdom
Dana Anderson, better known as Wild Mountain Man Dan, is a celebrated bushcraft instructor based in Matlock, Washington. Now 68, he has spent over six decades honing wilderness skills and teaching them to others. Dana has lived completely off the grid in a hand‑built cabin by a creek for more…
more -
Salmon State: Alaska
Together, Tim, Heather, and Lindsey strengthen Salmon State’s mission: defending rivers and salmon through policy advocacy, community engagement, and protection of critical watersheds across Alaska and its transboundary rivers. As Executive Director based in Juneau, Alaska, Tim Bristol is a…
more -
The Spirit of River Exploration with Clint Fries
Clint Fries is a deeply experienced river guide and expedition leader with over two decades of professional guiding across some of the planet’s most remote and breathtaking landscapes. Known for his calm presence, intuitive leadership, and profound respect for wild places, Clint has become a...
-
Whitewater and Power Structures: A Journey with Bridget Crocker
Bridget Crocker is a trailblazer in women's empowerment within the outdoor industry. A leading whitewater rafting guide in far-flung regions of Zambia, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, India, and the Western United States. During this interview, she discusses her new memoir The...
-
Arctic Rivers with Kevin “Thirsty” McDermott
Kevin McDermott—a.k.a. “Thirsty" has been guiding since he was 16 years old. He has 30+ years of experience guiding in Alaska, has climbed Denali and endears himself to travelers with his expertise, calm demeanor, and sense of humor. When he isn't guiding in the Arctic, you might find him on the...
-
The History of the Bob Marshall with Smoke Elser
Step into the rugged beauty of Montana's backcountry as wilderness legend Smoke Elser shares his remarkable 60+ year journey through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Since 1957, Elser has been a guardian of these pristine lands, witnessing their transformation from horse-only trails to a diverse...
-
The Long Way Home: Veterans Reclaiming Their Lives
The Missoula Housing Authority offers housing assistance to veterans through programs like HUD-VASH, which combines rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services. MHA's Valor House provides 17 one-bedroom units for permanent housing for homeless veterans, featuring communal...
-
South Pole Summits and Class VI Turkish Whitewater: Adventures with Skip Horner
Step into the extraordinary world of Skip Horner, a veteran adventure guide whose 50-year career spans over 100 countries and countless epic expeditions. Skip Horner is a legendary American adventure guide, mountaineer, and expedition leader with a career spanning over five decades. He is…
more -
The Climate Crisis in Polar Regions with Dr. Jim Halfpenny
Dr. Jim Halfpenny is a renowned polar ecologist, expedition leader, and expert in cold-climate ecology with decades of experience studying the extreme environments of the Arctic and Antarctic. With a background in wildlife biology and ecology, Dr. Halfpenny has led and participated in numerous...
-
Bush Guides Unplugged: Stories from the Lower Zambezi
Join us as we venture into the wilds of Zambia’s Lower Zambezi with three seasoned bush guides—Marshal, Luckson, and Malan. From the rugged seats of a Toyota Land Cruiser, we chat with Marshal and Malan about wildlife conservation, poaching, ecology, and the intricate behaviors of Africa’s iconic...
-
Anti Poaching Dog Training with Resolve Wildlife Cofounder, Michael Hensman.
As a child growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe, Mikey Hensman was surrounded by rescued exotic animals like elephants, impalas, and warthogs. This unique upbringing sparked his deep passion for wildlife that eventually led him to a career in anti-poaching and conservation. Hensman is the co-founder…
more -
Forensic Tracking on Seven Continents with Dr. Jim Halfpenny
Dr. Jim Halfpenny is a renowned scientist, educator, and author specializing in carnivore ecology, tracking, and the natural history of cold climates. With a Ph.D. in biology, he has conducted extensive research on wildlife, particularly bears, wolves, and mountain lions, and has contributed...
-
Hal Herring Talks Public Lands: History, Importance and Potential Future
Hal Herring is an award-winning journalist and writer renowned for his work in conservation and investigative journalism. His writing has appeared in notable publications such as The Atlantic, The Economist, and Orion. He is also a contributing editor at Field & Stream and a regular contributor…
more -
The Age of Melt: What Glaciers, Ice Mummies, and Ancient Artifacts Teach Us about Climate, Culture, and a Future Without Ice
Lisa Barill, a wildlife biologist and science writer, shares the fascinating story of ice patch archaeology and how melting glaciers are revealing a trove of ancient artifacts around the world. She earned a B.S. in biology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2000 and a master's degree…
more -
Caras Nursery: Honoring a Century-Old Family Legacy in Missoula
Discover the remarkable story of how a Greek immigrant's fruit stand in early 1900s Missoula blossomed into Caras Nursery, a thriving family business spanning over 100 years. Bill Caras shares heartwarming tales of growing up in a close-knit community during the 1950s and 60s, where childhood...
-
Montana's Most Famous Cowgirl, Ramona Holt.
Ramona Holt grew up in Montana’s ranching and rodeo scene, participating in youth, intercollegiate and professional rodeo. As an adult, she dedicated her life to promoting the western way of living, and for 30 years Ramona and her husband, Bill, traveled throughout the western United States…
more -
The Wolf Whisperer: Diane Boyd's Lifelong Dedication to Montana's Wolves
Dr. Diane Boyd is a wildlife biologist who has 45+ years of applied expertise on behavior, conservation and management of wild wolf populations. She is the author of "A Woman Among Wolves: My Journey Through Forty Years of Wolf Recovery." She began her career in 1977 with Dr. L. David Mech’s wolf...
-
Discover the Montana Natural History Center with Marilyn Marler
Marilyn Marler holds a Bachelor's degree from University of California, Davis and a Master's degree from the University of Montana, both in Biology. She has been a Natural Areas Specialist at the University of Montana since 1998. Marilyn brings 25 years’ experience in land stewardship, science...
-
Shaping Modern Expedition Rafting with Bart Henderson
Bart Henderson, a retired international river guide, shares his experiences growing up in Utah and being part of the early river rafting industry. He describes how the town of Vernal and the Green River were central to the development of companies like Hatch River Expeditions, which pioneered...
-
The Path of the Puma with with Jim Williams
Step into the fascinating world of mountain lions with Jim Williams, a veteran wildlife biologist with over 30 years of experience in large carnivore conservation. Often referred to as the "ghosts of the forest", in this episode Jim shares captivating insights about these magnificent predators…
more -
Missoula: A Thriving Hub of Community, Culture, and Commerce
Discover how a small Montana city became a thriving hub of culture, entrepreneurship, and community connection. From the iconic Big Dipper Ice Cream celebrating its 30th anniversary to the bustling Caras Park hosting over 100 community events annually, downtown Missoula exemplifies the perfect...
-
A Life of Wildlife Conservation, Biology and Management with U.S. Forest Service
Tom Puchlerz is married with two children, two grandchildren, and three English setters. Retired after 38 years with the U.S. Forest Service as a biologist and administrator with assignments in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, Tom is a member of numerous local and national…
more -
Ancestral Skills for Self-Sufficiency
Patrick Farneman is the executive director of Bridges to the Past, the non-profit parent organization that hosts the annual "Between the Rivers" skills gathering near Valley, Washington. Patrick has been published in Survival Quarterly Magazine, and in The Bulletin of Primitive Technology. He has...
-
Poaching, Guiding, and Conservation on the Lower Zambezi River
Moses Chiguta has been guiding professionally for the past 25 years. He currently works as a guide for Chiawa Camp, located on the banks of the Zambezi River, under a grove of evergreen Mahogany trees. Chiawa Camp holds the prime position in the heart of Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park.…
more -
Fishery Management in the Bob Marshall and Conservation of Montana's Public Lands
Jim Vashro serves on the board of directors for the Montana Wildlife Federation and worked for 39 years with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks before retiring as the regional fisheries manager in Kalispell where he lives with his wife Sandi. In the last 20 years, he focused on aquatic education…
more -
The Complete Guide to the Tatshenshini River: Including the Upper Alsek River.
Russ Lyman grew up in northwest Washington State. He received a B.S. degree in Visual Communications from Western Washington University and then spent a couple of years in Ketchum, Idaho. In 1989 he began his river guiding career in Haines, Alaska, and started guiding on the Tatshenshini and…
more -
Rivers of the Northern Rockies: Protect, Restore and Conserve with AMERICAN RIVERS
The Northern Rockies region is home to the largest collection of pristine free-flowing rivers and native trout fisheries left in the lower 48 states. The headwaters of these pristine rivers originate in three sprawling wilderness complexes – the Crown of the Continent along the US-Canadian…
more -
Restoring Northwest Salmon and Protecting Wild Rivers with AMERICAN RIVERS.
As the Northwest Regional Director, Sarah Dyrdahl leads the regional team working to protect wild rivers, restore damaged rivers, and conserve clean water for people and nature in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. This is part one of our two part series featuring the work of American Rivers. Sarah...
-
Housing Veterans at the Valor House with the Missoula Housing Authority and Veterans Inc.
Missoula Housing Authority (“MHA”) is an independent nonprofit public organization with a portfolio of 1,178 rent-restricted apartments and housing choice vouchers, providing affordable housing to more than 4,500 very low-, low and middle-income veterans, families with children, elderly and...
-
Maori Tattooing with Ta Moko Artist, Tama Raihania.
Tama Raihania has been drawing and studying Maori artwork and Moko patterns since his early childhood. This interview tells the story of the evolution of tattooing. Tama is a "Tohunga Tā Moko" (Ta Moko tattoo artist). The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian "tatu" which means "to mark something."...
-
Tlingit Way of Life and Importance of Salmon with Culture Bearer, Lani Hotch.
For this episode, we sit down in the village of Klukwan, known to be the capital of the Tlingit national - located near Haines, Alaska. This interview features an indigenous elder named Lani Hotch, the culture bearer for the Tlingit Nation. Lani Hotch is a leader and activist. Lani is the culture...
-
Music and Culture of the Hualapai Nation
This episode was recorded on the Colorado River within the walls of the Grand Canyon. Clayborn Nodman is a traditional singer, story teller, dancer and member of the Hualapai or Walapai. The Hualapai are a tribe of Native Americans who live in the mountains of northwestern Arizona, United States....
-
Living the life of an international fly fishing guide, journalist and photographer.
Join us on the edge of the Clark Fork River for an interview with Jess McGlothlin, an international fly fishing guide, journalist and photographer. Jess was born in Colombia Falls, Montana. She grew up fly fishing, riding horses and doing rodeo events. Jess has documented fisheries in five...
-
Fishing, Filming and Conservation in Montana
This episode was recorded on a drift boat while floating down the Clark Fork River near Missoula, Montana. Matt Devlin was born and raised on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, but has lived “Out West” so long now, that autocorrect had to step in for the assist in the spelling of the aforementioned...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dedicated to documenting humanity by gathering stories & sounds from the most remote locations around the world. The goal for the show is to take you, the listener, back to mankind's earliest form of entertainment: story telling. Therefore, every week features an interview with an adventurer in their natural habitat in order to provide an audible journey packed with adventure (and conservation) information & inspiration. Everyone has a story & different perspective, we aim to share the stories from the world’s diverse cultures & unknown lands.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Mandela Leola van Eeden
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Trail Less Traveled have?
The Trail Less Traveled currently has 227 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Trail Less Traveled about?
Dedicated to documenting humanity by gathering stories & sounds from the most remote locations around the world. The goal for the show is to take you, the listener, back to mankind's earliest form of entertainment: story telling. Therefore, every week features an interview with an adventurer in...
How often does The Trail Less Traveled release new episodes?
The Trail Less Traveled publishes regularly with 227 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Trail Less Traveled?
You can listen to The Trail Less Traveled on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Trail Less Traveled?
The Trail Less Traveled is created and hosted by Mandela Leola van Eeden.
URL copied to clipboard!