Lauren Bash is an environmentalist and storyteller who breaks down the complexities of climate change in an inspiring, accessible way. She empowers people with simple, actionable steps to create a healthier environment—and ultimately, a healthier world. Connect with Lauren: Website Instagram TikTok If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Uncovering Climate Mysteries with Lonnie Thompson Listen to Wildfires and Imperfect Activism with Graham Zimmerman Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Merrell

For the last 20 years, researcher and journalist, Dan Buettner has been studying the happiest, healthiest people on earth. In 2003, Dan started exploring Blue Zones— regions where people live longer than average, many living to be over 100. His work has revealed that by living in places that encourage healthy habits, living a long fruitful life is more possible than people realize. Connect with Dan: Website Instagram Blue Zones website & Instagram Blue Zones Minestrone recipe If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Riding Waves with the Boogie Board Wave Chasers Listen to REI's Camp Monsters podcast!! Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Honey Stinger

Dani Reyes-Acosta is a runner, a snowboarder, a climber, and a filmmaker who is intentional about the why behind her adventures. She’s currently in the middle of making her first independent film series, called OUTLIER. The series tells the stories of boundary breaking Latina athletes as they explore their own identities and the great outdoors. Dani’s path to adventure film started in corporate America, but eventually she decided to quit her job and pursue a life of storytelling. Connect with Dani: Website OUTLIER website Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Honey Stinger

Joe and Ann Evermore live in Colorado and they take wild parenting to a whole new level. Their kids are five, eight and 10, and each of them is a skilled hiker and rock climber. In 2022, their oldest son Sam became the youngest person to climb El Capitan via rope ascent. Connect with Sam & Joe: Website Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Raising Kids Wildly Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Honey Stinger

Taku Kondo makes delicious meals outside with ingredients that he forages or catches in the wild. He documents his cooking creations on his YouTube channel, Outdoor Chef Life, which features videos of Taku harvesting the ingredients and preparing meals back at camp. Connect with Taku: Outdoor Chef Life YouTube channel Website Instagram Jocelyn & Taku's YouTube, Instagram & website Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Honey Stinger

Cheyenne Smith is a multifaceted, adventurer and outdoor guide. She skis, rock climbs, highlines, and leads climbing trips for women of color with a nonprofit called Women's Wilderness. Her guiding style focuses on building community and teaching others to be present and intentional when they're in the wild. Connect with Cheyenne: Website Instagram Women's Wilderness If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Life on a Highline with Faith Dickey Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Honey Stinger Check out: REI Co-op Experiences

Rose McAdoo is trained baker and culinary artist who makes “science desserts” — four tiered cakes or sparkling lollipops that she uses to explain complex environmental concepts. The best part, Rose creates these culinary masterpieces in the wild. She has whipped up desserts at the edges of glaciers, on volcanoes, and in caves and deserts. Each sweet is an educational work of art that tells a story and celebrates science and adventure. Connect with Rose: Website Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees GU Energy

Molly Cupka is a climber and founder of the organization Up Ending Parkinson's, a nonprofit that teaches people with Parkinson's disease to rock climb. Parkinson's is the second most common neurological disease behind Alzheimer's and rock climbing provides a ton of health benefits including balance, grip strength, and mental acuity. For the climbers who Molly trains, there's another benefit that is harder to quantify, community and connection. Connect with Molly: Check out Up Ending Parkinsons Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees GU Energy

Kait Boyle is an elite adventure cyclist who bikes over mountains, across deserts, and through canyons. Early on in her cycling career, Kait found her niche, falling in love with races in the 24 hour 300 mile range. In 2018, a serious accident turned Kait's life upside down and changed her perspective on the path she's carved. Connect with Kait: Instagram Website Bikepacking Roots website & Instagram If you enjoyed this episode, listen to: 100 Peaks in 50 Days with Jason Hardrath Cycling Around the World with Lael Wilcox Establishing Bikepacking Routes with Sarah Swallow Wild Ideas Worth Living with Rebecca Rusch & Biking the 1,200 Mile Ho Chi Minh Trail in Search of Her Father and Finding Magic with Rebecca Rusch Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees GU Energy

Kristine Tompkins is one of the world's most successful conservationists. She's the president and co-founder of Tompkins Conservation, which is a non-profit that purchases land in South America, largely in Patagonia to create national parks, boost regenerative economies, and bring back missing species through rewilding. Before dedicating her life to land preservation, Kris spent 25 years working for Patagonia, the company. She was one of the first employees and eventually served as CEO. Connect with Kristine: Instagram Tompkins Conservation website & Instagram Check out: Patagonia National Park: Chile If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Uncovering Climate Mysteries with Lonnie Thompson Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees GU Energy

Zach Friedley is a professional athlete who is changing the sport of trail running. Zach was born without most of his right leg, and is often the only adaptive athlete at the starting line of some of the world’s hardest races. There aren’t a lot of running events with categories specifically for adaptive athletes, but Zach is on a mission to change that. Connect with Zach: Instagram Born to Adapt website & Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Running for Change with Nicole Ver Kuilen Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees GU Energy

Lestarya Molloy is the founder of Fridie Outdoors, an app that has easy, digestible camping tips that you can access from anywhere. In this episode, Lestarya is joined by REI's Green Vests and Experience Guides to share the best tips for your upcoming camping adventure. Connect with Lestarya: Fridie Outdoors website & Instagram Download the Fridie Outdoors app Resources and products mentioned in this episode: REI 's Path Ahead Ventures Program REI's Embark Program REI's Instagram REI's YouTube Channel Itacate Foods Pescavore NEMO Roamer Sleeping Pad NEMO pillow Bedrock Sandals YETI Nalgene HipCamp Annie's favorite Teriyaki Chicken Burgers recipe Annie's go-to Miso Mushroom Foil Yaki recipe Thank you to REI's Green Vests & Experience Guides: Carlos Rodriguez, Jentry Schirmbeck, Mackenzie Anderson-Bell, and Elizabeth Nguyen. Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Allbirds

Chev Dixon is a skilled outdoor athlete whose life changed when he learned to kayak. He is the director of an organization called the Hudson River Riders and the founder of the Hudson Valley Challenge, a 685-mile paddling, hiking, running, and cycling event that crosses the state of New York. Connect with Chev: Instagram Hudson River Riders website & Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to, Thru-Paddling the Mississippi River with Cory Maria Dack Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Allbirds

Galen Kirkpatrick is a world class paraglider - in 2022 she was the FAI Women’s Pan-American Paragliding Champion, and in 2023 she became the overall US National Champion. Paragliding has become a vehicle for Galen to get in touch with herself and see the world from a new perspective. Connect with Galen: Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Allbirds

Mario Ordoñez-Caldéron is a Mayan-American storyteller, surfer, and adventurer committed to pursuing a deeper connection with his Indigenous roots, the natural world, and helping San Diego local youth foster their own relationships with the outdoors through his nonprofit, Un Mar de Colores. Connect with Mario: Website Instagram Un Mar de Colores website & Instagram WATCH Cycle of Ancestry If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Biking Across Latin America with Erin Azouz Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Allbirds

Alexi Pappas is a wildly talented, multi-faceted athlete. She’s a professional runner, an author, a champion for mental health, a guide runner for blind athletes, a filmmaker, and an entrepreneur. When she runs, Alexi is often wearing a huge smile on her face and a healthy dusting of glitter across her cheeks. Alexi’s running journey has taken her to through peaks and valleys and she’s using her story to mentor the next generation. Connect with Alexi: Website Instagram New podcast, Mentor Buffet Alexi's book, Bravey Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Allbirds

Sasha DiGiulian is one of the best female rock climbers in the world. She's spent over a decade competing internationally, she’s a three-time US National Champion, a World Champion, and she’s had over 30 first female ascents. Sasha is also the founder and CEO of the superfood protein bar company, Send Bars. Connect with Sasha: Website Instagram Send Bars website Send Bars Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees NUUN

Thruhikers, Tim Beissinger and Renee Miller started dating in college and have always been active people. Tim grew up hiking and camping with his family, and Renee was a runner. The two dragged each other along on their respective outdoor outings. Eventually they worked their way up to thru-hiking, a sport that they've fallen in love with and built a life around. Connect with Renee & Tim: Website Instagram TikTok Check out: REI's mission to get everyone Outside in 5 If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Wild Ideas Worth Living with Cheryl Strayed Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees NUUN

Sarah Swallow is a professional adventure cyclist who develops bike packing routes around the country. When she creates a route, she takes the history, geography, and the biodiversity of an area into account. Her routes are often hundreds of miles long and lead riders past historical sites, landmarks, and diverse landscapes. In 2019, Sarah took her route crafting to the next level when she created a cycling and conservation event called Ruta del Jefe. Connect with Sarah: Website & Instagram Ruta Del Jefe website & Instagram Check out: The North Face x Hike Clerb Collaboration Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees NUUN

Isabel Cautivo has become one of the most prominent solo women backpackers on the internet. She has gone viral for making vulnerable and educational videos about her day trip and her most popular TikTok is about how she got into solo backpacking. Connect with Isabel: Instagram TikTok Check out: Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series” Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees NUUN