Natalie Brechtel joined the U.S. Antarctic Program at the South Pole for a supposed dream gig, but instead it was the start of a year marked by harassment, a toxic work environment and loss. Despite losing the ability to trust both her colleagues and herself, she kept going back, redefining what it means to feel safe. A decade later, she faced one final exit challenge: to lead her team on a 26-day traverse to the South Pole.  Support comes from One Percent For the Planet

At different points in their lives, both Brice Ruiz and Ashley Lose found themselves at a crossroads. Brice wanted to run his first ultramarathon, but wouldn’t call himself a “runner.” Ashley and her partner had just hit the road when she found out she was pregnant, pushing them to reconsider their definition of home. In each of their essays, Brice and Ashley find a path to creating the lives they wanted to lead.  Support comes from Kuat Racks  Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Chances are at some point you’ve signed up for an organized race or event. Maybe you’ve participated in a local turkey trot or maybe you’ve run Western States. You register, pay the entry fee, train, show up and try hard. Race day can almost feel like magic. This is a story about the people behind the scenes making all that magic happen. Support comes from HMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscription Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

During their twelve winters as winter rangers in Yosemite National Park, Rob and Laura Pilewski have learned a thing or two about what it means to love a place– and a person.  Support comes from HMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscription Kuat Racks  Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Both Julia Hoer and Josie McKee suffered traumatic experiences that forced them to reckon with their identities and priorities. But through time in the mountains, each learned that they had within them everything they needed.  Support comes from HMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscription Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

This year to celebrate the new year, Fitz sat down with professional skier Cody Townsend about his goal of skiing all of the Fifty Classic Ski Descents in North America. We might just have to call this episode the Many Years of a Big Audacious Idea. Support comes from HMNV.com/DirtbagDiaries Get 30% off your first subscription Kuat Racks  AG1 Alpenglow Speaker Series Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

The Grand Traverse is a ski race like no other: skiers begin at midnight and navigate 40 miles through the dark and they often face blizzards, frostbite, and gear failures. The race follows old postal routes through Colorado’s high mountains connecting the iconic ski towns of Crested Butte and Aspen– racers trudge over mountain passes topping out at over 12,000 feet. Needless to say, the event is reserved for hearty and adventurous folks – like Pat O’Neill. Pat is the only person who has participated in the race every year since it began in 1997, and he’s come to realize the race is about more than finishing fast— it’s about the adventure, his ski partners, and the memories.  Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

As a kid, Lauren DeLaunay Miller desperately wanted to see a shooting star. Years later, in the vastness of the Utah desert, she finally got her wish.  Support comes from Patagonia Athletic Greens Kuat Racks Rumpl

A crisp sunny morning with tacky stone. The spring flush of desert sun and good dirt. Long summer days that tangle with night. What’s best? Armed with facts, waxing poetic prose, and a touch of emotional heat, our staff goes toe to toe to determine which region has the best season. It’s tournament time! Today’s episode is from our Dirtbag Diaries+ channel. Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today  Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks Rumpl

Alpinist and labradoodle devotee Graham Zimmerman has poured his heart into climate change activism after witnessing its effects in the world's great ranges. His new book, "A Fine Line" reflects on his incredible climbing career. In the sometimes overly macho, deeply risky pursuit of alpine climbing, his book offers a welcomed counterpoint to the narrative we often hear. Fitz sat down with Graham for a live Q&A at The Mountaineers in Seattle earlier this month. Read A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains Want to hear the full conversation? Subscribe to Diaries+ Gift a subscription

When Arlene Gonzalez started running eleven years ago, she quickly discovered its ability to mend a broken heart, inspire confidence, and bring people together. Today, she finds her passion in uniting a binational community across the U.S.-Mexico border around a shared love of movement. Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks Rumpl Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Cuando Arlene Gonzalez empezó a correr hace once años, descubrió cómo el deporte puede reparar un corazón roto, inspirar confianza, y crear comunidad. Hoy, Arlene encuentra pasión en unir la comunidad binacional entre EE.UU. y México a través de un amor compartido por correr.  Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks Rumpl Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

In our annual Tales of Terror episode, we’ve got dark caves, unsettling landscapes, and unexplainable figures in the night. Mua ha ha. Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks AeroPress Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Fifteen years ago, Tim Irvin went on a solo trip to the Arctic with the hope of seeing the annual caribou migration. Despite mobs of blackflies and an unpleasant encounter with poop, Tim soon found his stride and connected with the natural world in a new way.  Support comes from Patagonia Athletic Greens Kuat Racks AeroPress

A crisp sunny morning with tacky stone. The spring flush of desert sun and good dirt. Long summer days that tangle with night. What's best? Armed with facts, waxing poetic prose, and a touch of emotional heat, our staff goes toe to toe to determine which region has the best season. It's tournament time! Got a favorite season in a region to share? Call us at 206-705-3006. You just might hear your voice on a future episode. Want to hear more? Subscribe to Dirtbag Diaries+

Gabaccia Moreno is our guide to one of our newest National Monuments– The Castner Range in El Paso, Texas. She talks with some of the people who worked over decades to make the designation a reality, gives us a window into the biological and cultural significance of the area, and describes a coalition that can be a model for 21st century conservation.   Learn More Frontera Land Alliance Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks YETI  Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

A Campfire Chat about the silly things we've done and that we would never do again. (Well, almost never.) Got a story you want to share? Call the Dirtbag Hotline at 206- 705-3006 Want to hear more? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today

Lance Garland and Eileen Hall grappled with their identities in different ways and at different stages of their lives. In this episode, we hear how they started to how to walk tall and embrace who they are at sea and on the trail.  Support comes from Patagonia Athletic Greens Kuat Racks YETI

When Aubrey Runyon first climbed in Colorado’s Eldorado Canyon State Park, it was for fun. When she returned several years later, Aubrey was needing a place to call home. Over the years, her relationship with Eldo has weaved between recreation and survival, and eventually healing and love. When Aubrey faced a new big challenge, she leaned on Eldo for strength by way of a big goal– to reach 10,000 pitches in the park.  American Alpine Club’s Climbing Grief Fund Support comes from Patagonia AG1 Kuat Racks Aura Frames  Want more episodes? Join Dirtbag Diaries+ today Got a Tale of Terror? Submit it now!

You ask, we answer with anecdotes, stories and advice. Today's Q-- If you could be part of any historical expedition, which would it be and why? Want to hear more? Join the Diaries+ community.