About Out There
In 2014, Willow Belden quit her job at Wyoming’s NPR station and set out to thru-hike the Colorado Trail.
She was burnt out, depressed, and grieving, and she craved a reprieve.
The 500-mile solo trek was hard. But also profoundly healing. It helped her process her mother’s death, gave her newfound confidence, and rekindled her love for life.
It also provided the inspiration for Out There.
Willow Belden eats the last few bites of food she has left after a demanding week on the Colorado Trail (Photo by Willow Belden)
Out There's award-winning stories use nature to help you make sense of your life and world.
We bring you tightly woven narratives that sweep you into the outdoors, exploring how our minds work, how we find strength and healing, and how we learn to flourish in a difficult world.
What does ‘outdoors’ mean?
Anything outside your door! The outdoors is for all, regardless of where you were raised, the color of your skin or anything else about you. Our stories celebrate the myriad ways humans engage with nature, and amplify voices that are often silenced.
View FROM the Colorado Trail (Photo by Willow Belden)
Where to listen
You can find Out There on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you’re new to the show, check out our Best of Out There playlist to hear some of our all-time favorite episodes!
Meet the Team
Willow Belden, she/her
Willow is the host and founder of Out There. Before launching the podcast, she was a reporter and host at Wyoming Public Radio. She has written for newspapers and magazines across the U.S. and internationally, has contributed stories to NPR, and has won several national awards. Willow is an avid cross-country skier, mountain biker, and hiker, and she's conquering her fear of heights by learning to rock climb.
Sheeba Joseph, she/her
Sheeba is Out There’s audience growth director. She comes from a business/marketing background, which has allowed her to work in various creative production sectors, such as music, theater, events, nonprofit and more recently podcasts. As a digital storyteller and strategist, she uses her superpowers to help companies and their audiences to effectively communicate together. She enjoys waking up to the chirping of birds, picking homegrown berries, and the changes of seasons - all while living in a concrete jungle.
Katie Reuther, she/her
Katie is one of Out There’s production interns. She is an aspiring audio producer with a Master’s in Food Studies. Her research focuses on documenting and uplifting the stories of Asian Americans in the food system. Growing up on a small farm in rural Vermont, Katie developed a love for the outdoors early in her life. She enjoys walking in the mountains or along a lakeshore, preferably toward an ice cream cone.
Maria Ordovas-Montanes, she/her
Maria is one of Out There’s production interns. She moved from New England to England a decade ago and she has since tried out many activities (rowing, trail running, surfing, SUPing, acroyoga, climbing) and even got a PhD along the way! After listening to hours of podcasts on runs and endurance-style pipetting sessions, she is looking to go behind the scenes with the Out There team. Maria holds the Fastest Known Time for the Oxford Green Belt Way.
Out There Ambassadors
Our ambassadors are regular people who embody the Out There ethos: they ask big questions about themselves and the world around them; they find strength, inspiration and healing in nature; and they harness their experience of the world outside to tell stories that make us think.
Tiffany Duong
Tiff is an adventurer at heart and a lover of all things wild.
As an environmental activist, conservation journalist, and bold living advocate, Tiff inspires others to live bigger, authentic, sustainable lives. Basically, she's trying to save the world and to have the time of her life doing it.
She truly believes its never too late to lean into what makes you happy and to find your legacy.
Stacia Bennett
In 2015, Stacia decided to attempt a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, having never been camping or backpacking before. Now, she can't get enough of America's long trails and has hiked sections of the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Florida Trail, Mountains to Sea Trail, Benton McKaye Trail, Foothills Trail, and Bartram Trail.
Her favorite adventure buddy is her Standard Poodle, Shooter, and her favorite mountains are the southern Appalachians.
Ashley White
Ashley is a home-grown child of the Midwest. He always knew he wanted to explore remote places but didn’t have the resources to actually start until college. So he spent a ton of time in libraries and reading National Geographic magazines about the world beyond his neighborhood.
In college, when Ashley was introduced to kayaking and backpacking, he knew he’d found his community. He’s now married with four kids (yes, four), so his outdoor experiences must often be family friendly. But he’s committed to inculcating a love of nature into his children. And he still manages to go on a few trips a year that take him off the grid.
Follow Ashley: Instagram
Praise for Out There
“Out There is one of my all time favs.”
“Always inspiring, and always a pleasure to listen to.”
“The stories … engage the mind and touch the heart.”
“Belden answers tough questions ... with the eye of a journalist and the empathy, kindness, and open-mindedness of a traditional thru-hiker.”
“Each episode not only celebrates the outdoors but invites introspection.”
