Rekindling Hope

How an unexpected gift from nature quelled a deep depression

Carolyn McDonald was struggling — hard. The depression had gotten so bad that she couldn’t see a way forward. Then, one day, she went to the beach. On this episode, which won first place for mental health reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists, we share the story of what happened. It’s a story about art, wonder, and finding joy at low tide.

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Learning to Swim

What would be possible, if you embraced being a beginner?

Learning something new as an adult can be daunting, especially when it’s something that a lot of people have been doing since childhood. On this episode, Naomi Mellor takes us from a beach in Australia to an archipelago in the UK and explores how she got past her fears and pushed herself to take a big plunge.

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Indoor Kid

I thought the only way out of depression was to become a different person

After attending a wilderness therapy program, Sarah Dealy decided she wanted to become a rugged outdoorswoman. But following through wasn’t so simple. On this award-winning episode, Sarah explores what happens when the person you want to be doesn’t mesh with who you are.

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America’s Best Idea?

I thought I knew what a national park was

National Parks are often referred to as “America’s best idea.” But they have a complicated history — a history of broken promises, displacement of indigenous people, and genocide. This episode, which has won several awards, explores how we could start using national parks to right the wrongs of the past and create a better future.

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A Series of Unlikely Events

What if a fairytale romance could actually work out?

This award-winning love story about a kayaker and a rock climber will have you smiling from ear to ear. The episode won a silver medal for best independent podcast from the Public Media Journalists Association.

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The Ultimate Outdoorswoman

How Harriet Tubman could change your perspective on who belongs outdoors

Harriet Tubman was a lot more than a conductor on the Underground Railroad. She was a daughter, wife, entrepreneur — and a talented outdoorswoman. On this episode, we explore Tubman’s relationship with nature, and unpack how that history shapes the way Black Americans engage with the outdoors today.

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Failure in Success

How doing something you love can make you miserable

This award-winning story is about a 70-mile mountain bike race, about trying to prove yourself, and about learning when to say no.

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In the Name of Fairness

Why some of the best athletes are excluded, just for being themselves

Fairness is a surprisingly complicated concept. On this award-winning episode, we bring you the story of two athletes — a “ghost runner” from the U.K. and a phenom from Uganda — and we explore how rules meant to ensure fairness can end up excluding some of the best athletes from competitions.

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High on Failure

How falling short of your goals can change your life for the better

Winner of a 2016 national award, this story is about one of the toughest trail running races in existence — and about why failure can actually be a good thing.

Outskating Your Demons

How a skateboard trip redefined one woman’s relationship with mental illness

This story, which won an award for mental health reporting, follows a woman on a long-distance skateboard trip — from Maine to New Jersey — after she gets sober. It explores how you figure out who you are, after giving up something that has defined you for years.

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Selfless Acts

What prompts people to be overly generous?

On this award-winning episode, we spend a day with a year-round trail angel and delve into an unexpected source of altruism.