The Trail Less Traveled

“Within a day's drive of Missoula you will find some of the best iceclimbing... in the world,” says Missoula's legendary alpinist GrayThompson. Gray Thompson is a local legendary climber and UM GeologyProfessor Emeritus. Gray has been climbing since the mid 1960s andit's easier for him to think of the places he hasn't been rather thenthe places he has climbed. Gray has done more than a handful of firstascents on North Faces in the Canadian Rockies and worldwide including the Himalayas, Alps and Andes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Turk earned a Ph. D. in organic chemistry at the University of Colorado, in 1971. The same year, in honor of Earth Day 1, he co-authored the first environmental science textbook in the United States. Jon is the author of 25 text books and 4 adventure books. in addition to circumnavigating Ellesmere island, solo kayak missions in the Solomon islands, biking across Tibet to the birthplace of the Dalai Lama, multiple kayak expeditions from japan along eastern Siberia eventually walking across the Siberian tundra and so much more... for more information and to buy Jon's new book CROCODILES AND ICE visit jon turk dot com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on moving ice while trekking the Franz Josef Glacier on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Featuring the glaciology of New Zealand & The Himalayas with Franz Josef Glacier Guide, Ollie Clark. Originally from the UK, Ollie has been working as a glacier guide in NZ for the past three years. Ollie studies geology with a focus on glaciology."Heli-Hike" (Helicopter-Hike), Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An interview recorded in the vineyards & sheep stations of Central Otago on New Zealand’s South Island. Featuring two farmers, Di & Draft Somerville. Di & Draft are both native South Islanders who have a passion for growing grapes, olives, wool, mussels & vegetables. During this interview, recorded on their land, they share the art of making a fine Pinot Noir & incredibly soft, light weight, warm & fine Merino Wool in the glacier shaped landscape around Lake Wanaka. ​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carl is a nature guide in Fiordland National Park who has been based in Queenstown for the past two decades. Carl is also a multi talented adventurer who loves snowboarding, sailing, kayaking & exploring everything his country has to offer with his closely knit tribe of fellow explorers. Carl has been featured on fly fishing T.V. programs & helped organize/manage the filming of all three Lord of the Rings & Hobbit films. Carl's ancestors have been in the mountains & forest of New Zealand for the past 10,000 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland under the shadow of the Southern Alps next to the largest lake in the southern hemisphere (by volume due to depth). Mandela interviews Lord of the Rings actor, storyteller, historian, musician, traveler & radio pioneer, Evan Campbell. Evan is a native South Islander who has been chasing summer for much of his life... living part of the time in New Zealand, Europe & the UK. Evan starred in the 2nd & 3rd movies of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is proud of the fact that he didn't have to wear any makeup for his role in the two movies. Evan shares an in depth history of adventure tourism in New Zealand's South Island's west coast, particularly Fiordland & Te Anau. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in a 70s series Land Cruiser while navigating the gnarly 4x4 track on top of Mount Prospect in the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island's West Coast. Mandela interviews Rosco Gaudin, the "Mayor of Milford" & self proclaimed "Motor Head". Rosco has had passion for adventure, motorcycles, off road vehicles & enduro racing since he was a small child. Today he builds his own Land Cruisers for multi-day off road racing in New Zealand. Rosco will tell us about (while driving) his dream rig, a 70s series Land Cruiser named "Homer", all the while navigating a burly 4x4 track. Later on he articulates the view of Fiordland from the summit of Mount Prospect. Rosco is also the owner and operator of "Roscos Milford Kayaks", New Zealand's most spectacular sea kayaking destination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in sea kayaks in the Milford Sound on New Zealand's extremely remote west coast while the kayaks get blown around & surfed during recording. Mandela interviews fellow sea kayak guide, Courtney Quintrell. Courtney is an international adventure guide specializing in sky diving, sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, motorcycle touring, sailing, orienteering & beer brewing. Courtney spent many years in Alaska but now calls New Zealand home. She is passionate about Maori culture & is the ultimate outdoor babe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded 28 feet below the surface of the water, join Mandela in the Discovery Center's Underwater Observatory for an interview with Daniel Crook & Andrea Ferris. Daniel & Andrea are nature guides in The Milford Sound of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand's South Island's West Coast. The Discovery Center is a floating building which gives visitors the chance to view extremely rare species usually found between 50-5,000 feet deep in the ocean.Overlaying the sea water in the fiord is a layer of fresh water, the result of high annual rainfall in Fiordland. This combined with the narrow shape of the fiord causes a phenomenon known as deep water emergence where light is not allowed to penetrate past the fresh water. This creates a similar environment to the deep ocean at a much shallower depth, allowing visitors the chance to see deep sea species close up.Unlike an aquarium, the fish are free to come and go; it is the people who are contained. This provides a unique opportunity to observe real life sit

An American living in Queenstown, Lisa Sackville, has been an active international adventure guide all over the world for almost two decades. Specializing in whitewater, mtn. biking, sea kayaking, ice climbing & alpine skiing. She has guided in Mama Africa, South America, New Zealand, Canada, Europe & Alaska to name a few... This phenomenal woman survived temperatures downwards of -60 degrees for upwards of 3.5 hours. She shares her stories, lessons & focus with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olive Butcher is a sea kayak guide in The Milford Sound, the most northern Fiord on New Zealand’s South Island’s west coast. Guiding in the Milford Sound is considered class V sea kayaking due to the most extreme wind, waves & weather in New Zealand and potentially the entire world. It’s a typical day to guide in 30+ knots of day breeze, 3-10 meter swell from the Tasman Sea, dead zones for radio contact & solo guidiing beginner kayakers upwards of 15 kilometers from base at any given time. This said, it is by far the most spectacular and best sea kayaking in New Zealand (& potential the entire world). Olive grew up in water of the Marbourgh Sounds on the South Island. Her parents sailed the world for six years & raised her in a life of water adventure including sailing, kayaking & swimming.Olive studied outdoor education at University in Auckland with a focus on whitewater kayaking. Olive is now changing her focus to whitewater & plans to guide rafting expeditions outside Missoula, Mon

Recorded aboard a cray boat in the infamously wild Tasman Sea, Mandela spends 15 hours on board recording & after a day at sea finally manages to get sea sick mid-interview... Featuring an interview with Possum, a hard working second generation crayfisherman on a 54' cray boat called, "The Southern Legend." This boat brings in the most crayfish in all of New Zealand, about 80 tons per year. 90% of the crayfish caught in New Zealand is live exported to China. Possum grew up in the tiny fishing village of Jackson Bay on the South Island's isolated west coast. To this day, Possum's parents still live in a small home heated by coal. Possum's father continues to help out with fishing from time to time. Possum works with a crew of two other fisherman who start their day at 4am pulling crayfish from pots in reefs of the wild & extremely remote west coast of the South Island. Possum works almost everyday of the year & hardly ever gets to see his family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf

Callum Morrison is from Harrogate in North Yorkshire. He had a unique childhood & grew up adventuring from a young age. He is the owner & operator of River & Soul Adventures, custom river & culture tours around Nepal. He gives back to the community by employing locals & giving computers to schools. Callum is also a class V whitewater kayaker & sea kayak guide in the Milford Sound on New Zealand's South Island's West Coast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Collier is a native north islander who has salt water running through his veins. Adam has worked seven season as a sea kayak guide & skipper in New Zealand's South Island in Fiordland's Milford Sound. Due to the isolated nature of this region of the world, Adam & his friends have decided to brew their own fun using the fresh glacier melt water of Lady Elizabeth Bowen Falls. The waterfall is the main source of water & electricity for the hamlet of Milford & it is three times the size of Niagara Falls. Adam is a home brewer who created the "Wild Foods & Brews Festival", an annual gathering of locals featuring home brewing, hunting & gathering from the sea & from the land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Ewart is from New Zealand's south island and has been whitewater boating since he was 13 years old. Chris guides in New Zealand, Honduras ​& currently on the forks of the American River in Northern California. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded inside a sacred Maori ancestral meeting place called a Marae, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. Mandela interviews Robyn Rauna, of the indigenous Maori Tribes of Aotearoa. Robyn is a proud indigenous woman of Ngaio Tāmanuhiri, Rongoa fakata & Teitangamahaki. the Marae, sacred open meeting area, generally situated in front of the "whare runanga", communal meeting house, is the area of greatest mana, the place of greatest spirituality ; the place that heightens people's dignity, and the place in which Māori customs are given ultimate expression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank traveled to New Zealand 30 years ago on a surfing trip & never returned. Frank Russell grew up in Whittier, California & at age eight started surfing on belly boards, surf mats & body surfing. Then at 17, Frank found Cal Western University located right on the Sunset Cliffs, a Mecca for reef breaks. In 2003 Frank started his surf coaching school called, "Surfing with Frank" & he led surf trips in Mexico when the water in New Zealand is too cold. www.surfingwithfrank.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interviewing Geoff Carpenter, AKA "Carp". Carp is a second generation herpetologist and boatman who specializes in lizards. Geoff has been rowing rafts and studying herpes in the Grand Canyon for over a decade. Geoff teaches field herpetology at the University of Oklahoma's biological field station. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on location in Gisborne, New Zealand where lieutenant James Cook and his men first made contact with the Maori people on October 8th, 1769. Mandela interviews Sheridan Gundry, an award winning journalist and author of five books. Her most recent book is titled "A Splendid Isolation," which covers the general history of Gisborne and New Zealand's north island's eastern coast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in Gisborne, New Zealand in the C Company Memorial House featuring an interview with a descendent of the Maori Battalion. The Maori Battalion served in both World War I & II, they were famously feared in battle and consisted entirely of volunteers as the "Price of Citizenship" to their country. Mandela interviews Zandria Taare, who tells us the story of her famous grand father who spent four years in a POW camp in Germany, the son of the man on New Zealand's $50 note. Zandria will also speak about how the Maori are trying to protect the foreshore and seabed from oil companies as well as how Missionaries have affected the art & culture to this day. Zandria will also share Maori songs and language tips.​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.