Internet Radio Podcast Directory Radio Playlists

By Keyword

By Location

By Genre

By Popularity
Trumix.com : Podcast : Variety : Unknown

The WildeBeat

Network:
Language: English
Category: Variety / Unknown
Visit Website

"The audio journal about getting into the wilderness."


RSS FeedView RSS | RSS FeedView in iTunes


Starting With Fire
This skills program presents the basic skill of fire building. This is the second in a series of shows featuring primitive technologies experts from Primitive Ways. (The first show is number 141, First Skills.) Naturalist Dino Labiste explains and demonstrates the fundamental skill of fire building. Our ancestors depended on fire as a basic survival tool as far back as a million years ago, and yet today, among many people it's becoming a lost art. Ben Lawhon, the education director for th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Stealth Gear
This skills program explains the gear you can carry to tread lightly on your favorite wild places. This is the second in a series of presentations by the Leave No Trace traveling trainers. J.D. Tanner and Emily Ressler talk about the gear you can bring along to make it easier to Leave No Trace. They talk about shoes and shelter, bags and trowels, cameras and sketch pads, lights and blankets, cans and binoculars, and radios and headphones. All of this gear, and more, can help you leave the ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Bear Cans Revisited, part 2
This wild places program is part two of an exploration of the situation in the Sierra Nevada wilderness areas that lead to the development of the bear-resistant food canister. (Part one is here.) Who makes these things, and how do we know they work? Steve tells the story with the help of: Harold Werner, a wildlife biologist from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. Calder Reid, wilderness manager for the Inyo National Forest. Allen DeForrest of Wild Ideas, manufacturer of the Bearikade...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Bear Cans Revisited, part 1
This wild places program is part one of an exploration of the situation in the Sierra Nevada wilderness areas that lead to the development of the bear-resistant food canister. Why were they invented, who invented them, and how did that happen? Steve tells the story with the help of: Harold Werner, a wildlife biologist from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. Tori Seher, a wildlife biologist from Yosemite National Park. Richard Garcia, the president of Garcia Machine, manufacturer of th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:01:00 PST ]


Bear Cans Revisited, part 1
This wild places program is part one of an exploration of the situation in the Sierra Nevada wilderness areas that lead to the development of the bear-resistant food canister. Why were they invented, who invented them, and how did that happen? Steve tells the story with the help of: Harold Werner, a wildlife biologist from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. Tori Seher, a wildlife biologist from Yosemite National Park. Richard Garcia, the president of Garcia Machine, manufacturer of th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Modern Rain gear
This gear program presents reviews of two rain jackets and a poncho. An important part of keeping warm is keeping dry, and the first part you want to protect is your torso. Steve Nelson reviews the Antigravitygear Poncho Villa. Gail Staisil reviews the Outdoor Research Celestial Jacket. Jim Sabiston reviews the Integral Designs eVENT Cruiser Jacket. If you're interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than the volun...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


First Skills
This skills program introduces our series on primitive technologies. You always see cavemen portrayed as stupid and comical. But what do you suppose they knew that you don't? We hear from Norm Kidder. He's the vice president of the Society of Primitive Technologies. He talks about the society's goal to re-learn, study, and teach stone age skills. Norm explains that using cutting edges and fire were the first technological skills developed by the earliest humans. In addition to the Socie...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


A Trace of Training
This skills program introduces the Leave No Trace traveling trainers. This couple spreads the word of Leave No Trace, but then they seem to leave a lasting impression. The Leave no trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches skills to help you keep your parks and wilderness areas in their best possible condition. You can minimize your impacts on these place so that others can enjoy them more, and you can enjoy them in the future. J.D. Tanner and Emily Ressler are this year's senior traveling t...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 29 May 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Wilderness Deals for Wheels
This wild places program investigates the relationship of the popular sport of mountain bicycling to wilderness preservation. What do these groups want when they lobby for the protection of wild places? Steve tells the story with the help of: Roger Abeh, a park ranger for the Department of Parks of the City of San Jose, California. John Kramer, the acting Wilderness Manager for the Pacific Southwest Region of the National Forest Service. Ryan Henson, the policy director for the California Wi...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Light Lights
This gear program presents reviews of LED lanterns and headlamps. In the past few years, the one piece of outdoor gear that's improved most dramatically in performance versus weight is lighting. Larry Kirschner reviews the Coleman 4AA Pack-Away Lantern. Roger Caffin reviews the Princeton Tec Quad Headlamp. Tim Tessier reviews the Black Diamond Icon Headlamp. If you're interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 15 May 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Bad Fire, Good Fire, part 2
This wild places program is part two of a look at the effects of wild fires. Smoky the Bear says, only you can prevent wild fires. But sometimes you can't, and in some ways, that's not all bad. (Part 1 is here.) Wild fires burned through three major wilderness areas in California late last summer: The Dick Smith Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest was burned by the Zaca Fire. The San Rafael Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest was burned by the Zaca Fire. The Orestimba Wi...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 08 May 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Bad Fire, Good Fire, part 1
This wild places program is part one of a look at the effects of wild fires. Smoky the Bear says, only you can prevent wild fires. But sometimes you can't, and in some ways, that's not all bad. We play a part of a TV news report about a wild fire that burned about half of California's Henry Coe State Park. This park contains the nearest wilderness area to us, the Orestimba Wilderness. Kathleen Good tells us about the largest of last year's wild fires in California, the Zaca Fire in the Lo...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


A Family Hike
This outings program tells the story of a 10 year old girl and her parents who went on a hike. With all the emphasis on getting more kids outdoors, it might be helpful to give them a role model. Listen to hear about a great one. Mary "Scrambler" and her parents, Gary and Barbara, hiked the length of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2004. Their 2,650 mile journey started April 8th, and they were on the trail until October 25th. They talk about preparation for their journey, stories along the tra...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Grizzlies in the Mist
This skills program takes a look at the latest in safety advice in grizzly bear country. What if the safest way to protect yourself from a grizzly bear was also safer for the bear? Steve talks to Chris Servheen, the Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Chris authored several fact sheets on bears, including the most recent, Bear Spray vs. Bullets—which offers better protection? Chris refers Steve to a scientist who's doing the leading-edge studie...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Enchiladas del Sol
This skills program is a wrap. Well, really it's about baking fresh enchiladas, in a backcountry camp, without a fire or a stove. Steve returns to visit the kitchen of backcountry cooking author Linda Frederick Yaffe. Ms. Yaffe is the author of the books Backpack Gourmet, Solar Cooking for Home and Camp, High Trail Cookery, and The Well Organized Camper. Our guest backpack gourmet demonstrates a solar oven that portable enough to be carried in a backpack, and simple enough to build for you...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Flying Backpacks
This skills program presents looks at packing your gear for air travel to a distant trailhead. Air travel can be a hassle if you don't plan ahead and prepare. We hear a phoned-in comment from listener Jeremy Sullivan. He relates a situation when he had difficulty traveling with his camping gear. Steve meets with Robert Cassidy, a hazardous materials specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration. Robert provides a lot of helpful information, but he explains that in the end the Transp...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


California Snowshoe Trails
This wild places program presents a guidebook author's favorite places to snowshoe in California. Yeah, it's spring, but there's still a lot of nice snow up there. Mike White, author of Best Snowshoe Trails of California, tells us what he actually thinks are the very best snowshoe trails in California. He picks trails that start at this trailhead, and at this trailhead. Mike introduced us to snowshoe hiking two weeks ago, in our edition number 129, A Snowshoe Primer. Mike also mentions th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Skiing for Skiers
This outings program takes us on a patrol day with the Lake Alpine Nordic Ski Patrol. You can have a great time while helping others by joining a ski patrol. Steve joins the patrol skiing in the backcountry near Bear Valley, California. We hear from Charles Schafer, the patrol director for the Lake Alpine Nordic Ski Patrol. His group is affiliated with the Far West Division of the National Ski Patrol. Charles talks about the reason they're out there skiing the backcountry: To provide ass...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


A Snowshoe Primer
This skills program presents an introduction to winter hiking on snowshoes. If you can hike, you can snowshoe. Steve takes a hike with author Mike White, who wrote the books, Best Snowshoe Trails of California, Snowshoe Trails of Yosemite, and Snowshoe Trails Tahoe. A couple of weeks ago, they hiked out and back a couple of miles in the Tahoe National Forest near Donner Pass in California. Snowshoe hiking is the easiest way to start exploring the wilderness in the winter. Mike explains th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Skiing More of Utah
This wild places program provides a ski guide's advice on how to get away from the crowds at the very popular ski resorts in Utah. Guest correspondent Kurt Repanshek visited the Mill Creek trailhead in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Salt Lake City. There he met backcountry ski guide and guide book author Tyson Bradley. Tyson wrote the book, Backcountry Skiing Utah. Tyson talks about the many mountain ranges in Utah that provide a wide range of exceptional opportunities for backcoun...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Scared Indoors, part 2
This wild places program is part 2 of an exploration of how mass media might be affecting people's interest in getting into the wilderness. (Part 1 is here.) They came, they saw, they almost bought it; are these the kind of stories that inspire you to get into the wilderness? Do they represent the normal experience of a wilderness visitor? Steve answers this question with the help of: Fitz Cahall, creator and producer of the podcast, the Dirtbag Diaries. Tom Mangan, a newspaper editor, and...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Scared Indoors, part 1
This wild places program asks how mass media might be affecting people's interest in getting into the wilderness. They came, they saw, they almost bought it; are these the kind of stories that inspire you to get into the wilderness? Steve explores this question with the help of: Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods. Raymond Garcia, a summer visitor to Yosemite National Park. Fitz Cahall, creator and producer of the podcast, the Dirtbag Diaries. Ryan Jordan, founder and publisher o...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Forest Admission?
This wild places program examines proposed rules affecting outfitter guides in the National Forests. Will these rules make it harder, or more expensive, for you to get into forest service wilderness? Steve explores the issue with the help of: Jim Bedwell, Director of Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources for the National Forest Service in Washington, D.C. Todd Vogel, Education and Stewardship director for the Friends of the Inyo, and co-owner of Sierra Mountain Center, a commercial g...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Getting Around GPS
This skills program discusses things you need to know before relying on a portable GPS receiver. Finding your way there and finding your way home is not always so easy in the wilderness. Steve talks with author Stephen Hinch who wrote the book, Outdoor Navigation with GPS. Stephen is a high-tech executive with technical knowledge of the GPS system and a love of wilderness travel. A GPS receiver can make navigaton easier, but what do you need to know to use it, and what do you need to know ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Winter OR 2008
This gear program is a report on the Winter 2008 Outdoor Retailer's Expo. What's cool in next year's winter gear? Jason Boyle and Christopher Nicolai report on the most interesting gear they hope to test for BackpackGearTest.ORG. They comment on products by: GoLite, Rab, Patagonia, Mountainsmith, MontBell, Cilogear, Aspen Aerogel, Easton, Garmont, and Teko Socks. As a wrap-up, Backpack Gear Test founder Jerry Goller tells us that they get more gear to review than their reviewers can keep u...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Calling for Help Revisited
This skills program is an overview of some of the ways you can call for help from the wilderness. Have you ever thought about how you'd get help if you needed it? Out of all the different ways you could let somebody know about your situation, some of them work better than others. This is an updated version of our program number 37 of April 13, 2006. Steve talks about simple signaling techniques, like whistles, signal mirrors, and smoke signals, and then discusses various phones and radio t...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Sierra Backcountry Ski Trails
This skills program is an interview with Marcus Libkind. This is a reprise of our program number 21 of December 1, 2005. Marcus wrote the most comprehensive and widely used trail guides for backcountry ski tours in the Sierra Nevada: Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 1: Lake Tahoe Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 2: Carson Pass, Bear Valley, Pinecrest Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 3: Yosemite, Huntington and Shaver Lakes, Kings Canyon, Sequoia Ski Tours in the Sierra Neva...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Really Cool Camping, part 2
This skills program is an introduction to snow camping. Snow camping is really cool, but it doesn't have to be cold if you know what you're doing. This is a reprise of our program number 27 of January 26, 2006. Mike Clelland is a winter camping instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. He's also the illustrator and co-author of Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book. In this part, Mike talks about kitchens, cooking and nutrition, and staying warm at night. Ben L...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Really Cool Camping, part 1
This skills program is an introduction to snow camping. Snow camping is really cool, but it doesn't have to be cold if you know what you're doing. This is a reprise of our program number 26 of January 19, 2006. Steve interviewed Mike Clelland, a winter camping instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. He's also the illustrator and co-author of Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book. In this part, Mike talks about clothing, campsite selection, and shelter. Next w...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:00:00 PST ]


Year in Gear '07
This gear program is a wrap-up of Backpack Gear Tests's reviews of 2007. Steve asked the volunteer editors and moderators from Backpack Gear Test to talk about their most memorable reviews. Memorable reviews might be about their favorite gear; but they might instead be about especially thorough or innovative approaches to reviewing outdoor gear. These four people responded: Thomas Vickers1, Ralph Ditton2, Rick Allnutt3, and Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd4. Out of more than a thousand reviews publ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Baking in the Sun
This skills program is a piece of cake. Well, really it's about baking a cake, in camp, without a fire or a stove. Steve returns to visit the kitchen of backcountry cooking author Linda Frederick Yaffe. Ms. Yaffe is the author of the books Backpack Gourmet, Solar Cooking for Home and Camp, High Trail Cookery, and The Well Organized Camper. Our guest backpack gourmet gives us an introduction to baking a cake with a homemade solar oven. Without fuel or fire, she bakes a delicious gingerbrea...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Camping Together
This skills program provides some ideas on how to have a romantic camping trip. Outdoors folks have this image of being tough, and of facing risky challenges in adverse situations. But there's also a softer, warmer type of outdoor adventure. Steve talks with Michelle Waitzman, the author of the book, Sex in a Tent: A Wild Couple's Guide to Getting Naughty in Nature. Michelle talks about how to look for an outdoorsy partner. She tells the story of author Kathleen Meyer's search for the per...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Three Three-Season Bags
This gear program presents reviews of three-season sleeping bags. Three-season bags are those that you would typically use in spring, summer, or fall. Edward Ripley-Duggan reviews the Valandre Mirage. Kevin Hollingsworth reviews the Montbell UL Alpine Burrow Bag. Andrew Buskov reviews the Big Agnes Lost Ranger. If you're interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than the volunteers at BGT can keep up with. By beco...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Urban Girls Gone Wild
This skills program is an introduction to how life-long urbanites can discover camping. What happens when you take a city girl to the woods? Steve interviews Heather Menicucci, the author of Let's Get Primitive, The Urban Girl's Guide to Camping. Heather talks about the boyfriend who seduced her with the outdoors, how she made the transition from neurotic New Yorker to nature girl, and some of the things you need to know to get out of the concrete jungle and into the primeval forest. What ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Desert Roadless Traveled
This wild places program examines the problems of trying to designate new wilderness areas in the central Utah desert. If it gets overrun by off road vehicles, can it still become new wilderness? This story was provided to us by guest reporter Kurt Repanshek, creator of the National Parks Traveler web magazine. Kurt tells this story of the struggle for wilderness designations in the desert canyonlands of central Utah with the help of: Heidi McIntosh, conservation director for the Southern ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 22 Nov 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Ticket to Half Dome
This wild places program examines whether the hike to Yosemite's Half Dome has become too popular to be considered wilderness. Is this national park attraction too attractive? Steve tells the story with the help of the following voices: Thomas Herrera, a Half Dome climber from Stockton, California. Rick Deutsch, author of the book, One Best Hike, Yosemite's Half Dome. Scott Gediman, spokesman for Yosemite National Park. Karen Hamilton, a Half Dome climber from Cobb, California. Laurel Boyers...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Indoor Snow Camping
This skills program presents a way to try snow-camping without actually sleeping on the snow, but rather in a rustic backcountry ski hut. This is a reprise of our program number 69 of December 14, 2006. Steve starts out at a volunteer maintenance work-party at the Sierra Club's Bradley Hut in the Tahoe National Forest. We hear from Dick Simpson, the volunteer coordinator for the four huts in the Sierra Club's system. Steve then talks to Howard Weamer, the Hut Master of the Ostrander Lake Hu...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Creatures of the Night, part 2
This skills program is part 2 of a look at how to appreciate bats in the wild. (Part one is here.) We hear from Curt Black, a technical advisor for the nonprofit group, Bats Northwest. We join Curt on one of his evening bat walks, recorded in Seattle's Green Lake Park, on August 11th, 2007. Curt demonstrates the electronic equipment he uses to listen to the ultrasonic echolocation calls that bats produce. He identifies the call of a silver-haired bat. Afterwards, he talks about how we c...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Creatures of the Night, part 1
This skills program is part one of a Halloween look at how to appreciate those mysterious flying, furry mammals that dominate the night sky. What do we really know about them, and how can we learn more about them? Steve talks with Curt Black from Seattle, an expert on certain mammals of the order Chiroptera, who tells us why they're fascinating. Curt dispels some common myths that often cause people to fear them. We also hear briefly from Dave Smith, an expert on safety around animals such...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Inner-City Outings, part 2
This outings program takes us on a campout with the Sierra Club's Inner-City Outings (ICO) section. This is part two of a follow up to our original program on ethnic diversity among wilderness users. (Part one is here.) Steve visits a campout led by the ICO at the Arroyo Seco Campground in the Los Padres National Forest. We hear from: Gabriella, a campout participant and four-year veteran of ICO outings Debra Asher, the national administrator of the Sierra Club's Inner-City Outings Larry V...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Inner-City Outings, part 1
This outings program takes us on a campout with the Sierra Club's Inner-City Outings (ICO) section. This part one of two is a follow-up to our original program on ethnic diversity among wilderness users. Steve visits a campout lead by the ICO at the Arroyo Seco Campground in the Los Padres National Forest. We hear from: Gabriella, a campout participant and four-year veteran of ICO outings. Larry Volpe, a fifth-grade teacher and ICO leader. Sergio, a campout participant. Graciella, a campou...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Bags for the Cold
This gear program presents reviews of winter sleeping bags. Winter camping is cool. But it isn't cold if you have a warm sleeping bag to crawl into. Michael Wheiler reviews the Sierra Designs Cirque. Jennifer Koles reviews the Sierra Designs Electra. Andy Henrichs reviews the Sierra Designs Echo. If you're interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than the volunteers at BGT can keep up with. By becoming a tester,...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Thanks Ranger Boyers!
This wild places program is a thanks and tribute to Yosemite National Park's wilderness manager, Ranger Laurel Boyers. Ranger Boyers is retiring from the park after 31 years of service on October 1st. We hear from Mike Tollefson, the superintendent of Yosemite National Park. Mike comments on Ranger Boyers' Career. Steve interviews Laurel Boyers, who talks about her experiences in the span of her career. We understand that Laurel Boyers and her husband, also a park service employee, will s...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


It's Soup
This skills program is a guide to cooking and dehydrating a gourmet bouillabaisse soup for your backcountry trips. A lot of people think you can't take food this good on the trail. Steve visited the kitchen of backcountry cooking author Linda Frederick Yaffe. Ms. Yaffe is the author of the books Backpack Gourmet, Solar Cooking for Home and Camp, High Trail Cookery, and The Well Organized Camper. Our guest backpack gourmet gives us an introduction to dehydrating our own meals from gourmet r...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Ranger Changes, part 2
This wild places program is part two of an exploration on how the job of wilderness rangers is changing. (Listen to part 1 first.) Many people who worked for parks and forests when the Wilderness Act went in effect are still working. Last week, we started out by getting a look at the traditional skills and duties of a wilderness ranger. This week, we find out about the greatest changes affecting their jobs, and changes in the way we interact with them. We hear from: Gregg Fauth, Wilderne...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Ranger Changes, part 1
This wild places program is part one of an exploration on how the job of wilderness rangers is changing. Many people who worked for parks and forests when the Wilderness Act went in effect are still working. We start out by getting a look at the traditional skills and duties of a wilderness ranger. We hear from: Gregg Fauth, Wilderness Coordinator for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Laurel Boyers, Wilderness manager for Yosemite National Park. John Roth, Chief Ranger for Lassen Vo...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


The Next 100
In this program we take you behind the scenes to learn about how we put together our shows. Just what goes into producing an edition of the WildeBeat? From fixing your feet to using your head, from camping in the snow to backpacking in the desert, we've spent two years finding ways to help you get into the wilderness. The WildeBeat is a free public service to help you discover, and get the most out of America's wild public lands. And while the show is free to you, it costs us a lot to brin...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Thousand Lakes
This wild places program is part one of a visit to the Thousand Lakes Wilderness in the Lassen National Forest. This small, 25 square-mile wilderness shouldn't be judged by its size. The Thousand Lakes Wilderness is just north of Lassen Volcanic National Park, which we explored in our edition numbers 96 & 97. While national parks are high-profile places that attract a lot of attention, nearby national forest wilderness areas are often overlooked. Steve talks with Jan Sorochtey, the rec...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Summer OR 2007
This gear program is an overview of some of the new gear exhibited at the 2007 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. Steve intervews testers from BackpackGearTest.ORG in Salt Lake City, Utah. Andy Mytys comments on the SPOT Satellite Messenger, new tarps by Go Lite, and new products by Sea to Summit. Jennifer Koles comments on the Magellan Triton GPS receiver and National Geographic Topo! maps. Jason Boyle comments on a new eVent® jacket by Rab, new drinks by Cliff Bar, and jackets by Mont-...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


What's in Sierra Water?
This skills program is an interview about backcountry water quality in general, and about California's Sierra Nevada in particular. Steve interviewed Dr. Robert Derlet. Dr. Derlet is a professor of emergency medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Dr. Derlet is also a recognized researcher and expert on the quality of backcountry water in the Sierra Nevada. His latest paper on the subject is titled, Coliform bacteria in Sierra Nevada wilderness lakes a...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Lassen National Park, part 2
This wild places program is part one of a visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park. It's been called a little Yellowstone because of its wilderness and its volcanic features. We hear from Steve Zachary, the park's education specialist, about some of the most interesting features of the park's wilderness areas. He mentions the Cinder Cone, the Fantastic Lava Beds, and Boiling Springs Lake. Jean Higham, our normally silent co-writer and co-editor, provides a trip report on her four day hike in...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Lassen National Park, part 1
This wild places program is part one of a visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park. It's been called a little Yellowstone because of its wilderness and its volcanic features. Jean Higham, our normally silent co-writer and co-editor, takes off for four days of solo backpacking in the park's wilderness. Steve talks to Steve Zachary, the park's education specialist, about some of the features that attract people to the park. Of course, one of the most prominent is the peak of the volcano itself...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Leave No Trace Revisited
This skills program presents the Leave No Trace skills for minimizing our impact on wilderness areas. This is a remix of our show number 4 of July 18, 2005. Steve encountered hikers on the trail last week in the Lassen National Forest, and tested them on their knowledge of Leave No Trace principles. Then we replay portions of our 2005 interview with Ben Lawhon, the education director of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Ben quizzes Steve on his low-impact wilderness skills. ...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Keeping Bears Hungry
This skills program is a look at the arms race between campers and bears in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. How should you protect your food from bears? This is a reprise of our show number 48, first presented on June 29, 2006. We include excerpts from interviews with Tori Seher, the wildlife biologist in charge of human/bear management at Yosemite National Park, and Laurel Boyers, the Wilderness Manager at Yosemite. They talk about the history of keeping bears from camper's food in the S...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Wool-Blend Socks
This gear program presents reviews of wool-blend socks. You probably don't think much about socks, until you find yourself wishing you had different ones. Andrew Buskov reviews the Bridgedale X-Hale Socks. Pam Wyant reviews the Defeet Blaze socks. Kevin Hollingsworth reviews the Defeet Classico socks. Ray Estrella reviews the Wigwam Wool/Silk Hiker socks. If you're interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Bay Area Wilderness Training, part 2
This outings program takes us on a Wilderness Leadership Training course offered by the non-profit group, Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT). This part 2 of 2 is a follow-up to our original program on ethnic diversity among wilderness users. Steve meets a diverse group of teachers, counselors, and other youth workers on the trail just outside of Yosemite National Park. He talks to: Roger Miller, executive director of BAWT. Hector Nuño, a volunteer youth counselor from San Jose, Calif...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Bay Area Wilderness Training, part 1
This outings program takes us on a Wilderness Leadership Training course offered by the non-profit group, Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT). This part 1 of 2 is a follow-up to our original program on ethnic diversity among wilderness users. Steve meets a diverse group of teachers, counselors, and other youth workers at the Cherry Lake campground just outside of Yosemite National Park. He talks to: Roger Miller, executive director of BAWT. Hector Nuño, a volunteer youth counselor fro...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Listening to Parks, part 2
This wild places program explores sounds in national parks. Do you go to parks for the peace and quiet? Should you expect peace and quiet at national parks? We hear from Kurt Fristrup, a scientist for the Natural Sounds Program of the National Park Service. He plays clips recorded by their audio measuring systems, which were placed near Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park. He describes the greatest sources of noise pollution in the park, and how it can adversely effect visitors and wi...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Listening to Parks, part 1
This wild places program explores sounds in national parks. Do you go to parks for the peace and quiet? Should you expect peace and quiet at national parks? Steve starts out in a relatively remote campground in Yosemite National Park, and discovers some noises he wasn't counting on. He interviews two campers, Maria Mustanen and Bill Garcia, about how they feel about man-made noise in parks. Steve interviews Kurt Fristrup, a scientist for the Natural Sounds Program of the National Park Ser...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 07 Jun 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Using All Fours, part 2
This skills program is part 2 of our look at the science and skills, myths and fact around trekking poles. Is hiking with poles a trendy gimmick, or a valuable skill?Julianne Abendroth-Smithtalks about the results of research into the effects on the body of hiking with trekking poles. She's a biomechanics professor atWillamette Universityin Salem Oregon.We hear from Jayah Faye Paley, an author and educator, and co-host of an educational DVD,POLES for Hiking, Trekking&Walking. Jayah's web site...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 31 May 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Using All Fours, part 1
This skills program is part 1 of our look at the science and skills, myths and fact around trekking poles. Is hiking with poles a trendy gimmick, or a valuable skill?Steve talks toJulianne Abendroth-SmithofWillamette Universityin Salem Oregon. She's a biomechanics professor studying the physics of hiking, and how hiking with various poles and walking sticks affect the body.Steve talks to Jayah Faye Paley, an author and educator, and co-host of an educational DVD,POLES for Hiking, Trekking&Walk...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 24 May 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Orestimba Wilderness Updated
This wild places program revisits the Orestimba Wilderness of California'sHenry W. Coe State Park. It's an amazingly remote wilderness surprisingly close to the San Francisco Bay Area. A new entrance to the park will make this remote wilderness more easily accessible.Steve rode with backcountry ranger Cameron Bowers on a patrol trip to the wilderness. Volunteer park historian Teddy Goodrich came along. They stopped for lunch and to talk alongRed Creek, in the heart of the wilderness area.The...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 17 May 2007 17:00:00 PST ]


Sheep Watering Holes
This wild places program looks at a proposal to provide artificial water sources for California desert bighorn sheep. Are we going to have to ruin a wilderness to save them? We hear from Steve Tabor, who taught us desert backpacking skills in edition 34, and helped introduce us to the Sheephole valley Wilderness in edition 81. Steve mentions a plan to build roads and dams in the Sheephole Valley Wilderness to provide water for desert bighorn sheep. Dan Abbe, a wilderness specialist from th...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 03 May 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Reprise: Mountain Rescuers
This outings program joins a training exercise of the Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU). The rescuers practice their winter alpine rescue skills in the Carson Pass area, just south of Lake Tahoe, California. Most search and rescue teams in the U.S. are all-volunteer. BAMRU is just one example. To find out about the mountain rescue teams near you, you can look at the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). This is a reprise of our edition #32 of March 9, 2006. We followed it with a compan...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 29 Mar 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Sheephole Valley Wilderness
This wild places program profiles the Sheephole Valley Wilderness in the Mojave Desert. This may be the largest waterless wilderness in the 48 states. We hear from Steve Tabor, the president of the Berkeley, California based outings group, the Desert Survivors. Steve Tabor has extensive experience in the Sheephole Valley Wilderness, and may be one of the first in recorded history to cross it, unsupported, on foot. Dan Abbe, the Wilderness Specialist for the Needles Field Office of the Burea...

MORE... | LISTEN | DOWNLOAD | MOBILE DEVICE

[ Thu, 22 Mar 2007 09:00:00 PST ]


Fighting Animal Terror
This skills program looks at how to handle potentially dangerous animals in the wilderness. How afraid of them do you really need to be? Is this something that should prevent you from getting into the wilderness? Steve interviews Dave Smith, a former backcountry caretaker at Yellowstone National Park, and the author of two books, Don't Get Eaten, The Dangers of Animals that Charge or Attack, and Backcountry Bear Basics, the Definitive Guide to Avoiding Unpleasant Encounters. Dave talks abo...

MORE... | LISTEN |