Backcountry Brushes
The first time Ken Jarvela picked up a sketchpad in the backcountry in the 1980’s, he decided he wanted to become a landscape painter. In his early 20’s, he packed three months of food, a tarp, and a set of watercolors into the Trinity Wilderness and, over the next 54 days, taught himself how to paint. This trip would mark the first in many that would define his career as a landscape painter.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Wild Wind by John Berry • High Country Waltz by Bradley Carter • Freaks by Bradley Carter • Stargazing by Ken Christianson • Auroras by John Berry • Sunset by Kai Engel • Primary Colors by Ken Christianson • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
Jump Start
After Patrick McGunagle graduated from college, he told himself he’d get a “real job” after a summer on a fire crew in Montana. But the adventure, camaraderie, and purpose that came with fighting fire made it hard to trade the woods in for a cubicle. Seven years later, Pat now has a job more “real” than anything he could have imagined: a smokejumper. That’s someone who jumps out of planes to fight wildfires.
Have questions? So did we.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • The Last Wild Mountain by Bradley Carter • Freaks by Bradley Carter • 550 by John Berry • The Approach by Bradley Carter • Something (Bonus Track) by Kai Engel • Brooks by Kai Engel • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Shorts–Getting to Know Scoot
After Euan Fraser lost his dad in a mysterious accident, he spent decades of his life wondering what had happened. When he finally learned the truth, Euan began searching for new ways to get to know his father through adventures in the outdoors.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • July by Kai Engel • Realness by Kai Engel • April by Kai Engel • Brooks by Kai Engel • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
Snail Mail Stoke
We just hit our 300th episode! Whether you’ve been a listener from the mic-in-a-closet days, or you just joined us, it’s you– our community– that keeps us going. In honor of our listeners, we have a story about four women taking an idea introduced in one of our stories, adding their own creative spin and running with it.
Happy summer!
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • The Biddy Bong Song by Publish the Quest • Shenanigans by Cordelia Zars • Walking Barefoot by Kai Engel • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
Endangered Spaces–Oak Flat
Oak Flat, Arizona: a site sacred to the San Carlos Apache, a beloved climbing area, a rare riparian zone in the desert. The catch? It’s slated to become the largest copper mine in the history of North America. Days before the land was set to transfer to the mining company, a group of Native high school students ran 188 miles to Oak Flat– joining a cry of protest loud enough to reach the ears of the White House. We dive into the fight to possess and protect a place with incredible spiritual and economic power.
Ways to take action
Call or write your representatives. Yes, it works! The Save Oak Flat Act needs additional co-sponsors. You can write them through one of the handy tools below. (Think they may have signed? Check House of Reps and Senate co-sponsors)
Arizona Mining Reform Coalition
Center for Biological Diversity
Support Apache Stronghold
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Sunset by Kai Engel • July by Kai Engel • Numb by Cleod9 • Loops to Aviemore by The Freeharmonic Orchestra • Defend The Sacred by Ed Kabotie • Protect Oak Flat by Ed Kabotie • Jaco 2 by Bradley Carter • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
