The WildeBeat

The audio journal about getting into the wilderness.

 

ABOUT

The WildeBeat
Wilderness newsBeat

The outdoor recreation and adventure radio show and podcast about backcountry news and activities, like camping, backpacking, skiing, and snowshoeing. MORE...

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The WildeBeat is a public benefit project of the Earth Island Institute, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation.

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RECOGNITION

The directories, review sites, or other podcasters listed below have recognized The WildeBeat for its quality of content and production.

As featured in an interview on the main page of
PodcastAlley.com Feeds

As featured in the June/July 2006 issue of the magazine
[Plenty Magazine]

[Podcast Bunker - 5 stars]

   

Thu, Nov 15, 2007

Ticket to Half Dome

Posted at 09:00 /shows/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Cable route on 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, retired wilderness manager of Yosemite National Park.
  • Francis Engler, a backpacker from Oceanside, California.

The steel cables, which make the climb possible for most people, are down for the season. So at this time, the park highly discourages trying to climb the peak. The cables are usually reinstalled by the end of May.

While climbing Half Dome may be an adventure and a proud achievement for many, some people feel the popularity of the route takes away some of its wilderness character. Scott Gediman recommends planning your climb on a weekday, perhaps a Tuesday or Wednesday, to avoid crowds. Former wilderness manager Laurel Boyers goes further, and says that the best wilderness experiences in Yosemite are away from the crowds that often fill the Half Dome Trail. Yosemite has Web pages devoted to planning wilderness trips.


Thu, Nov 08, 2007

Reprise: Indoor Snow Camping

Posted at 09:00 /shows/skills [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Sieera Club's Bradley Hut] 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 Hut in Yosemite National Park. He wraps up by talking to Ben Dodge, the Executive Director of the Tenth Mountain Division Hut Association in Colorado. Ben mentions Vance's Cabin as being a typical hut in the system.


Tue, Nov 06, 2007

Support us by buying new gear

Posted at 13:45 /blog/sponsors [link [Bookmark Link]]

iGearList is free classified ad directory web site focused on outdoor gear. You can buy, sell, or trade used outdoor gear and equipment by placing an ad in their listings.

iGearList also offers a gateway to a number of online retailers of new gear. Between now and the end of February, iGearList will donate 100% of their referral commissions from new gear sales to the WildeBeat.

Just browse to their new gear page, and click on any of the retailer banners or buttons, or use any trip planner you see on iGearList, and buy what you need.

The proceeds go to support the WildeBeat's educational mission to help more people to discover our wild public lands.

Thu, Nov 01, 2007

Creatures of the Night, part 2

Posted at 09:00 /shows/skills [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Curt Black with a bat] 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 can watch and listen to bats on our own wilderness adventures.

Curt indicated that the level of environmental threats to bats are unknown. We don't know enough about them to know whether they are endangered. We do know that forestry practices and pesticide use is adversely affecting their populations. You can find more information on the web site of the Bat Conservation International organization.

WildeBeat members can download a bonus recording of an entire evening bat walk from the WildeBeat Insider web site.


Thu, Oct 25, 2007

Creatures of the Night, part 1

Posted at 09:00 /shows/skills [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Bat over moon] 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 as bears and cougars, who we interviewed in our show number 80, Fighting Animal Terror. Dave has his own reaction to these nocturnal creatures.

How can you go bat-watching? What's the best way to watch bats in your own favorite wilderness? Find out next week, in part two.


Thu, Oct 18, 2007

Inner-City Outings, part 2

Posted at 09:00 /shows/outings [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[ICO Kids at Dinner] 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 Volpe, a fifth-grade teacher and ICO leader
  • Graciella, a campout participant
  • Francesca, Graciella's mother

The Sierra Club's Inner-City Outings program continues to expand, entirely due to the energy of it's volunteers. But there are always more schools and youth organizations that would like to add outdoor outings to their programs. To find out more about volunteering as a leader, see their Get Involved page. To find existing groups that might be able to organize outings for your school or youth group, see their Local Contacts page.


Thu, Oct 11, 2007

Inner-City Outings, part 1

Posted at 09:00 /shows/outings [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Kids at Arroyo Seco] 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 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
  • Larry Volpe, a fifth-grade teacher and ICO leader
  • Sergio, a campout participant
  • Graciella, a campout participant
  • Debra Asher, the national administrator of the Sierra Club's Inner-City Outings

So what do the kids think of the Inner-City Outings program? How does it affect them and their parents? What's it like to be an ICO outing leader, and how can you become one? Find out next week, in part two.


Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Bags for the Cold

Posted at 09:00 /shows/gear [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Backpack Gear Test] 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, you can help your fellow wilderness travelers find out what gear will work for them.


Fri, Sep 28, 2007

More on Ranger Laurel Boyers

Posted at 10:55 /blog/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]

Among the ways in which Yosemite Ranger Laurel Boyers has been an inspiration to people, she's the role model for the protagonist in a series of spy novels. This week's edition of our show is a tribute to Ranger Boyers.

We asked our friend Tom Mangan, newspaper hiking columnist and author of the Two Heel Drive hiking blog, to look into any interesting history about Ranger Boyers' career.

Thanks Tom!

Join the WildeBeat, Get Books

Posted at 08:30 /blog/sponsors [link [Bookmark Link]]

We're delighted to welcome Wilderness Press Books as new supporters. They are sponsoring editions of the WildeBeat by providing promotional copies of their books for us to give to WildeBeat members as thank you gifts.

If you join as a full member ($48/yr.), or above, we'll thank you by sending you a copy of one of these books:

Higher levels of supporting membership will get you more of these books. A $250 donation will net you all five! Our quantities are limited, so if you want one title in particular, join soon.

Thu, Sep 27, 2007

Thanks Ranger Boyers!

Posted at 09:00 /shows/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Ranger Laurel 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 soon be taking some time to visit other national parks. We thank her for her service in the interest of preserving Yosemite's wilderness, and wish her the best in her future adventures and endeavors.


This edition was made possible by:

[Wilderness Press]A Berkeley-based publisher of outdoor guidebooks and maps for California and beyond. From the peaks of Yosemite to the stairways of San Francisco, we've helped people find their way in the outdoors for over 40 years.

Thu, Sep 20, 2007

It's Soup

Posted at 09:00 /shows/skills [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[book cover: Backpack Gourmet] 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 recipes and ingredients. Listen to this show, and learn how to make four servings of delicious soup fit in a small plastic bag weighing four ounces per serving.

Follow the supplemental information link, below, to get the complete recipe, and pictures of the soup.

We'll hear more from Linda Frederick Yaffe in a future program. WildeBeat members can download a longer extended version of the interview from the WildeBeat Insider web site.


Thu, Sep 13, 2007

Ranger Changes, part 2

Posted at 09:00 /shows/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[NPS Ranger on Horse] 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:

What do you expect from wilderness rangers? You can share your opinions with your fellow listeners anytime using our toll free comment line at 866-590-7373.


Thu, Sep 06, 2007

Ranger Changes, part 1

Posted at 09:00 /shows/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Wilderness Ranger Cabin] 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:

Next week, in part two, we find out about the changes in government, in environmental threats, and in the wilderness users are affecting the job of wilderness rangers.

What do you expect from wilderness rangers? You can share your opinions with your fellow listeners anytime using our toll free comment line at 866-590-7373.


Thu, Aug 30, 2007

The Next 100

Posted at 09:00 /shows [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[The WildeBeat?] 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 bring it to you.

With your support, we can continue to bring you our weekly features. Without it, we'll have to cut back on what we're doing -- a lot. Please join us, and give us the support we need to bring you the next hundred editions of the show.


Thu, Aug 23, 2007

Thousand Lakes

Posted at 09:00 /shows/wild_places [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Thousand Lakes Wilderness sign] 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 recreation officer for the Hat Creek District of the Lassen National Forest. Steve hikes to the largest lake in the wilderness, Eiler Lake, with patrol ranger Don Mason. They encounter an over-used campsite on the lake shore.

If you want to plan a trip to the Thousand Lakes Wilderness, you should start by contacting the Hat Creek Ranger District of the Lassen National Forest. Jan Sorochtey says that they don't require any permits. But take note, there is a complete campfire ban for the summer and fall of 2007.


Tue, Aug 21, 2007

More on the SPOT

Posted at 13:10 /blog/gear [link [Bookmark Link]]

In this week's edition number 99, Andy Mytys of BackpackGearTest.org described the SPOT Satellite Messenger as a potentially cost-effective alternative to the Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) that Doug Ritter of the Equipped to Survive Foundation recommended in our edition numbers 78 & 79, titled Counting Up Essentials.

The SPOT Satellite Messenger, as well as a conventional PLB, are devices that are designed to summon search and rescue services in life-threatening situations. They're proven to be more reliable in remote locations where more conventional communication techniques might be ineffective.

Andy's preliminary impressions of the product, before actually having one to test, is that it promises to provide more user-friendly features than a PLB, for less than a quarter of the price. While it's too soon to tell whether this claim is true, or too good to be true, Doug Ritter has published a more thorough analysis of this product.

If you want to know more, you can read Doug Ritter's article, First Look, SPOT Satellite Messenger.

Thu, Aug 16, 2007

Summer OR 2007

Posted at 09:00 /shows/gear [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Backpack Gear Test] 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-Bell. Andy talks about the green trend he saw in new gear this year.

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, you can get free gear, and help your fellow wilderness travelers evaluate what gear will work for them.


Thu, Aug 09, 2007

What's in Sierra Water?

Posted at 09:00 /shows/skills [link [Bookmark Link]]
Listen now:

[Giardia Lamblia] 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 and streams: what is the impact of backpackers, pack animals, and cattle?.

In this interview, Dr. Derlet talks about how he tests water quality, what kinds of problems lurk in our water, about the various purification treatments for backcountry water, and some tips on choosing a good water source.

We'll hear more from Dr. Derlet in a future program. WildeBeat members can download a longer extended version of the interview from the WildeBeat Insider web site.


Mon, Aug 06, 2007

Welcome New Radio Listeners

Posted at 16:55 /blog/recognition [link [Bookmark Link]]

We'd like to welcome our new listeners from these public radio stations:

  • KTIM: 101.9FM in St. George, Utah.
    Heard twice a day on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • KVMR: 89.5FM in Nevada City and 105.1FM in Truckee, California.
    Heard on Tuesday afternoons between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m.

If you'd like to hear the Wildebeat on your local public, community, or college station, please let them know, and then let us know.


   

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