The WildeBeat

Thu, Nov 29, 2007

Urban Girls Gone Wild

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

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 is pastoral paranoia, and how do you cure it? Heather Menicucci says that it's all in getting a dose of nature and discovering what you've been missing.

Heather invites you to share your fears about getting out of the city and into the wilderness at her blog, Let's Get Primitive. We invite you to share your story about how you got out of the city and discovered camping and nature by calling our toll-free comment line at 866-590-7373.

• Show number 114 [MP3 format; length 9:54; 2,380,451 bytes]
• Show number 114, extended version [MP3 format; length 15:15; 7,326,689 bytes]
• Show number 114 script
• Show number 114 script, extended version

Fri, Nov 23, 2007

Comment on Desert Roadless Traveled

Posted at 14:39

/blog/letters [link ]

This week's program, Desert Roadless Traveled, prompted a thoughtful comment from a listener, and a response from Kurt, our guest reporter who contributed the story.

See more ...

Thu, Nov 22, 2007

Desert Roadless Traveled

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

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 Utah Wilderness Alliance
• Wayne Ludington, assistant field manager for the Price district of the Bureau of Land Management
• Liz Thomas, attorney for the Moab office of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance

(A spokesman for the Blue Ribbon Coalition, the dominant advocacy group for off road vehicle enthusiasts, didn't respond to our e-mailed requests for an interview.)

Taking a wilderness-friendly adventure in these areas is not as challenging as it might appear. You should check with the BLM for maps, routes, and conditions. Our program number 34: Desert Backpacking Tips, can get you started.

We welcome your story contributions about outings, skills, or wild places that matter to you. Please see our Contribute page for details.

• Show number 113 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,394,874 bytes]
• Show number 113, extended version [MP3 format; length 12:14; 5,875,538 bytes]
• Show number 113 script

Wed, Nov 21, 2007

Discussion about Ticket to Half Dome

Posted at 16:08

/blog/wild_places [link ]

The National Parks Traveler web magazine has been hosting an interesting discussion thread about the topic of this week's edition of our show, Ticket to Half Dome.

The discussion ranges from calls for drastic changes in park management, to expressions of satisfaction with the status quo.

We encourage you to provide us audio comments about our shows. Just pick up your phone and record your thoughts by calling our toll-free comment line at 866-590-7373. We'll post any comments you provide on our companion podcast, Vox WildeBeat.

Thu, Nov 15, 2007

Ticket to Half Dome

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

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.

• Show number 112 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,392,048 bytes]
• Show number 112, extended version [MP3 format; length 10:39; 5,120,908 bytes]
• Show number 112 script

Thu, Nov 08, 2007

Reprise: Indoor Snow Camping

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

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.

• Show number 111 [MP3 format; length 9:59; 2,398,848 bytes]
• Show number 111, extended high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 11:41; 11,220,616 bytes]
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Tue, Nov 06, 2007

Support us by buying new gear

Posted at 13:45

/blog/sponsors [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 ]

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.

• Show number 110 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,391,327 bytes]
• Combined show numbers 109 & 110, high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 18:25; 17,695,627 bytes]
• Show number 110 script
• Show numbers 109 & 110 combined script

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