Getting to our favorite places to hike, climb, or ski often involves a long time riding in the car. As a solution to keep the drive from getting monotonous, tune in to one of these great outdoor podcasts. While they won’t make the miles go by any faster, they’ll certainly make your trip a bit more stimulating.

 

The Enormocast

The Enormocast’s tagline is “A Slice of the Climbing Life,” which is precisely what this bi-weekly podcast delivers. The show’s interview format typically features host Chris Kalous sitting down one-on-one with climbers from all over the world and touches on all climbing disciplines. A quick glance though The Enormocast archives—all episodes are available for free to download—reads like a who’s who of climbing, with such notable guests as Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Colin Haley, Lynn Hill, and Henry Barber, just to name a few. However, what sets The Enormocast apart is that it provides a place for climbers to share their stories with an informed audience, without the dumbed-down, oversimplified talk that clutters mass media conversations.

The Dirtbag Diaries

Unlike most on this list, The Dirtbag Diaries is a melting pot for all things outdoors. Rather than focus on a single niche, The Dirtbag Diaries might give you an episode about skiing one week, followed by a story about paddling the next. Acting like a virtual campfire, the podcast features some of the outdoors’ best storytellers sharing their unique voices and adventures. Overall, it covers everything from inspiration to advocacy, and aims to both entertain and educate.

The Firn Line 

Chronicling the lives of alpinists in Alaska’s mountain ranges, The Firn Line is the best and most interesting mountaineering-specific podcast. Hosted by Evan Phillips, the podcast blends one-on-one interviews with some of Alaska’s most renowned alpinists—including Jack Tackle, Mark Westman, Vern Tejas, Clint Helander, and Charlie Sassara—with music and backstory. The conversations in Season 1, now 19 episodes strong, share their stories while simultaneously exploring sport-centric questions like why we climb, the meaning of partnership, and overcoming injuries and setbacks in the mountains. Check it out.

Totally Deep Podcast

Totally Deep features cult-classic movie Aspen Extreme in its opening credits, so it’s easy to get hooked. As you would expect from a podcast that uses a so-bad-it’s-good ’90s movie to lure you in, Totally Deep is a rambling, fun, and informative look at everything backcountry skiing. Leaving no backcountry skier unserved, it covers all aspects of the sport, from skinning laps at the resort to mountaineering racing to simply skiing for fun. Hosted by Doug Stenclik and Randy Young, the show never takes skiing too seriously. As such, it’s a great listen, no matter if you’re in the car, uphilling at the resort, or tuning skis in the basement.

The Sharp End

Stories of other climbers’ screw-ups might not be the most inspiring thing to listen to on the way to the crag. However, they’re probably the most educational. Based on the American Alpine Club’s annual “Accidents in North American Climbing” report, The Sharp End shares stories of mishaps, epics, and accidents from the perspectives of those who’ve lived them. But, it’s not all storytime. A thoughtful analysis of each accident is designed to keep you from repeating it. While they might not all be pick-me-ups, the information might just save your life.

Outside Podcast

No time to read a monthly magazine? Get your dose of the adventure world’s best through Outside Magazine‘s podcast. Episodes from The Outside Podcast are a healthy conglomerate of stories told in print and then expertly crafted into audio, interviews with the biggest names, and stories analyzing survival in all conditions. Want to find out what it’s like to (almost) freeze to death? Listen to one of their earlier episodes.

Adventure Driving Listen Outdoors Podcast Roadtrip