The Digest | Indie Outdoors

Dirtbag Rich Interview with Claire Pomykala

An interview exploring the tension between unconventional values—cycling, purpose-driven work, and resistance to status quo—and the realities of precarious living. A thoughtful exploration of lifestyle choices and their costs.

We trace my relationship with work, purpose, cycling, & existential dread throughout recent years. We discuss the consequences of being impractical yet passionate vs traditional & following status quo

Gripped·May 6·climb

HBO series on free soloist Dean Potter shows footage of his last moments

Feature on HBO's documentary about free soloist Dean Potter that includes footage from his final moments, examining the tension between his peace and competitive drive.

The final episode of The Dark Wizard reveals that for a time Potter seemed to have found peace. But his competitive instincts got the better of him The post HBO series on free soloist Dean Potter shows footage of his last moments appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Notes From The Boat·May 5·general

The Alpine Divorce

A personal essay examining partnership, commitment, and mutual obligation through the metaphor of alpine climbing and the complexities of shared risk.

On Partnership, Abandonment, and the Obligation That Runs in Every Direction

Nature Junkie Chronicles·May 4·general

40. Pumas, Condors, and Protecting 9 Million Acres: Rewilding at Scale with Carolina Morgado

An interview-based deep dive into Rewilding Chile's large-scale conservation initiative to restore ecosystems and wildlife across millions of acres in South America.

An inside look at the mission of Rewilding Chile, one of the world’s most ambitious conservation efforts.

Lindsay Kocka·May 4·fish

The Real Reason Wading Wears You Out

A brief explainer on why wading in water is physically taxing, framing fatigue as a nervous system and balance challenge rather than purely muscular.

It’s not just your muscles — it’s the constant demand on your balance, coordination, and nervous system

Footnotes·May 4·general

The Case For Public Tracks

An argument for rebuilding America's public infrastructure for movement and outdoor access, connecting historical precedent to contemporary possibility.

America used to build public places to move. We can do it again.

The Ultra Trail·May 4·run

Qualitative Mania or Quantitative Success

Opinion piece questioning whether the ultrarunning community has become too fixated on podium finishes and lost sight of the difficulty and personal challenge of the sport.

Are we so podium-obsessed that we forgot this stuff isn’t easy?

Index of Mossy Rocks·May 3·general

The Infamous Bridge of Forest Glen Preserve

Personal narrative about discovering a notable hiking destination and subsequently getting involved in trail maintenance volunteer work. A modest but authentic story of outdoor engagement.

And the backpacking trail that led me to volunteer trailwork

More Than Just Parks·May 3·conservation

The Forest Service Has Green Lit the Industrially Logging of Oregon’s Hells Canyon

Reporting on a Forest Service logging project in Oregon's Hells Canyon wildlife corridor, with a call to action for readers opposing the plan.

It’s called the Morgan Nesbit Forest Resiliency Project. 86,500 acres. One of the most important wildlife corridors left on the continent. Implementation starts this summer. Here’s how to stop it.

Electric Cable Car·May 8·run

Who Pays For Trail Events (in Europe)?

Trail Running World analyzes publicly available financial data for European trail events, offering transparency into how races are funded and subsidized—useful for understanding event economics.

In the light of the political headwinds and the financial subsidy challenges UTMB experienced in Nice, France new-ish ‘Trail Running World’ from Germany dug into some publicly available financials for various trail events to pull out some figures out worth taking a look at. For folks interested in “how the sausage is made”, and especially […] Link: https://www.trailrunningworld.net/wer-zahlt-fuer-den-trail-1/

Flylab·May 5·fish

If You Love Trout, Take Up Bass Fishing

An essay arguing that bass fishing may be a more conservation-conscious choice than trout fishing, given concerns about how anglers interact with rivers and their ecosystems.

We’ve entered a new era when how anglers interact with the rivers can be as much a conservation concern as anything.

Long Run Labs·May 5·general

Entrepreneurs Need New Heroes

Interview with Christian Rawles on the psychology of entrepreneurship in the outdoor brands space, exploring the gap between current and aspirational identity and how to coach other founders. Thoughtful piece on the inner game of building.

Christian Rawles on the inner game of running a business, the gap between who you are and who you want to be, and coaching the people building the next big outdoor brands.

Running Sucks·May 4·run

G is for Gatekeeping

A personal essay wrestling with gatekeeping in trail running, touching on gear discourse, community figures, and the writer's evolving relationship with online comments.

Thoughts on ALO in trail, Matt Choi, and writing the comments, let alone reading them. Plus I'm making an almost-podcast?!

Brent and Michael are Going Places·May 4·travel

We Rented an Apartment in Istanbul. When We Returned a Week Later to Move in, the Landlord was Gone.

A travel mishap story about renting an apartment in Istanbul only to discover the landlord vanished—a narrative that explores the risks of booking accommodations in unfamiliar markets.

Did we fall for the oldest scam in the book?

Run to Write: Where Movement & Writing Meet·May 4·run

The People Who Carry You: Running the C&O Canal 100.

Opening installment of an 8+ part series about the people and support systems that enabled the author to run the C&O Canal 100-mile race.

Part 1: The people who got me to the start line. An 8+ part Substack series.

Slow Scottish Stories·May 4·travel

How writing a book has rewired my brain

Personal essay about how the book-writing process has improved the author's writing and self-awareness.

A project that has made me a better writer and human being ✒️

Benthall Adventures — A Slow Travel Journal·May 3·travel

I Thought I Needed New Places to Feel Something. I Was Wrong.

Personal essay exploring how travel meaning comes from depth of engagement rather than novelty of location; thoughtful meditation on intentional experience-seeking.

Newness isn’t about where you go—it’s about how you enter what’s already there.

Two Percent with Michael Easter·May 6·general

The High-Carb Diet That Prevents Heart Disease

An argument that aging and heart disease aren't inevitable, framed around a high-carb diet approach; health writing with a counterintuitive premise but limited detail in the snippet.

Getting heavier and developing heart disease are not unavoidable parts of growing older.