The Trail Less Traveled

Lynx Vilden is a renowned author, wilderness guide, and ancestral skills teacher known for her immersive “Stone Age Projects,” where participants live off the land using only primitive tools and techniques. With over three decades of experience in earth-based living, Lynx has dedicated her life to reconnecting people with the rhythms of the natural world through traditional lifeways. Her teachings blend deep ecological awareness with hands-on instruction in skills such as hide tanning, fire-making, and shelter-building, inspiring a global movement toward rewilding and self-sufficiency. Her work has been featured in documentaries, books, and international media, and she continues to guide others on the path of ancestral remembrance and ecological belonging. In her stunning memoir Lynx Vilden chronicles her journey to reconnect with the earth, offering a model for how we all can nurture the wild around and inside ourselves. Show notes: 00:03:33 - Connection to Nature and Ancestral Skills 00:07:06 - Finding My Path in Community 00:10:12 - Importance of Community in Wilderness Skills 00:13:54 - Exploring Stones by the River 00:15:32 - Exploring Natural Elements for Survival 00:17:19 - Exploring Earth, Water, and Fire 00:20:12 - Indigenous Survival Skills and Practices 00:24:33 - Learning Wilderness Skills with Lynx 00:27:07 - Exploring Nature's Grandeur 00:29:17 - Journeying Through the Wilderness 00:33:48 - Understanding Our Safety Plan 00:36:52 - Journey of Writing and Discovery 00:39:34 - Exploring Non-Conventional Publishing Paths 00:45:46 - Connecting with Nature and Moon Phases Please help us keep the podcast version of the show advertisement free while also supporting our educational outreach efforts by donating $3/month on Patreon. To donate, visit Patreon.com/TrailLessTraveled Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dana Anderson, better known as Wild Mountain Man Dan, is a celebrated bushcraft instructor based in Matlock, Washington. Now 68, he has spent over six decades honing wilderness skills and teaching them to others. Dana has lived completely off the grid in a hand‑built cabin by a creek for more than three decades, cultivating a rich life subsisting on foraging, hunting, fishing, and primitive craftsmanship. A master of stone‑tool crafting, arrowhead chipping, primitive cooking, and stone‑age technologies, Dana has taught countless students in wilderness gatherings across the western U.S. He’s best known for leading shelter‑building and raft‑building challenges at the PNW Survival Games, emphasizing resourcefulness, survival principles, and hands‑on learning. With over 33 years off‑grid experience and ongoing instructor roles in events like PNW Survival Games, Dana shares not just skills but also deep respect for wild landscapes. Ean Anderson, Dana’s son, has followed in his father’s footsteps in a rugged way. As a veteran bear hunter and certified survival skills instructor, Ean blends traditional wilderness mastery with modern safety and technique. He specializes in teaching advanced tracking, big-game fieldcraft, and hands‑on wilderness preparedness. With a strong focus on black and brown bear hunting, Ean has earned a reputation for combining ethical hunting practices with deep survival know‑how. Drawing on his father's traditions and his own professional experience, Ean teaches both individual learners and groups how to thrive safely in bear‑inhabited wilderness—from crafting emergency shelters and gear improvisation to honing decision-making under pressure. Show notes: 00:04:26 - Childhood Adventures and Life Lessons 00:08:03 - Growing Up in a Remote Town 00:10:08 - Lessons from Childhood Hardship 00:12:11 - Growing Up in Nature 00:14:45 - Childhood Adventures in the Woods 00:17:33 - Ancient Skills and Modern Gatherings 00:19:59 - Traditional Survival Skills Overview 00:24:05 - Traditional Hunting and Food Connection 00:26:06 - Honoring Animals Through Sustainable Hunting 00:28:09 - Respecting Nature Through Hunting 00:30:56 - The Significance of Names 00:33:41 - Finding Identity Through Names 00:36:01 - Passion for Bear Hunting 00:37:08 - Passion for Bear Hunting 00:39:00 - Connection Between Hunting and Conservation 00:41:48 - Understanding Nature's Clues Please help us keep the podcast version of the show advertisement free while also supporting our educational outreach efforts by donating $3/month on Patreon. To donate, visit Patreon.com/TrailLessTraveled Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Together, Tim, Heather, and Lindsey strengthen Salmon State’s mission: defending rivers and salmon through policy advocacy, community engagement, and protection of critical watersheds across Alaska and its transboundary rivers. As Executive Director based in Juneau, Alaska, Tim Bristol is a leading voice in salmon conservation policy. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, highlighting the urgent need to curb bycatch from large trawl fleets off Alaska and demanding stronger tribal co-management for rivers like the Arctic, Yukon, and Kuskokwim—calling salmon population crashes “a human rights crisis and an ecological disaster”. Under his leadership, SalmonState champions habitat protection and bycatch reduction, bringing Indigenous stewardship into fisheries management at both local and federal levels. In her role as Salmon Beyond Borders Campaign Advisor, Heather Hardcastle leads cross-jurisdictional efforts to protect salmon ecosystems that transcend political boundaries. Based in Juneau, she coordinates with stakeholders across Alaska and Canada to ensure the health of transboundary rivers—such as the Taku—by advocating science-based policy and Indigenous-led watershed governance. Her work helps strengthen salmon runs that cross national borders, safeguarding migratory pathways essential to species survival. A second-generation gillnet captain from Bristol Bay, Lindsey Bloom brings first-hand fishing experience and a background in sustainable development (M.A.) to her campaign strategy role. After more than a decade fishing, she now organizes Alaskans—particularly young fishermen—and collaborates with tribal, nonprofit, and business communities to protect salmon habitat and influence fisheries policy around rivers and coastal waters. She helped lead the grassroots movement opposing the Pebble mine in Bristol Bay, even addressing its importance during President Obama’s 2015 visit. https://salmonstate.org/ Show notes: 00:05:16 - Connecting with Alaska's Natural Heritage 00:08:17 - Protecting Transboundary Rivers Together 00:11:36 - Impact of Mining on Wild Salmon 00:17:30 - Advocating for Wildlife and Wild Places 00:20:29 - Understanding Salmon Species 00:21:50 - Salmon's Unique Life Cycles 00:25:23 - Connection Between Fishing and Family 00:28:20 - Protecting Alaska's Salmon Habitat 00:31:24 - Protecting Alaska's Salmon Ecosystem 00:34:19 - Tim Bristol's Conservation Journey 00:36:45 - Protecting Southeast Alaska's Forests 00:39:09 - Salmon State: Protecting Alaska's Ecosystem 00:42:06 - Transboundary Rivers and Mining Issues 00:44:39 - Lessons from Salmon Resilience Please help us keep the podcast version of the show advertisement free while also supporting our educational outreach efforts by donating $3/month on Patreon. To donate, visit Patreon.com/TrailLessTraveled Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clint Fries is a deeply experienced river guide and expedition leader with over two decades of professional guiding across some of the planet’s most remote and breathtaking landscapes. Known for his calm presence, intuitive leadership, and profound respect for wild places, Clint has become a trusted figure in the world of wilderness travel. For the past several years, Clint has guided multi-day rafting expeditions in Alaska with MT Sobek, one of the country’s most respected adventure travel companies. His work has taken him deep into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where he leads trips down the pristine Hulahula River—a rarely traveled corridor that winds from the Brooks Range through the tundra to the Beaufort Sea. Guiding in the Arctic demands more than just technical skill; it requires logistical precision, environmental sensitivity, and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Clint brings all three, along with a quiet confidence that reassures both first-time adventurers and seasoned travelers. Clients often remark on Clint’s ability to make even the most rugged landscapes feel like home. Whether navigating braided channels, managing wildlife encounters, or helping guests find comfort and joy in the wild, he leads with humility and insight. His years of experience have made him fluent in the rhythm of rivers—from the heat of Latin America to the icy silence of Alaska’s far north. Clint’s path to guiding was shaped by a lifelong curiosity about the natural world. He studied at Earlham College, an institution known for its commitment to social justice and experiential learning, and participated in immersive field programs that laid the foundation for his career. He now lives in Capitola, California, but spends much of the year off-grid—on rivers, in mountains, and in the company of wild water. More than just a guide, Clint is a teacher, a storyteller, and a quiet advocate for the wild. He believes that the best journeys aren’t about conquering nature—they’re about listening to it. Through each expedition, he invites guests to slow down, pay attention, and discover a deeper connection to the land and to themselves. Show notes: 00:02:36 - Journey from Wilderness to Exploration 00:06:52 - Value of Excellence in Guiding 00:09:30 - Expedition Overview: Hula Hula Adventure 00:11:19 - Exploring the Arctic Tundra 00:13:50 - Muskox and Arctic River Adventures 00:17:23 - Exploring Tundra and Wildlife 00:21:23 - Dealing with Mosquito Pressure 00:22:42 - Experience with Caribou in the Arctic 00:25:31 - Wilderness Adventure and Bear Encounters 00:28:11 - Epic Hiking and River Adventures 00:30:31 - Exploring the Stunning Alaskan Wilderness 00:33:43 - Challenges of Guiding on Alsec River 00:36:05 - Embracing Nature as Healing Medicine 00:38:25 - Fostering Connection with Nature Please help us keep the podcast ad free by donating $3/month via PATREON. We really need your help, as of right now we are bringing in less than $100/month. Thanks for considering! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.