The world of outdoorpodcasts is already robust— (see our list from last year for some more favorites), but we discovered some newcomers this year that are worth a place on our subscribe list.
Best Single-Topic Podcast: 'Threshold'
In its first season, the podcast uses the topic of bison to dive deep into conservation, politics, and the history and future of the U.S. I binged hard on this one—the storytelling and engrossing topic will make you think about bison and our country in a new and complex way.
—Abigail Wise, online managing editor
Best Sports Podcast: '30 for 30'
ʱ’s launched earlier this year, and the catalog is full of fantastic, well-told sports stories. New York Magazine’s Vulture “This American Life, but for sports,”which is pretty accurate. Perhaps unsurprisingly, my favorite episode so far was “,”about the first all-women’s expedition to the North Pole. But the series casts a very wide net—featuring stories about Olympic decathletes, poker, and boxing—so there’s a little something for everyone.
—Molly Mirhashem, associate editor
Best “Celebrity” Podcast: ‘Stages’
Anyone who really follows Lance Armstrong knows he’s already been a prolific podcaster since 2016 with (which is ongoing). But his brief Tour de France side podcast from this year, , is worth revisiting even now. Look, we know everyone has their own opinion on Armstrong, but it is fascinating to hear commentary on the TdF from someone with his particular experience and psychology. Give it a try.
Best Environmental Podcast: ‘Terrestrial’
ϳԹ reader (and member) Riordan Skirzenski pointed us to , a new NPR show that explores the effects of climate change one individual story at a time. Host Ashley Ahearn is a great guide, curious and empathetic. Get a taste withthis episode: “”
Best Podcast We Missed Last Year: ‘The Sharp End’
The American Alpine Club of incidents straight from the pages of Accidents in North American Climbing, deftly appealing to morbid curiosity while providing solid advice on staying safe in the mountains.How did we miss this when it debuted in 2016?
Podcast We’re Most Looking Forward to in 2018: ‘Afterglow’
is hosted by Brendan Madigan, owner of Tahoe’s Alpenglow Sports shop and friend of many in the outdoors world. No surprise, then, that he’s enlisted a slew of heavy hitters for hour-long conversations about being an athlete in the mountains. The first episode is a conversation with AdrianBallinger and Cory Richards. Future guests include Tommy Caldwell, Doug Robinson, Emily Harrington, and Hilaree O’Neil.