Staying adventurous after having a baby is one of the questions I get asked most so in this solo episode, I’m sharing my honest take:
If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or simply wondering how motherhood and outdoor identity overlap, this is a grounded, real look at staying connected to wild places while raising a little one.
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In this episode of Women in Wild Places, I talk with alpinist and adaptive athlete Kimber Cross—a kindergarten teacher turned ice climber who built her own prosthetic tool and is now taking on major alpine routes like the Moose’s Tooth.
We get into her journey from hiding her limb difference to becoming her own representation, the story behind her ice tool prosthetic, unconscious bias in adaptive sport, and how she balances teaching, training, and big mountain goals with her mantra: can’t → will → did.
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If you’ve ever looked at mountain biking and thought, that looks incredible, but also terrifying, this episode is for you.
This week on Women in Wild Places, I talk with Emily Jordan, mountain biker, mom, brand leader, and Beacon, NY local, about what it means to find flow, community, and courage on the trail and in motherhood.
Emily grew up in Portland, Oregon, hating the outdoors. A stolen commuter bike led her to her first mountain bike and eventually to hauling a 40-pound setup over the Tour de Mont Blanc. We talk about learning to ride through fear, finding “hype girls” who cheer each other on, and redefining adventure after becoming a parent.
It’s a conversation about joy, risk, guilt, and doing the things that make you feel alive, even (and especially) after baby.
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River runner Jess Parks has rowed the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon 14 times, but she didn’t start out “outdoorsy.” Once a NYC crew rower surrounded by skyscrapers, a single road trip west changed her trajectory. In this episode, we talk about how she went from rowing in city rivers to guiding whitewater in Colorado, finding her home in Alaska, and building a life around big water, community, and mentorship.
Jess shares how it feels to drop into the rapids with heart racing, muscles firing, everything else falling away, and how risk, awe, and mentorship intertwine on the river. We also explore what it means to be a woman at the oars, to teach others, and to recognize those once-in-a-lifetime canyon moments while they’re happening.
If you’ve ever dreamed of rowing the Grand Canyon, chasing adventure, or saying yes before you feel ready — this one’s for you.
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Trail runners Sam Cash (@cruzoutside) and Kristi Confortin (@kristialexiis) join Gabriella to talk about courage, community, and finding belonging through movement. As leaders of Trail Sisters Catskills, they share how running together builds sisterhood and confidence in the mountains they call home.
Trail Sisters is a nationwide organization. To learn more, follow @trailsisterscatskills and visit https://trailsisters.net/.
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In this first episode of Women in Wild Places, I share my journey of climbing Denali and what it taught me about strength, self-doubt, and belonging. From months of training and gear challenges to moments of awe high above the clouds, this experience reminded me how much growth comes from stepping outside your comfort zone. I talk about what it’s like to be part of the 19% of women who climb Denali, how community support can carry you through hard moments, and why connecting with nature brings out our deepest sense of life force and purpose.