Before we start, I want to set the tone. My goal with every guest is to connect with them as a friend — to understand the energy and purpose that drives them, and to leave you feeling like you’ve just met someone you’d truly like to call a friend too. Today’s guest, Leighan Falley, is exactly that kind of person. Instagram @leighanfalley Buy some art: KORAX ART STUDIO.COM She’s a Kick ass glacier pilot, a Denali mountain guide who summited 6 times, and a talented landscape artist capturing the vast beauty of Alaska. Or as she says, a portrait painter who sees the different personalities of Denali's mountains. Her life feels like the landscape she lives in — rugged, honest, and full of unexpected light. She is featured in a beautiful short film that can be found on YouTube called - Denali's Raven. I encourage you to watch it. Whilst this conversation is full of inspiring stories about Denali and its raw beauty as described by Leighan as she climbs it, flies around it and now paints its many faces. There’s also a moment in this episode when we enter some turbulence. Leighan chose to share her story of addiction, losing her pilot’s licence, and slowly rebuilding her life. And I want to be honest: listen back afterwards, part of me wonders if I could have asked more questions here — if I could have helped her draw out her message more clearly. I wasn’t sure how to approach something so personal with someone I admired, so instead I gave her the space to tell it in her own way. I believe that we are more than our darkest days. Leighan’s journey reminds us of that. And I’m just grateful — and genuinely happy — that she’s in a better place now. She is someone whom I admired and respected. Someone whom I would be honoured to call a friend, that means more than having any perfectly framed questions. She’s also doing something incredibly brave — using her voice and status in the aviation community to remove stigma. By sharing what she went through, she’s giving other pilots permission to ask for help, to speak up, and to realise that being vulnerable doesn’t make you weaker — it makes you human. It reminded me how important it is to be there for our friends, to check on the people we love, to encourage honesty, and to ask for help when we need it too. None of us should have to navigate the storm alone. So today, we take flight through her world — her home in Talkeetna, the life she’s created, the mountains that shaped her, and the strength it takes to rise again. As a bonus episode, Leighan agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal her true mountain character. You can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation. Hello friends, I am your host, Ashley Pettit. Welcome to the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or SpotifyFollow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcastJoin the conversation: Comment on Instagram or send us a message I'd love to hear from you.Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway from the show
