Creeks to Peaks: The Understory Flag Spruce Initiative

Join us on Season 2, Episode 10 of Creeks to Peaks: The Understory Podcast, and meet Bryan Chapman, the extraordinary US Army Special Forces Officer and Mount Everest Summiteer hailing from Craigsville, WV. From serving with elite forces to conquering the world's highest peaks, his story embodies the mountaineer spirit of resilience and adventure. Take a listen!

On Season 2, Episode 9, Michael interviews Dan Koepke, a Morgantown-native Alpinist and USA Ice Climbing team member. Dan's journey into the world of ice climbing started like many others—with a love for the outdoors and a thirst for adventure. But what sets him apart is his passion and advocacy for conservation and responsible climbing. He understands the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the places he loves to explore. When he's not hanging from a frozen waterfall or scaling towering mountains, you might find Dan sharing his knowledge and experiences with the next generation of climbers. He's a mentor, coach, and a true leader in the climbing community. We learn about how Dan embodies the Mountaineer spirit! As always, take a listen!

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On this episode, we interview Lindsey Fout, the creative force and West Virginia native behind Last Chance Textiles! Lindsey's passion for ethical design led her to craft soft, sustainable, and natural fabric bandanas and scarves. We explore her dedication to style, sustainability, and conscious consumerism, all of which has led to her success in the textiles industry. As always, take a listen!

Ridge
On this episode, we sit down with Bo Mahr and Max Gottlieb, the founders of Ridge, a socially conscious digital banking startup based in Appalachia. We discuss their roots growing up in rural America, and how those experiences drive their desire to positively impact similar communities across the country. We also discuss the fintech industry as a whole, and how carbon offsets aren’t as effective as many companies would like you to believe. So as always, take a listen!

On this episode, we interviewed artist Bryn Perrot (aka Deerjerk) of Morgantown, WV. Bryn’s iconic woodcuts and prints can be found all around the globe. Her work has been commissioned for use on album covers and stage sets, not to mention many of Jackie O’s beer can labels. We hope you enjoy learning about how she discovered this niche art form and grew her passion into a sustainable business. As always, take a listen!

On Season 2 Episode 5, we interviewed Chip Chase, the heartbeat of Whitegrass Ski Touring Center and Cafe in Canaan Valley, WV. Since opening in 1981, Whitegrass has become renowned as the Mecca of cross-country skiing in the mid Atlantic. That’s in no small part to Chip’s passion for creating a fun and welcoming environment and getting people excited to spend time outdoors. We hope you enjoy listening to Chip tell us about the over 40 year evolution of cross country skiing in WV, as well as what he sees as the future for outdoor recreation in the state. So, as always, take a listen!