Aimee McQuilkin is a Missoula entrepreneur and community builder, best known as the owner of Betty’s Divine and the Clark Fork Yacht Club. Through these beloved businesses, she has helped shape Missoula’s social and cultural fabric by creating welcoming spaces rooted in style, hospitality, and connection. Aimee’s work reflects a deep commitment to local economy, creativity, and gathering people together in meaningful ways.

Shane Clouse is a Missoula musician and songwriter whose work blends Americana, folk, and roots traditions with thoughtful storytelling. His music is shaped by Montana landscapes and lived experience, carrying a quiet honesty that resonates both on stage and in more intimate listening spaces. Shane is a steady presence in the local music community, known for craft, collaboration, and authenticity.

Dave Stromeyer is a Missoula County Commissioner focused on infrastructure, public service, and long term regional planning. He is currently working on a passenger railroad project aimed at improving transportation options and connectivity in western Montana. Dave’s work reflects a practical, forward looking approach to governance with an emphasis on public benefit, economic resilience, and sustainable mobility.​

Show notes:

00:03:44 - 1983 Rabbit and Missoula Roots

00:05:53 - Opening Betty's Divine While Pregnant

00:09:34 - Building Community Through Shared Experiences

00:11:56 - Community Heart and Entrepreneurial Joy

00:13:23 - Homeownership Enables Community Business Growth

00:15:39 - How Desmond the Mannequin Found Home

00:18:12 - The Governor of the Hip Strip

00:23:37 - Missoula's Deep History and Indigenous Stewardship

00:27:39 - Gateway to the Rocky Mountains and Home

00:32:15 - Stewardship and Restoring Passenger Rail

00:38:12 - Keeping Missoula Special Through Community Involvement

00:41:16 - Montana's State Song and Pink Grizzly Greenhouse

00:44:10 - From Farm to Pink Grizzly Business

00:46:39 - From Lumber Mills to Community Music

00:50:32 - Historic Irrigation Ditch Sustains Missoula Community

00:53:56 - Hunting and Fishing Fund Conservation

00:58:58 - Montana Matters: A Song of Unity

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Frank Szollosi is the Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation, the state’s oldest and largest wildlife conservation organization focused on protecting wildlife habitat, public lands access, and science-based natural resource policy in Montana. He took on this leadership role in June 2020 after a long career with the National Wildlife Federation, where he worked for over a decade on climate and water policy at the Great Lakes Regional Center and on national campaigns that defended public lands, advanced the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and connected people with wildlife.

At MWF, Szollosi collaborates with state agencies including Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, tribal governments, landowners, businesses, and conservation partners to advance policies that sustain healthy wildlife populations and accessible wild places. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan, and he brings extensive experience in government, including work as both a staffer and local elected official. Outside of his professional work, Szollosi is an avid outdoorsperson who has spent more than 25 years fly fishing and participates enthusiastically in annual hunts with friends and colleagues. He lives in Montana with his wife and four children and enjoys kayaking, downhill skiing, and backpacking.

JOIN THE MONTANA WILDLIFE FEDERATION FOR ONLY $40/YEAR --> www.MontanaWildlife.org

Show notes:

00:02:54 - Growing Up in Toledo, Ohio

00:05:29 - Leading Montana Wildlife Federation

00:08:26 - Finding Balance in Wildlife Conservation

00:10:14 - Montana Wildlife Federation's Origins and Conservation History

00:15:45 - Hunter-Funded Conservation: Montana's Legacy

00:19:53 - Climate Change and Wildlife Conservation in Montana

00:24:09 - Defending Public Lands Through Community Action

00:26:17 - Montana Wildlife Federation's Advocacy Tools

00:29:05 - Protecting Public Lands from Corporate Development

00:31:30 - Montana Wildlife Federation Membership Benefits

00:33:55 - Understanding Differences and Conservation Leadership

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John Wood is an Alaska musher from Chugiak who started chasing the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in the late nineteen seventies and went on to finish the thousand mile route to Nome four times in 1978, 1979, 1982 and 1986. Known for his dry humor and honesty about the grind of the trail, he once joked that after three runs he had “an unparalleled record of mediocrity” and zero prize money, yet if you asked whether he planned to run again his answer was “hell yes,” because the race embodied adventure, excitement, competition and camaraderie that felt uniquely Alaskan. John served as a musher representative on the Iditarod board and offered straight talking advice to rookies about staying upbeat, caring for their dog teams and setting realistic goals in a race where two weeks of little sleep and deep cold are the norm. The event he helped shape as a veteran competitor and mentor is itself legendary an annual March run from Anchorage to Nome of roughly one thousand miles across mountains, frozen rivers and Bering Sea coast, first completed in 1973 and often called the Last Great Race on Earth for its blend of brutal weather, wilderness travel and the deep historical ties between sled dogs and Alaska communities.

Show Notes:

00:02:37 - Growing Up in Alaska's Homestead

00:06:29 - Mountain Life and Mining Adventures in Alaska

00:09:32 - Getting into Dog Mushing with Trap Lines

00:12:43 - Recording the Grand Canyon with John Wood

00:16:32 - From Finishing to Competing in Iditarod

00:18:59 - Iditarod Southern Route and Racing Strategy

00:22:53 - Alaskan Huskies: Sled Dogs and Racing

00:27:47 - Iditarod Dog Care and Rest Cycles

00:30:52 - Sleep Strategy for Iditarod Success

00:33:43 - Three Life Lessons from Iditarod Racing

00:35:42 - Grand Canyon Evening and Iditarod Song

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Kelly Dix was raised in Lyndonville, NY, where time spent outside sparked her curiosity and awe of the natural world. She holds degrees in Mathematics, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, and Toxicology. Throughout her career in biomedical research she spent her spare time backpacking and exploring the mountain west with her husband. Kelly found her true passion in retirement, sharing her enthusiasm for science and nature with others. She’s been a substitute teacher and a volunteer with several environmental education non-profit organizations. After moving to Montana with her husband in 2016 Kelly found her home at MNHC and she has been involved with the VNS, Montana Master Naturalist, WOW, and other programs ever since. When she’s not volunteering at MNHC, you can find her at the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, hiking almost anywhere, or taking way too many photos of just about anything in the natural world.

Show notes:

00:03:39 - Childhood Outdoor Play

00:07:18 - Teamwork and Listening

00:10:52 - Listening to Nature's Hidden Voices

00:14:58 - From Math to Toxicology

00:17:09 - Pharmacokinetics and Environmental Toxicology

00:19:48 - Toxicology's Multidisciplinary Nature

00:22:16 - Importance of Public Lands

00:26:55 - Kelly Dix, Montana Naturalist

00:31:02 - Visiting Naturalist in Schools

00:34:26 - Hands-On Nature Education

00:37:26 - Montana Master Naturalist Program

00:42:23 - Montana Master Naturalists

00:44:32 - Montana Natural History Center Info

00:49:21 - Visiting Naturalist in Schools

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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