The Traverse Podcast

To kick off our inaugural episode, Chris and Charles sit down with former Navy SEAL, author, and podcaster Jocko Willink. The conversation takes us through his upbringing, what makes a strong Navy SEAL, philosophies on fatherhood, overcoming life’s toughest problems, technology, and more.

With countless first ascents to his name, Conrad Anker is one of the world’s most renowned alpinists. He also happens to have mentored both our podcast hosts, Chris and Charles. The longtime friends catch up about everything from growing up in Yosemite to embracing adventure into the later stages of life.

Brad Leone shot to fame thanks to the success of Bon Appétit’s "It's Alive" video series—where he started out as a glorified dishwasher in the test kitchen, then quickly won audiences over with his larger-than-life personality. In this episode, we hear about Brad’s unconventional journey: from just barely graduating high school, working as a ski lift operator, and plenty of low-level restaurant gigs, to attending the Institute of Culinary Education and joining the ranks at Bon Appétit.

Meet Cristina “Mitty” Mittermeier, a marine biologist pioneering the field of conservation photography. From wild images of ocean dwelling creatures to capturing complex ecosystems, her work pushes us to see the depth of our climate emergency. She's the co-founder of Sea Legacy, an organization that works to protect ocean life through the power of storytelling, and was named “Adventurer of the Year” in 2018 by National Geographic. In this episode, Chris, Charles, and Mitty talk about an iconic polar bear image, the idea of enough-ness, and why storytelling is important in the fight against climate change.

Our latest guest is none other than Mike Rowe—the longtime host of Dirty Jobs and the narrator of The Deadliest Catch. Named multiple times to Forbes’s list of “Most Trustworthy Celebrities,” he’s an author and podcaster who's deeply interested in America's relationship with work and how we value it. In 2008, he founded mikeroweWORKS, a foundation focused on careers in trades that gives hundreds of grants each year to skilled workers. In this episode, the crew talks about why we still need the Scouts, why completing something isn't a skill—it’s a choice, plus a few wild stories from Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs.