Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Rachel VandeVoort - Harnessing the Power of Outdoor Recreation

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel VandeVoort is the Director of the Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation, an office that advocates for the outdoor recreation industry and works ...

Chris Burkard - The Art of Suffering

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Burkard is a world-renowned photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work captures the beauty and rawness of some of the earth's wildest p...

Dan Prenzlow - Generous Service, Humble Leadership

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Prenzlow is the Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the agency charged with managing wildlife, lands, natural resources, and outdoor re...

Callan Wink - A New Voice for the New West

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Callan Wink is a writer, novelist, fishing guide, and surfer who currently splits his time between Livingston, Montana and Santa Cruz, California. He'...

Rebecca Jewett, Part 2 - Conservation's Role During Challenging Times

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca Jewett is President and CEO of Palmer Land Trust, a conservation organization that works to conserve land and water resources in southeastern ...

George Hodgin - Mission-Driven Entrepreneur

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

George Hodgin is the founder and CEO of Biopharmaceutical Research Company (BRC), a California-based business with the mission of providing federally ...

Kyle Richardson - Mountains & Music

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kyle Richardson is a Colorado-based professional runner and mountain athlete who is best known for his high-stakes, high-speed endurance feats in the ...

Daniela Ibarra-Howell - Healing the Land Holistically

12 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Daniela Ibarra-Howell is the CEO and a co-founder of the Savory Institute, an organization whose mission is to regenerate the world's grasslands throu...

Andrew Ramiro Tirado - Stoking His Artistic Fire

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Ramiro Tirado is a Colorado-based artist who is best known for his award-winning large-scale sculptures and paintings of human hands. Using woo...

Jessica Ilalaole - Creating Home in the High Desert

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Ilalaole is a New Mexico-based artist who specializes in handcrafted jewelry inspired by the natural world and the landscapes of the American ...

Kate Kavanaugh - Regeneration & Restoration

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Kavanaugh is an entrepreneur and regenerative agriculture advocate who co-owns and operates Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe in Denver, Colorado....

Peter Heller - Chasing the Flow

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Heller is a renowned novelist, as well as an award-winning adventure writer and former contributing editor to "Outside," "Men's Journal," and "N...

Hal Herring - A Man of Words & Wild Places

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hal Herring is an award-winning journalist and writer whose work has appeared in such notable publications as the Atlantic, the Economist, and Orion. ...

Mark Kenyon - A Passion for Public Lands

06 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Kenyon is a conservationist, outdoorsman, and author of the fantastic new book "That Wild Country: An Epic Journey through the Past, Present, and...

Matt Skoglund - Adventures in Bison Ranching

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Skoglund and his wife Sarah are bison ranchers and the owners of the North Bridger Bison Ranch, which is located in Montana's iconic Shields Vall...

Becca Aceto - Forging Her Own Path in the West

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Becca Aceto is an Idaho-based conservationist and is currently the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the Idaho Wildlife Federation. Prior t...

Duke Phillips III - A Vision for the New West

27 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Duke Phillips III is the founder and CEO of Ranchlands, a Colorado-based, family-owned ranch management company. If Ranchlands sounds familiar, that's...

Duke Phillips IV - Living with the Land

20 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Duke Phillips IV is the Chief Operating Officer of Ranchlands, a Colorado-based ranching and ranch management company that is widely celebrated for it...

Live in Bozeman - Cate Havstad, Jillian Lukiwski, Becca Skinner & Juanita Vero

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a special recording from a Mountain & Prairie live podcast in Bozeman, Montana. On August 30th more than 300 folks gathered at the his...

William deBuys - Sage of the Southwest

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

William deBuys is a renowned writer and conservationist farmer who is known as one of the most influential thinkers in the modern-day American West. T...

Emilene Ostlind - Storytelling for the New West

20 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Emilene Ostlind is a Wyoming-based journalist and storyteller whose work focuses on the landscapes, natural resources, and communities of the American...

PART 2: Behind the Scenes with Ed - A Never-Boring, Often-Crazy Personal Journey

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you listened to the previous episode, then you know that I'm mixing things up a bit. This is Part 2 of a two-part series in which I'm the one in th...

PART 1: Behind the Scenes with Ed - Cutting-Edge Land & Water Conservation in the West

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a little different—it's part one of a two-part series in which I'm the one in the hot seat. It's a repost of my recent appearance on...

Morgan Irons - Finding Her Muse

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Morgan Irons is a Montana-based artist whose captivating oil paintings combine the classic style of late 19th-century painters with her own modern-day...

Heather Hansman - Demystifying Water in the West

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Heather Hansman is a freelance writer and editor whose work explores the intersection of science, adventure, and culture. Her new book Downriver: Into...

David Gessner, Part 2 - Ambition, Art, and Arête

25 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a regular Mountain & Prairie listener, then you are undoubtedly familiar with best-selling author David Gessner. He has written several of m...

Mike Phillips - Audacious Goals, Relentless Action

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Phillips is the Director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund ("TESF"), an organization that he co-founded in 1997 with Ted Turner. Mike is also...

James Decker - Inspired Leadership in the New West

24 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

James Decker is a farmer, attorney, and the Mayor of Stamford, TX, a tight-knit agricultural community located about 45 minutes north of Abilene. Jame...

Logan Maxwell Hagege - Artistic Evolution

10 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you love the West and you love art, then you are likely already a fan of Logan Maxwell Hagege. He is a renowned painter whose depictions of the peo...

Mary Rondepierre - Melding Work, Play, and Purpose

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Rondepierre is a fourth-generation Montanan, avid sportswoman, and a public lands advocate who has explored our nation's wild places from coast t...

Bryce Andrews - People, Predators, and the American West

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bryce Andrews is a Montana-based rancher, conservationist, and author whose unique set of experiences gives him uncommon insights into the relationshi...

Jessica Lewis - Doing More With Less

13 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Lewis is a Montana-based metalsmith who is best known for the beautifully unique jewelry she creates for her online shop, Ruby and Revolver. S...

Len Necefer - Indigenous Advocate

30 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Len Necefer is a scholar, entrepreneur, and outdoor adventurer who is also a proud member of the Navajo Nation. Academically, Len holds a Ph.D. in eng...

Chris Dombrowski - Words, Water & the West

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Dombrowski is an author, poet, and fishing guide who lives and works in Missoula, Montana. As a writer, Chris is probably best known for his boo...

Auden Schendler - The Optimistic Pragmatist

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Auden Schendler is Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, where he focuses on finding large-scale solutions to climate chang...

Russ Schnitzer - A Life Devoted to Western Landscapes

22 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Russ Schnitzer is a Colorado-based conservationist and professional photographer whose love for the landscapes and people of the American West shines ...

Chandra Brown - Fostering Creativity Through River Adventures

08 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chandra Brown is an educator, writer, and river guide who has worked on the West's most iconic rivers, including many seasons below the rim of the Gra...

Jesse Womack - Land Stewardship is in His Blood

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jesse Womack wears many hats, but at his core, he is a rancher. He is the fifth generation to operate his family's ranch near Victoria, Texas, a large...

Melissa DiNino - Building a Unique Life in Big Sky Country

11 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Melissa DiNino is a biologist, artist, and designer who currently lives and works in Montana's legendary Tom Miner Basin. A native easterner, Melissa ...

Allison Ryan - Connecting People With Place

28 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Allison Ryan is a West Texas native and co-founder of Explore Ranches, a company that connects its customers with spectacular private ranches througho...

Jay Kleberg – True Dedication to Conservation, Adventure & Texas

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jay Kleberg is a conservationist and the Associate Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. He's also the co-founder of Explore Ranches, a...

Daniel Anderson - Finding Common Ground

30 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Anderson is a Montana native and founder of the Common Ground Project, a nature-based retreat, hiking, and camping experience in which small gr...

Alexis Bonogofsky - Taking a Stand for the West

21 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Alexis Bonogofsky is a rancher, conservationist, and community organizer who is fiercely committed to protecting the landscapes and communities of eas...

Sara Dant - A Deep Dive Into the History of the West

07 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sara Dant is a historian, professor, and chair of the history department at Weber State University. She's also the author of one of my new favorite bo...

Hampton Sides, Part 2 - How to Tell a Damn Good Story

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone who has listened to this podcast surely knows of best-selling author and narrative historian Hampton Sides. I reference his books often and was...

Erik Petersen - Stories of Public Lands & the People Who Love Them

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Erik Petersen is a Montana-based photographer, filmmaker, and photojournalist whose work showcases the American West and the many ways we enjoy our wi...

Bonus (or is it a penalty?) Episode - Ed in the Hot Seat

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Normally on the podcast, I introduce you to innovative individuals who are shaping the future of the American West—ranchers, writers, athletes, auth...

Juanita Vero - A Deep Love of Place

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Juanita Vero is a partner at the E Bar L Ranch, a family-owned dude ranch located on the Blackfoot River, about an hour east of Missoula, Montana. The...

Geoffrey Keating - Built to Last

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Geoffrey Keating is a Colorado-based woodworker whose dedication to exquisite craftsmanship and creative design have made him one of today's most soug...

Hampton Sides - Live at the Aspen Institute

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Hampton Sides is a narrative historian, best-selling author, and editor-at-large for Outside magazine. Mountain & Prairie listeners probably know Hamp...

Pete McBride - A Passion for Water & Wild Places

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Pete McBride is a National Geographic photographer, filmmaker, and writer who tells untold stories from some of the world's wildest places. Most recen...

Stephen Smith, Part 2 - Evolution & Reinvention

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Those of you who have been listening to the podcast since the early days probably remember my first conversation with Stephen Smith. We talked for an ...

Rebecca Jewett - Big Ideas for the New West

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca Jewett is the executive director of Palmer Land Trust, a conservation organization committed to protecting southern Colorado's recreational op...

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher - Conservation in the Radical Center

13 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the Executive Director of the Quivira Coalition, an innovative conservation organization devoted to building soil, biodiversit...

David Gessner – Voice of the West's Past and Present

29 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

David Gessner is an author, a professor, and one of the leading contemporary voices on the natural world and the American West. He has written ten boo...

Daniel Vergés - The Pursuit of Simplicity in Art & Life

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Vergés is an artist and graphic designer who captures the essence of life in the American West through simple yet amazingly impactful painting...

Adam Foss - Lessons Learned from a Life Afield

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Foss is a world-class hunter who has transformed his passion for wildlife and wild places into a rewarding career in filmmaking and photography. ...

Chris Eyer - Montana's Mindful Mule Packer

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Eyer is a true Western polymath. He is probably best known for his work as a mule packer, in which he uses mules to transport supplies into some...

Sarah Calhoun - Community Building Through Commerce

20 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Calhoun is the founder and owner of Red Ants Pants, a Montana-based apparel company that makes high-quality, American-made workwear for women. B...

Becca Skinner - Pursuing Her Passions in the West

13 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Becca Skinner is a Bozeman-based photographer, writer, and adventurer whose work has taken her to some of the farthest corners of the globe. Growing u...

Brendan Leonard - Grinding It Out

06 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Brendan Leonard is a writer and creative whose stories about adventure in wild places have built him a loyal following in the outdoor world and beyond...

Jason Rich - The Humility and Hard Work of Creativity

28 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Rich is a Utah-based artist whose extraordinary paintings of life in the American West have made him one of the most popular and respected worki...

Jim Howell, Part II - Restoring Ecological Capital Through Grazing

06 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Longtime listeners of the podcast will definitely remember my first interview with Jim Howell—he is a rancher and CEO of Grasslands LLC, a progressi...

Brian Calvert - In-Depth Journalism in the New West

23 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Calvert is the Editor-in-Chief of the High Country News, a non-profit media organization that covers the defining stories of the American West. ...

Christine Su - The Business of Healthy Grasslands

15 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Christine Su is an entrepreneur and CEO of PastureMap, a Silicon Valley startup that creates cutting-edge ranch management software. PastureMap helps ...

Robert Krapfel - On Living A Purpose-Driven Life

06 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Krapfel is a US Forest Service smokejumper—a member of the elite team of wildland firefighters who parachute into remote, burning landscapes ...

Jillian Lukiwski - Art and Adventure in the American West

24 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jillian Lukiwski is a writer, photographer, and silversmith who lives near the banks of the Snake River in south central Idaho. Her quiet confidence a...

Matt Barber & Joel Doub - Stewards of a Fly Fishing Legacy

11 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Barber and Joel Doub are the owners of Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, a Bozeman-based fly rod company known for its unyielding commitment to quality, craf...

Cate Havstad - Cultivating Creativity & Craftsmanship

04 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cate Havstad is a hat maker and farmer based in central Oregon whose abundant curiosity, creativity, and love of place have allowed her to transform h...

Sarah King - Collaborative Conservation in the American Southwest

15 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah King is a rancher, conservationist, wife, and mother of two who lives and works on her family's 55,000-acre cattle ranch in southern Arizona's A...

Charles Post - Stewardship, Science & Storytelling

21 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Post is an academically trained ecologist with a gift for communicating complex and sometimes emotionally charged issues in a thoughtful manne...

Mark Maggiori - A Fresh View of the American West

08 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Maggiori has taken the western art scene by storm with his dramatically realistic paintings of cowboys, horses, landscapes, and scenes from the A...

Tyler Sharp, Part 2 - Modern Huntsman

16 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, then surely you'll remember Tyler Sharp. He's the creative director, photographer, and writer who...

Scott Slusher - The Cowboys' Cowboy Photographer

05 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Scott Slusher is an Oklahoma native and Texas-based photographer who is best known for his stunning images of cowboys and life on working ranches. Aft...

Duke Beardsley - Art in the Big, Bold American West

20 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Duke Beardsley was well on his way to a career in medicine, when, just before med school, he took a hard turn onto a new path when he decided to pursu...

Dan Flores - Chronicling the West's Rich Natural History

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Flores is a writer, historian, and former professor whose work explores the connections between people and the natural world in the American West....

Noel Durant - Conservation & Community in the Gunnison Valley

25 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Noel Durant is the new Executive Director of the Crested Butte Land Trust, a conservation organization that protects and stewards the ranches, trails,...

Teal Blake - On Being Authentic & Original

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If you love art and the American West, chances are you're already a fan of Teal Blake. His paintings of bucking horses, working cowboys, and the Weste...

Justin Simoni - The Ultra-Endurance Artist

14 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Justin Simoni is an ultra-endurance adventurer who is most well known for his self-powered, long-distance tours that combine cycling, mountain running...

Bryan Martin & Elizabeth Williams - Life Skills Through Wilderness Adventure

11 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bryan Martin and Elizabeth Williams work at Big City Mountaineers, a Colorado-based nonprofit that transforms the lives of underserved youth through w...

John Dunaway - Life and Times of a Merchant Mariner

19 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

John Dunaway is a Texas-based merchant mariner who spends six months each year traveling the world as the captain of large cargo ships. Whether cruisi...

Bernice Ende - Equestrian Explorer

29 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bernice Ende is a horsewoman and adventurer who has ridden over 28,000 miles on horseback throughout the United States. Back in 2005, without any sign...

Mike Reilly - Helping Combat Veterans Rediscover Purpose

17 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Reilly is the Veterans Program Coordinator at Heroes and Horses, a Montana-based nonprofit that uses expedition-style horse pack trips through wi...

AD Maddox - The Art of Trout and Fly Fishing

10 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

AD Maddox is an accomplished artist who creates some of the most spectacular and memorable paintings of trout that I've ever seen. Using bright colors...

Jeff Lee - Creating a Literary Home on the Range

03 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff Lee is the co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Land Library, a residential library located on a historic ranch in one of Colorado's most beautiful a...

Christian Beckwith - Building a Conservation Coalition

14 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Christian Beckwith is the executive director of SHIFT, a Jackson Hole-based non-profit that is building a powerful coalition to protect our nation's p...

Tyler Sharp - The Sportsman Storyteller

07 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tyler Sharp is an adventurer, sportsman, conservationist, and world traveler with a gift for telling stories through images and words. While he may be...

Connor Coleman - How to Build a Meaningful Life in the West

22 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Connor Coleman is the founder of Resiliency Lands, a progressive, conservation-minded land management and advisory group committed to promoting ecolog...

Taylor Keen - Tribal Truth Seeker

16 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Keen is a teacher, community builder, and Native American thought leader based out of Omaha, Nebraska. His back story is as diverse as it is im...

Camrin Dengel – Slow Living in the American West

23 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Camrin Dengel is a professional lifestyle photographer who lives and works on the quiet side of the Teton Mountain Range in Teton Valley, Idaho. Her w...

Jason Schlarb - Service, Adventure, and Ultra-Endurance

17 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Schlarb is a champion ultrarunner whose notable achievements include winning the Hardrock 100 (2016) and Run Rabbit Run 100 (2013 & 2015), as we...

Larry Yaw - Creating a Sense of Place in the New West

03 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Larry Yaw is a renowned architect based in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley whose work connects people with nature using contemporary, sustainable, cons...

Pat O'Toole - Six Generations of Balanced Ranch Stewardship

25 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Pat O'Toole is a rancher who, along with his family, owns and operates the Ladder Ranch, a large-scale cattle and sheep operation that straddles the C...

Joe Grant - Self-Powered Alpine Adventurer

21 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Grant is a highly accomplished professional ultra-runner and all-around endurance athlete who has completed some of the endurace world's most chal...

Ben Masters - Conservation Through Innovative Filmmaking

27 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Masters is a filmmaker and conservationist whose work explores some of the most important conservation challenges facing the American West today. ...

Stephen Smith - Adventures in Photography, Motorcycles, and Ranches

09 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Smith is an agrarian, adventure, and lifestyle photographer who has successfully combined his love of ranches, farms, motorcycles, and travel ...

Nicholas Coleman - Painting the Heritage and History of the American West

05 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Nicholas Coleman is an ultra-talented, hard-working artist based out of Provo, Utah, and he paints some of the most interesting and beautiful works I'...

Ann Johnston - Protecting Crested Butte's Spectacular Landscapes

21 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Ann Johnston is Executive Director of the Crested Butte Land Trust (CBLT), a conservation organization that protects land in Crested Butte and Gunniso...

Andrew Skurka - Blazing a New Trail Across the West

29 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Skurka is a highly accomplished adventure athlete who is most well known for his long-distance solo backpacking trips, including the 4,700-mile...

Jim Howell - Conserving and Restoring the World's Grasslands

27 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Howell is the CEO of Grasslands LLC, which is the land management arm of the Savory Institute, an organization that Jim co-founded. Both Grassland...