Beyond the Mountains podcast

In this episode, we’re heading north — deep into Norway — to meet Krister Kopala, a professional snowboarder, steep skier, and mountain storyteller who lives life on the edge of ice, fjords, and emotion. Krister grew up in Tromsø, surrounded by wild terrain, one T-bar, and long winters and long summers — where snowboarding was about filming with friends and finding your own lines. These early days shaped his fearless approach to the mountains. Today, he calls Luster home — a place framed by waterfalls, glaciers, and steep couloirs that have become his playground. He’s earned a reputation for tackling some of the steepest descents in the world — slopes tipping past 50 and even 60 degrees — but his story goes far deeper than adrenaline and speed. In this episode, we talk about life in Norway, the thrills and mindfulness of extreme snowboarding, and Krister’s openness about struggles with drugs, family relationships, and how the mountains saved his life. He shares how vulnerability and honesty can be as powerful as physical strength — and how he’s redefining what it means to be a man in the mountains. We also explore the Norwegian idea of Kos — that sense of calm, connection, and simple contentment — and how it shows up even in the wildest corners of his life. Of course, Krister takes the Beyond the Mountains Questionnaire in a special bonus episode, and he answers the three big questions I ask every guest — including what the mountains have taught him about life. So find your kaffekos, settle in, and get ready for a raw, real, and inspiring conversation.

In this episode, I sit down with Loubna Freih — Ironman World Champion, mental performance coach, and fearless adventurer - with an unstoppable curiosity for what the human body and mind can achieve. Instagram @loubna_freih @alpinequest_2025 Website : https://loubnafreih.com/ https://alpinequest.org/ Loubna and a team of female athletes recently completed an extraordinary journey: traversing the entire Alps by bike, ski mountaineering, and trail running. In just 54 days, they covered 2,000 kilometres, climbed 80,000 meters of elevation, and crossed five countries — a challenge driven not only by endurance and teamwork, but also by a mission to raise awareness of climate change in the mountains they love. What makes Loubna’s story even more powerful is how she brings curiosity and mental strength into every pursuit. From her work with the Swiss national sailing team and other high-performance athletes and teams to her own endurance adventures, she shows how language, mindset, and inner narratives can transform challenges into resilience and breakthroughs. This conversation follows the chapters of LIVE. WORK. PLAY. — from her home in Verbier, to her work as a mental coach, to her passion for exploring the mountains. It’s about curiosity, courage, and the belief that the biggest gains in success are not made by strengthening the body, but in strengthening the mind. As a bonus episode, Loubna agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal his true mountain character. You can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation. So hit play and get on with the show. Allons-y How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow. Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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

Hey everyone, and welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains Podcast! Today, I’m joined by a freestyle skier and business entrepreneur —Nolen Oayda. Instagram profile : @nolenoayda @theintrepiddream Nolen Oayda is a true pioneer of Australian freestyle skiing. From freestyle skiing in Europe, carving lines in Verbier, Switzerland, Nolen helped shape the sport in its early days and became a powerful influence on generations of Australian athletes. He lived with a fun and fearless spirit, embracing creativity at every turn. The essence of freestyle skiing — risk, resilience, and freedom — flowed through his business, surfing, music, and family life. Beyond the slopes, Nolen has built a career as an entrepreneur in Jindabyne, turning the same energy that drove his skiing into a thriving photo journalism and business career. His story is one of passion, reinvention, and living by the mantra that life is short — so surround yourself with good people, and simply have a go. As a bonus episode, Nolen agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal his true mountain character. You can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation. So start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow. Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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

A bonus episode. Jay Sweet takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

Hey everyone, welcome back to Beyond the Mountains Podcast! Today, we’re diving into the world of architecture— I’m joined by Chris Price, founder of KLIMA Architecture, who’s redefining what it means to build and live in mountain environments. Instagram profile : @chris.price.architect @klima.architecture Website : https://klimaarchitecture.com/ Chris is an architect, a builder and a mountain lover. His house designs are rooted in being eco-friendly, sustainable, timeless, and with a deep respect for the land. A core principle in Chris’s work is passive design—creating buildings that work with the environment to naturally regulate temperature, harness solar energy, and minimise the need for artificial heating or cooling. Think 12-inch thick walls, triple-pane windows, airtight construction, and efficient orientation that makes the most of natural sunlight. These homes are high-performance, energy-efficient shelters built for a changing climate. From the TreeHaus to the CrestHaus to his latest project, the PowdrHaus, Chris is showing us what’s possible when design and the environment meet in high-altitude environments We talk about what it means to build with nature instead of against it, and how thoughtful design can dramatically reduce our environmental footprint without sacrificing comfort or style. Chris also opens up about life beyond the drawing board—raising a family, snowboarding and skinning up the mountain before sunrise, mountain biking and BBQ's with his mates And of course, we end with the three big questions I ask every guest: What have the mountains taught you? How do they make you feel? And when have you had to go beyond? So whether you're a design nerd, a climate-conscious homeowner, or someone curious about building a better future—this conversation is for you. As a bonus episode, Chris agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal HIS true mountain character. You can find that 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. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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

"Hey everyone, and welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains Podcast! Today, I’m joined by a true music omnivore and proud Deadhead—Jay Sweet. Instagram profile : @IMAJS @FLOKISTUDIOS Website : https:flokistudios.com/ Jay lives and breathes music. From sneaking into his first festival as a student to now serving as the Executive Director of the legendary Newport Folk Festival, his life has been shaped by sound, rhythm, and a deep love for the stories music can tell. Growing up, Jay absorbed jazz from his father’s record collection—many of them marked with the phrase 'Live at Newport.' He later fell in love with the raw soul of Motown, the storytelling of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, the endless jams of the Grateful Dead, and the pulse of the blues. But Jay's impact goes far beyond stages and crowds. He was part of the visionary team behind Flóki Studios—an extraordinary recording studio carved into the remote, rugged beauty of northern Iceland. Located on the Troll Peninsula, surrounded by towering mountains and the open sea, Flóki is more than a studio—it's a creative sanctuary. In today’s episode, we explore how solitude, silence, and the natural world can unlock creativity in surprising ways. What is it about the atmosphere of the mountains that stirs something in artists? Can the rawness of nature lead to new musical frontiers? We also dive into Jay’s passions beyond music—from skiing to surfing—and his guiding mantra: Be present. Be kind. Be open. Be together. So whether you're a music lover, a creative spirit, or someone just looking to be inspired by the harmony between art and nature—this episode will speak to you. Turn the volume up. Jay Sweet is in the house—and this conversation is going to eleven." As a bonus episode, JAY agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal HIS 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. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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

Steph Davis takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and share her beliefs and aspirations.

"Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains Podcast! Today, I’m joined by a fearless guest—the high-flying Steph Davis. Instagram profile : @highsteph Website : https://stephdavis.co/ Have you ever wished you could fly? I know I have. The closest I’ve come is a tandem paragliding flight. Steph knows exactly what real human flight feels like. Steph Davis isn't just one of the world’s best rock climbers—she’s a force of nature. From free soloing some of the most iconic rock faces to soaring through the skies in a wingsuit; she has redefined what’s possible in vertical and aerial adventure. What makes Steph’s journey so fascinating is that she wasn’t an athletic child. Unlike many kids who dream of professional sports careers, her focus was on music—specifically, playing the piano. She aspired to conquer the most challenging piano pieces, like Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3, rather than the toughest rock faces, like the Dawn Wall on El Capitan. In Yosemite national park She went on to earn a master’s degree in Literature, but a chance meeting with another student changed everything. A simple question—‘Are you interested in trying rock climbing?’—set her on a path that would redefine her life. Steph chose to follow her own path, not the one set by society or expected by loved ones. The mountains called, and she answered. . . . But she didn’t stop at just climbing—she wanted to confront fear head-on. And for her, that meant learning to fall, something that goes against every instinct of a climber. Her hunger to understand fear led her to become a qualified parachute jumper—not to skydive, but as a stepping stone to BASE jumping and eventually flying with a wingsuit. This conversation goes deep—we talk about the power of a positive mindset, the importance of incremental growth, and why you can’t tackle something major without first conquering something small. So, whether you’re a music lover, a thrill-seeker, or someone looking to master your fears to achieve your goals, this episode has something for you. So, buckle up, because this is going to be an stimulating flight. As a bonus episode, Steph 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. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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

Giulia Monego takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and share her beliefs and aspirations.

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Beyond the Mountains podcast! Today, I’m joined by an incredible guest—Giulia Monego. Instagram profile : @giuliamonego She’s a big mountain athlete with a passion for skiing steep terrain, but that’s just the beginning of her story. Giulia grew up in Venice, Italy—a city surrounded by water and canals, far from the mountains—but thanks to her ski-loving parents, she spent winters in Cortina, where she fell in love with speed, competition, and the thrill of the slopes. She started as an alpine ski racer, became a ski instructor, and then pushed herself even further into the world of big mountain free-ride competitions. But for Giulia, growth has always come from stepping outside the box. Her hunger for new challenges led her to become one of the few fully qualified female mountain guides based in Chamonix France — breaking barriers and deepening her connection to the mountains in the process. And in yet another out-of-the-box move, she’s now training as an osteopath, combining her love of movement with a desire to help others stay strong, mobile, and pain-free in the mountains she calls home. This conversation goes deep—we talk about the psychology of pushing limits, decision-making in high-risk environments, the impact of mentors, climate change and even the role of mountains as therapy in an increasingly chaotic world. We also dive into the power of stepping outside our comfort zones—because, as Giulia sees it, true growth happens when we challenge ourselves. So, whether you’re a skier, an adventurer, or just someone looking for inspiration, this episode has something for you. As a bonus episode, Giulia agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal her true mountain character. So you can find the bonus episode after this inspiring conversation. This is where we play around and have a bit of fun. Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to season 4, episode 1 of the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y No, hang on a minute, Giulia is Italian, so instead of saying Allons-y which is French for let's go, I need to say Andiamo. So let's start the intro music, and get on with the show. Andiamo ! How can you help the show and grow the community? Connect / leave a comment and follow Please Rate & Review me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Follow us on social media Instagram : @beyondthemountains.podcast Facebook : Beyond the mountains podcast Join 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.

Gareth Hoddinott takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

Sebastien Jarrot takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

My guest today is Gareth Hoddinott. And he is a coffee roaster from the French AlpsOn today's show, we sit down and have a cup of coffee together. In fact, we sit down in his little coffee roasting shed in the French Alps and as Gareth says, we have a good old chat.I miss coffee culture and catching up with friends over a cup of coffee. It is one of the things I am looking forward to doing when I go back to Australia in November to see old friends and hang out with my family.On this episode as we get to know Gareth through the chapters of where he lives, what he does for work and how he plays. We talk about the coffee scene in Dunedin NZ where he is from, the differences between French and English cultures, the struggles of being an immigrant, and the simple pleasure of sharing a coffee with a friend.Gareth dives into the roast coffee process and explains the special relationship between coffee and music.This was a good old chat and if you enjoy this conversation, you will enjoy his coffee. As a special off for the listeners of this podcast, Gareth is offering you a 20% discount when you order online. You can use the promo code "BEYONDTHEMOUNTAINS"  all in one word and in UPPER CASE when you buy some tasty coffee. He can ship to most of Europe so go to the website. You'll find some Ethiopian coffee and some coffee from Peru and Guatemala.Website is  : WWW.MRBLANCHOTCOFFEE.COM As a bonus episode, Gareth also agreed to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal his true mountain character. So you can listen to that as a bonus episode later on over a coffee.Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to another episode of beyond the mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.So, Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-yBuy direct from your websiteInstagram  @MR.BLANCHOTBRULERIEALPINEWebsite : WWW.MRBLANCHOTCOFFEE.COM

My guest today is Sebastien Jarrot On today's show, we talk about the C-word. Yes, folks the C-word - CYCLING. And a whole lot of other words that start with the letter C. Sebastien is a good friend and a good friend of the podcast. He's always been very supportive of this passion project. I've always wanted to have Sebastien on the show because I know how much he loves cycling in the mountains. He could be riding in the shadows of the legends who raced up Col du Galibier and Col Glandon during the Tour de France or he could be exploring the gravel roads over a remote mountain pass into another valley. But I also wanted him on the show to talk about his role as Head of content creation for Assos cycling apparel. A global brand and pioneer is cycling apparel innovation. A sports brand and outdoor brand that helps us to enjoy and express ourselves in the mountains. I hope I can talk to more brands in the future. So when I started to think about what questions I was to ask Sebastien and the themes I wanted to talk about. I started to write down words like curiosity, curated, communication, channels, and creativity. His role is very much about this endeavour. But then other C words kept coming up, like Comebacks, Challenges, Climbing, Coffee and Characters. The C word became a theme for this conversation. So I hope you enjoy this interview with Sebastien, he is a real genuine character and someone who I admire for the way he has created a life around his passion for cycling. As a bonus episode, Sebastien agrees to take the Beyond the Mountains questionnaire to reveal his true mountain character. So you can listen to that after this intriguing conversation. Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

Lucy Bartholomew takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and reveal your beliefs and aspirations.

My guest today is Lucy Bartholomew At the young age of only 28, it feels like Lucy is a veteran of Ultrarunning. She did her first 100km run with her dad's supervision at just 15 years old. Since then she has been a regular protagonist in the ultra-running scene. She is competing in the races all over the world. In 2023 she was 10th in the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc) the biggest trail running event in the world. This year she is trying to go faster and improve on her time of 27 hours. Shortly after she competed at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. So you can see she loves a challenge. In the same year, she won the Tarawera Ultramarathon and was 2nd in the Ultra-Trail Australia. Her ever-positive attitude and constant smiling face make her a fan favorite and I'm one of those fans. We talk about the power of a smile and how it can change the world, turning a bad day into a great day and her strategy of nibble nibble sip sip to get through an ultra marathon. Her wanderlust for curiosity and new experiences and the power of connection and community. On today's show, we talk about all this and more, so I think you are going to enjoy listening to Lucy's. So when I saw her training and running around the mountains in my village in the remote French Alps I had to try and get her on the show. As a bonus episode, Lucy stuck around to take the Beyond the Mountains Questionaire to reveal her true mountain character. Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to another episode of Beyond The Mountains Podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

My guest today is Svein Tuft. He is the character straight out of the Jack London book "The Call of the Wild" He was professional cyclings unconventional cyclist, but his unconventional approach is what made him so successful. He knew what worked for him, he knew how to extract the best of himself for his success and his team's success. He famously dragged the peloton for 190km in the Italian stage race Tirreno-Adriatico. He won thirteen Canadian National Championships, represented Canada at the Olympic Games, was part of the Orica-GreenEdge team for 8 years, he was the driving force in time trial victory on stage 1 of the 2014 Giro d’Italia, where he spent time in the maglia rosa leaders jersey. He raced in the Tour de France, Giro D'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the one-day classics and week-long stage races, and he secured the silver medal in the time trial at the 2008 UCI Road World Championships. When he wasn't clocking up thousands of kilometres on the paved roads as a professional cyclist, he was escaping to the wilds of Andorra and British Colombia on epic adventures into the unknown. His true calling is to discover and explore trails and single tracks into the mountains and wilderness. He is happiest when he is out on a ski touring adventure into the backcountry or humping his gravel bike over some monstrous mountain pass into the unknown. On today's show, We talk about all this and more, so I think you are going to enjoy listening to Svein's adventures. Hello friends, I am your host ASHLEY PETTIT welcome to another episode of Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains.

My guest today is Aurelie Morrison-Gonin She is a multi-talented mountain sports storyteller. She is a producer, director, photographer, camerawoman, writer and editor. She has worked on the Freeride World Tour, the Summer and Winter Olympic games, and is an independent storyteller for many mountain brands, athletes and magazines. In a world of high drama, high stakes and fast action sports, Aurelie thrives on the pressure to capture the athletes doing what they do best, defying gravity and creating winning lines in the snow. She enjoys showing the human element behind the athletes. Stripping away the race numbers and sponsor logos to reveal the real people behind the mountain sports we love. She is not afraid to get uncomfortable in harsh and dangerous conditions to get the shot, and she is also not afraid to deviate from the plan if a different and more interesting story is unfolding. This was a fun interview and I want to thank Aurelie for making the time to sit down with me before she went out skiing in the mountains of Chamonix before she made her way back to her second home in Crested Butte California or travelling to another event hotel room, or mountain huts. Hello friends, I am your host Ashley Pettit welcome to another episode of the Beyond the Mountains Podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

Ok, so this is the first episode of season 3. This is my first interview for 2024. This is also my first remote interview. My first guest for 2024 is Michael Blann a professional photographer based in London. He is also a keen cyclist and he believes in the power of Passion projects. We talk about all this, plus we talk about is love for taking photos of epic mountain landscapes. So if you love any of those subjects you are going to enjoy this conversation with Michael Blann. Michael has published a timeless and beautiful coffee table book called Mountains - Epic Cycling Climbs. It was a 3-year passion project in the making that saw Michael photograph some of the most iconic mountains and cycling climbs of the Tour de France and the Giro. Mountains of the Alpes, the Pyrenees, the Dolomites and many more mythical mountains around Europe and North America Michael is a professional photographer and has a long career working with many brands and clients. He has also been published in many cycling magazines around the world. Hello friends, I am your host ASHLEY PETTIT welcome to another season and a new episode of the Beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y

My guest today is Fred Buttard. He is a high mountain guide, ski touring guide, gravel biking explorer, beer maker and full-time dad, who spends his time between the French Alps and the Scandinavian mountains of Sweden and Norway. Before this interview, I didn't really know Fred that well, I'd only seen him around the village, out skiing or at a local mountain bike event he was organizing. But he was someone I instantly liked and connected with and I wanted to know him better. So this was a great way for me to get to Fred and I hope you learn about him too. I try to do research about the people I'm going to have on the show, so who they are and the jobs they do. So I did a lot of reading about what a mountain guide does and what makes a good mountain guide. I read somewhere that when you are in the mountains you have to move with deliberate intent, to move with purpose and be fluid with your movement, observe your surroundings and to look ahead to where you are going.. This is how I feel Fred speaks and acts. He is very intentional and thoughtful when he speaks. And I think this came through in the interview. So I hope you enjoy this interview with Fred because I know I did Hello friends, I am your host ASHLEY PETTIT welcome to another episode of the beyond the Mountains podcast. Where I talk to people who live, work and play in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y