Leighan Falley takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and shares her beliefs and aspirations.

Before we start, I want to set the tone.

My goal with every guest is to connect with them as a friend — to understand the energy and purpose that drives them, and to leave you feeling like you’ve just met someone you’d truly like to call a friend too.

Today’s guest, Leighan Falley, is exactly that kind of person.

Instagram @leighanfalley

Buy some art: KORAX ART STUDIO.COM

She’s a Kick ass glacier pilot, a Denali mountain guide who summited 6 times, and a talented landscape artist capturing the vast beauty of Alaska. Or as she says, a portrait painter who sees the different personalities of Denali's mountains.

Her life feels like the landscape she lives in — rugged, honest, and full of unexpected light.

She is featured in a beautiful short film that can be found on YouTube called - Denali's Raven. I encourage you to watch it.

Whilst this conversation is full of inspiring stories about Denali and its raw beauty as described by Leighan as she climbs it, flies around it and now paints its many faces.

There’s also a moment in this episode when we enter some turbulence.

Leighan chose to share her story of addiction, losing her pilot’s licence, and slowly rebuilding her life.

And I want to be honest: listen back afterwards, part of me wonders if I could have asked more questions here — if I could have helped her draw out her message more clearly. I wasn’t sure how to approach something so personal with someone I admired, so instead I gave her the space to tell it in her own way.

I believe that we are more than our darkest days. Leighan’s journey reminds us of that.

And I’m just grateful — and genuinely happy — that she’s in a better place now. She is someone whom I admired and respected.

Someone whom I would be honoured to call a friend, that means more than having any perfectly framed questions.

She’s also doing something incredibly brave — using her voice and status in the aviation community to remove stigma. By sharing what she went through, she’s giving other pilots permission to ask for help, to speak up, and to realise that being vulnerable doesn’t make you weaker — it makes you human.

It reminded me how important it is to be there for our friends, to check on the people we love, to encourage honesty, and to ask for help when we need it too. None of us should have to navigate the storm alone.

So today, we take flight through her world — her home in Talkeetna, the life she’s created, the mountains that shaped her, and the strength it takes to rise again.

As a bonus episode, Leighan 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.

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Krister Kopala takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and shares his beliefs and aspirations.

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.

Loubna Freih takes the questionnaire designed to reveal her true mountain character and shares her beliefs and aspirations.

Nolen Oayda takes the questionnaire designed to reveal his true mountain character and share his beliefs and aspirations.

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
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• Join the conversation: Comment on Instagram or send us a message I'd love to hear from you.
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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