Ep. 151 Kurt Refsnider: Bikepacking Roots and POW - Protect Our Winters

This weeks guest, Kurt Refsnider, is one of the greats when it comes to super long, difficult, mountainous and often cold and snowy bikepacking adventures. He’s been to Nome Alaska on the Iditarod Trail, finished the Tour Divide in 15 days and has reached Master of the Universe status on the Arizona Trail! We also talk about his podium finish at the U.S. Cyclocross National Championships!

In his years of bike packing, he figured out a way to combine his passion for teaching geology with cycling, leading students on a Geology Through Bikepacking course at Prescott College in Arizona. Since then he’s been busy with, not only his coaching at UltraMTB but has now chosen to direct his energy toward co-founding the Bikepacking Roots organization to help grow and advocate for the bikepacking community. A recent success of Bikepacking Roots was helping develop and pass a new national law: the BOLT Act - which is part of the larger, very outdoor recreationally friendly EXPLORE Act, passed in early January of 2025. And if he hasn’t been busy enough with all of that - he’s also an athlete ambassador of POW - or the Protect Our Winters organization.

Bikepacking Roots: https://bikepackingroots.org/

UltraMTB Coaching: https://www.ultramtb.net/

Protect Our Winters: https://protectourwinters.org/

This episode is brought to you by Pogie Lites. Keep your hands warm and dry when riding this winter and spring! Available now at www.pogielites.com or on the online store at www.bikeiowa.com

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