Campfire Convos

About Campfire Convos

Welcome to Campfire Convos! I'm Meanderin' Mitch, and this podcast is all about the moments that happen around the campfire - whether it's camping, hiking, or just a good conversation, we're recreating those laid-back, no-agenda talks under the stars. We'll dive into life's challenges, the lessons we've learned, and how the outdoors offers a new perspective. Expect some advice, some stories, and definitely a guest or two. But more than anything, we're here to remind you that you're not alone in this journey. So grab a seat by the fire, and let's see where the conversation goes!

Publisher

Meanderin' Mitch

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Nov 2024

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

47 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Why Living Full-Time in a Camper Makes You Rethink Community | S4E9 Matt Zefi

   What happens when you trade a stable life in New York City for full-time life on the road in a camper? Outdoor filmmaker and photographer Matt Zefi joins Mitch around a rock-pit fire overlooking Yellowstone to dive into the raw realities of solo travel, high-stakes wildlife photography, and finding genuine community in remote places. In this episode, Matt and Mitch compare their experiences navigating Yellowstone National Park across different seasons, tracking predator habits, and experiencing the extreme contrast between city hustle and small-town connection. Matt breaks down why he left NYC, his obsession with quality gear that outlasts its owner (featuring Filson and Origin USA), and the lost art of leaving real voicemails. The two also recount their most intense wildlife moments—from Matt capturing a cinematic sunrise wolf encounter on a carcass to Mitch’s terrifying experience being charged by a grizzly bear—before tackling the psychological trap of solo isolation and how to explain an unconventional lifestyle to your family. Support the Show! Buy me a Log: https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch Connect with Me! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352103037956366 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576114107409 Connect with Guest! Instagram: https://instagram.com/mattzefi Website: https://www.mattzefi.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/@mattzefi Relevant Links & Resources! Matt Zefi’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattzefi/ The Brew Bank Brewery (Andy Shandy): https://www.brewbankbrewingco.com/ High Camp Flasks: https://highcampflasks.com/ About Campfire Convos Campfire Convos is where real conversations meet the outdoors. Hosted by Mitchel from Meanderin’ Mitch, this podcast blends the feeling of sitting around a fire with honest, unfiltered discussions about life, adventure, and everything in between. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being real. CHAPTERS 0:00 - The First Spark (Intro & Yellowstone Sunset Setup) 0:45 - The Arid Beauty of Yellowstone’s Utah-Vibe Landscapes 1:57 - Wildlife Behavior: 2023 vs. Today in Lamar Valley 6:14 - Sub-Zero Wintering: Would You Survive Yellowstone at -40°? 7:31 - Andy Shandy Toast & Filson’s Lifetime Gear Philosophy 11:29 - Storytelling Brands: Filson & Origin USA Legacy 14:07 - Technology Overload & The Lost Art of Voicemails 18:26 - City vs. Small Town Social Dynamics: Organic Connection 26:01 - Cost of Living: NYC vs. Remote National Parks 34:35 - Life on the Road: What Happens After Camper Life? 41:41 - The 1-Month Alaska Road Trip Challenge 42:53 - Buy Me a Log Sponsor Toast (Shoutout to DJ & Mandy!) 43:35 - Silver Gate, Montana: The Location That Changed Everything 47:19 - Golden Hour Bald Eagle Hammock Moment 52:05 - Cinematic Wolves at Sunrise: Matt’s Dream Encounter 55:10 - Charged by a Grizzly: Mitch’s Heart-Stopping Experience 1:05:36 - Solo Travel Traps: Healing, Isolation, & Community Need 1:18:00 - Life Seasons: Navigating Marriage, Family, & Unconventional Paths 1:22:15 - Quitting the City: How to Explain Road Life to Your Parents 1:29:10 - What's Next: Gear Recommendations & YouTube Growth 1:32:18 - 200K Milestone Toast & Final Thoughts TAGS Matt Zefi, Yellowstone Wildlife Photography, Living in a Camper, Solo Travel vs Community, Grizzly Bear Charge, Lamar Valley Wolves, Filson Gear Review, Origin USA, Overlanding Jeep Camper, Road Life Reality, High Camp Flasks, The Brew Bank, Campfire Convos, Meanderin Mitch

2. 

   10 Sept 2026

   Primitive Trapping Ethics, Survival Games, and Wild Card Mindset | Jacks Genega | S4E8

   When shit hits the fan in the backcountry, is survival about brute force or adaptability? Jacks Genega, founder of Wild Card Wilderness and former survival show contestant, sits down around the campfire following the Pacific Northwest Survival Games to break down the mental fortitude, ancestral skills, and ethical realities required to survive in the wild. In this episode, Jacks and Mitch unpack the high-pressure dynamics of survival competitions, why rule-bending is often where true bushcraft creativity lives, and how Mitch and his partner communicated their way to winning the games. Jacks shares her transition from major city living in New York, Boston, and Amsterdam to discovering true belonging in homesteading and primitive wilderness skills. We dive deep into food procurement—why Jacks chooses fishing over hunting or trapping for long-term survival, the dangers of rabbit starvation/protein poisoning, and a step-by-step breakdown of primitive spring pole traps and L7 triggers. Jacks also exposes hidden tree resources (like the high salt content in Pignut Hickory roots) and explains why building a warrior mindset is your ultimate survival priority. Support the Show! Buy me a Log: https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch Connect with Me! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352103037956366 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576114107409 Connect with Guest! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildcard.jacks/ Website: https://www.wildcardwilderness.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wildcard.wilderness Relevant Links & Resources! Wild Card Wilderness: https://www.wildcardwilderness.com/ The Brew Bank Brewery (Andy Shandy): https://www.brewbankbrewingco.com/ High Camp Flasks: https://highcampflasks.com/ About Campfire Convos Campfire Convos is where real conversations meet the outdoors. Hosted by Mitchel from Meanderin’ Mitch, this podcast blends the feeling of sitting around a fire with honest, unfiltered discussions about life, adventure, and everything in between. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being real. CHAPTERS 0:00 - The First Spark (Intro & PNW Survival Games) 1:08 - The Rose, Bud, and Thorn of Survival Competitions 5:23 - Bending Rules: Creativity vs. Competition Limits 7:35 - Is Survival a Sport? Simulating High-Pressure Realities 11:00 - Expanding the Games: Desert, Arctic, & Squid Game Survival 15:40 - City Life Burnout: NYC to Finding Belonging in the Wild 19:05 - Hunting vs. Fishing vs. Trapping: The Ultimate Choice 23:18 - Rabbit Starvation & The Critical Need for Animal Fat 25:35 - Ancestral Knowledge: The Craft & Ethics of Primitive Trapping 28:10 - Log Sponsor Toast (Shoutout to Donnie Simpson!) 29:02 - Spring Pole Traps & L7 Triggers: A Beginner’s Entry Point 32:04 - Is Trapping Ethical? Survival Procurement vs. Sport Hunting 36:50 - Hidden Resources in Trees: Pignut Hickory Salt & Backyard Foraging 43:08 - Founding Wild Card Wilderness: Overcoming the Odds 53:05 - How Mitch Won the Survival Games: Communication & Team Dynamics 1:02:26 - Mindset & Warrior Spirit: Final Whiskey Toast Jacks Genega, Wild Card Wilderness, Alone, Pacific Northwest Survival Games, Primitive Trapping, Spring Pole Trap, L7 Trigger, Survival vs Sport, Rabbit Starvation, Foraging Pignut Hickory, Bushcraft Ethics, High Camp Flasks, The Brew Bank, Campfire Convos, Meanderin Mitch

3. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Is what you're eating slowly killing you? | S4E7 Karie Lee Knoke

   Is the food on your grocery shelf carrying vital life force or hidden toxicity? Alone Season 9 runner-up and founder of Sacred Cedars Wilderness School, Karie Lee Knoke, sits down around the smokeless pit to unpack how modern pesticides affect human health, the unmeasurable energy carried by wild foods, and what it truly means to live in alignment with nature. In this episode, Karie Lee reveals her background as a senior computer consultant for Microsoft and Safeco before trading high heels for mountain living in Sandpoint, Idaho. She breaks down her 28-year career working behind the scenes on pesticide database science, creating the "Dirty Dozen" list, and serving as a key researcher on over 20 global corporate pesticide lawsuits (including glyphosate/Roundup and paraquat). We also explore energy medicine, human and tree aura fields, the 75-day detoxification process of surviving in the wilderness, and her upcoming book, The Art of Sacred Living, which focuses on the soft skills of survival and stealth awareness. Support the Show! Buy me a Log: https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch Connect with Me! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352103037956366 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576114107409 Connect with Guest! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karie_lee_knoke/ Website - https://www.karieleeknoke.com/ Relevant Links & Resources! Environmental Working Group (Dirty Dozen): https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen.php The Brew Bank Brewery (Andy Shandy): https://www.brewbankbrewingco.com/ High Camp Flasks: https://highcampflasks.com/ About Campfire Convos Campfire Convos is where real conversations meet the outdoors. Hosted by Mitchel from Meanderin’ Mitch, this podcast blends the feeling of sitting around a fire with honest, unfiltered discussions about life, adventure, and everything in between. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being real.

Who has been a guest on Campfire Convos

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Trey Tipton
• Mitch's Dad
• Erin
• Steve Limani
• Christian Hirt

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,657,709,572

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 68 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

81

Social presence

94

YouTube

93

Engagement

0

Contact Campfire Convos

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Campfire Convos