Stuff Meets… AllTrails’  Ron Schneidermann

AllTrails is the world’s largest and most trusted outdoor platform, named the iPhone App of the Year by Apple. In this interview with AllTrails CEO, Ron Schneidermann, we find out more about the community of more than 60 million people and has more than 420 thousand curated trail routes across 191 countries and about how Ron’s time outdoors and what it means to him. 

Being named Apple’s App of the Year was like winning the World Cup! 

AllTrails being named The App of the Year is a huge honor – it’s our Pulitzer Prize and our World Cup! Apple celebrated AllTrails “for helping the world find their way outside” and that’s our mission – to get people outdoors, so that they can experience the holistic health benefits of time outside. 

I co-founded Liftopia before moving to AllTrails

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was lucky enough to live within driving distance of amazing areas for skiing. I learned to ski in Tahoe and got hooked – I loved the freedom of exploring the mountains. Shortly after, I recognised that between lift tickets and gear, it’s a really expensive sport – so a lot of people never get the chance to ski. I started Liftopia, which allows people to save by buying lift tickets in advance, in part to help make skiing more accessible to more people. 

Using tech to remove barriers to the outdoors is what I’m about 

Helping people have enriching real-world experiences – from travel, to skiing, and now hiking and trail activities – has been a common thread throughout my career. At AllTrails we work every day to make the outdoors more accessible to everyone. I love that the barriers to the outdoors are really low – for hiking you just need a pair of sturdy shoes. And we help remove other barriers, giving people what they need to feel safe and confident on the trail. 

I try to get on a trail everyday

I try to get outside every day – often just taking our family dog Sally on a walk on a nearby trail. There’s a lot of research out there that shows that 20 minutes outside has meaningful health benefits, and sometimes, between work and family, 20 minutes is what I can fit in. I also love backpacking, and once a year, I go on a weekend backpacking trip with a group of friends. We go off-the-grid and completely disconnect. While it’s a bigger time commitment, this annual trip is one of my favourite traditions. I always return to daily life recharged and energised. 

My dad was a geologist and that shaped my love of the outdoors 

My wife Jenny and I have three kids, aged 7-14, and we’re very intentional about spending time in nature with them. Our parents instilled a love of the outdoors in us, and we want to pass that on to our kids, too. 

My dad was a geologist, and he loved traveling around to state and national parks to check out the various rock formations and share his knowledge with my sister and me. Looking back, I am really grateful for how it shaped my love for the outdoors. 

These days, we love getting out on local trails with our kids. We see how time outside together positively impacts our whole family – a few minutes into a hike and my kids are swapping stories and laughing together. When we travel, we like to explore local trails – it’s a great way to learn about local culture and experience a new geography. 

Japan and Patagonia are at the top of my dream destinations list

I have a list of dream destinations and at the top is Mount Fuji. I’ve never been to Japan, and I’d love to experience the culture and the hiking there. A close second is Patagonia – I’ve heard about the hugeness of the Andes and its glaciers, and I’m excited to visit someday. 

There are also a lot of places nearby that I’m eager to experience. My kids and I set a goal to visit every United States National Park before they leave for university – we’re hoping to travel to the Grand Canyon and hike there this spring. 

I use time outdoors as a way to disconnect 

I have go-to tech that helps keep me safe: my phone, AllTrails, and a spare battery pac. Other than that, I prefer to use the outdoors as a way to disconnect as much as possible. I want to get outside so that I can recharge my mind, body, and enjoy nature and the people I’m sharing it with. 

Find out more about AllTrails here.

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