This week we’re hearing from Quinn Bennett in Anchorage. Bennett is a lifelong Alaskan who’s done everything from outdoor guiding to teaching. He moved to Anchorage from Soldotna at the age of ten.
BENNETT: I don’t know if it’s rural versus urban, or what it is, but at the time moving up to Anchorage, to the big city, there was a culture difference, in the sense of… my first curse words were learned here in Anchorage. The first time that I had any “adult” conversations were had in Anchorage. I didn’t have any of that in Soldotna whatsoever.
I’m a pretty big outdoorsy person, growing up especially but today as well. I like to hike and backpack quite a bit. I work in the summers as a kayak guide and a glacier and ice climbing guide, so I’m always outside doing something.
I have a nine-month-old right now that’s kinda slowed me down a little bit. But overall, we try to get even her outside a quite a bit. The first camping she ever did was tent camping, and she did better outside in the woods than she did at home at the time. She was sleeping and waking up every 20 to 40 minutes at home. We brought her outside and she slept like… a baby.
I think definitely I don’t have anything to prove anymore. I still do solo stuff, ut the big thing for me is, you know, if I’m gonna do a 12-mile plus hike, or go boating, I’m gonna do it in a couple days, at least two. I don’t need to push it. I don’t need to test myself anymore. I don’t need to try and climb the highest peak anymore. I don’t need to try and climb these cliffs because I don’t have anything to prove anymore.
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
Ammon Swenson is Alaska Public Media’s Audio Media Content Producer. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He graduated from UAA in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and integrated media. He’s previously worked for KRUA radio, the Anchorage Press, and The Northern Light.
