The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is home to a wide variety of parks and recreation lands managed by the state or Mat-Su Borough. From Hatcher Pass down to Jim Creek Recreation Area and out to Denali State Park, there’s plenty happening all year long to make space for a wide variety of motorized and nonmotorized sports enthusiasts, protect the wild spaces many users love, and welcome in both locals and tourists.
So what’s new in Mat-Su and what are you missing by not exploring the Valley more? In this episode we hear from Stuart Leidner, superintendent of the Mat-Su’s state parks, and Hugh Leslie, recreation manager for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
HOST: Amy Bushatz
GUESTS:
Stuart Leidner, Alaska State Park superintendent for the Mat-Su/Copper River Basin region
Hugh Leslie, Recreational Services Manager for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough
LINKS:
Matanuska-Susitna Borough parks and recreation
Mat-Su/Copper River Basin State Parks
Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation
Mat-Su Ski Club
Hatcher Pass Snow Riders
Amy Bushatz is an experienced journalist based in Palmer, Alaska. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, she and her family moved to Palmer sight-unseen from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to pursue a consistent, outdoor-focused lifestyle after her husband left active duty Army service.
Since moving to Palmer, Amy has built a lifestyle and expertise around spending time outdoors as she connects with outdoor-minded Alaskans while writing and podcasting about local news and outdoor issues. An ultrarunner and ridge running enthusiast, Amy can often be found exploring public lands around the Valley, road running on local bike paths, snowboarding at Skeetawk, cross-country skiing in Hatcher Pass, ice skating (poorly) on Mat-Su lakes, paddleboarding or kayaking with her family, and camping out of her ugly van.
You can hear Humans Outside, her podcast about building an outdoor-centric lifestyle wherever you get your podcasts, read her reporting at the Anchorage Daily News, or follow her valley-based nonprofit news project Mat-Su Sentinel at MatSuSentinel.com.
