Outdoor Explorer

What happens when an 18-time Ironman athlete comes in second in her age group at the world championships and wakes up realizing she’s still the same person she was the day before?

For a week or two in mid-April, a remote mountainside in the Alaska Range becomes one of the biggest towns in Alaska. It’s Arctic Man, a kind of Burning Man for the snow machine set, with the craziest extreme skiing competition you’ve ever heard of. We’ll preview Arctic Man, the speed, the parties, the family fun, and the backcountry travel, with an organizer, a competitor, and a spectator. KSKA: Thursday 4/4 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

If you really love what you do outdoors, its natural to want to document that with pictures or video. Outdoor filmmaking is exploding as young people deploy equipment that is much less expensive than it used to be. This week on Outdoor Explorer we talk to adventure filmmakers. It goes beyond strapping a GoPro to your helmet. KSKA: Thursday, Dec. 11, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

Ever wonder what it’s like to hike and packraft the Brooks Range? This week’s Outdoor Explorer features a series of field interviews with APU’s Dr. Roman Dial and his students as they studied tree growth while hiking the Brooks Range.

Our guest on this episode of Outdoor Explorer is Kikkan Randall, executive director of the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage. The conversation is wide-ranging, from the programs and events NSAA has planned for the upcoming ski season to impacts of climate change and NSAA's upcming 60th anniversary.

This Outdoor Explorer features the book "Wheels on Ice," a collection of stories from the gold rush to present day. The book is a compilation of stories edited by Jessica Cherry and the late Frank Soos. Jessica and author Andromeda Romano-Lax join host Paul Twardock to discuss the book and its stories.

The Alaska Marine Highway has been in the news a lot this summer with talk of big budget cuts and a ferry worker strike. Adam was aboard the Tustumena on a trip out to to Dutch Harbor and spoke with several of his fellow travelers about what the State Ferry means to them.

Meet Skeetawk manager, Megan Justus, and find out what's in store for the growing ski operation.

Alaska’s outdoors people may think they’re tough, but how about paddling 40 days in a dugout canoe in the rains of Southeast Alaska in October and November, dressed in wool, without modern gear? That’s what John Muir did, and his writings about the experience changed science and started the Alaska tourism industry. On the next Outdoor Explorer, join host Charles Wohlforth and guests to talk about Muir’s historic expedition and others. What these guys did will amaze you. KSKA: Thursday, January 14 at 2pm and Thursday, January 21 and 8pm

What draws us to the outdoors? Marybeth Holleman is an Alaskan writer who's new book of poetry, titled tender gravity, expresses many reasons. Marybeth is a long time Alaskan whose works include The Heart of the Sound and Among Wolves. Her collection of poems are accessible and cover everything from moss to comets and from her garden to the Brooks Range. In her interview with host Paul Twardock she discusses how loss, exploration, activism and day to day life intertwine with her poetry to create this deep and lovely collection.

KSKA: Thursday, May 11, at 2:00 p.m. Alaska is known for trail sports, from backpacking to sled dog racing, that began as practical means of transportation. That’s happening again. More and more people are using bikes and feet to get to work, even in Anchorage, with our car-oriented urban design. LISTEN HERE

Ski swap time is upon us. It’s become a season in Anchorage, when used gear comes out of the garage and goes on sale in these giant rummage sales, which can be as competitive as a Walmart on Thanksgiving. But is this really a good way to get quality gear? KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 16, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

A cabin off the grid is a private place in the wilderness where the noisy world is far away and the soul of Alaska close at hand. On the next Outdoor Explorer, our host comes to you from his own off-the-grid cabin on Kachemak Bay. Guest Donna Massay will join us from the Trapper Creek area. And we’ll learn about the power, water and communication technology that makes off the grid life easier to do these days. KSKA: Thursday 8/15, at 2:00 and 9:00 pm Listen Now

April is World Landscape Architecture Month. While many of us might see a proposal for a new park or trail and then the construction work on the park or trail, what we don’t see is the immense amount of work that happens when an idea is first conceived. Landscape architects are the people who take an idea for a new park or trail and then make it a reality. On this show, guests include a landscape architect, a promoter of inclusive playgrounds, a trail advocate, and a parks and recreation director. They all work together to develop some of the most important resources in our communities, places we can gather, recreate safely, and connect with nature.

Alaska author Don Rearden grew up in Southwest Alaska living and observing rural life. His books "Raven's Gift," a novel, and "Without A Paddle," a collection of poems, reflect his Alaska experiences and life. Don also co-authored books featuring two of Alaska's professional military rescuers. Don joins host Paul Twardock to discuss Alaska's culture, history and environment and how they influenced his writing.

Imagine getting up on Saturday morning, hopping in your plane, and going anywhere in Alaska. It’s the ultimate way of getting outdoors in a huge wilderness with unlimited opportunities. We’ll be talking with weekend pilots about their expensive and challenging hobby, and what makes it worthwhile. What would you like to know about learning to fly, or even owning your own plane? Where would you go if the sky was the limit? KSKA: Thursday, 6/13, at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Listen Now

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re revisiting one of our favorite shows on public use cabins. Now is the time to start planning your cabin trips for 2016. KSKA: Thurs., Nov. 12, at 2:00 p.m.; repeating Thurs., Nov. 19, at 8:00 p.m. Listen Now:

When you think of sailing, maybe you think of multi-million-dollar America’s cup yachts, or rich guys in blue blazers sipping cocktails. But Alaskans sail, too, and we do it the Alaskan way, out in beautiful places where getting around by the power of the wind is fun, interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Our topic is sailing, from ocean cruising to lake sailing, and even sailing with radio controlled model boats in local ponds. KSKA: Thursday 8/1 at 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm Listen Now

March is prime time for winter sports in Alaska. The light is back, the snow is good, and Alaskan's are ready to enjoy it all. This show will introduce us to dog mushing and discuss trail etiquette with skier Alice Knapp.

The nightmare of anyone leading a backcountry trip is that someone becomes seriously hurt, falls in the water, or gets too cold. You can’t get the person to a doctor for many hours or even days. You don’t know what to do. On the next Outdoor Explore, we’re going to talk about that terrifying situation and how to solve it. We’re talking about wilderness medicine. KSKA: Thursday, Jan 28, at 2:00 and Thursday, Feb 4, at 8:00 p.m. LISTEN NOW