Creating an active transportation network
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.
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Revisiting beach and creek cleanup
KSKA: Thursday, May 04, at 2:00 p.m. A few years ago Charles got interested in a group that was cleaning up marine debris from beaches in Prince William Sound. He volunteered, and was blown away by what a rewarding experience it was to pick up trash. On the next show we’re revisiting the topic of beach cleanup, both on the wild, outer coast where stuff is washing up from Japan, and on our beaches here in Anchorage.
McNeil River Bears
KSKA: Thursday, April 27, at 2:00 p.m. In a state with so much wildlife and wilderness, there is one place that is legendary for a most extraordinary bear-viewing experience: McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. The sanctuary is celebrating it's 50th anniversary, so we invited in some experts who have spent the most time there to learn how this amazing opportunity came to be and what it's like to spend time with the bears.
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Noise and light pollution
KSKA: Thursday, April 20, at 2:00 p.m. One way of thinking about wilderness is to remember what’s not there. Wilderness is never crowded, or full of artificial noise or electric light. Noise and light would cover up the good qualities in nature - the delicate sounds and the bright stars and aurora of a winter night. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re looking at the problem of keeping the wilderness quiet and dark, which unfortunately takes some effort for us, in our bright noisy world.
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Mountain biking in Eagle River and the Mat-Su
KSKA: Thursday, April 13, at 2:00 p.m. Probably, like a lot of cyclists in Anchorage, you know our trails pretty well, especially the ones closest to home, because that’s where you ride on a regular basis. But bikes these days can go a lot farther than that. On our next show, we’re talking about mountain biking opportunities beyond the bowl, including in the Mat-su and on the brand new trails just finished near Eagle River, at Mirror Lake.
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Denali National Park’s centennial
KSKA: Thursday, April 04, at 2:00. Denali National Park is turning 100 years old. We’ll learn how the park came into being a century ago, when development of Alaska had hardly begun. We’ll also look at the park today and opportunities to experience it as Alaskans. It is one of our biggest tourist attractions, but it is also a great place to visit with your family, especially with the activities starting this month for the centennial year.
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Hummingbirds
KSKA: Thursday, March 30, at 2:00 p.m. Spring is coming, bringing birds back to Alaska, and perhaps most delightful and amazing of those returning is the hummingbird. These tiny birds with wings that beat faster than the eye can see cover many thousands of miles, migrating from Florida and Mexico to coastal Alaska. They are hardy and at the same time astonishingly light and delicate.
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Bristol Bay
KSKA: Thursday, March 23, at 2:00 p.m. In the whole world, there are just a few places where a confluence of environmental factors creates incredible abundance. One of those is Bristol Bay. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about the bay’s fisheries, the richest for commercial salmon and the regions' angling for enormous trout.
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Boat building
KSKA: Thursday, March 16, at 2:00 p.m. Boat building is much more than carpentry. Boats can be an extension of a builder’s heart, connecting to traditions and place, and relating a paddler’s physical and spiritual being to the ocean. The guests on this show are skilled craftspeople who have spent their lives building and repairing wooden boats, and building traditional Inuit kayaks.
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Summer camps in Alaska
KSKA: Thursday, March 09, at 2:00 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about summer camp choices, and practical considerations for parents in planning your kids' summer. Summer may not seem close today, but it is definitely time to begin scheduling your kids’ activities.
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The mountain climbing community
KSKA: Thursday, March 02, at 2:00 p.m. The conversation is about why and how climbers challenge themselves with Alaska’s mountains, but also how the experience affected them, helped them grow, and connected them with others like themselves. It’s a deep topic worth thinking about.
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Skijoring and winter dog care
KSKA: Thursday Feb. 23 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm. A dog can pull you on your skis faster than you believed possible. The feeling is much like dog mushing, but much easier to get into because you don’t need an entire team. In the first half of this show we’ll talk about skijoring, how it is done, and what it takes to start. In the second half, we’ll focus on the subject of dogs and winter, with tips for taking your dog on winter outdoor activities. Dog lovers should definitely stay tuned for the next show.
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The Tour of Anchorage ski event
KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 16, at 2:00 p.m. One of the biggest and best events of the Anchorage winter is a ski race that crosses the whole city, held the same weekend as the Iditarod start. It’s the Tour of Anchorage, and it’s coming up soon, with some of the nation’s best skiers and plenty of regular folks who just want to go the distance.
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Backcountry skiing
KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 9, at 2:00. Backcountry skiing comes in many varieties. On the next show, we’re looking at two extremes. On one end are the alpine daredevils who look for the hardest, steepest, most dangerous lines. On the other end are the touring skiers exploring our glorious mountain scenery by the most practical means available. These two ways of looking at skiing are for different personalities and different kinds of athletes with different goals, but Anchorage is prime for either option.
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Polar bear science and culture
KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 2, at 2:00 p.m. The next Outdoor Explorer focuses on polar bears. Polar bears are a unique symbol of the Arctic and their ability to thrive on the sea ice is a testament to the power of nature.
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A conversation with Lael Wilcox
KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 26, at 2:00 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer an interview with Lael Wilcox, whose life is one of Alaska’s most remarkable stories of physical accomplishment. Wilcox left to see the world on her bike, and never stopped, becoming a top endurance racer without really planning to.
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Avalanche equipment and rescue
KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 19, at 2:00 p.m. Everyone knows that winter backcountry travelers need to know how to avoid avalanches, how to prepare for them, and what to do if someone is caught in one. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we talk to experts about the right gear and how to use it, we'll also get a step-by-step scenario of what an avalanche recovery is like and what you should do in that terrible event.
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Sailing the Northwest Passage
KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 12, at 2:00 p.m. On Outdoor Explorer, we're fortunate to meet some of the world’s most amazing people, and that was especially true when Dario Schwoerer was in town to talk about his 100,000-mile sailboat voyage. On our next show we'll hear from Dario about his amazing family, some scary moments they've endured, and their hopes for our planet.
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Year-Round Bike Races
KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 05, at 2:00 p.m.
Biking is year round now, including bike racing. It’s a phenomenon that started here in Alaska and now has spread over the world. Folks are fat bike racing all over the US and in Europe. On our next show, we’re checking in on competition in our region.
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Revisiting Community Skating
KSKA: Thursday Dec. 29 at 2:00pm & 8:00pm. Here’s an Alaska moment. It’s a weekend afternoon, you’ve been stuck indoors all day, you see that beautiful winter light in the sky, and you say, ‘let’s go skating.’ Half an hour later, you’re gliding over a frozen pond with your neighbors. We're talking about ice skating, the casual community kind, where everyone can participate and enjoy a winter day with friends.