Outdoor Explorer

KSKA: Thursday, October 05, at 2:00 p.m. On this Outdoor Explorer, we are eagerly getting ready for winter. Charles took a portable recorder to Kincaid Park to join a volunteer trail crew preparing cross country ski trails for the first snow, which we were all looking forward to so we can ski again. The trail work is designed to smooth the ground so we won’t need much snow to ski, and to be ready for the US National Championships and Olympic Trials in January. LISTEN HERE

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.

Do you remember what it's like to be a beginner at something? This week, on Outdoor Explorer our guest is Sarah Histand, she'll talk about overcoming the things that keep us from getting started, how to be a beginner when it seems everyone else is an expert, and functional strength at home.

This week on Outdoor Explorer, we'll be talking with Randell Carlton Green, author of the recently-published travel book, "Smart & Solo: The Blueprint for Efficient & Enjoyable Solo Travel". We'll be discussing ways to minimize the discomfort and maximize the fun and personal growth that comes from traveling solo, anywhere in the world.

On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest will be Lee Hart, Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance, an organization that advances the political and economic power of outdoor recreation in Alaska. The outdoor economy is an under- recognized economic driver in our state with the average Alaskan spending almost $5000 per year on outdoor gear and services.

KSKA: Thursday, August 17, at 2:00 p.m. It’s late summer in Alaska, so of course the topic of Outdoor Explorer is ski jumping! We'll visit ski jump practice on a warm summer day so you can hear how remarkable it is to hear the wind in the skis. We'll also talk with the head coach to learn what it takes to get up the courage to go down those ramps. LISTEN HERE

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.

KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 25, at 2:00p.m. We’re talking about dogs on the next Outdoor Explorer. Anchorage has a network of dog parks for different kinds of breeds that have different needs. Now there’s a group that wants to build a dog park with play equipment. We also have a guest to talk about dogs and the law. Later in the show, we catch up with our friend Dario Schwoerer, and his family. They've endured some tragedy, since we last spoke to them about their TOPtoTOP program, when a storm in Iceland seriously damaged the ship they live on. It's a harrowing tale to be sure. LISTEN HERE

KSKA: Thursday, September 21, at 2:00p.m. For the next Outdoor Explorer, Charles joined the beluga count, when more than 12-hundred people gathered at viewing sites around Cook Inlet and made 260 sightings of whales. Citizen scientists recorded the location of pods, their movements, and even the identity of individual whales. The main thing about the day was being outdoors in the sun with a lot of other people who love this place and were eager to learn more about these magnificent animals. LISTEN HERE

The Crow Pass trail leads from the Girdwood Valley to Eagle River. It’s a great backpacking route, and also a historic portion of the Iditarod Trail that led from Seward to mines in the Interior. What you might not know is that the trail was rebuilt in the 1970s with girl scout labor.We’ll learn about the Crow Pass trail in history and meet a former girl scout who helped remake the trail 40 years ago. KSKA: Thursday 11/7 at 2:00 and 9:00 pm Listen Now

KSKA: Thursday, December 21, at 2:00 p.m. The next Outdoor Explorer is on the solstice, a truly outdoor event, as I try to really understand what happens in space to bring us the shortest day of the year. This will be your opportunity to hear me be confused as part of our celebration of the soon to be lengthening days. We’ll also be talking about protecting the Susitna River, winter diving, and safety with both guns and bear spray. LISTEN HERE

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we will continue the series Travel School with Jodi Harskamp and Neal Stanbury and their children, Tui and Leif. As they are wrapping up their time in California in Death Valley National Park, LA county goes into lockdown, forcing them to leave early and head for Arizona and beyond.

The first migratory birds are showing up and bear tracks have been sighted in the Chugach. That means it's time to dust off the backpacks, boats, and tents and start planning for summer! Join host Paul Twardock and guests on this week's Outdoor Explorer to get a start on summer.

Alyeska decided to end their volunteer ski patrol last fall. To celebrate the patrol's history, folks gathered to tell stories and reminisce.

This week on Outdoor Explorer our guests are a sheep hunter who is becoming a commercial pilot and a boat captain. And they’re both women. We talk about not letting underrepresentation hold you back from doing what you love and of course there are some good adventure stories too!

One of the great joys of hiking in Alaska is seeing the plants and flowers, watching how they change as you pass through different ecosystems and elevations, and learning the names and characteristics of the species you see. The mountains and woods where we hike are always beautiful, but when you understand what you are seeing the pleasure is greatly increased. Join host Charles Wohlforth and guests to learn more about Alaska wildflowers. KSKA: Thursday, July 31, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

On the next Outdoor Explorer, our guests are congressional candidates, Nick Begich and Mary Peltola. They will answer outdoor policy questions from four leaders in the Alaska outdoor industry and share their own experiences in the Alaska outdoors, including the places that bring them the most happiness.

It’s a sure sign of spring in coastal Alaska, the arrival of migrating shorebirds that flock so thickly they sometimes look like clouds.  Several communities welcome the birds and visitors who want to see them and learn about them, and its a great chance to get out on the water early in the season and forget winter. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking about the spring migrations and the shorebird festivals coming up in the next week weeks. KSKA: Thursday 4/18 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Little ones love recreation with their parents, and love playing in the snow. But a baby can also be a burden on a winter outing, and keeping them safe and warm is any parent’s biggest concern. Join us for a talk on babies in the elements - we've got two parents in the studio who are experts on keeping kids safe and happy in the outdoors. KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 23, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now: