Bird migration in Alaska
Every spring millions of birds stream into Alaska from all over the globe to feed, mate, and raise their young. On this Outdoor Explorer features Dan Ruthrauff with the USGS Alaska Science Center and Melanie Dufour with the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival.
Bringing Your Dog Along
Our biggest dog park in Anchorage seems to be Chugach State Park. On any sunny day on the trails into the mountains, you will encounter a lot of dogs and their people. Host Charles Wohlforth and guests will talk about enjoying the outdoors with your dog, fun stuff you can do, what to be careful of, and how to avoid being a jerk around non-dog people.
KSKA: Thursday, June 12, 2:00 and 9:00 p.m.
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Crossing the Alaska Range
In 2017, Jen Johnston and Sam Hooper hiked the length of the Alaska Range, 1000 miles from Port Alsworth to McCarthy. It’s a tremendous accomplishment, but their story is not one of hardship and heroism. They love it out there, and on the next Outdoor Explorer, Jen and Sam talk about the privilege and pleasure of getting deep into Alaska with one another.
Thanks for listening!
LISTEN: Exploring the fascinating (and sometimes restricted) wild areas on Anchorage’s eastern border
On the northeast side of Anchorage, at the base of the Chugach, is a heavily restricted area that requires a pass to enter. The residents of Scenic Foothills have long considered this area to be their playground, with access to trails and peaks
and an abundance of charismatic wildlife.
Catching up with artist Max Romey
On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest will be Max Romey. Max is a watercolor artist and outdoor filmmaker from Anchorage whose creative films have gained international recognition. His most recent film, “If You Give a Beach a Bottle,” is a finalist at this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival at the end of this month.
Walking Across America: Advice for a Young Man
Andrew Forsthoefel set out at age 23 to walk across America, East to West, 4000 miles, with a sign on him that said, "Walking to Listen." This hour, co-produced with Jay Allison, tracks his epic journey. It's a coming of age story, and a portrait of this country -- big-hearted, wild, innocent, and wise. Outdoor Explorer returns next week.
KSKA: Thursday, July 2, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Made in Alaska: Revelate Designs | Outdoor Explorer
Eric Parsons started designing bags that fit on bike frames to enable his epic trips. Eventually he quit his day job and made it a business.
Outdoor Explorer: Creating an outdoor clothing company in Alaska
Jen Loofbourrow started Alpine Fit to produce base layers for Alaskans. She discusses her path to building a thriving business.
Dirt Work
Have you ever thought you needed to live in a yurt off the grid in order to be more connected to nature? This week on Outdoor Explorer our guest is author Chri/stine Byl. We discuss how you have to be a beginner in order to become an expert and misconceptions around what being more connected to nature actually means.
Long distance relays
KSKA: Thursday, May 25, at 2:00 p.m. On the next outdoor explorer, we’re talking about a different kind of race, one where you have as much support and camaraderie as you do competition. Long distance road relays have been around for a while, including the Klondike Road Relay that follows the gold rush route of 1898 every fall, with teams of runners who ride along in vans while taking turns on foot. A new one is getting started in Anchorage this summer, from Eagle River to Seward and we're looking forward to hearing about it.
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Outdoor Explorer: The Chugach Park Fund
On this episode of Outdoor Explorer we're joined by Haley Johnston, the co-chair of the Chugach Park Fund’s Citizens Advisory Board. The Chugach Park Fund was established in 2016 under the umbrella of The Alaska Community Foundation and since that time has been a critical part of improving trails, signs and facilities in Chugach State Park. Haley fills us in on past, present and future projects.
An evolutionary look at exercise
On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Daniel Lieberman, author of “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.” Dr. Lieberman is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. If you are familiar with the book “Born to Run,” you’ll recognize his name as one of the foundational researchers on humans and running.
Funding your outdoor lifestyle
Enjoying the outdoors can be done on a tight budget or with all the latest gear and gadgets. All you really need is a pair of shoes and a sense of adventure. But what about when you want to go on a big trip or you need to upgrade your jacket? On this Outdoor Explorer our guest is financial planner and outdoor enthusiast Mike Branham. We talk about finding balance between your outdoor pursuits and saving for your future, ways to maximize your gear budget, and more.
Snow machine assisted skiing
KSKA: Thursday, Jan. 11, at 2 & 8 p.m. We have some fun people to introduce you to on the next Outdoor Explorer: twin brothers came in to talk with us. They're beer brewers, who are fanatic for snow machine-assisted backcountry skiing. This is where you ski or board remote powder slopes, but without spending the sweat to get there on foot or the money to get there on a helicopter--you ride out on a snow machine. There’s a ton of skill involved and a lot to learn, and these guys are great at talking about it.
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Sailing the Aleutians on the MV Tustumena
The Alaska Marine Highway System has been in the news a lot lately, beginning with the governor's veto of the ferry budget in the...
On Track in Anchorage with Alice Tower Knapp
On this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk to Alice Tower Knapp, who grew up in Anchorage, skiing on the local ski trails. She recently published a book about the history, the people, and the inner workings of the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage.
Foraging for Edible Foods in AK
KSKA: Thursday, September 01, at 2:00 and Thursday, September 08, at 8:00 p.m. Alaska may not be a huge farming state, but it is full of food, and not only for meat eaters. The woods and beaches are rich in edible plants and fungus that can be delicious and not difficult to find. As we’re going to learn on the next show, many of Alaska’s edible plants are extremely common and preparation is easy.
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Learn about local climbing, cameras & what’s up with bears lately?
KSKA: Thursday, December 14, at 2:00 p.m. 2017 will be remembered in part as the "Year of the Bear" in Southcentral Alaska. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about why we had scary and tragic incidents, and why far more bears were killed in Anchorage than usual. For something a bit more fun, we also have a segment on rock and ice climbing, a sports that is exploding in popularity, with great opportunities to learn inside and out.
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Scuba Diving
If you love the ocean, Alaska’s waters offer a fascinating world to explore as a diver. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re headed under water with three Alaska scuba divers to hear about the sport and what it's like here in Alaska.
KSKA: Thursday, March 19, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m.
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Diversifying the outdoors in Alaska: Jody Potts -Joseph
Alaska Indigenous Peoples have been living, playing, and thriving in Alaska for thousands of years. Outdoor recreation and tourism is perceived as being primarily a white person's game. Jody Potts-Joseph, Han Gwich'in and founder of Native Youth Outdoors is breaking that stereotype. Join Outdoor Explorer host Paul Twardock to hear Jody tell her story