Outdoor Explorer

Memorial Day is upon us, and with it, huge minus tides in lower Cook Inlet. Excellent clam tides are hitting at the same time as the starting weekend of the summer season. But razor clams have been scarce of late. We’ll have a researcher trying to find out why, as well talking about how to pursue razors, and going after steamers and butters, too. Biology, food safety, digging, camping, cooking. You'll even hear some secret recipes on the next Outdoor Explorer. KSKA: Thursday, 5/23 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Download Audio

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. LISTEN NOW

Moose are part of life in Alaska in so many ways, as dinner, as a road hazard, and as an exciting visitor in your back yard. They're really amazing animals that deserve our respect. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll hear from a moose biologist who followed the animals in Denali for more than 35 years, and one who wrangled them in middle of the city, with Christmas lights on their antlers. KSKA: Thursday, March 10, at 2:00 and Thursday, March 17, at 8:00 p.m. DOWNLOAD AUDIO

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we will be joined by a family that took school on the road this winter. Jodi Harskamp and her husband Neal Stanbury, along with their children Tui and Leif and dog Nukka, traveled in their retrofitted truck to state and national parks across the lower 48 for a back to nature education.

On this week’s Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking about the disparate sports of rifle marksmanship and cross-country skiing that, when combined, create the sport of biathlon. Our guests will be Sara Studebaker-Hall and Zach Hall. Sara is the Director of Operations at TeamUSA Biathlon, and Zach is the Team Manager and Head Coach at the Soldier Hollow Olympic Legacy Program. They both have deep connections to Alaska; Zach grew up in Nikiski, and Sara was the UAA Ski Team’s assistant coach for several years. On this week’s show, Sara and Zach discuss the joys and tribulations of biathlon, the sport’s history, and how YOU can get involved in this unique and healthy sport!

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. LISTEN NOW

The birds are coming back. Shorebirds invade Southcentral Alaska on their migrations about now, and festivals are planned in Homer and Cordova where, if the timing is right, you can see clouds of birds descending on the beaches and mudflats. On today’s show, we’ll talk about the pleasure and interest of birding, and where you can do it here in Anchorage, around our region, and across Alaska. KSKA: Thursday, April 23, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen Now:

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking about ski jumping with the Anchorage Ski Jumping Club. Our guests will be Karen Compton and Zak Hamill. Karen has been instrumental in the recent dramatic growth of the Anchorage Jumping Club, and she’s also a parent of two ski jumpers. Zak Hamill is the Club’s program director and head coach.

Wildlife and Alaska are like apple pie and ice cream, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. Every year over a million people...

We humans can live a long time, long enough to do a lot and see a lot. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we have a climber who topped some of the world’s greatest peaks... 50 years ago and then never stopped. We’ll also be joined by one of Alaska’s toughest runners, who completed more than 60 marathons and helped start some of Alaska’s biggest races. In both cases, they’re fun and inspiring for any age. Thanks for listening!

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.

The Resurrection Pass Trail is a gem. Running from Hope to Cooper Landing, this 38 mile route is probably Alaska’s best backpacking trail, but it’s also great for mountain biking, snowmachining, skiing, snowshoeing and running. On our show, we’ll talk about a week-long hike with kids and a running event that does the whole thing in a single day. Along the way, we'll provide the information you need to do the Resurrection yourself. KSKA: Thursday, August 27, at 2 and 8 p.m. Listen Now:

KSKA: Thursday, July 13, at 2:00 p.m. On the next show we’re learning about a couple programs started by leaders in the cycling world to help young people become fit, confident cyclists. In the first half of the show, Lael Wilcox, an amazing athlete of world caliber, will be talking about her adventure with middle school girls. In the second half, we’ll learn about a new bike school, which aims to teach bike repair skills, and to turn underprivileged kids into bike riders and racers. LISTEN HERE

We Alaskans have a unique way to get into the backcountry, on our state-owned railroad or ferry system — two of the most fun forms of transportation around. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll celebrate how the train and ferries can get families out to adventures hiking, skiing, paddling, floating and exploring in some truly exotic places. We’ll learn about the opportunities, and how you can do it with your family. KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 1, at 2:00 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 8, at 8:00 p.m. Download Audio:

John Schoen spent 20 years working for Alaska's Department of Fish and Game as a scientist studying Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats and brown bears in the Tongass National Forest. He is a wealth of knowledge for anyone interested in field science and conservation. John joins host Paul Twardock to discuss his fascinating career and memoir titled "Tongass Odyssey: Seeing the Forest Ecosystem Through the Politics of Trees, A Biologist's Memoir."

KSKA: Thursday, June 01, at 2:00p.m. Staying healthy in the backcountry is a prerequisite to having a good time. But it’s more important than that. Getting sick in the wilderness, away from health care, can magnify the hazards of a situation. On the next show, we’ll talk about health issues, mostly having to do with food and water, and how you can keep your group in good shape on backcountry hiking or remote boating trips this summer. LISTEN HERE

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. LISTEN NOW

On the next Outdoor Explorer we have a variety of stories about organized sports and kids. We’re starting with a discussion of Ultimate Frisbee. If you thought it was a disorganized hippie activity, you have much to learn. We’ll also talk about biking for girls, a triathalon that benefits a sick child, and much more.  

Late summer and fall are the time for picking blueberries, hunting for mushrooms, and getting ready for winter. Gathering edible berries and plants has many benefits besides their great taste. Jackie Qataliña, Tony Perelli, and Dana Diehl join me, your host Paul Twardock, to discuss what their favorite edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms are, their uses, the physical and emotional benefits of foraging, and ethical considerations.

What if you’re new to Alaska or you were born here but you were raised by skiing purists and you want to know what riding a snowmachine is all about? This week's show is for you. We’re going to talk about why snowmobiling is fun, where you can go in this vast state, and how you can get into the sport as a beginner. The new machines are reliable and easy to use--it's not just for motorheads. Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, 2:00 Download Audio