Outdoor Explorer

Bicycling is a great way to get outside, get fit, meet people, and exercise your competitive juices. The number of trails, organizations, and biking events continues to grow in Alaska. This show will feature folks from Anchorage and Fairbanks sharing thier passion for the sport.

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking with Conor McDonald and Miranda Sheely. Conor is known as Bucky to his friends. A few years ago, Miranda and Bucky moved to Alaska for college from out of state, but they seem to have found their home here, and they decided not to leave after graduating. Miranda has found her passion exploring Alaska’s wilderness by raft during the summer, and with a dog team during the winter. Bucky recently presented his college thesis paper at the Alaska Snow Safety Summit. In it, he researched the relationship between social media and avalanche safety. Please join us for what’s sure to be an interesting conversation with Bucky McDonald and Miranda Sheely. Thanks for listening!

KSKA: Thurs., Aug. 3, at 2:00 p.m. Bill Hess is a photographer who has immersed himself in the Native cultures of the Arctic for decades, and came back with extraordinary images and stories. His book “The Gift of the Whale” is a classic on the subject of Inupiaq hunting. And he’s also a humble and funny person to talk with. We're revisiting this episode from winter of 2015. LISTEN HERE

In April of 2018, Kikkan Randall sat down with Charles Wohlforth on Outdoor Explorer and reflected on the final race of her skiing career....

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:

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. Listen Now:

Part two of Pieces of History with Lisa's guest Millett Keller. After playing a key role in the exploration for oil on the North Slope, Millett continued to impact our history through his work as a Republican insider and his grass roots advocacy for community recreation.

KSKA: Thursday, May 12 @ 2:00 pm. On the next Outdoor Explorer we mark the 100th anniversary of the migratory bird treaty, a conservation landmark and learn how migrations come through our state and where and when you can enjoy them. DOWNLOAD AUDIO

Sue Mauger is a scientist and conservationist who studies Alaska’s streams to learn the impact of climate change. So why did she go on a voyage to Antarctica? On the next outdoor explorer, we’ll discuss the unusual reason. Sue was invited to join a ship full of women scientists with the goal of learning about themselves and how they can be stronger in their work for the benefit of knowledge and the earth. Thanks for listening!

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. LISTEN NOW

In 1974, Andy Beardsley was 10 years old and new to Anchorage. He was figuring out his way around his new school, Rogers Park...

The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame’s mission is to Teach, Honor, and Inspire. On the next Outdoor Explorer we'll be joined by the Executive Director of the Hall who will tell us about the class of 2019 and representatives from the Alaska Run for Women, which is entering the Hall in the event category. Thanks for listening!

KSKA: Thursday, November 16, at 2:00p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer we're excited to share a new format for the show. In the first part, a military sports program here in Alaska that combines shooting and skiing. The Alaska National Guard fields a biathlon team, and while it is open to all kinds of guardsmen, it has also produced some national level athletes. Later in the show, something completely different, urban snowboarding in Anchorage. We’ve got all these big mountains, so why do some boarders prefer city rails and stunts? We’ll learn about that, and the key role filmmaking plays in the sport, with a new video just completed about Anchorage urban boarding. LISTEN HERE

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

KSKA: Thursday, February 15, at 2 & 8 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re focusing on winter sports and, for all those Olympics junkies listening, the question on your mind, how do I get my kid on a Wheatie’s box? The best answer seems to be-- cool it. Those amazing elite athletes create themselves. We’ll learn from the people who know best, with tips on how parents can -- and should -- give kids the opportunity to get outside and compete. LISTEN HERE

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.

The Eklutna traverse is a popular spring trip for local and visiting mountaineers. But the 38-mile trip is changing. Host Annie Feidt and her guests will explore whether changing glaciers means a changing adventure on the next Outdoor Explorer. KSKA: Thursday, March 20, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 22, at 2 & 8p.m. Birds of prey are much more than symbols, like the bald eagle, they’re with us as apex predators atop the food web. They’re inspiring in their fierceness and their amazing physical abilities, with their sharp claws and eyes, and they are among the most exiting birds to see in the wild. On the next Outdoor Explorer, join us as we focus on raptors, their natural history and care here in Alaska. LISTEN HERE

The dream of personal flight is pretty basic. Paragliding makes soaring up in the sky into a regular weekend activity. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re going to learn about what paragliding feels like, how you do it safely, and ways to gain entry into the sport. KSKA: Thursday, July 23, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Listen Now: