Winter predictions and activities
Will winter bring snow, or will we wait through thaws, rain and darkness? On the next Outdoor Explorer, we have a climatologist to talk about the predicted El Nino that is expected to bring warm, gloomy conditions this winter. So that’s the prediction. For the response, we’ll have two other interviews. We’ll be talking about hibernation, not the best option, and about indoor ice... it's the sport of curling.
Thanks for listening!
Learning from our elders: Eberhard Brunner
Alaska is full of people that have lived full lives in the outdoors. This week on Outdoor Explorer our guest is Eberhard Brunner. Eberhard was an alpine ski coach, owned a hunting lodge, ran a sporting goods store, and is a professional
photographer.
Arctic Skiing
In rural Alaska, you don’t usually see a lot of skiers, but that doesn’t really make sense, because snow is something the Arctic has plenty of. On the next Outdoor explorer, we’ll be talking to Lars Flora, a former olympian who has dedicated himself to spreading skiing across Alaska like a Nordic Johnny Appleseed, Elizabeth Rexford, who is one of his volunteers, and Jim Vordestrasse, who started skiing in Barrow in 1973.
KSKA: Thursday, Feb 4, at 2:00 and Thursday, Feb 11, at 8:00 p.m. LISTEN NOW
Outdoor Explorer: Petra the Adventure Cat
On the next Outdoor Explorer our guest is Nicole Chamberlain and the Meowtaineer, Petra the Adventure Cat. Petra is a Siberian Forest Cat, well-adapted to the cold, and Nicole has taken her on many adventures on the snow and the water. They recently spent time at the Sheldon House in Denali and Petra became the first cat to ski on the Ruth Glacier.
Ultra-Endurance Athletes
Jennifer Pharr Davis hiked the Appalachian Trail in 46 days, averaging 47 miles a day. David Johnston finished the 350-mile Iditarod Invitational in four days, running on snow. They’ll both join us as we try to understand what makes ultra-endurance athletes tick. Their accomplishments are almost super human. How do they get that way, and what makes them go?
KSKA: Thursday, Sept. 11, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m.
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Women and minorities in the outdoors
Women and people of color have traditionally been underrepresented in outdoor activities. That is changing quickly. On the next Outdoor Explorer, Lisa will be talking with women and men who are in the vanguard of the movement to open the outdoors to all people.
Thanks for listening!
Getting Ready for Paddling Season
The ice will soon go out soon on our lakes and rivers. The sea otters are ready to pose for our pictures. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re getting ready for paddling season. Host Charles Wohlforth and guests will be talking about canoeing, kayaking, rafting, rivers, lakes and the ocean -- gear, safety, planning and packing. We'll be dreaming about the trips we would love to take, and talking to folks who have done them.
KSKA: Thursday, April 17, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
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Denali Highway & Tangle Lakes
While tourists ride the buses into Denali National Park, Alaskans are driving, cycling, hiking and canoeing the other Denali -- The Denali Highway, an unpaved road to the wilderness leading from Paxson through the Alaska Range to Cantwell. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll learn about this spectacular alpine route, the incredible outdoor opportunities, and the archeology of the place. Ancient people left evidence of the some of the earliest human travel in the Americas.
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Adventures with Chuck Sassara, by Air and by Sea
Chuck Sassara first arrived in Alaska in a VW bus in 1955 with his wife Ann. They built a life that encompassed aviation, government and business and witnessed the beginnings of statehood and the growth of the Alaskan community. We'll talk with him about some of his adventures and about his book, “Chuck Sassara’s Alaska – Propellers, Politics and People,” on this weeks' next Outdoor Explorer. KSKA: Thurs., Jan. 21, at 2:00 p.m. and Thurs., Jan. 28, at 8:00 p.m. LISTEN HERE
Handling Wild Game
KSKA: Thursday, Sept. 29, at 2:00 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer we’ll be talking about the skills and planning necessary to properly field dress wild game and then get it to a processor. We’ll also talk about the cooking skills to make wild game delicious and healthy for your family.
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Alaska Native Games
The annual statewide competitions are coming up soon, as well as the international Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks. These games are spectacular, like the high kick, and sometimes require toughness and courage. Their cultural roots are for preparing for outdoor survival and hunting success. We'll have athletes and cultural experts in the studio.
KSKA: Thursday, 3/6 at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
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Recovery, injury prevention, and treatment for an active life
Recovery from activity, injury prevention and injury treatment are all part of an active lifestyle. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about cutting edge equipment and new physical therapy options to keep you moving.
Wildlife Hazards in Context
The terror of being attacked by a bear is a nightmare for many outdoors people, and a lot of time is spent worrying and planning for it. We’ll put wildlife hazards in context. What should you know to be safe, how can you improve your chances, and why aren’t you thinking about all the other things that could get you, and that are a lot more common. Join us for an opinionated discussion.
KSKA: Thursday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
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Ice Fishing
What goes on inside those tents you see on the frozen lakes around town? On the next Outdoor Explorer,we’ll find out. The topic is ice fishing. Folks do it on stocked lakes all through the city--that’s another unique thing about Anchorage--and in the backcountry they catch great big fish through the ice. We’ll find out how to do it and why. What’s the attraction of fishing in the middle of winter when the water is frozen?
KSKA: Thursday 1/30 at 2:00 and 9:00 pm
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Peter Steele: A doctor on Everest
On this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll go to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, to visit with doctor, mountaineer, and author Peter Steele. He was the team doctor for the 1971 International Everest Expedition. We’ll discuss Peter’s adventures as a mountaineer, a husband, and a father, his friendship with Eric Shipton, and his observations about large Himalayan mountaineering expeditions.
Glacier Trekking
A huge proportion of Alaska is covered with ice. A lot more than has towns and cities or anything man made on it. That’s a lot of country to explore, and its truly beautiful, like another world. On the next Outdoor Explorer the topic is glacier travel. We’ll be talking with a guide who takes newbies on glacier treks, a photographer who specializes in glacier journeys, and a glaciologist who goes to work on glaciers, and knows how they’re made.
KSKA: Thursday 6/20 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
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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
Outdoor Explorer: Catching up with Kikkan Randall and the year ahead for Anchorage’s nordic ski club
On this week's Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall. When Randall was young, she participated in Junior Nordic, a popular Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage program. Now Kikkan has returned to her roots as the new executive director of the organization.
Wilderness Medicine
The nightmare of anyone leading a backcountry trip is that someone becomes seriously hurt, falls in the water, or gets too cold. You can’t get the person to a doctor for many hours or even days. You don’t know what to do. On the next Outdoor Explore, we’re going to talk about that terrifying situation and how to solve it. We’re talking about wilderness medicine. KSKA: Thursday, Jan 28, at 2:00 and Thursday, Feb 4, at 8:00 p.m. LISTEN NOW
What’s New in Avalanche Forecasting for Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula? | Outdoor Explorer
With record amounts of snow comes lots of interest in recreating in the mountains. Hear from avalanche experts about staying safe outside.