Outdoor Explorer

KSKA: Thursday, March 16, at 2:00 p.m. Boat building is much more than carpentry. Boats can be an extension of a builder’s heart, connecting to traditions and place, and relating a paddler’s physical and spiritual being to the ocean. The guests on this show are skilled craftspeople who have spent their lives building and repairing wooden boats, and building traditional Inuit kayaks. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 16, at 2:00 p.m. One of the biggest and best events of the Anchorage winter is a ski race that crosses the whole city, held the same weekend as the Iditarod start. It’s the Tour of Anchorage, and it’s coming up soon, with some of the nation’s best skiers and plenty of regular folks who just want to go the distance. LISTEN NOW

Taking kids on an outdoor vacation can be the most rewarding and memorable time of your life. And the most stressful. Ever been without a campsite with hungry, tired kids when its getting past bedtime? Now THAT’S an extreme sport. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re talking about family trips. Host Charles Wohlforth wrote a book on the subject and he is joined by two other authors of advice on family travel in Alaska and taking kids outdoors. KSKA: Thursday, April 24, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

When most of us think of the outdoor activities that Alaskans love, we tend to think of hiking, biking, skiing, and skating. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we talk about one not so common Alaskan outdoor activity, surfing - we talk about where to do it and how to get started as a beginner. We also talk about a more common outdoor activity, hiking, and how one woman prepared for her trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro by hiking in Southcentral Alaska. Thanks for listening!

The Chugach Mountains form Anchorage’s scenic skyline.  While during the summer the trail heads are full of people and access is easy. Winter is a different story.  For quiet and solitude a winter week day in the almost 500,000 acre Chugach State Park is hard to beat.  On this week’s show we’ll be talking about exploring the Chugach Mountains in the winter.  Thanks for listening!

You see them zipping around Turnagain Arm and in the backcountry. Brightly colored kites and their human drivers adorn Alaska's airspace, harnessing the wind to power an extreme sport. Host Charles Wohlforth and guests will talk on all things kiting. KSKA: Thursday, Mar. 27 at 2:00 p.m. Listen now:

KSKA: Thursday, Nov. 9, at 2:00 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we're revisiting an episode that was dedicated to our city’s centennial. We’ll hear stories of how we built the greenbelts, bike and ski trails that are now the defining characteristics of Anchorage. Each of our three guests played a part in providing us with the spaces to get out, enjoy nature, and safely get to work or just some exercise. This episode first aired in June of 2015. LISTEN HERE

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...

When you think of sailing, maybe you think of multi-million-dollar America’s cup yachts, or rich guys in blue blazers sipping cocktails. But Alaskans sail, too, and we do it the Alaskan way, out in beautiful places where getting around by the power of the wind is fun, interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Our topic is sailing, from ocean cruising to lake sailing, and even sailing with radio controlled model boats in local ponds. KSKA: Thursday 8/1 at 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm Listen Now

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.

As the year of 2021 comes to a close we feature two traditions in Anchorage: The Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage's Solstice Tree Tour at Kincaid Park and the Alaska Botanical Garden's Holiday Lights. This week's Outdoor Explorer features these winter festivities, plus some holiday wishes with co-host Lisa Keller and others.

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re talking about public use cabins. Why now? Well, they’re open in the winter, and perfect for a ski or snowshoeing weekend. Perhaps more importantly, the season for reserving cabins for summer will soon be upon us. Believe it or not, it’s time to start planning your cabin trips for 2014. We learn about remote cabins you can rent, how to do it, and personal favorites across the region.

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KSKA: Thursday 11/21 at 2:00 and 9:00 pm

Alaska is known for its diversity of wildlife. Yet there are many animals indigenous to Alaska, particularly in the urban areas, that we never...

The Alaska Ski for Women is one of the biggest women’s ski events in the World, and it’s happening in Anchorage on February 5th! This week on Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk with founder Sally Burkholder, about its beginnings more than two decades ago. And we’ll also talk with Director Molly Mylius about this year’s event.

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!

At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, the U.S. went from no medals ever in the sport of nordic combined to a gold and three silvers, more than any other country. Now there’s a push on to keep performing in this combination of jumping and distance skiing, and Anchorage is a key to the effort. On the next Outdoor Explorer, host Charles Wohlforth will be joined by a national team skier and coach, in town to build the athlete pipeline. KSKA: Thursday 4/18 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Graham Zimmerman, professional climber and author, talks about his epic climbs, facing danger and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Do you like mountain biking? If so, you’ll want to join Adam Varrier, your host for this Outdoor Explorer, where we’ll be speaking with the president of Singletrack Advocates, Lee Bolling. We’ll talk about all the best riding spots in town, and how they got to be there.

It’s been a bad year for avalanches in south central Alaska, with several deaths occurring in the mountains. Still, we have more information to avoid avalanches than ever before. On the next Outdoor Explorer we'll visit with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center to learn how the staff there studies the snow and predicts whether or not backcountry activities will be safe, and what you need to know for your own adventures. KSKA: Thursday, March 17, at 2:00 and Thursday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m. DOWNLOAD AUDIO