Outdoor Explorer

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:

Every year at the end of August in the Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada, Black Rock City is built. For about a week it becomes the third largest city in Nevada, with around 60,000 inhabitants. It is the host city for the annual event called Burning Man. On this episode of Outdoor Explorer, host Adam Verrier speaks with the race director of the annual Burning Man Ultramarathon and two artists who used recycled and biodegradable materials to create and art piece.

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.

Trails are one of the primary infrastructures in the outdoors. They lead us to destinations or are an end unto themselves. Trails provide opportunity for observing nature, getting exercise, and relaxation. Trail building in Alaska has come a long way since people went straight up the fall line. On this week’s Outdoor Explorer we will discuss the summer of 2021 trail building projects and how to get involved.

KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 27, at 2:00 p.m. On the next show 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? LISTEN NOW

On this Outdoor Explorer we're revisiting an important topic: “Leave only footprints.” — It’s an ambitious philosophy. Most of us who recreate outdoors like to think we do a good job of this. We pack out our trash. We travel across landscapes with a light footprint. But how good are we? We’ll hear experts talk about what it really means to leave no trace — from scattering your fire circles to packing out human waste. Thanks for listening!

Whereas having somebody else along is often safer and more fun, solo trips into the wilderness can sometimes be the most memorable. Whether by choice or necessity, these experiences offer a chance to get to know oneself better. In this episode we'll  talk about what it’s like being truly alone in the great outdoors. This episode first aired in January of 2015. Thanks for listening!

KSKA: Thursday, Dec. 01, at 2:00 p.m. Alaska produces some of the world’s best shooters, and two of them join us on the next show. These are athletes with shotguns who can perform incredible feats of concentration, blasting clay targets out of the sky with consistency that no one else on Earth can match. Like other elite athletes, these shooters have something special, in their case a level of concentration and calm that is hard to imagine. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Thursday,June 15, at 2:00 p.m. Invasive plants on land and water can spread rapidly. Weeds entering a new system are something like viruses, or cancers, that can be dealt with relatively easy in the early stage, but become unmanageable if they go too far. The hopeful news is that Alaskans are tackling this challenge, and it is not too late to make a difference. LISTEN HERE

On this Outdoor Explorer we have the second part of a continuing series of stories about Title IX, the historic legislation passed 50 years ago that changed the landscape of women’s sports. We're joined by Beth Bragg, the now retired sports editor of the Anchorage Daily News, who had a front row seat to the change brought by Title IX.

On the next Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Alli Harvey, outdoor columnist for the Anchorage Daily News and landscape artist. Alli is making a return to the show to share her adventures after picking up her new mobile art studio in Ohio. The custom-built Airstream trailer allows her to connect with the outdoors as she creates her paintings.

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. KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 30, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

A few scientists and outdoor pioneers are studying and advocating for changes in the outdoor gear industry. Arlene Blum is one such person. Arlene is a groundbreaking mountaineer and scientist. She led the first all female ascent of Denali and Annapurna, and was the first American woman to attempt Mt Everest. While breaking stereotypes in the mountaineering world she did the same as a scientist, publishing research that led to the banning of toxic chemicals in children's pajamas for starters. Arlene is still at it working on "forever chemicals" (PFAS) that are found in the remotest parts of Alaska. Arlene and Pam Miller with Alaska Community Action on Toxics join host Paul Twardock to discuss Arlene's contributions to mountaineering and science.

It's Alaska's turn to host the biennial event celebrating the sports and culture of the people who live in the circumpolar north.

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

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!

When Russians first came to Alaska in the 1740s, they were seeking fur, and fur-bearing animals were an important element of Alaska's economy for more than 200 years. Today, Alaska still has thousands of trappers, both those who make a living at it and those who do it for fun. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we'll hear more about an activity as old as Alaska itself. KSKA: Thursday, Feb. 5, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen Now:

Alaska’s beauty inspires artists and sometimes overwhelms them. It’s hard to convey how you feel about our spectacular country. But its an important part of the wilderness experience. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’re talking about wilderness art with artists who have made expeditions to pursue their work, sponsored by some of our public land agencies. Host Charles Wohlforth will be joined by a writer, photographer and a mural artist to talk about expression outdoors. KSKA: Thursday, April 10, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we'll talk about rockhounding with folks who get serious about geology. We’ll also spend time with scientists who find real treasures, the fossils of dinosaurs that once lived in Alaska. KSKA: Thursday, May 14, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Listen now:

The Cohen Clinic offers programs that address the wholistic needs of veterans, using the outdoors to heal from trauma.