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Public use cabins and huts in Alaska | Outdoor Explorer

A log cabin with a green metal roof with two birch trees in a snowy clearing.
Exterior view of the historic main cabin at the Alaska Huts Association's Manitoba property. (Willie Dalton)

On this episode of Outdoor Explorer we hear from Kenzie Barnwell and Philip Swiny. Kenzie is the Chugach Stewardship Coordinator for the National Forest Foundation and Philip is the executive director of the Alaska Huts Association. There is a rich history of public cabins in Alaska, dating back to the 1930s. The National Forest Foundation is striving to reconstruct ten existing cabins and build 25 new cabins. Meanwhile, the Alaska Huts Association is the non-profit organization that manages the popular Manitoba Cabin and is in the beginning stages of planning huts accessed along Alaska Railroad whistle stops. Both organizations strive to balance accessibility to public use cabins and huts, with some buildings only accessed by water and other buildings just a short hike from parking. Kenzie and Philip are both in the middle of planning and implementing exciting new projects.

HOST: Lisa Keller

GUESTS:
Kenzie Barnwell, Chugach Stewardship Coordinator for the National Forest Foundation
Philip Swiny, Executive Director of the Alaska Huts Association

LINKS:
Alaska Huts Association National Forest Foundation

BROADCAST: Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT

REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT

Lisa Keller was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She was 8 years old when Title IX passed and was fortunate to have parents who encouraged activity and to live in a progressive and encouraging community for girls and women in sports. She played baseball and soccer, downhill skied at Arctic Valley, learned to swim at The Spa, hiked the Chugach, and ran the Anchorage tracks and trails. She headed to University of Oregon, Eugene, and played soccer until she discovered the new sport of triathlon. After earning a degree in Political Science, she quickly fell back on her life as an athlete and began a career in fitness and coaching. She is a past winner of the Gold Nugget Triathlon and the Eagle River Triathlon, as well as many smaller triathlons and running races. She is a two-time Alaska Triathlete of the Year and has achieved All-American status in USA Triathlon age group rankings. She is one of the founding board members of the Alaska Run for Women. In 2002 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and since then has won the survivor division of the run many times. She owns Multisport Training of Alaska, providing coaching for Alaska triathletes, and is the General Manager of Running Free Alaska, an organization that brings run workouts and races to the women prisoners at Hiland prison.