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Chugach Front Linkup 2023: New Peak, New Record

In March, Ben Americus accomplished many firsts on the Chugach Front Linkup: the first late winter completion, the first to ski off the peaks and the first to complete the Linkup since Ptarmigan Peak was added as the 13th summit over 5000 feet. This week on Outdoor Explorer Ben joins host Lisa Keller to talk about how he added his name to Chugach Front Linkup history.

HOST: Lisa Keller

GUEST: Ben Americus

LINKS:
Chugach Front Linkup website
Alaska Public Media Outdoor Explorer, May 2018, “The 12-Peak Challenge and Chugach Trails.”
Alaska Public Media Outdoor Explorer, October 25, 2019, “Imagine hiking all the tallest summits of the Chugach Front Range in one trip. These people did it this year.”
Alaska Public Media Outdoor Explorer, March 10, 2020, “Sophia Tidler’s Winter Solstice Adventure.”

MORE FROM OUR GUEST:

YouTube footage of Ben Americus' Front Linkup:

Images from Ben's Chugach Front Linkup:

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.