Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Outdoor Explorer - Alaska Public Media
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Poynter: Alone | Outdoor Explorer | 14 Nov 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
Sarah Poynter competed on the most recent season of the History Channel’s show, "Alone." The competitors on the show are truly alone. They rely on their knowledge and skills, building their own shelter, hunting and fishing and gathering plants and berries. While they eke out living off the land, they are also carting around camera gear and setting up their own shots, narrating the journey to survive. It is often a starvation game of body and soul as food is difficult to procure and there is no human contact. Sarah lives in Skwentna, and along with her husband Chris, owns the Talvista Lodge, a popular destination for locals and out-of-state adventurers alike. HOST: Lisa Keller GUEST: Sarah Poynter, recently competed on History Channel's "Alone" LINKS: | |||
| "The Aurora Guy" | Outdoor Explorer | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:58:56 | |
This week on Outdoor Explorer, we dive into the science and magic of the aurora borealis with Vince Ledvina, aka "The Aurora Guy." Vince, an aurora chaser and Space Physics PhD student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, shares his passion for the northern lights and offers insights into what creates this stunning phenomenon, why it’s so tricky to predict and how to increase your chances of seeing it. Whether you're an aurora veteran or dreaming of your first sighting, you'll have an illuminating journey into the night skies! HOST: Martha Rosenstein GUEST: Vince Ledvina, "The Aurora Guy," Space Physics PhD student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks LINKS: | |||
| Lost Lake Run and Cystic Fibrosis | Outdoor Explorer | 22 Aug 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
The Annual Lost Lake Run is an iconic Alaska mountain race traversing the Lost Lake trail in the Kenai Mountains north of Seward. Started in 1992 to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis by Marsha Vincent, the original race had 55 participants and has grown to over 700 participants and many volunteers. The registration for the event fills in minutes. The event has raised over $2 million dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, contributing to research that resulted in life saving medications. Host Paul Twardock interviews race director Pat Simpson and board member Sabrina Walker. They discuss their connections to the race, Cystic Fibrosis and the challenges and rewards of organizing a mountain running race on public lands. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Pat Simpson, Director, Lost Lake Run Sabrina Walker, Board Member, Lost Lake Run LINKS: | |||
| Alaska University Outdoor Degree Programs | 18 Mar 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
Karina Movement Class Photo: Paul Twardock Yukon Classroom by Paul Twardock Snow Science by Paul Twardock Sea Kayaking by Paul Twardock Map Reading PWS by Paul Twardock. Alaska has a number of high-quality university outdoor degree programs that benefit from the great experiential learning Alaska’s mountains, oceans, rivers, and history and cultures have to offer. Starting in the ’60s and ’70s with Alaska Community College, now University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), and Alaska Methodist University, now Alaska Pacific University (APU), the programs have evolved as the outdoor profession has grown. This Outdoor Explorer welcomes representatives from APU, UAA, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Prince William Sound College, and the University of Alaska Southeast. They’ll describe their programs and discuss the value of an outdoor education degree. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Eeva Latosuo: Alaska Pacific University Benjamin Rush: Prince William Sound College TJ Miller: University of Alaska Anchorage Peggy Keiper: University of Alaska Fairbanks Mark Oldmixon: University of Alaska Fairbanks Forest Wagner: University of Alaska Southeast LINKS: Alaska Pacific University Outdoor Studies: Undergraduate APU MS in Outdoor and Environmental Education Prince William Sound College Outdoor Leadership University of Alaska Anchorage Health, Science, PE and Recreation University of Alaska Fairbanks Sports and Recreation Business University of Alaska Southeast Outdoor Studies BROADCAST: Thursday, March 17th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 17th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Regenerative Tourism | 10 Mar 2022 | 00:58:03 | |
Mary Goddard, Regional Catalyst for Regenerative Tourism with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, photo courtesy Mary Goddard. Lee Hart, Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance, photo courtesy Alaska Outdoor Alliance, photo courtesy Lee Hart. Sarah Leonard, President & CEO, Alaska Travel Industry Association. Last fall when Lisa was interviewing Lee Hart, Founder and Executive Director of the Alaska Outdoor Alliance, they briefly touched on the concept of regenerative tourism. She had only heard the term in passing before that, during one of the Alliance’s Lunch and Learn series, and wanted to know more. Regenerative tourism is deeply rooted in indigenous values and knowledge systems. Around the world, indigenous communities have been negatively impacted by tourism; their lands have been compromised and their culture has been expected to conform to colonial influence. But there is a big change happening now, with the influencers in Alaska tourism promoting a vision of a more authentic and reflective tourism experience in our state. Our guests for this show are Mary Goddard, Regional Catalyst for Regenerative Tourism with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Lee Hart, Executive Director of the Alaska Outdoor Alliance, and Sarah Leonard, President & CEO of the Alaska Travel Industry Association. Together, they’ll lay out the present and future of regenerative tourism in Alaska, led by Alaska Native communities, joined in common interest with travel and outdoor recreation groups. SEGMENTS: Segment 1: Mary Goddard, Regional Catalyst for Regenerative Tourism with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership Lee Hart, Founder and Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance Sarah Leonard, President & CEO, Alaska Travel Industry Association LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, March 10th, 2022. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 10th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Dog mushing in Alaska 101 + Ms. Uff Da | 24 Feb 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
March is prime time for winter sports in Alaska. The light is back, the snow is good, and Alaskans are ready to enjoy it all. Dog mushing has been part of Alaska as long as people have been in Alaska. In March the sport has its best-known event the Iditarod, along with Anchorage’s Fur Rondy Open World Championship Sled Dog Race. On this show, we visit Ineka Kennels and the Forto family to learn a little about mushing life. Besides mushing, nordic skiing is one of the oldest winter sports and a popular one in Alaska. Ms. Uff Da was an advice columnist in the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage’s newsletter in the ’90s and ’00s. Alice and Gunnar Knapp recently compiled her columns in a new book titled “The Wit and Wisdom of Ms. Uff Da.” Alice joins us to share some of Ms. Uff Da’s advice, especially useful in these times crowded trails. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: Fur Rondy World Championship Sled Dog Race Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage BROADCAST: Thursday, February 24th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 24th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Alli Harvey, outdoor writer, and artist in Anchorage | 16 Feb 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
Alli Harvey finishing the 2021 Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks, photo courtesy of Alli Harvey. Alli Harvey, photo courtesy of Alli Harvey. “Hiking Anchorage” currently on display at Stephan Fine Arts Gallery, photo courtesy of Alli Harvey. Our guest for this show is Alli Harvey, outdoor columnist for the Anchorage Daily News. Alli grew up on the East Coast but fell in love with Alaska at a young age when she first learned about the Aurora. As a teenager, she made her first visit to the state. She kept figuring out ways to return, and she was eventually able to move to Anchorage with an internship that became her first professional job with the Alaska Center for the Environment. Although her degree is in Urban Studies, she had also been writing and painting since a young age. Her blog about her adventures eventually led to an offer from the Anchorage Daily News, where she now writes a weekly column that explores the connection between happiness and outdoor adventure. She is also a professional landscape artist and is about to start her next adventure in her new mobile art studio and gallery, an Airstream trailer that she will take on the road to the places she wants to paint. SEGMENTS: Segment 1: Alli Harvey, outdoor columnist for the Anchorage Daily News and landscape artist LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, February 17th, 2022. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 17th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Peter Steele: A doctor on Everest | 16 Feb 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
On this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll go to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, to visit with doctor, mountaineer, and author Peter Steele. Introduced to rock climbing and outdoorsmanship in the 1950s at the Outward Bound school in England, Peter Steele eventually found his way to the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the Himalayas before finding his way, with his family, to the Yukon Territory. As a medical doctor, he walked the length of Bhutan with his family over the course of five and a half months in the 1960s, conducting a goiter study at the invitation of the King – likely the first European to do so. He became friends with Eric Shipton, the most active and well-known European explorer of the Himalayas in the 1930’s and 40’s. And 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. HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, February 10th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 10th 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Trail building and Olympic skiing with John Morton | 02 Feb 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
John Morton The Winter Olympics begin this week in Beijing, China. To mark the occasion, this week’s guest on Outdoor Explorer will be biathlete, author, and former Alaskan John Morton, who’s participated in ten Olympics: two as an athlete, five more as a coach and team leader, one as Chief of Course for the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 and, finally, two more as a spectator. He’s got plenty of stories to tell from 50 years’ worth of Olympic experiences and his time stationed at Fort Richardson in the 1960s and ‘70’s in the Army Biathlon program. We’ll discuss changes to the Olympic Games over the years, friendships made across political borders, the art of building ski trails, the power of international competition to bring people together, and Morton’s newest book, “Celebrate Winter”. HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, February 3rd, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 3rd 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Seth Kantner: Living with caribou in Alaska | 26 Jan 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
Seth Kantner’s new book A Thousand Trails Home: Living With Caribou details his life where caribou, hunting, and subsistence are the center of everything. Seth joins host Paul Twardock to discuss his life growing up on the Kobuk River with his parents and brother in a sod house. Living miles from the nearest village and learning to live with what the land provided Seth experiences rich in nature and culture. The changes to the arctic wrought by climate and cultural change have been rapid and incredibly challenging. Seth shares his experiences and insights as someone who has spent his entire life observing and living with those changes. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou BROADCAST: Thursday, January 27th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 27th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| The 50th Anniversary of the Hillside ski trails in Anchorage | 19 Jan 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
The Anchorage Hillside Ski Trail System is 50 years old this year. The first five-kilometer ski loop was cut by Service High School families and coaches in 1971. Over time, the trail system has gradually expanded to its current 24 kilometers, many of them lighted for night skiing. The ski trails at Hillside are used by hundreds, and sometimes thousands of people each day, for exercise, recreation and sometimes racing, and the trail system’s impact on the local community is difficult to overstate. This week on Outdoor Explorer, we’ll go out skiing with Tom Corbin around some of the original Hillside Ski Trails, and find out how they came to be where they are, and who was responsible for their creation. Corbin was straight out of college and had just been hired as a ski coach at Service High School in 1971 when the original five-kilometer loop was cut through the forest. He’s been directly involved with the trail system ever since. Listen here: HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, January 20th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 20th 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| An evolutionary look at exercise | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:58:58 | |
If you have read the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougal, you are familiar with the name Daniel Lieberman. Along with his colleague, Dennis Bramble, his research has been used to support the thesis that human beings owe some of our evolutionary success to our ability to run efficiently. Dr. Lieberman is a paleoanthropologist and professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University who has authored books about the human body and the human head. His most recent book, “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding,” explores purposeful exercise as it relates to our evolution and why it is a rarity outside of the developed world. SEGMENTS: Segment 1: Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and author of “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.” LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, January 13th, 2022. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 13th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Solstice trees and holiday wishes from Anchorage | 16 Dec 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
As the year 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. Sara Miller with NSAA and Patrick Ryan with the Botanical Garden will explain their winter programs and how to get involved. Host Paul Twardock will take you on an audio postcard of NSAA’s 2020 Solstice Tree Tour. We’ll also have co-host Lisa Keller and a few college students elaborate on their holiday wishes, from wishes for a better world to ideas for stocking stuffers. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: Holiday Lights at Alaska Botanical Garden Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage BROADCAST: Thursday, December 16th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, December 16th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Skinny Raven turns 30 | Outdoor Explorer | 15 Aug 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
Skinny Raven turns 30 this year! They are planning an anniversary block party on Saturday, August 17, that will coincide with the Anchorage Mile, one of the competitive events that are part of the Anchorage RunFest weekend. Daniel Greenhalgh and Tasha Heikkila-Adam are co-owners of Skinny Raven Sports and have been with the iconic store from the beginning, in one capacity or another. There have been ups and downs throughout the years, including a point at which the original owner almost liquidated the store and Daniel and Tasha stepped up and bought the business. Skinny then survived COVID, pivoting to an innovative online presence. The store has a culture unto itself and is recognized as one of the top running stores in the nation. HOST: Lisa Keller GUESTS: Daniel Greenhalgh and Tasha Heikkila-Adam, co-owners of Skinny Raven Sports LINKS: | |||
| Nature and indigenous Alaskan art with Joe and Martha Senungetuk | 07 Dec 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Alaska Natives have been creating art influenced by nature and culture for thousands of years. The clothing, tools, kayaks, weapons, baskets, and other items of everyday life and ceremony were, and are, functional and artistic. During the 1960s young Native artists like Joe Senungetuk started creating Indigenous art that blended the traditional to more contemporary. They started including environmental and social issues into their art along with the influences of their upbringing in rural Alaska. Joe attended UAF, taught art at Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka, attended the San Francisco Arts Institute (in 1968!), author of Give or Take A Century: An Eskimo Chronology, and was a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News, all while being a prolific artist. Martha was born in Cordova and is an established Native artist in her own right. This Outdoor Explorer welcomes Joe and Martha to discuss the influences that their long lives in Alaska have had on their art. Currently, Joe and his wife Martha are the Elder Artists in Residence at Alaska Pacific University. Also joining host Paul Twardock is James Tempte, a young indigenous artist, and Karli Tyance Hassell. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: Joe and Martha Senungetuk and APU Elder Artists in Residence Program BROADCAST: Thursday, December 9th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, December 9th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Returning to activity after a Covid infection | 07 Dec 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
At the beginning of this summer, our host Lisa had several trips planned to support her friend Aaron Ramirez at Ironman races. It looked to be a fun summer and fall, back to our usual activities of traveling and racing. Of course, you know what happened next. Alaska was hit hard by the Delta variant, and everything changed once again. Even though Aaron was vaccinated, he developed a breakthrough Covid infection. Training was impossible and races were quickly canceled. The long journey he is on, to be able to train as before and feel comfortable racing, inspired Lisa to put together this show. You’ll hear from Dr. Kim Harmon, the team physician for the University of Washington football team who has been researching the impacts of Covid on athletes, and Alisa Carroll, a physical therapist who helps people recover lung function after a Covid infection. But first, you’ll hear about Aaron’s Covid experience and what he has learned while returning to his active life. SEGMENTS: Segment 1: Aaron Ramirez, Ironman athlete Segment 2: Dr. Kim Harmon, team physician for the University of Washington football team Segment 3: Alisa Carroll, DPT, of Progressive Physical Therapy LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, November 18th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 18th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Trip planning and risk analysis in Alaska with Luc Mehl | 09 Nov 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Trip planning and risk analysis are keys to safe and successful outings, whether it is a day hike or an extended trip far from medical help. Alaska’s vast expanse, large and cold rivers, challenging weather, wild animals, and scarcity of emergency response resources add to the need for responsible and thoughtful trip preparation and execution. On this Outdoor Explorer we look at near misses and accidents from this past summer of 2021, then look forward to trip planning for this coming winter and next summer. Our guest is Luc Mehl. Luc spent a significant part of his youth in McGrath, Alaska, and has traveled throughout Alaska in all seasons as an adventurer, wilderness athlete, scientist, and educator. Besides hosting a popular trip planning website he is the co-author of the new book The Packrafting Handbook and is an avid wilderness Nordic skater and skier. He shares his insights and thoughts on trip planning and risk analysis, aiming to help us become safer in the outdoors. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, November 11th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 11th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Outdoor Explorer: Catching up with Kikkan Randall and the year ahead for Anchorage’s nordic ski club | 05 Nov 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Our guest for this episode of Outdoor Explorer is Kikkan Randall, one of Alaska’s most popular and well-known athletes. In the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kikkan and Jessie Diggins became the first Americans to win a gold medal in Nordic skiing, in the team sprint freestyle race. Shortly after the Olympics, Randall was diagnosed with breast cancer and became an advocate for an active lifestyle while in treatment. She had been living in Canada, but now she’s back in Anchorage as the new executive director of the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage. SEGMENTS: Kikkan Randall, executive director of the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, November 4th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 4th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| NOLS: 50 Years in Alaska | 26 Oct 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
NOLS, formerly known as the National Outdoor Leadership School, has been educating and inspiring students in Alaska since 1971. Though not the first wilderness education program in Alaska, it is one of the most successful based on its longevity, number of alumni, and impact it has had on Alaska. Many of its alumni and instructors have lived and contributed to Alaska whether as educators, business people, authors, land managers, public servants, or just being active in the outdoor community. NOLS has also greatly influenced the outdoor industry’s risk management and Leave No Trace ethics, with its Alaska operations offering significant contributions. We welcome John Gans, former NOLS Alaska director, and NOLS President, and Ashley Wise, current NOLS Alaska Program Manager, to discuss NOLS’s history in Alaska, its influences, and its current status and future. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, October 28th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, October 28th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Catching up with artist Max Romey | 22 Oct 2021 | 00:58:59 | |
Our guest this week is Max Romey. Max is a watercolor artist and filmmaker from Anchorage. He has joined us before to tell us about his creative style of using watercolors in his films focusing on the outdoors. Storytelling using pictures instead of words was born from his life with dyslexia. The last time he visited us in the fall of 2020, he was developing a six-chapter project called “Trailbound Alaska.” Although the project has changed and evolved, he has finished one part of the film series, the journey from Seward to Eagle River. Another one of his films, “If You Give a Beach a Bottle,” is a story that took him many years to tell and is a finalist at this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival at the end of this month. Max will also give us a preview of his next project, which is very close to home. SEGMENTS: Max Romey, watercolor artist and filmmaker LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, October 21st, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, October 21st, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Talking about speedskating with some experts | 15 Oct 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Much of Alaska’s landmass is covered in water. During the winter when those lakes and rivers freeze solid, and if the snow isn’t deeper than an inch or so, all that frozen water makes for great ice skating! Around the world, people have been ice skating for a very long time. But recent advances in skate and binding technology, including the popularity of “nordic skates”, have made recreational skating more comfortable and convenient than ever before. Skating on natural ice in Alaska allows access to places that can be difficult or inconvenient to reach when ice-free, like Portage Glacier, the far side of Eklutna Lake, or other remote lakes, rivers, and swampy areas all around the state. This week on Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking with Carl Oswald, President of the Anchorage Speedskating Club, and Paxson Woelber, a nordic skating enthusiast who has begun manufacturing his own line of nordic skates. We’ll discuss everything skating: equipment, safety, places to skate, “wild ice”, skating adventures, and skating programs. HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, October 14 th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, October 14th 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Talking about the economic impact of outdoor activities with Lee Hart of the Alaska Outdoor Alliance | 08 Oct 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Economic impact of outdoor activities, image courtesy Alaska Outdoor Alliance. Lee Hart, Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance, photo courtesy Alaska Outdoor Alliance. The guest for this show is Lee Hart, Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance. The Alliance’s mission is to build the best outdoor economy in the world. The outdoor economy is an under-recognized yet important economic driver to communities across the Western United States. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, 81% of Alaskans participate in outdoor recreation each year and we have the 7th largest recreation economy in the United States. There is $3.2 billion spent by Alaskan consumers that can be tied to outdoor recreation, according to the State of Alaska Center for Economic Development. The Alliance is a critical player in advancing policy and promoting outdoor recreation and infrastructure in our state. SEGMENTS: Lee Hart, Executive Director of Alaska Outdoor Alliance LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, October 7th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, October 7th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| The First People in what is now Chugach State Park | 30 Sep 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Aaron Leggett, President of the Native Village of Eklutna, photo courtesy Aaron Leggett. This show is a follow-up to a show that aired in February of 2021 about Chugach State Park. We found a few paragraphs in the 2016 Management Plan about the First People to arrive in the Anchorage area intriguing. We will learn more about the seafaring First People who first discovered the Upper Cook Inlet and the Dena’ina Athabaskans who then moved into the area we now know as Anchorage and hunted and fished in the area we now know as Chugach State Park. Although Eklutna Inc. owns 10% of the land that Chugach State Park sits on and is the largest private landowner in the Anchorage Municipality, the Dena’ina have been called the “invisible people” because the stories of their ancestors have not been heard. Aaron Leggett, Senior Curator of Alaska History & Indigenous Culture at the Anchorage Museum and President of the Tribal Council of the Native Village of Eklutna, joins us to talk about the past, present, and future of the Dena’ina in the Anchorage area. SEGMENTS: Aaron Leggett, Senior Curator of Alaska History & Indigenous Culture at the Anchorage Museum and President of the Tribal Council of the Native Village of Eklutna LINKS:
BROADCAST: Thursday, September 30th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, September 30th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Changing Seasons: Using fall to prepare for winter | 24 Sep 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
On this show, our guests are Sarah Histand and Heather Caldwell. Sarah is a mental health professional as well as a fitness trainer and we talk about easing the transition of both your brain and your body from summer into winter. We cover some important areas of strength and fitness to focus on as you think about winter sports as well as how a less frantic summer can lead to a less abrupt change in energy with the season change. Heather is a psychotherapist, athlete, and outdoor lover. We take a deeper dive into using a connection to nature to ease our seasonal transitions as well as preparing our minds and bodies for the arrival of winter. HOST: Martha Rosenstein GUEST: Sarah Histand – a mental health professional and a fitness trainer Heather Caldwell – a psychotherapist, althete and outdoor lover LINKS: Evolve in Nature, Heather’s site BROADCAST: Thursday, September 23rd, 2021. 2:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, September 23rd, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| What's new in Mat-Su parks? | Outdoor Explorer | 08 Aug 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is home to a wide variety of parks and recreation lands managed by the state or Mat-Su Borough. From Hatcher Pass down to Jim Creek Recreation Area and out to Denali State Park, there’s plenty happening all year long to make space for a wide variety of motorized and nonmotorized sports enthusiasts, protect the wild spaces many users love, and welcome in both locals and tourists. So what’s new in Mat-Su and what are you missing by not exploring the Valley more? In this episode we hear from Stuart Leidner, superintendent of the Mat-Su’s state parks, and Hugh Leslie, recreation manager for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. HOST: Amy Bushatz GUESTS: Stuart Leidner, Alaska State Park superintendent for the Mat-Su/Copper River Basin region Hugh Leslie, Recreational Services Manager for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough LINKS: Matanuska-Susitna Borough parks and recreation Mat-Su/Copper River Basin State Parks | |||
| Exploring your own backyard | 10 Sep 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
This show is about exploring your own backyard and who better to tell us all about what’s out there than my guest, Jeff Lowenfels. Jeff has written a weekly gardening column for the Anchorage Daily News since 1976, the longest-running gardening column in the United States. Along the way, he has documented our changing climate and has been at the forefront of advocating for an organic and sustainable yard and garden. He is the author of a series of books on organic gardening, with a new book coming out in the spring of 2022. Join Jeff and host Lisa Keller as we explore the changing scene of gardening in the 49th state. SEGMENTS: Jeff Lowenfels– Author and ADN columnist LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, September 16 th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, September 16th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Funding your outdoor lifestyle | 10 Sep 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
On this show, our guest is Mike Branham. Mike is a financial planner with a passion for the outdoors. We talk about how you can fund your outdoor adventures and save for your future, why it’s important to find a balance between these things, as well as some ideas for maximizing your dollars when it comes to the gear and gadgets you need (or think you need) for your outdoor hobbies. Also, just a quick note that while Mike is an expert in the area of financial planning, our discussion is meant to be informational only and not to be considered professional advice. HOST: Martha Rosenstein GUEST:
BROADCAST: Thursday, September 9th, 2021. 2:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, May 13th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Gathering and foraging in Alaska | 27 Aug 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Late summer and fall are the time for picking blueberries, hunting for mushrooms, and getting ready for winter. Gathering edible berries and plants has many benefits besides their great taste. Jackie Qataliña, Tony Perelli, and Dana Diehl join host Paul Twardock to discuss what their favorite edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms are, their uses, the physical and emotional benefits of foraging, and ethical considerations. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, September 2nd, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, September 2nd, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Lee Bolling & Singletrack Advocates | 27 Aug 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
The Anchorage Bowl is known for its trail networks, and many residents and visitors think our various trail systems are one of the city’s best features. During this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking about one element of the city’s trail system: The soft surface trails built over the past fifteen years by Singletrack Advocates – a group committed to the construction and maintenance of mountain biking trails in several locations around the Anchorage Bowl. Our guest will be Lee Bolling, the President of Singletrack Advocates, and we’ll discuss the existing system of mountain bike trails, current projects in the works, and Lee’s vision for the future of Anchorage’s soft-surface mountain bike trail networks. We’ll also talk about the book that Lee recently wrote and released, titled “Welcome to Earth Fellow Human”, which explores the question, “Where did we come from, and what should we do now that we’re here?” HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, August 26th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, August 26th 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Epic Alaskans: Mountaineering and sea kayaking with John Bauman | 13 Aug 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Alaska has thousands of world-class outdoor men and women. Most have gone about their business without fanfare or notice, sharing their adventures with a few friends before heading off on their next trip. John Bauman lived in Alaska making a living as a carpenter while pursuing winter first ascents and sea kayaking throughout the world. John’s climbs (primarily in the winter) include St Elias, Mt Logan, and Mt Russell. He kayaked around Kodiak, the Aleutians, Iceland, the Falkland Islands, and the length of the Alaska Peninsula. And those are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. John talks about some of these trips and what it took to live to become as they say, ‘An old mountaineer.’ HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, August 12th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, August 12, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Revisiting Fly for pie | 04 Jun 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
This episode of Outdoor Explorer first aired on May 14, 2020. In the fall of 2020, it was submitted to the Alaska Professional Communicators 2020 – 2021 Communications Contest where it won first place in the category of “Special Programming – Radio.” First-place state winners are automatically submitted to the National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest. The awards ceremony for the national contest is June 11th and although we know we have won an award for the show we do not know how it placed. This was a complicated and time-consuming episode to host and produce. Lisa recorded the entire episode on her smartphone and then edited hours of conversation on the phone, submitting many segments to the producer, Eric Bork, to work his magic and put it together into the finished show. We thank the women pilots who were part of the show who not only spoke honestly about discrimination but also shared concerns common to all pilots, and as the contest judge remarked, provided “an entertaining and often funny dialogue.” Since 1980, the number of female pilots in the United States has remained stagnant at 6% of all pilots. In Alaska, however, with a per capita pilot population three times the next closest state, it’s not hard to find a group of women pilots to talk about their adventures. Jody Oyen, a pilot for Copper Valley Air Service, has a tradition called “Fly for Pie.” She meets up with other women pilots in parts of Alaska to bond over a slice of pie. I was asked to come along for a trip to Talkeetna and record the conversation among a diverse group of women pilots. Jodi Harskamp, an Alaska Airlines captain, joined us at Merrill Field to fly in Jody Oyen’s Cessna 185. Jamie Patterson-Simes, a flight instructor who owns SkyTrek Alaska Flight Training, flew her own plane and met us at the Talkeetna airstrip. The four of us walked to the Roadhouse in Talkeetna and met up with Leighan Falley, a pilot at Talkeetna Air Taxi. The conversation was honest and sometimes salty. SEGMENTS: Segment 1a: The first segment of the show was recorded on the walk to the Roadhouse in Talkeetna. You will hear Jamie Patterson-Simes, Jodi Harskamp, me, and Jody Oyen, in that order. Segment 1b: Walking to the Roadhouse with Jodi Harskamp, Jody Oyen and Jamie Patterson-Simes Segment 2a: The next segment of the show was recorded in the dining room of the Roadhouse. You will hear me, Jamie Patterson-Simes, Leighan Falley, Jody Oyen, and Jodi Harskamp, in that order. Segment 2b – 2e: Lunch at the Roadhouse with Jodi Harskamp, Jody Oyen, Jamie Patterson-Simes and Leighan Falley Segment 3: Close/Pilot jokes with Becky Hrdy, Jodi Harskamp, Jody Oyen, Jamie Patterson-Simes and Leighan Falley LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, June 10th, 2021. 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, June 10th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Boating safety in Alaska | 29 May 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Summer has arrived and that means it is time to go boating. Alaska has around 34,000 miles of coast line and 365,000 miles of rivers with people living, working, exploring and enjoying them. But, some also get in boating accidents of all sorts. As we prepare for the boating season it is worthwhile to review the equipment and safety precautions needed. On this week’s episode of Outdoor Explorer, we discuss boating safety with staff from the Alaska Office of Boating Safety, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Injury Prevention program, the Kingikmiut Singers and Dancers of Anchorage and the Maniilaq Association of Kotzebue. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, June 3rd, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, June 3rd, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Travel School #4: Homeward bound | 28 May 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
When Alaska Airlines Captain Jodi Harskamp took leave due to the pandemic and her children’s school shifted to on-line learning, she and her husband Neal Stanbury decided to take school on the road. Over the past three episodes we have heard about their trips to the parks of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Florida. In this episode, the last of our episodes, the Stan-Kamps are in Florida when Jodi gets called back to work. The homeward bound journey begins with some stops in the Southwest before heading back to Alaska. GUESTS: Segment 1: Jodi Harskamp and Neal, Tui and Leif Stanbury aka The Stan-Kamps BROADCAST: Thursday, May 27th, 2021. 10-11 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, May 27th, 2021. 8–9 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Dead Reckoning: Learning from Accidents in the Outdoors | 14 May 2021 | 00:58:57 | |
Most accidents occur for similar reasons: not being prepared, poor equipment, being in a rush, and lack of skill. Some accidents, however, are unpredictable. Learning from others is a great way to avoid the perils of being outdoors. Whether it is talking to friends, watching documentaries, or reading one can learn how to be ready for a particular activity or outing. Emma Walker, author of Dead Reckoning, is on this week’s Outdoor Explorer discussing her new book Dead Reckoning and the lessons she and others have learned from their near misses and accidents in the outdoors. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, May 20th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, May 20th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Brewing coffee in the outdoors | 14 May 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
On this show, we are talking about enjoying coffee in the outdoors. First, you’ll hear from Tim Gravel who is the co-owner of Kaladi Brothers Coffee about his favorite backcountry coffee brewing method as well as some other ideas for making coffee on your next camping trip. Then you’ll hear from Gina Shively who is a pilot and an avid outdoorswoman about her attempts to find a good backcountry coffee option and what she is currently using that keeps her caffeinated while she’s out hunting. HOST: Martha Rosenstein GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, May 13th, 2021. 2:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, May 13th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Biking Anchorage: Bike to Work Day and the new downtown dedicated bike lane | Outdoor Explorer | 01 Aug 2024 | 00:58:56 | |
Anchorage's plethora of bike trails provide many possibilities for cycling enthusiasts. Over many decades, individuals and organizations have worked hard to preserve and expand bike trails and routes. This Outdoor Explorer features two events that highlight those efforts. The first half of the show features Bike to Work Day, an event organized by Bike Anchorage. The event consists of around 80 treat stations and 4,000 riders along the bike trails and bike commuter routes in Anchorage in the morning and afternoon commuter hours of May 17, 2024. Stations had food and drinks, swag and information on biking. Host Paul Twardock biked between Westchester Lagoon and the U-Med district interviewing participants, treat station hosts and Bike Anchorage Executive Director Alexa Dobson. The second half the show highlights the new temporary dedicated bike lane in downtown Anchorage. The lane, a bike only, two way path separated from traffic, runs along 6th Ave. through the heart of downtown. It continues on A Street to connect to the Chester Creek greenbelt. The path creates an easy loop from downtown to the Chester Creek bike path to the Coastal Trail back to downtown. The path is an experiment by the Municipality of Anchorage and the State Department of Transportation to test the feasibility of dedicated bike lanes in Anchorage. Host Paul Twardock attended the dedication of the new lane on May 30, 2024 and interviewed attendees and the people that made it happen. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Bike to Work Day commuters Alexa Dobson, Executive Director, Bike Anchorage. Downtown dedicated bike lane organizers and dedication attendees LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, August 1st, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, August 1st, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT | |||
| Trail building in Alaska: Summer of 2021 | 05 May 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Trails are one of the primary infrastructures in the outdoors. They lead us to destinations or are and end unto themselves. Trails get us through the bushes and into the high country. They provide opportunities for observing nature, exercise, and relaxation. A good trail is well designed and built to avoid erosion and lasts a long time. Trail building in Alaska has come a long way since people went straight up the fall line. Alaska Trails and other organizations and trail building businesses spend the winter months funding and planning for the summer trail building season. This show talks with the people who will be working on trails around the state, discussing what trail-building projects are happening this summer. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, May 6th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, May 6th, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Travel School #3: Parks of the southwest and southeast | 29 Apr 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
When Alaska Airlines Captain Jodi Harskamp took leave due to the pandemic and her children’s school shifted to online learning, she and her husband Neal Stanbury decided to take school on the road. In the first episode of this series, Lisa spoke with the Stan-Kamp family after they had toured the parks of the Pacific Northwest. In the second episode of the series, it was the parks of California, the state with the most parks in the nation. At the end of their stay in California, they were planning a 5-day backpacking trip into Death Valley National Park. They arrived at the park just before Los Angeles county went into lockdown and were forced to leave the park and abandon plans to also visit Joshua Tree National Park. Instead, they headed for their next destination: Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. As they start to head east through the Southwest, plans again shift as the nighttime temperatures in the desert states start to dive and they find themselves heading for the warmest state during the winter: Florida. GUESTS: Segment 1: Jodi Harskamp and Neal, Tui and Leif Stanbury aka The Stan-Kamps BROADCAST: Thursday, April 29th, 2021. 10-11 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, April 29th, 2021. 8–9 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Drones: Uses and regulations | 16 Apr 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are becoming more common in Alaska and elsewhere every month. This past year they were one of the hottest selling outdoor retail items with sales growing around 12% annually according to thebusinessresearchcompany.com. In Alaska, drones are quickly becoming a part of the outdoor experience. The research, photos, and videos they enable help scientists, land managers, trail builders, artists, and others with their work. On the other hand, they have the potential to disrupt wildlife and other people’s outdoor experience. We will be discussing drone capabilities, regulations, benefits, and challenges with Bill Billmeier of Corax, Dan Beutel with the State of Alaska’s Division of Parks and Recreation, and Heath Schaaf with the U.S. Forest Service. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, April 22nd, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, April 22nd, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Travel School #2: Parks of California | 05 Apr 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
When Alaska Airlines Captain Jodi Harskamp took leave due to the pandemic and her children’s school shifted to on-line learning, she and her husband Neal Stanbury decided to take school on the road. In the first episode of this series, I spoke with the Stan-Kamp family after they had toured the parks of the Pacific Northwest and were taking a breather at Jodi’s aunt’s house in Grants Pass, Oregon. In this episode, the Stan-Kamps are leaving Oregon and beginning their journey through California. California has the most state parks and national parks in the United States. However, before they even make it out of Oregon, they encounter trouble. GUESTS: Segment 1: Jodi Harskamp and Neal, Tui and Leif Stanbury aka The Stan-Kamps BROADCAST: Thursday, April 8th, 2021. 10-11 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, April 8th, 2021. 8–9 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| 80 years of climbing, skiing, and boating with Sepp Weber | 28 Mar 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Sepp Weber, photo by Paul Twardock. Sepp Weber has climbed, kayaked, and skied for at least 80 years, and is still at it! Sepp’s first experience in the American Arctic was kayaking across Canada and down the Yukon. Shortly afterward he took a job coaching skiing at Arctic Valley. In his long and active life, he did the first ski ascent of Denali and Mount Logan. His trips involved paddling and skiing to the start of climbs, then returning the same way. Sepp also owned and ran a ski lodge near Denali which he built himself. In the summers he was a river guide and he wrote a book titled “Wild Rivers of Alaska.” He has a full life of adventure and experience to share on this episode of Outdoor Explorer. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, April 1st, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, April 1st, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Travel School: Parks of the northwest | 20 Mar 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
When Alaska Airlines Captain Jodi Harskamp took leave due to the pandemic and her children’s school shifted to on-line learning, she and her husband Neal Stanbury decided to take school on the road. Starting in the Pacific Northwest with their truck retrofitted to accommodate their outdoor gear, they began to tour national and state parks, with a vow to only camp and cook along the way with occasional breaks at family and friends’ homes. Their five-month journey is the subject of a series of episodes in the parks of the Northwest. GUESTS: Segment 1: Jodi Harskamp and Neal, Tui and Leif Stanbury BROADCAST: Thursday, March 25th, 2021. 10-11 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 25th, 2021. 8–9 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Organizing a big sporting event during a pandemic | 20 Mar 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
For the past year, the Coronavirus Pandemic has been canceling sporting events all around the world. But the organizers of North America’s biggest ski marathon, the American Birkebeiner, were determined to find a way to hold the race anyway, and they were resolved to do it safely. The American Birkebeiner Ski Race takes place every February in northern Wisconsin, and it usually attracts over 10,000 skiers. But this year’s participation numbers were down to less than half of the usual number, and the organizers incorporated a variety of changes intended to mitigate the potential spread of Coronavirus among participants. On this week’s Outdoor Explorer, we’ll speak with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation’s executive director, Ben Popp, about the changes and mitigations that were put in place for this winter’s event, and about how they made their decision to go forward with the race, even during the pandemic. HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS:
LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, March 18th, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 18th 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| The life of Richard Nelson | 07 Mar 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
On the next Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Hank Lentfer. His book “Raven’s Witness: The Alaska Life of Richard K. Nelson,” won the 2020 Banff Mountain Book Grand Prize after winning best in Mountain Literature. The distinctive opening to Richard Nelson’s public radio show “Encounters” was an easily recognizable signal that you were about to take a journey into the sound of Alaska. Richard’s Alaska life spanned across the state from the North Slope to the Interior to Southeast. He immersed himself in village life and Native culture and spent his life studying the relationships between people and nature. Richard died in 2019 but he lives on through his influential radio and written work. GUESTS: Segment 1: Hank Lentfer, author of “Raven’s Witness: The Alaska Life of Richard K. Nelson.” LINKS: BROADCAST: Thursday, March 11th, 2021. 10-11 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 11th, 2021. 8–9 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Emotional intelligence in the outdoors | 02 Mar 2021 | 00:58:58 | |
Emotional intelligence contributes to healthy relationships and successful adventures. Personal traits such as knowing your strengths and weaknesses, self-control, empathy, and social skills help individuals and groups make better decisions and work well together. Outdoor literature and lore are full of epic stories and tragedies caused by poor decision-making, many times due to lack of the traits associated with emotional intelligence. This Outdoor Explorer focuses on the topic with guests David McGivern, Betsy Young, and Bill Billmeier. The three of them have decades of experience teaching, guiding, and leading in Alaska and have much to contribute to the topic of emotional intelligence and its relevance to outdoor activities. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS:
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BROADCAST: Thursday, March 4th, 2020. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 4th, 2020. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT SUBSCRIBE: Receive Outdoor Explorer automatically every week via: | |||
| Meet Olympic cyclist Kristen Faulkner | Outdoor Explorer | 25 Jul 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
Did you know that one of the best professional cyclists in the world is an Alaskan? Kristen Faulkner from Homer is a member of the U.S. Olympic track cycling team for this summer’s Paris games. This week she joins Outdoor Explorer to discuss the finer points of riding a bike inside a velodrome. HOST: Adam Verrier GUEST: Kristen Faulkner, U.S. Olympic track cycling team LINKS: | |||
| Alaska Made: Revel Treks and Tours | Outdoor Explorer | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
Alaskan's adventurous nature can lead down many paths. For some, starting their own business in the outdoors is one. The risks and rewards of traveling through the mountains, rivers, and oceans are similar to being an entrepreneur: exploring new terrain with uncertain outcomes and potentially high benefits. This Outdoor Explorer is part of an informal series featuring Alaskans that started their own business. This episode features Kierre Childers with Revel Treks and Tours based in Palmer, Alaska. Kierre shares her story of becoming a small business owner leading hiking and backpacking trips in Southcentral Alaska. HOST: Paul Twardock GUEST: Kierre Childers, Revel Treks and Tours LINKS: | |||
| Honoring the lost and hiking Gold Star Peak | Outdoor Explorer | 23 May 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
Memorial Day may be the traditional first day of summer, but veterans, their families and the loved ones left behind know it’s also about something much bigger—remembering those who lost their lives in service to the nation. While some mark the day with ceremony, many others honor the lost by taking to mountains and trails. That includes the challenging journey up Gold Star Peak, where a moving memorial site is perched on the rocky top. Gold Star Peak sits on a slightly angled ridgeline in the Chugach Range, adjacent to Mount POW MIA, west of Pioneer Peak and the Twin Peaks and easily spotted from Mat-Su. It’s a tough climb tackled each year by hundreds of military-connected Alaskans and visitors. Explore why doing something hard outside helps us mark military loss and find out how you can participate. HOST: Amy Bushatz GUEST: Mark DeRocchi, Army veteran and president of The 98 Fund Mike McCauley, Navy veteran and volunteer with The 98 Fund LINKS: | |||
| Paddling into Summer | Outdoor Explorer | 16 May 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
It is time for boating! After a long winter kayaks and canoes are finally appearing from beneath piles of snow, rivers are running, lakes are thawing, and the ocean beckons. This episode of Outdoor Explorer is about getting ready for rafting, kayaking, canoeing and other non-motorized paddle sports. Topics include preparing yourself and your equipment for a summer of paddling. We also talk about Knik Canoers and Kayakers, or KCK. The club is instrumental in river conservation, access, and education in Southcentral Alaska. It hosts a safety education meeting, a paddle film festival, Paddle Fun Day and organizes trips. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Jule Harle, packrafting author and instructor Eric Downey, Knik Canoer and Kayaking club president Chris Hellmann, organizer of the KCK paddle film festival and KCK vice president Alaska Packrafter School and Jule Harle Alaska Office of Boating Safety Alaska Pacific University Outdoor Programs | |||
| Voices of the Wilderness | Outdoor Explorer | 09 May 2024 | 00:58:58 | |
For as long as humans created art nature has inspired us. From cave paintings in France to Indigenous art in Alaska to western artists like Rockwell Kent artists and their work celebrate the wonders of the natural world. The Forest Service's Voices of the Wilderness program continues the tradition with an artist in residence model of service and art. Individuals apply to the program and if accepted spend a week or more in a Wilderness or Wilderness Study Area with wilderness specialists. During that time they help with service projects and work on a creative piece that is then shared with the agency and the general public. On this Outdoor Explorer host Paul Twardock discusses the program with Barbara Lydon, program coordinator with the U.S. Forest Service; Marybeth Holleman, author and poet; Youpa Stein, multimedia artist; and Klara Maisch, painter. We learn about the program and the work they created from the inspiration they got during their time with the program in the wilderness. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Barbara Lydon, program coordinator with the U.S. Forest Service Marybeth Holleman, author and poet Youpa Stein, multimedia artist Klara Maisch, painter LINKS: | |||