Outdoor Explorer

On “Outdoor Explorer” we invite you to step outside into Alaska. Follow us to a new trail or fishing hole, learn what to pack, when to go and most importantly, how to stay safe. Learn about life-long fitness and get inspired to go outside in the back country or on the bike trails.

We’ll hear from the people who know the land best – outdoor guides, park rangers, coaches, authors, lodge owners, bush pilots, educators and you, the explorer. Listen Thursdays at 2:00 & 8:00 pm on KSKA FM, streaming live at alaskapublic.org.

We’re looking for your show ideas! Please send your thoughts for upcoming shows to: bork@alaskapublic.org

Artists in nature: Bill Brody and Klara Maisch

Next time you snap a picture with your smart phone of beautiful scenery, think what it would take to paint it. This Outdoor Explorer features two artists, Bill Brody and Klara Maisch, who spend weeks in one spot painting what they see and feel.

Entomophagy: Eating insects

Entomophagists are people who eat insects, and Chris Gilberds is a chef who has a lot to say about why we should start incorporating more bugs into our diet. We even snacked on crickets, ants and scorpions during our talk.

The joy and sorrows of an outdoor family: Raising and losing Cody Roman Dial

For millennia Alaskans raised families in the outdoors. Peggy and Roman Dial raised a family and lost their son living the outdoor life. Roman has written a book titled The Adventurer’s Son and on this week’s Outdoor Explorer we talk to him and Peggy about the joys and sorrows of raising their family.

Recovery, injury prevention, and treatment for an active life

Recovery from activity, injury prevention and injury treatment are all part of an active lifestyle. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about cutting edge equipment and new physical therapy options to keep you moving.

Nutrition for an active life

On the next Outdoor Explorer, our guest will be sports dietician Rikki Keen. We will have a wide ranging discussion of the latest trends in sports nutrition, from a plant-based diet and intermittent fasting to the use of intravenous hydration and CBD oil.

Learning from our elders: Eberhard Brunner

Alaska is full of people that have lived full lives in the outdoors. This week on Outdoor Explorer our guest is Eberhard Brunner. Eberhard was an alpine ski coach, owned a hunting lodge, ran a sporting goods store, and is a professional photographer.

The evolution of the fat bike

In this era of unpredictable snow, the fat bike has quickly become a standard part of Alaska winter life. Biking on snowwas recorded as early as the Klondike Gold Rush but it is only in the last 30 years that bikes specifically made for thesnow have been developed.

LISTEN: Avalanche forecasting and education

This week’s Outdoor Explorer is on avalanche forecasting and education. The joy of skiing and riding comes with the risks associated with avalanches. We’ll talk with professionals who study, forecast, and teach about avalanches.

Rickshaw Run across India

This week’s Outdoor Explorer features the Rickshaw Run Across India. Three Alaskans travelled 1800 miles across India in a motorized tricycle using their skills developed in Alaska’s wilds.

LISTEN: Exploring the fascinating (and sometimes restricted) wild areas on Anchorage’s eastern border

On the northeast side of Anchorage, at the base of the Chugach, is a heavily restricted area that requires a pass to enter. The residents of Scenic Foothills have long considered this area to be their playground, with access to trails and peaks and an abundance of charismatic wildlife.

Wildlife and bear viewing

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...

LISTEN: Imagine hiking all the tallest summits of the Chugach Front Range in one trip. These people did it this year.

The Chugach Front Linkup is the connection of the 12 summits over 5000 feet in the Chugach Front Range in a single outing. This past summer saw an unprecedented known number of people who have successfully linked the peaks; between them they produced 6 new records.

Ski swaps and Hatcher Pass Lodge

Winter is coming, and that means it’s ski swap time! This week on Outdoor Explorer, we'll talk to Sparky Anderson about how to buy and sell your outdoor winter gear at your local ski swap. Sparky is the head coach of the UAA Ski Team. And in the second half of the show, we’ll be speaking with Hap Wurlizer, proprietor of the Hatcher Pass Lodge.

Revisiting wildlife hazards in context

The terror of being attacked by a bear is a nightmare for many outdoors people, and a lot of time is spent worrying and planning for it. 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.

Alaskans Abroad – Guyana

Alaskans are no strangers to the wilderness, but what about the remote jungle? This week on Outdoor Explorer we are talking about traveling and living in the South American country of Guyana.

Kodiak archaeology with Patrick Saltonstall

On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking with Patrick Saltonstall. Patrick is the curator of archaeology at the Alutiiq Museum, which means part of his job is to explore the Kodiak Archipelago, documenting the ancestral culture of the area.

Hiking the Brooks Range

Ever wonder what it’s like to hike and packraft the Brooks Range? This week’s Outdoor Explorer features a series of field interviews with APU’s Dr. Roman Dial and his students as they studied tree growth while hiking the Brooks Range.

Sailing the Aleutians on the MV Tustumena

The Alaska Marine Highway System has been in the news a lot lately, beginning with the governor's veto of the ferry budget in the...

Smart & Solo

This week on Outdoor Explorer, we'll be talking with Randell Carlton Green, author of the recently-published travel book, "Smart & Solo: The Blueprint for Efficient & Enjoyable Solo Travel". We'll be discussing ways to minimize the discomfort and maximize the fun and personal growth that comes from traveling solo, anywhere in the world.

LISTEN: Revisiting disc golf

The thrown disc, otherwise known as a frisbee, transferred a generation ago from a beach toy to a serious piece of sporting equipment, both...