Trail building and Olympic skiing with John Morton
The Winter Olympics begin soon in Beijing, China. On this Outdoor Explorer, will be speaking with bi-athlete and former Alaskan John Morton, who's participated in 10 Olympics, as an athlete, a coach, a team leader, and 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 70s in the Army biathlon program.
The history of Kincaid Park
On this week’s Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about the development of the ski trail system at Kincaid Park with Jim Burkholder, who was a young school teacher at Dimond High School in the early 1970’s when he and other visionaries began cutting ski trails around Beercan Lake in Kincaid Park.
Surfing & The Turnagain Bore Tide
The bore tide in Turnagain Arm is an amazing phenomenon that is seen few places in the world, a wall of water that rushes in on a clockwork schedule, vast and intimidating. So… why not surf it? On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll meet some of the hearty folks who ride that big wave, and talk about surfing the remote shores and big waves found all over Alaska’s coast.
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Tidelines Institute of Alaska
On this Outdoor Explorer, our guests are Laura Marcus and Zach Brown, the founders of the Tidelines Institute. On two campuses along Icy Strait in Southeast, Tidelines Institute offers a variety of immersive courses centered around
environmental leadership and science education.
Pieces of Alaska History, Part One
On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Millett Keller. Millett came to Alaska in the early 1960s with a great love for the outdoors. In his 30 years in Anchorage, he touched critical parts of our history. His influence ranged from the initial development of Prudhoe Bay to the first community YMCA to providing opportunities for girls in sports.
Revisiting being alone in the wilderness
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!
Train and ferry to the outdoors
We Alaskans have a unique way to get into the backcountry, on our state-owned railroad or ferry system — two of the most fun forms of transportation around. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll celebrate how the train and ferries can get families out to adventures hiking, skiing, paddling, floating and exploring in some truly exotic places. We’ll learn about the opportunities, and how you can do it with your family.
KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 1, at 2:00 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 8, at 8:00 p.m.
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Training for Fitness
Have you gotten a little sedentary over the winter? Host Charles Wohlforth will be joined by a coach, a physical therapist and a dietician to talk about how to safely and successfully start a fitness program, to control weight, improve health or just enjoy life more. For those who already work out regularly, we'll talk about how to take it to the next level, and even to endurance competition.
KSKA: Thursday, 3/13, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
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Summer camps in Alaska
KSKA: Thursday, March 09, at 2:00 p.m. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about summer camp choices, and practical considerations for parents in planning your kids' summer. Summer may not seem close today, but it is definitely time to begin scheduling your kids’ activities.
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Whaling Photography with Bill Hess
Bill Hess is a photographer who has immersed himself in the Native cultures of the Arctic for decades, and came back with extraordinary images and stories. His book “The Gift of the Whale” is a classic on the subject of Inupiaq hunting. And he’s also a humble and funny person to talk with.
KSKA: Thurs., Dec. 3, at 2:00 p.m. and Thurs., Dec. 10, at 8:00 p.m.
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Backcountry Gourmet
You don’t have to be a genius chef if the people you are cooking for are hungry enough, which is one reason why freeze dried food tastes so good at the end of a day backpacking. But there’s so much more you can do.On the next Outdoor Explorer, we'll hear from two backcountry cooking experts to talk about ideas, tools, and the yummiest stuff you’ve ever tasted out under the sky.
KSKA: Thursday, Oct. 2, at 2:00 and 9:00 p.m.
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It’s OK to be a beginner in the outdoors
Do you remember what it's like to be a beginner at something? This week, on Outdoor Explorer our guest is Sarah Histand, she'll talk about overcoming the things that keep us from getting started, how to be a beginner when it seems everyone else is an expert, and functional strength at home.
Crow Pass History
The Crow Pass trail leads from the Girdwood Valley to Eagle River. It’s a great backpacking route, and also a historic portion of the Iditarod Trail that led from Seward to mines in the Interior. What you might not know is that the trail was rebuilt in the 1970s with girl scout labor.We’ll learn about the Crow Pass trail in history and meet a former girl scout who helped remake the trail 40 years ago.
KSKA: Thursday 11/7 at 2:00 and 9:00 pm
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Public use cabins and huts in Alaska | Outdoor Explorer
There is a rich history of public cabins in Alaska. Hear how two organizations are working to make more huts and cabins available to the public.
The Alaska Long Trail | Outdoor Explorer
This week on Outdoor Explorer we dive into the Alaska Long Trail. It would connect Seward and Fairbanks via a multi user trail system.
Bike fitting and the Texas 4000
We’re talking about cycling on the next Outdoor Explorer. We’ll chat with a physical therapist and a bike fitter to learn about getting the perfect fit for your health, as well as your performance. And we’ll have an interview about the Texas 4000, a cross-country bike ride for cancer arriving soon in Anchorage from the University of Texas in Austin.
Thanks for listening!
Reflecting on Alaska
On the next Outdoor Explorer, our guests will be two authors whose books reflect on Alaska through their relationships with our unique and challenging environment. Monica Devine, author of “Water Mask,” and Bjorn Dihle, author of “AShape in the Dark: Living and Dying with Brown Bears.”
‘A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains’ | Outdoor Explorer
Graham Zimmerman, professional climber and author, talks about his epic climbs, facing danger and the lessons he's learned along the way.
Fireweed 400
Close to the middle of nowhere, on the Glenn Highway at Sheep Mountain Lodge, 750 cyclists will take off for a race to Valdez, 200 miles away, an amazing highway ride, largely downhill, across some of Alaska's most beautiful country. And then the most competitive among them will turn around and ride back up the mountains another 200 miles to the starting point. We're focusing on the Fireweed 400, a unique, inspiring and fun summer event for the best cyclists and for a bunch off ordinary mortals who just want to challenge themselves.
KSKA: Thursday 7/11 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
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Revisiting it’s OK to be a beginner in the outdoors
Do you remember what it's like to be a beginner at something? This week, on Outdoor Explorer our guest is Sarah Histand, she'll talk about overcoming the things that keep us from getting started, how to be a beginner when it seems everyone else is an expert, and functional strength at home.