Advertise on podcast: Denali 360

Alaska native Vanessa Jusczak, joins Denali 360 for an informative and entertaining conversation about her youth in Healy, her adult role as the Director of the Denali Chamber of Commerce and the creator of the vacation planning site, Discover Denali. This busy Alaskan even has time to fit in a pet hospitality business that she runs with her kids!

If you ever wanted to know anything about Denali, David Arnold is your man. He truly is a walking encyclopedia. He helped develop the nation’s first - and at the time, only - broadcast meteorology program at Ball State University. With a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Atmospheric Science, Master of Science (M.S.) in Biogeography (macro-scale ecology), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Geography, Associate of Science (A.S.) in Architecture and Regional Planning, Dr. Dave can bring a wealth of information to a conversation about the natural forces at play in the magical place we call Denali.

Jake Hill grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and fully expected to find a "normal job" when he graduated from college. In 2008, however, he got a summer job in Denali, Alaska that introduced him to the wide world of seasonal work, and it changed his life. The following summer he met the love of his life, Anna, and they spent the next 8 years traveling, working, and exploring throughout the winters and returning to Denali every summer. Eventually, Denali felt so much like home that they decided to stick around for a winter. They now own a small cabin just outside Denali National Park where they live year-round with their retired sled dog Tuya. Though they are now year-round residents, they still prefer to work only seasonally

Do you want to explore Denali’s 6 million acres but don’t know where to start? Here is the man with the answers. Meet Jason Hill. He’s the General Manager of Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture, the official Concessionaire of Denali National Park. In this interview Jason shares some ways to tour, hike, bike, camp, RV and experience Denali National Park and Preserve.

“There has been much speculation about why Chris McCandless eventually died in the bus. Jon Krakauer assigned blame to potato seeds which were photographed by Chris and mentioned his journal. Ron Lamothe asserts that Chris simply wasn’t eating enough to sustain himself. Ron Hamilton recently threw in his ODAP poisoning theory. Personally I think it was a combination of factors.” - Will Forsberg Join us for Part 2 of an interview with Will Forsberg as he takes us Into the Wild, from a local’s perspective.

Denali 360 welcomes our first two-part episode guest, Will Forsberg. Will came to Alaska in 1974 and eventually settled in Healy, Alaska with his wife, Linda. They later took over Denali Dog Tours, a dog-powered freight hauling company that specialized in carrying supplies for mountain climbers. Pull out your maps and get ready for a lesson in Alaska geography. This man has mushed many miles! In part two Will takes us into the wild!

Owner of The Black Bear, Becki Klauss and Culinary Creative, Sarah Beth Tanner take us through their journey of meeting in Denali, growing their own professional careers and reuniting to launch their new and tasty project of a souvenir cookbook. We are thrilled to chat with these ladies as they embark on this exciting endeavor!

Our Denali 360 guest this week is Troy Henkels. He is an avid mountaineer, ice climber, paraglider, journalist, mountain biker, kite surfer, musician, photographer, cinematographer, and published author. His book, “Life on the Edge,” chronicles his extreme adventures. As a mountaineer, Henkels has been on ten climbing expeditions in the Alaska Range including a successful ascent of North America’s highest peak, Denali 6,193 meters (20,320 ft). Around the world, he has been on climbing expeditions in South America, Iceland, the Himalayas, and various remote peaks in Antarctica. In 2003, Henkels was a finalist on the adventure TV show “Global Extremes” that took him and other participants around the world competing in a variety of adventure races culminating in Troy and four other finalists attempting to climb the North East Ridge of Mount Everest. Listen and enjoy adventures of life on the edge! Learn about Troy's latest expeditions at troyhenkels.com.

Meet Tom Choate: The Oldest Man to Summit Mt. McKinley. He has reached the peak of Denali multiple times, spanning across five different decades: in 1963, 1983, 1993, 2003, and lastly in 2013. Tom, now 87, sits down with Denali 360 to talk about his experiences on the mountain and his first job at Denali National Park.

Bonnie Westlund is the General Manager of Princess Wilderness Lodge in Denali Park, AK. Originally from Utah, Bonnie came to Denali for a seasonal summer job in 2001 and never left. In this episode she shares her passion for recycling and her goals for Princess in the upcoming year. Bonnie spends her off time traveling or adventuring outdoors with her sweet chocolate lab, Lola.

Clay Walker is the mayor of Denali Borough. After graduating college with a degree in Geography, he came to Denali in 1992 to serve as a driver/guide in the Park. He later served as a supervisor for the operation and served on the board of our local labor organization. He met the love of his life, Sarah, at the McKinley Chalets in 1998. They married on the bank of the Nenana River, built a cabin together, then later a house. They are raising three beautiful children -- Ayla, Addison and Abigail.

Nan Eagleson lived and worked throughout the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada as a biologist and naturalist guide before finding her home in Denali National Park. She is an exceptional wilderness tour guide and is sought after for her extensive knowledge of birds. Nan conducts botanical surveys in the wilderness of Alaska. In her spare time she can be found birding, hiking, canoeing, and dog sledding. This unassuming woman is a remarkable breath of knowledge topped only by her endless energy and enthusiasm. Her book, Birds of Denali, is an overview of 44 bird species in Denali National Park covering habitat and location, migration stories, and conservation status. The book is written by Carol McIntyre, Nan Eagleson, and Alan Seegert, with beautiful illustrations by David Sibley.” Birds of Denali can be purchased on Amazon.com.