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Volunteer ski patrols have assisted Alaska's ski areas since the 1950's. The Alyeska Ski patrol was founded in 1953 working at Alyeska and Arctic Valley. Through various iterations, the latest being the Alyeska Volunteer Ski Patrol, volunteers have provided aid and assistance to skiers while supporting the professional Alyeska patrol. From the mundane like helping set boundary lines to dramatic like assisting with tram evacuations volunteers have a long history of stories and experience to share. This past fall the resort decided to not use volunteers, thus ending, at least for now, the tradition of the volunteer ski patrol at Alyeska. To commemorate the patrol's history they gathered in December of 2023 to tell stories and reminisce. With the assistance of William Melton Media Outdoor Explorer was able to record some of the stories and present them to you on this episode. Matt Martyn, Patrol Director, MC'ed the event. HOST: Paul Twardock LINKS: National Ski Patrol Arctic Valley Ski Patrol Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol Skeetawk Ski Patrol Pioneer Ski Patrol Alyeska Ski Patrol "Women Ski Patroller of Alyeska" (Outdoor Explorer 3/13/2020 show) BROADCAST: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

What's the history of outdoor ice skating in Anchorage? How did the midtown Cuddy Park Ice Oval come to exist? What is Anchorage's Winter Solstice Festival and how is it linked to Anchorage ice skating and the Park? This Outdoor Explorer answers these questions and more. Every year the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department and their partners host a Winter Solstice Festival at the Cuddy Family Midtown Park. The event features ice skating on the park's ice oval, horse drawn sled rides, food trucks and dog sled rides. On this Outdoor Explorer host Paul Twardock roamed the event interviewing participants, organizers, volunteers, politicians and the events and ice ovals founders. In the second half of the show Jim Renkert talks about growing up in Anchorage ice skating and skiing, how the sports have become the core of Anchorage's winter city ethos and his vision of bringing winter sports to all Alaskan youth. HOST: Paul Twardock Interviewees: Ellen Devine, Anchorage Parks and Recreation Dave Bronson, Anchorage Mayor Anna Brawley, Anchorage Assembly Petra, volunteer/tourist from California Jim Renkart and Art Geiss, founders and organizers of the Oval and event LINK: Anchorage's Winter Solstice Festival Anchorage Skate Club Anchorage Speed Skating Club Nordic Skating: Luc Mehl ]]>

This week on Outdoor Explorer, we visit our neighbors to the east in Whitehorse, Canada, to speak to Meghan and Marko Marjanovic about hiking in the Yukon Territory. The Yukon is a land of long rivers, big mountains and vast wilderness, but there aren’t a lot of marked hiking trails. Sometimes you need a little guidance in a wild landscape, and we’ll discuss Marko and Meghan’s book and their website that describes many of their favorite hikes in the Yukon Territory. HOST: Adam Verrier GUESTS: Meghan and Marko Marjanovic, authors, Yukon hiking enthusiasts LINKS: Yukon Hiking website "Yukon Hiking: A little Guidance in a wild landscape" ]]>

HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: 1st segment: Wendy Wagner, Director, Chugach Avalanche Center Mary Gianotti, Chugach front range forecaster Mik Dalpes, Seward area forecaster Daniel Krueger, Seward area forecaster 2nd segment: Anne St Claire, APU faculty, avalanche researcher LINKS: Chugach Avalanche Center Staff Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center Simon Fraser University Avalanche Research Alaska Avalanche Information Center Alaska Avalanche School Avalanche.org American Avalanche Association The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies BROADCAST: Thursday, January 25th, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 25th, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

On today’s show we are talking with elite ultra runner and author Zoë Rom about her book "Becoming a Sustainable Runner." We talk about the importance of emphasizing long-term goals over immediate outcomes and how not to let your ego get in the way of your training. We dive into how climate activism and running are related and how having a running community is important for sustainability. We also touch on one of everyone’s favorite topics, gear, and how you can make your gear acquisitions have less of an impact on the planet. Even though we are talking about running and endurance sports, you’ll still get some good tips to help you stay active across your entire lifespan. HOST: Martha Rosenstein GUEST: Zoe Rom, author, "Becoming a Sustainable Runner" BROADCAST: Thursday, January 18th, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 18th, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

On this Outdoor Explorer we hear from Graham Zimmerman, a professional climber who is the author of the recently released book "A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains." Graham tells the stories of his many epic climbs, how he confronts the dangerous consequences the sport bears on climbers’ friendships and loved ones and how he is a witness to the rapidly changing climate that impacts the mountains he loves. HOST: Lisa Keller GUEST: Graham Zimmerman, professional climber, author of "A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains" LINKS/MEDIA: "A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains" BROADCAST: Thursday, January 11th, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 11th, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

It's that time of year when lovers of winter are headed to the trails and mountains to slide and glide on white crystals of snow. To help prepare them organizations such as Friends of the Chugach Avalanche Center host events like "Snow Stories" that aim to increase safety awareness and get people excited about the upcoming winter season. This year's Snow Stories was at the Beartooth Theater in late October. Outdoor Explorer was there to record the event with the assistance of the Beartooth staff for this show. The speakers featured on this show are author, guide and avalanche instructor Joe Stock. Joe just published his latest book "The Avalanche Factor," which is the focus of his talk. Heather Johnson is the second speaker. Heather was a novice skier when she arrived in Alaska in 2014, headed to the mountains and has skied every month since, the topic of her talk. She is the Assistant Director of the Alaska Avalanche School. John Sykes is an Avalanche Forecaster for the Chugach Avalanche Center, a 4th year PhD student in snow science at Simon Fraser University, and board member of the Alaska Avalanche School. His talk is on a ski mountaineering trip between Mount Iliamna and Mount Spur. This show is a live recording with some references to slides, but the stories are informative and entertaining. Get psyched for winter! HOST: Paul Twardock SPEAKERS: Joe Stock, author, guide, avalanche instructor Heather Johnson, Assistant Director, Alaska Avalanche School John Sykes, avalanche forecaster LINKS: Chugach Avalanche Center Alaska Avalanche School The Avalanche Factor Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center BROADCAST: Thursday, December 14th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, December 14th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

Oil Spill of 1989, and long term issues like climate change and invasive species. Even it's popularity contributes to increased human impacts. Despite the challenges the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation and Silvia Earl's organization Mission Blue have teamed up to designate PWS an Ocean Blue "Hope Spot." On this edition of the show host Paul Twardock discusses what this means for Prince William Sound with the Foundation's Executive Director Charla Hughes, Georgia Aquarium's Dr. Dayne Buddo, and Mission Blue's Hope Spot Program Manager Shannon Rake. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Charla Hughes, Executive Director, Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation Dr. Dayne Buddo, Georgia Aquarium Shannon Rake, Mission Blue Hope Spot Manager LINKS: Mission Blue website Mission Blue "Hope Spots" Georgia Aquarium website Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation website ]]>

When freelance graphic designer Aurora Hablett was invited on the show, the goal was interview her about winter single track. Aurora is a big part of placing winter single track trails in Far North Bicentennial Park. However, as the interview progressed her role in mapping trails became a focus. Hablett has created maps and trail panels for Singletrack Advocates, integrated legacy maps of the Alaska Pacific University trail system into one cohesive map and designed a ride in the shape of a bull for the Bike Durham Bull Ride in Durham, North Carolina. Hablett uses geographic data to create maps in shapes, a technique called GPS visualization. While most of the time is spent talking about mapping, the interview does cover a short overview of winter single track. HOST: Lisa Keller GUEST: Aurora Hablett, freelance graphic designer BROADCAST: Thursday, November 30th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 30th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

Mountain biking started in the 1980's and since then people have biked the world from Alaska to Chile to the Himalayas. More recently, Alaskans created and developed fat bikes for Alaska's winter. As bikers discovered what they could do with improved bike technology they came up with ways to carry all their gear. Bike trailers and paniers worked on pavement, but once on trails and snow new systems were needed. Eric Parsons with Revelate Designs started fiddling with bags that fit on bike frames to enable his epic trips. Eventually he quit his day job and started what would become Revelate Designs. On this Outdoor Explorer Eric talks with host Paul Twardock about biking all over the world and how that inspired and influenced his business. HOST: Paul Twardock GUEST: Eric Parsons, Founder of Revelate Designs LINK: Revelate Designs website BROADCAST: Thursday, November 9th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 9th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

HOST: Lisa Keller GUESTS: Kenzie Barnwell, Chugach Stewardship Coordinator for the National Forest Foundation Philip Swiny, Executive Director of the Alaska Huts Association LINKS: Alaska Huts Association National Forest Foundation BROADCAST: Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT ]]>

Fall in Alaska is hunting season. Throughout the state Alaskans pursue moose, caribou and waterfowl, stocking up their freezers while enjoying the outdoors. That relationship to the natural world is the focus of Steve Meyer and Christine Cunningham's new book "The Land We Share." Steve and Christine are avid hunters, primarily of game birds working with their retrievers and Labrador working dogs. On this Outdoor Explorer Steve and Christine talk with host Paul Twardock about their holistic approach hunting and being in the outdoors with their dogs. HOST: Paul Twardock GUESTS: Steve Meyer and Christine Cunningham, authors of "The Land We Share" LINK: The Land We Share: A love affair told in hunting stories - Alaska Geographic ]]>