Outdoor Explorer - Alaska Public Media

Alaska has a long history of producing competitive cross-country skiers. While the spotlight of the Olympics and the medals won there take the spotlight every four years, Nordic skiers compete in the World Cup each year in Europe – a grueling months-long competition that spans many countries and requires a steadfast dedication to the sport and the training requires. Today I will speak to two athletes, Rosie Brennan and Gus Schumacher, to hear about their experiences, their careers and what they have planned next for their skiing journeys.

Early fall is whale-watching season for Cook Inlet beluga enthusiasts, and a perfect time for the whale-curious to catch a peek at these giant white mammals as they hunt and eat in the waters just outside Anchorage.

With only about 300 of this endangered species out there right now, a group of scientists and their citizen volunteers keep tabs on their health and movements. So what do you need to know about the Cook Inlet beluga, and how can you help keep watch, too?

Join Outdoor Explorer host Amy Bushatz for a conversation with beluga monitor and environmental chemist Regan Davey as we talk all things beluga, then head out on a whale-watching excursion in Anchorage to experience a day in the field.

In early August, hiker Brad Bartels set down his pack, propped up his camera for a selfie, took a picture in front of a monument in Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, and became the first known person to ever complete the Alaska Long Trail thru-hike.

Brad started his hike in Seward in late June and pieced together a route for the Long Trail, envisioned as a nearly 500-mile-long network of trails that is still very much under development. So how did he make his way from Seward to Fairbanks? And what did he see and learn along the way?

In this episode of Outdoor Explorer, Brad joins host Amy Bushatz on her back porch in Palmer for a conversation about the trail, his route, and what he experienced.

Meg Inokuma is a quiet and determined woman who has set course records in ultra-distance events such as the Susitna 100 winter running race, the Resurrection Pass 100 and the White Mountain 100. She also won the Equinox Marathon in 2022 at the age of 42. Her story is one of a late bloomer becoming one of Alaska's best endurance athletes.

She joins host Paul Twardock to discuss her path to Alaska, fighting and overcoming health issues and running some of the hardest, coldest races anywhere. They talk about her training, nutrition, balancing work and her running passion, her love of Alaska's mountains and what inspires her.

While mountain biking has been around for decades, its popularity in Alaska has taken off in recent years as more riders join the sport and more trails are added to the growing list of singletrack trails in the state. Host Steve Cleary speaks with trail advocates and cyclists from Alaska's three largest cities to find out about the growth and changes of mountain biking in Alaska.

What’s it like to ditch work for a year and bike pack more than 16,000 miles across two continents? And what challenges—physical, mental and animal—do you encounter along the way?

On this episode of Outdoor Explorer we hear from Anchorage residents and endurance athletes Ryan Fox and Katie Seybert about their year off of work cycling from Edmonton, Canada to the southern tip of Argentina with a side quest down the East Coast of the Lower 48.

Katie and Ryan share what it’s like to take on a big adventure, how to afford it, and the challenges of coming home.

The Alaska Fellows Program matches young people with professional positions in Alaska, helping attract and keep their energy and expertise in Alaska. Many of the fellows focus on outdoor related fields such as tourism, outdoor education, and conservation. On this Outdoor Explorer host Paul Twardock is joined by Alaska Fellows Executive Director Tina Buxbaum, fellow Amelia Lamotte and fellow Kamryn You Mak. Join us as we learn about the program and the adventures they experienced this past year.

What's it like to commercial fish in Alaska? How does one get started in commercial fishing? What are the risks and rewards? Robert Atkinson commercial fished Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay for over 30 years starting with set netting and then working the hectic Bristol Bay Sockeye fishery. He and his crew, including his son, experienced seasons of abundance and summers where nothing went right. He started off pushing the limits of what his boat, the ocean, and the law allowed, then became more conservative with his operation as time went by. On this episode of Outdoor Explorer Robert joins host Paul Twardock to share his stories of 30 years of fishing in Alaska.