The Last Frontier Podcast

A massive three-masted sailing ship recently pulled into Seward’s harbor, flying the flag of Mexico. It was a sight to behold, and your favorite Alaskan bald eagles even had the opportunity to climb aboard and tour the vessel. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the ship’s first connection to Seward. So this week, we’re talking about the ARM Cuauhtémoc...its nearly four decades sailing the world as a training ship and floating ambassador for Mexico, its tragic collision with the Brooklyn Bridge, and the journey that eventually brought it all the way to Seward.

What is a Mexican Navy tall ship doing in Alaska? Why does Mexico still operate a ship that looks like it belongs in another century? And how did this same vessel end up making international headlines after colliding with the Brooklyn Bridge?! It’s the episode that proves sometimes one of Alaska’s most interesting stories can simply sail into town!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Forager Force by 49th State Brewing Company

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

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Building anything in Alaska comes with challenges. Mountains, glaciers, rivers, permafrost, earthquakes, brutal winters, and enormous distances have forced engineers to find solutions that simply aren’t necessary in most other places.

Yet Alaska is home to highways carved through wilderness, railroads crossing mountain ranges, massive dams, tunnels, bridges, and an 800-mile pipeline stretching from the Arctic to Prince William Sound.

So join us today as we dig into some amazing projects and count down our picks for the Top 10 Greatest Engineering Feats in Alaska. What did it take to build these projects? Which one presented the greatest engineering challenge? And which deserves the title of Alaska’s greatest engineering feat?! It’s the episode that's engineered for success!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Lingonberry Farmhouse Ale by Stoney Creek Brew House

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

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We’ve learned what Alaska’s salmon hatcheries are and why they exist, but do they actually work? In Part 2 of our look at Alaska’s salmon hatchery system, we follow those fish from the hatchery back to the fishery, looking at just how successful these programs have been and the questions they raise along the way. How do you know if a salmon came from a hatchery? Can there actually be too many salmon in the North Pacific? And are hatcheries helping Alaska’s wild salmon or putting them at risk?! It’s the episode that asks whether you can have too much of a good thing!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Squirrel's Inn Hazy IPA by Stoney Creek Brew House

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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How wild are Alaska’s salmon, really? In Part 1 of our two-part look at Alaska’s salmon hatchery system, we bring in friend of the pod Uncle Dave, a marine biologist who spent years managing fish hatcheries for Great Lakes salmon. Together, we dive into what hatcheries actually do, how Alaska’s system compares to other regions, and where the line between “wild” and “hatchery” salmon really begins to blur. What caused the need for hatcheries in Alaska? How many salmon eggs do Alaskan hatcheries collect? And how do you put a barcode on a hatchery salmon?! It's the episode you'll swim upstream for!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Swirl Chocolate Vanilla Porter by Magnetic North Brewing Company

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

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Most people know the wolverine as Marvel's razor-clawed mutant with an attitude problem. But Alaska's real wolverine doesn't need adamantium to earn its reputation. Pound for pound, it's one of the toughest, most fearless animals on the planet...a predator famous for taking on prey many times its size, surviving some of the harshest conditions imaginable, and disappearing into the wilderness almost as quickly as it appears.

In this episode of the Last Frontier Podcast, we explore the fascinating world of Alaska's wolverines. From their incredible strength and oversized territories to the myths, legends, and scientific mysteries that surround them, we uncover what makes this elusive carnivore one of the North's most iconic animals. 

Can a wolverine really chase wolves away from a carcass? Why do wolverines have trouble dating? And who would win in a battle between a wolverine and a sea otter?! It's the episode that'll prove size isn't everything!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Tailgate Amante by Brewerks

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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Most people associate reindeer with Santa Claus and the North Pole. But long before they were pulling a sleigh on Christmas Eve, reindeer were at the center of one of the most fascinating and controversial chapters in Alaska history.

In this episode of the Last Frontier Podcast, we explore the incredible story of how thousands of reindeer were imported from Siberia to western Alaska in the late 1800s to provide a sustainable food source and economic opportunity for Alaska Native communities. What began as a humanitarian effort soon collided with the Nome Gold Rush, booming commercial interests, and one ambitious businessman whose actions would forever change Alaska's reindeer industry.

Join us as we trace the rise of Alaska's reindeer herds, the surprising origins of Santa's reindeer in American culture, and the events surrounding what became known as The Great Alaskan Reindeer Heist. It's a story of innovation, greed, government intervention, and an often-forgotten piece of Alaska's past.

Did Alaska already have reindeer? How did Alaska help commercialize Christmas reindeer? And how much reindeer meat is actually in reindeer sausage?! It's the episode that'll have you planning your next heist!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Lucky Cat Rice Lager by Devil's Club Brewing Company

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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On today's episode, we are joined once again by our good friend Jared Fink for a lighthearted episode where we play Alaska Would You Rather. We put each other through 20 uniquely Alaskan dilemmas spanning history, wildlife, geography, outdoor adventure, and life in the Last Frontier. Along the way, we find ourselves debating everything from historical figures we'd like to spend time with to natural disasters we'd prefer to experience and everything in between. 

Whether you're a lifelong Alaskan or have simply dreamed of visiting the 49th state, play along and see how your answers compare to ours. Some choices are surprisingly difficult, some are completely absurd, and all of them spark great conversation. So grab your favorite Alaska craft beer and join us for one of our most fun and unfiltered episodes yet.

What could top summiting Denali? Which extinct animal that roamed the Last Frontier would you bring back? And is there anything more terrifying that a moose sized Raven?! It's the episode you would rather listen to than your next best option!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: 8 Star Alaskaveza by 49th State Brewing

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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From frontier saloons to neighborhood hangouts, nightlife has always played a bigger role in Alaska than most people realize. This week, we're joined by friend of the pod and Alaska nightlife expert Taylor Cline to explore how bars and saloons became the social heart of communities across the Last Frontier, and why nightlife in Alaska has always been about more than just grabbing a drink. We dive into the history, share some of our favorite spots around the state, and talk about what makes a night out in Alaska different from anywhere else. What historically were the only heated public buildings in Alaska? Why is it important to carry cash...especially dollar bills? And where can you hear future comedy star Russ White do stand up?! It's the episode that'll make you gather with other friends of the pod!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Sauvy B Ky-PA by Seward Brewing Company

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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Fjords are some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. They are deep glacier-carved waterways surrounded by towering mountains, waterfalls, forests, and ice. But while most people picture places like Norway or Alaska when they hear the word “fjord,” some of the largest and wildest fjord systems in the world are actually found thousands of miles away in Patagonia.

On this episode, we compare the fjords of North and South America and explore how two regions in opposite hemispheres were shaped by many of the same forces. We talk glaciers, icefields, rainforests, wildlife, Indigenous maritime cultures, and why fjords tend to form in very specific parts of the world. Along the way, we get into the surprising similarities between coastal Alaska and Patagonia, the differences between temperate and subarctic fjord ecosystems, and why glaciers depend just as much on moisture as they do on cold temperatures.

Why do some of the world’s biggest glaciers exist far from the poles? Why are Patagonia’s fjords so remote compared to Alaska’s? And what exactly is a group of bunnies called?! It’s the episode that'll decide your next winter vacation!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Devil in the Row by Brewerks

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

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Tourism in Alaska can be a tricky thing. On one hand, visitors come here for everything that makes this place incredible: glaciers, wildlife, fishing, mountains, and small coastal communities full of character. On the other hand, the people who actually live here still have to grocery shop, get to work, find parking, and somehow keep these communities feeling like home long after the visitors leave. Somewhere in the middle of all that is a concept called destination stewardship.

On this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Millane, Board of Directors President of the Seward Chamber of Commerce and one of the people leading the charge behind Seward’s Destination Stewardship Committee. We talk about the future of tourism in Alaska, the challenges of balancing growth with community well-being, and why stewardship isn’t just about protecting the environment. It’s also about protecting the experience for both visitors and locals alike.

What's important for visitors to know about visiting Alaska? Can tourism actually make a community stronger instead of overwhelming it? And wait, you're telling me people actually live in these places?! It's the episode where we all sing kumbaya together!

Alaskan Beer of the Week: Hawthorne Longfall Mystery Hop Pale Ale by Turnagain Brewing

Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]

Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]

Support the show