Podcasts about Alaska Range

Here at The High Route Podcast we've come to the conclusion of season 2 here on the podcast. We'll pick back up again with season three in late summer.  On this episode, we have the privilege of checking in with Billy Haas. Haas is an IFMGA guide, professional avalanche educator, and ski mountaineer. If you are someone who skims the surface of the ski mountaineering scene, it's easy to see how Haas may not have caught your attention. He barely posts on social media. Google his name, and what populates, mostly are his professional bios—yes, you can find him guiding in the Wasatch, Tetons, and Alaska Range, and other places that require focus and a love for type II fun. But you'll have to dig a bit deeper to get the full picture of Haas and the breadth of his adventuring. Now and then, Haas may author a trip report in the American Alpine Journal, or be part of a crew reporting on a significant descent on, no doubt, complex and steep terrain. What you'll hear about in this podcast is not a “there I was” reflection on this or that steep line. You will, however, learn about Haas' path into guiding, how he once maybe skipped a few lacrosse practices to take an avalanche course on Mount Washington and found a lifelong mountain partnership with Adam Fabrikant.Along the way, there was dishwashing, road trips, lots of aspirational clients, and a vision to be the best he could be practicing his mountain craft. Lastly, we touch upon Haas' story in Issue One of The High Route Journal…titled The Patient. Haas explores his two major heart surgeries— intermittent diversions on his path toward excellence, and climbing and skiing— in good style—Gasherbrum I and II. Thanks for listening, and have a good day, The High Route Team.   If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together.We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is shipping. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here.The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here—there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with. 

AWP Episode 206 “If the grass is long, cut it!” Coke Wallace of Midnight Sun Safari's, Alaska's foremost horseback guide outfitters! Daniel Buitrago, Brandon Fifield & Chad Aurentz invite the man, the myth & the legend Coke Wallace in studio all the way from Healy AK to share his compelling story and history guiding horseback in the mighty Alaska Range. Cokes first wolf @ 8, the big move to AK, the shower house 26 pack in the Brooks Range, Israel Payton 84 inch bull, the archery bull that got away, put a trillion toward conservation, Primary cause of predatory Dall sheep mortality, Joe Juan & the 40's, Wilson the Ranch Dog, Coke's 30 years @ Sheep Show, Bob Degrosy from Idaho, The Frank Galato award, towards to tunnels foundation, 1.3 million to the cause, a love for the danish, river crossing in crocs, “real men don't shake it, they ring it” the wolverine suite, Eastern Sportsman Show, How'd he get the name Coke?, Daniels horse, Rudy from Alberta, getting split in half, struggles of raising horses in AK, Jim McCan, Same Day Don,   Visit our Website - www.alaskawildproject.com Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/alaskawildproject Subscribe on YouTube - www.youtube.com/@alaskawildproject $upport the show on Patreon - www.patreon.com/alaskawildproject  

In this episode I'm joined by Frank Schultz and master guide Coke Wallace. We hit a number of topics such as how the past season has gone for Midnight Sun Safaris, speculate on predator control, and talk about some of the issues and relationships with federal agencies and how they manage Alaska's lands.

In this one, Cody talks to Merrick Johnston. The best way to describe her is that she's an athlete. Rock climbing, ice climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, gymnastics, surfing, whitewater kayaking. You name it, she's probably at least tried it. But professionally, she's a skier and a mountaineer. It all started at a young age. She showed interest in the outdoors and her mom was more than happy to oblige because she loved being in the natural world too. So, Merrick learned about the outdoors from her mom. Always pushing her to go bigger, higher and faster. Together, they would do month-long trips skiing across the arctic or teaching cross-country skiing. And then when Merrick was 12, she became the youngest person to summit Denali. Her mom's teaching style was spartan, sure, but it never overshadowed her love and compassion for her daughter.  For 20 years, she's been a ski guide in places like Alaska, Wyoming and Norway. When she was 14, she worked as an assistant guide, and her first trip was to the Alaska Range. It was a bit of a disaster. She and another skilled mountaineer were multi-pitching a mountain called Dragon Spire in an area known as Little Switzerland. It was 40 pitches and they were out for 42-hours, causing them to miss their pick-up, which resulted in a search party being sent out for them. That was actually the first time her parents grounded her. She's learned a lot since then, though. Now, when she guides, she knows that it's important to make a plan and to stick to it, to never take unnecessary risks, and that it's important to design a trip so that it accommodates all skill levels.  She's done a lot of work getting to where she is now. She's a proud mom and a co-founder of Tromsø Ski Guides in Northern Norway. Along the way, there's been sexism, divorce and death. But regardless of the drama and the tragedy life can bring, she knows she can always find refuge in the mountains.   Photo by Martin Andersen

The best way to describe Merrick Johnston is that she's an athlete. Rock climbing, ice climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, gymnastics, surfing, whitewater kayaking. You name it, she's probably at least tried it. But professionally, she's a skier and a mountaineer. It all started at a young age. She showed interest in the outdoors and her mom was more than happy to oblige because she loved being in the natural world too. So, Merrick learned about the outdoors from her mom. Always pushing her to go bigger, higher and faster. Together, they would do month-long trips skiing across the arctic or teaching cross-country skiing. And then when Merrick was 12, she became the youngest person to summit Denali. Her mom's teaching style was spartan, sure, but it never overshadowed her love and compassion for her daughter.  For 20 years, she's been a ski guide in places like Alaska, Wyoming and Norway. When she was 14, she worked as an assistant guide, and her first trip was to the Alaska Range. It was a bit of a disaster. She and another skilled mountaineer were multi-pitching a mountain called Dragon Spire in an area known as Little Switzerland. It was 40 pitches and they were out for 42-hours, causing them to miss their pick-up, which resulted in a search party being sent out for them. That was actually the first time her parents grounded her. She's learned a lot since then, though. Now, when she guides, she knows that it's important to make a plan and to stick to it, to never take unnecessary risks, and that it's important to design a trip so that it accommodates all skill levels.  She's done a lot of work getting to where she is now. She's a proud mom and a co-founder of Tromsø Ski Guides in Northern Norway. Along the way, there's been sexism, divorce and death. But regardless of the drama and the tragedy life can bring, she knows she can always find refuge in the mountains.   Photo by Martin Andersen

The first snows have fallen. And if the local webcams have anything to say about it, it might as well be winter. Snow sliding and keeping bases intact—that's another story. The story today, on The High Route podcast comes from Salt Lake based Mali Noyes. Let's see where to begin.Catching up with Noyes is, and was, part of the problem. Not unlike many of us, she is busy. She is also on the move. Energy. Motion. Mountains. Running. Skinning. Skiing. Nursing. She grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho, and became part of a speedy crew of nordic racers at the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. Kilometer after kilometer, season after season, year after year, you can imagine the incredible base fitness. She went on to ski at the University of Utah and, once free from the constraints of school, took that drive and fitness into the backcountry. Noyes is an accomplished mountain runner, earned a spot on the Freeride World Tour in 2016, and is a Salomon athlete. After years in the mountains gaining experience, she has ventured into the Alaska Range and beyond. All the while, she took the time to attend nursing school. When she is not in the hills, she works as an oncology nurse.There's also something else to know—we don't really explore how she skied this or that line. Which, we think, is OK. We take the time on the podcast to get a little deeper and discuss things like how annoying it might be to answer questions like "What's it like to be the only girl on an expedition?" We also explore how Noyes expanded her avalanche education and now takes more ownership over assessing where and when she skis. All this is to say that we had an excellent time during the interview—we learned a ton.  If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together.We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is in the works. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here.The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here—there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.Thanks for listening,The High Route Team   

Bonjour listeners of The High Route Podcast. On this steeps and slogs episode, we feature Aurélien Lardy. Good energy and ceaseless energy are two key qualities for those making a life for themselves in the hills. Aurélien Lardy, a prolific ski mountaineer based out of Chamonix, has been on a tear for the past few years. If first descents or rare repeats are a benchmark, Lardy, who goes by "Aurel" for short, has notched plenty of them. For example, he and Gaspard Ravanel repeated a sought-after ski/snowboard descent of the L'éperon des Jumeaux on the north side of the Aiguille du Midi this past May. Did we bury the lead here? In this episode of The High Route Podcast, Lardy takes a breather from the alpine as we catch him in Chamonix. (We recorded the interview this summer.) A former ski racer, and lover of both front flips and easy-access Cham-steeps, the San Antonio Spurs, and slow churn expeditions, we are psyched to have Lardy as our guest. There is something about Lardy's style that belies the very exposed positions he finds himself in. If you are a visual learner keen on mastering steep turns, Lardy's utterly smooth technique is the opposite of what we may conceive of as a jump turn. It is a high-alpine meditative practice: ski tips remain in contact with the snow, knees remain slightly bent, releasing just the right amount of kinetic energy, ski tails swing around, completing the turn. Mathematicians, surely, could derive an elegant equation to explain what we see. Then again, it could be pure art—steep-turning ballet. Lardy and his steep skiing and ski traversing clan will also surely make an appearance at an adventure film fest touring near you. He's featured in films about skiing in Argentine Patagonia (Painting the Mountains) and a mega-traverse in the Alaska Range (Les Jours Sauvages). If you still need to get your fill, the film Chronoception chronicles his adventures in Kyrgyzstan—it should be available online soon. No doubt, Lardy and his people are prolific. Let's focus on the Alaska Range ski traverse for a moment. 50+ days. And as noted in Les Jours Sauvages, the style is heavy and slow. The ski party enters the range in the low-lying bush, weighed down by sleds and a fair share of cigarettes; they slog into the heart of the Central Alaska Range via the Peters Glacier. They ski Denali and Sultana (Foraker), ski traverse and muddle out the range, and eventually pack raft back to Anchorage. Mon Dieu!Conversely, Painting the Mountains is a film about expressing the extrême. Photographer/filmmaker Matthew Tufts helps frame the narrative as Lardy, Vivian Bruchez, and Jules Socié repeat the Whillans-Cochrane on Aguja Poincenot—a line first skied by Andreas Fransson.You can follow his high-octane adventures on the socials. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together.We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is in the works. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here.The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here—there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.Thanks for listening,The High Route Team   

At the age of six years old Rob Carleson was dropped off at a remote cabin in the foothills of the Alaska Range with his step-grandmother. In this video, he recalls the incredible stories of survival, subsistence, and the unique state of off-airport aviation that persisted during his childhood.

We're dropping this episode a bit before March—a dreamtime month for many THR readers and podcast listeners. March is on the cusp here in the Northern Hemisphere of longer days. All that translates into more time to move through the mountains—often with warmer temps and more stable avalanche conditions.This episode is handy if you need a little push to get the wheels turning, dream, be inspired, or push yourself out of your comfort zone.Let's get to it.On the Emergence Episode, we chat with Sam Hennessey, Michael Gardner, and Adam Fabrikant. We'll provide links below if you are unfamiliar with any of these three folks. If you follow the podcast, Adam has been on before. And yes, he still shines. For Sam and Mike, this is a first.Emergence. The podcast's title, which we vacillated on, is spot on. According to the Wiki, "emergence occurs when a complex entity has properties or behaviors that its parts do not have on their own, and emerge only when they interact in a wider whole."In this instance, the wider whole can be the group construct: three experienced individuals bringing their strengths and weaknesses to an endeavor and exceeding, in a unique way, the attributes of any individual. The wider whole also includes a vast physical landscape full of possibilities, including technical and endurance challenges, pitfalls that include high-gravity situations, and the potential for interpersonal conflict.We mostly focus on an excellent 2021 adventure by Hennessey, Gardner, and Fabrikant. Here are the basics of their mega-push: a climb of Denali's Cassin Ridge, a first ski descent of the mountain's Northwest Buttress, and an exit on foot across the tundra to Wonder Lake. Beyond the slog across Denali National Park's lowlands, this episode also features some fine ski alpinism done in good style.​​The good style we speak of also translates to the group at large. What makes these three individuals compelling is not simply their questing in the mountains but the real sense that Hennessey, Gardner, and Fabrikant care deeply about one another. That, folks, is a huge ingredient for any successful endeavor, which also gifts smiles and laughter.Let's set the ski alpinism scene.In 2019, Hennessey and Gardner climbed the Infinite Spur on Sultana (Mount Foraker) in ski boots with skis secured to their packs on a 48-hour trip. Yes, they descended on skis. The first ascent, a storied one at that, was completed by Michael Kennedy and George Lowe back in 1977 over 11 days.Then, in 2021, Hennessey and Gardner climbed a new route on the Isis Face of Denali's South Buttress in their impeccable ski alpinism style. Climb in ski boots with skis along for the ride and ski as much of the descent as possible, ultimately bringing them to the Kahiltna Glacier, the main jumping-off point for the main Denali ascent route. The two took a few rest days, then climbed a highly technical route on the North Buttress of Begguya (Mount Hunter) to the summit—this time sans skis and ski boots.As rest and recovery, Hennessey and Gardner guided the West Buttress route on Denali, as did Fabrikant. From there, the plan to climb the Cassin as a trio and make a first ski descent down the mountain's Northwest Buttress was hatched.After their respective guiding obligations, Hennessey, Gardner, and Fabrikant climbed the Cassin, skied the Northwest Buttress down to tundra, and walked out to Wonder Lake, where they snagged a bus ride back to Talkeetna. Resources—Mike Gardner wrote an excellent summary of their season, which listeners/readers can find here.—Hennesey's piece in the American Alpine Journal titled "Ski Seasons: Modern Ski Alpinism in the Alaska Range" is here.—To learn more about Hennessey and Gardner's fast and light ethos in technical ground, here is a collection of stories/podcasts on their speedy ascent, along with Rob Smith, up Denali's Slovak Direct.Slovak Direct PodcastFast times on Slovak DirectSingle Push on Denali's Slovak Direct—this podcast features Matt Cornell, Steve House, and Rob Smith (not Hennessey or Gardner). It is an excellent discussion of the history of the route and the evolving strategies used to ascend the line.Thanks for listening.    Find us at the-high-route.com. Yeah, there are two hyphens for redundancy, which is a good policy in the mountains. For weight weenies, hyphens weigh next to nothing. We are a reader supported website with free podcasts. Our podcasts are not free to produce or store on a server. If you are enjoying the podcasts, please consider supporting The High Route, you can find subscription information here. The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here—there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

Jack is a legend in the climbing world, a man I looked up to when I started climbing and still do today. His obsession with the Alaska Range produced first ascents of the Isis Face on Denali, the Diamond Arête on Mount Hunter, the Viper Ridge on Mount Foraker, and Mount Barille's Cobra Pillar, he made the first ascent of the Elevator Shaft on Mount Johnson, the north face of Thunder Mountain, and several new routes on the Mount Huntington massif. Shifting attention to the Yukon, he made the first ascent of "Arctic Discipline" on the north face of Mount Kennedy with Jack Roberts. He has traveled all over the world to climb, making expeditions to Mount Siguniang (China), Everest, the Biafo Spires, Uzam Braak and the Ogre in Pakistan, as well as the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash in Peru, and finally Kashmir, in India. He received the American Alpine Club's coveted Underhill Award for climbing achievement (1999), the Italian Alpine Club award, “Genziana Giovanne” (1999), and the Sowles Award from the American Alpine Club. "conferred from time to time on mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains," in 2003.We recorded this conversation in October of 2022 but because we had spoken for over three and a half hours I was reluctant to undertake the editing. I started editing just before his 70th birthday but that came and went before I could finish it.The conversation started tentatively as we tried to find the entry point, discussing how and where we met (in 1986), the original carbon-fiber ice tool I'd been given by Grivel the year before that I then gave to Jack, which he returned to me in 2001, and that leads him the story of nearly being killed on the north face of Mount Augusta in 2002. The rescue that ensued is quite incredible—involving the US Air Force operating over the border in Canada—the details of which Jack shares in a very sobering and thoughtful way.Augusta is in the St Elias range, which is twice as large as Switzerland, and the tallest peak, Mount Logan, is the largest massif (described as base circumference) that is above water in the world. On average 110 skiers and climbers visit the area annually (contrasted with 1200 on Denali) and 90% of those attempt Logan, so on any other peak in the range one is quite likely to be alone in one of the vastest wilderness regions on the planet.Further along we discuss the importance of preserving climbing history and the American Alpine Club's work to record interviews and document events with the Legacy Series of short films. This leads to some talk about the resource itself—rock crags and cliffs as well as the higher peaks—and how our use permanently affects not simply the surfaces (heavily polished Italian limestone in Finale Ligura is one example) but also the surrounding environment. When Jack went to Everest in 1983 there had only been four prior American expeditions to that mountain and there were four US teams on Everest that very year, and the mountain had not yet been guided. Contrast that to 2021 when 145 people summited K2 in a single day and there likely had not been more than 100 climbers who had stood on top prior to that day; guiding, fixed ropes and camps, supplemental oxygen, and significant Sherpa support for the clients have all had a dramatic impact on the craft of climbing and upon the mountains themselves.This tangent led us to a distinction between someone who wants to do the climbing and someone who wants to be regarded as a climber, and Jack is most certainly one of the former.The Mount Augusta story.

Ivy Spohnholz is the Alaska State Director at The Nature Conservancy, where she leads the organization's critical work around climate solutions, sustainable fisheries, and resilient communities. Given its size, location, climate, demographics, and economics, Alaska presents a very unique blend of conservation challenges– challenges that can directly affect massive, landscape-scale ecosystems and the communities within them. We've rarely if ever dug into the details of conservation in Alaska on this podcast, so I was thrilled to have Ivy join me for such an in-depth conversation. - Ivy was born in a dry log cabin in the remote Wrangell Mountains, in what is now Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Her entire career has revolved around public service– she's held leadership roles at the Salvation Army, University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Conservation Foundation, and Abused Women's Aid in Crisis. She also served for more than six years in the Alaska House of Representatives, where she honed her skills as a pragmatic and effective problem solver. In the fall of 2022, she took the reins as TNC's Alaska State Director and has been applying her skills as a leader and problem solver toward Alaska's distinctive conservation challenges. - I've been lucky enough to visit Alaska on two separate occasions, and I've had some of the most formative experiences of my life in the Alaska Range. The size and scale of the mountains, valleys, and wildlife are so staggering that it's impossible to visit Alaska without gaining a deep respect for both the landscapes and the people who live there. So I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with Ivy about her adventurous upbringing in Alaska and her service-oriented career. We talk in detail about her unexpected entrance into politics, and how she quickly learned to lead and navigate the law-making process as an elected official. We discuss TNC's focus areas in Alaska, and we talk a lot about Bristol Bay and its ecological and economic significance in the world. As you've probably come to expect, we talk about the all-important power of relationships, and we also discuss the need to be practical and optimistic. - A big thank you to Ivy for taking the time to talk with me– I greatly appreciate all of the important work being done by TNC Alaska. Enjoy! --- Ivy Sponholtz The Alaska Chapter of the Nature Conservancy -- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the last Tuesday of every month throughout 2024, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy's leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org -- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Ivy's birth in a dry log cabin in the Wrangell Mountains 7:15 - Ivy's childhood 10:15 - When Ivy left Alaska, and what brought her back 12:00 - How serving others became a core part of Ivy 17:00 - When Ivy became an elected official 24:00 - Discussing the political landscape of Alaska 28:15 - How Ivy became involved with TNC 34:45 - Discussing TNC's work in Alaska 41:00 - How Ivy balances working urgently with the often slower pace of building relationships  46:30 - The importance of Bristol Bay 52:00 - Potential future threats to Bristol Bay 57:00 - The biggest surprise for Ivy in her work with TNC 59:30 - Discussing “practical optimism” 1:01:30 - Ivy's book recommendations 1:03:45 - Ivy's parting words of wisdom ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts  

https://www.briandickinson.net/ HIS BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Descent-Surviving-Alone-Everest/dp/1414391706/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1433969869 BACKGROUND  RELATIONSHIP WITH FATHER JOIN NAVY Former US Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer / Combat Search and Rescue WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF IN MILITARY? BIGGEST ADJUSTMENT DURING THE TRANSITION TO CIVI LIFE? HOW BECAME A MOUNTAINEER? MOUNTAINEER RESUME  – Everest, Island Peak, Aconcagua, Patagonia, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Kosciusko, Vinson Massif, Cascades, Waddington Range (British Columbia), Alaska Range, Canadian Rockies, Smokies, Sierras, White Mountains, Appalachian, Andes, Himalaya, Caucasus Mountains (Russia), Sierra Nevada Range (Spain) and Sentinel Range (Antarctica).  HOW MUCH TRAINING & PREPARATION IS INVOLVED? QUESTION: IS YOUR CLAIM TO FAME CLIMBING MT EVEREST OR COMING DOWN IT BLIND BOOK: BLIND DESCENT AMAZON #1 BEST SELLER FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBING  DECISION TO CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST TAKE ME THRU THE ASCENT | HOW LONG TO REACH PEAK? BIGGEST THREAT OR RISK? WHAT IS THE DEATH ZONE? DISCUSS SNOW BLINDNESS eyesight typically returns in 24 hours, but I wouldn't regain my full eyesight for a month and a half. QUOTE: “I learned in my military training as a US Navy Air Rescue Swimmer, that panic kills, so I did what I needed to do to force that panicky feeling out and focus on taking one more step forward. I knew that there was a 99.99% chance I wasn't going to survive, but I never let that thought cross my mind.” HOW DO WE OVERCOME PANIC? WHAT IS THE KEY INGREDIENT TO MENTAL TOUGHNESS? “I can tell you that there are two things that got me down the mountain: faith and focus.  Focus is ironic since I couldn't see a thing. I was completely blind, but I knew what I needed to do to get down. I had to fight off panic and dig deep to find grit and resilience and to do whatever it took to take one more step forward.  Faith. I reached a point where I couldn't go on anymore and I surrendered to God. He was there the entire time, waiting for me to get out of my own way and rely on Him. “ WHERE WOULD YOUR FAITH BE IF YOU HADN'T LOST YOUR SIGHT THAT DAY? LIFE VERSE: ““Be still, and know that I am God.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭ BEFORE OR AFTER EVEREST? LEVEL OF TRUST: HOW WE INCREASE TRUST IN GOD? QUOTE:  “It's when we get out of our own way, check our ego, and surrender with confidence that we begin to live.” CLOSE: “Living at altitude is far from glorious. It's a suffer fest and it takes everything you have to figure out a reason to take one more step forward. But eventually—if you can get out of your mind and push through with continued resilience—you'll take those final steps and reach the top of the world” MANY PEOPLE LIVE A LIFE OF SUFFERING:  ASVICE TO FINDING A REASON FOR ONE MORE STEP WHEN ALL THE STEPS HAVE BEEN LANDMINES? HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF YOUR OWN MIND DURING THE BLIND DESCENT?

For Alan Rousseau, the allure of mountaineering is in the unknown. When he looks up at a mountain and contemplates whether it can be climbed, he sees a mystery to be solved.  Rousseau is an IFMGA guide who divides his time between pursuing his own goals in the mountains, and helping others do the same. His achievements in the Alaska Range, to which he has ventured more than twenty times, include first ascents of Ruth Gorge Grinder and Aim for the Bushes. In 2020, his first ascent of the west face of Tengi Ragi Tau with Tino Villanueva was recognized as one of the year's greatest climbing achievements and the pair won a Piolets d'Or. Villanueva wrote about the climb in Alpinist 81.  In this episode, Alan reflects on more than ten years of climbing in the Alaska Range, and exploratory climbs like Aim For the Bushes that he and his partners established earlier this year. He talks about the difference between planning trips to Alaska and the Himalaya, and the mountains that act as his compass. This episode is brought to you by the American Alpine Club Alpinist Magazine: Website | Instagram | Facebook Host: Abbey Collins Guest: Alan Rousseau Producer + Engineer: Mike Horn  

Countries Seek To Return To The MoonOn Wednesday, the Indian space agency ISRO celebrated as its Chandrayaan-3 craft successfully made a soft landing at the lunar south pole. This is the first mission to explore the region around the moon's southern pole, and a major success for ISRO. The mission plans to use a robotic rover to conduct a series of experiments over the course of about 2 weeks, largely centered around the availability of water and oxygen-containing materials.Less than a week earlier, a Russian craft, Luna-25, crashed onto the moon. It would have been Russia's first moon landing in 47 years. The cause of the crash is not yet known. Maggie Koerth, science journalist and editorial lead for CarbonPlan, joins guest host Flora Lichtman to talk about the two lunar missions and whether the flurry of activity signals a new space race.They'll also discuss other stories from the week in science, including a new analysis of the Y chromosome,  work on the camouflage skin of the hogfish, and a setback in a mission to clear up space junk. What's The Human Cost Of Alaska's Mineral Boom?A dusting of snow clings to the highway as Barbara Schuhmann drives around a hairpin curve near her home in Fairbanks, Alaska. She slows for a patch of ice, explaining that the steep turn is just one of many concerns she has about a looming project that could radically transform Alaskan mining as the state begins looking beyond oil.Roughly 250 miles to the southeast, plans are developing to dig an open-pit gold mine called Manh Choh, or “big lake” in Upper Tanana Athabascan. Kinross Alaska, the majority owner and operator, will haul the rock on the Alaska Highway and other roads to a processing mill just north of Fairbanks. The route follows the Tanana River across Alaska's interior, where spruce-covered foothills knuckle below the stark peaks of the Alaska Range. Snowmelt feeds the creeks that form a mosaic of muskeg in nearby Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, a migration corridor for hundreds of bird species.To read the full article, visit sciencefriday.com. Salmon Flourish After Mine Damage Restored In AlaskaOn Friday, July 28, there were hundreds of juvenile salmon clustered in a pool, in clear water surrounded by a bank of fresh woody debris. Not 100 yards away, a spinning drum processed sediment to extract gold.This land is managed by a mining company, but it's also the site of a major stream restoration project. Thousands of salmon are returning to this stream in Hope, more than 100 years after aggressive gold mining affected the path of the river. The project to restore Resurrection Creek has brought together a coalition of stakeholders, including the present-day mining company that occupies the site.The restoration of Resurrection Creek began in the early 2000s. The goal was to correct habitat damage caused by historic mining.More than 100 years ago, heavy mining activity in the gold rush town affected the stream pattern, turning it from a meandering creek to a straight ditch. Jim Roberts is vice president of Hope Mining Company, and he said hydraulic mining in the early 1900s fundamentally changed the waterway.To read the full article, visit sciencefriday.com. All About Sea OttersLast month, a rowdy sea otter was stealing surfboards off the coast of Santa Cruz California, biting chunks out of surfboards, and even catching a few waves. It's rare for a sea otter to get so close to humans in the wild. Authorities are trying to capture the otter, named 841, for her safety and that of the surfers. But, a month later, she remains at large.  Guest host Flora Lichtman talks with Jessica Fujii, sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to get the 411 about Otter 841, and talk all things sea otter—including their sophisticated use of tools, carrying food in their armpits, and busting myths about hand holding.  To stay updated on all-things-science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

Often described as one of the most beautiful mountains in North America, Mt. Huntington has been drawing top alpinists to the Alaska Range ever since the peak's first ascent in 1964, led by the great French climber Lionel Terray. In April 2023, Dane Steadman (USA), Zac Colbran and Grant Stewart (both from Canada) flew to the Tokositna Glacier for their own adventures. The three of them climbed a cool new route up the west face of Huntington, and two of them then made a second foray onto the west face, repeating a rarely climbed variation to the Harvard Route and freeing the classic Nose pitch. AAJ assistant editor Michael Levy interviewed all three climbers to get their story. The Cutting Edge podcast is produced by Hilleberg the Tentmaker, with additional support from Bivouac Coffee. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Journey with us up north to the “Golden Heart of Alaska” as we chat with Terrell Echols, General Manager of the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. As you can imagine, there are many differences and exciting challenges with running a venue in Alaska. Terrell tells us about the venue's place in the city and what they aim to provide. In addition to hosting touring events, the Carlson Center also serves as a community center, recreational skating rink, and even home to an indoor playground – which is great on short, cold, winter days, which at one point in the year is only two hours of daylight. Hear how Fairbanks, located in the Tanana Valley, between the hills and the Alaska Range, works closely with Anchorage to make routing shows more attractive to promoters, which is sometimes their biggest challenge. Terrell talks about his history, from growing up in Chicago to following different interests to ultimately getting into sports management at Columbia College. He tells us about his experience with community engagement and how his time working with students who had behavioral issues taught him so much about communication, the importance of listening to people, and how that experience has helped him in his work of making sure their venue is open for everyone, no matter their interests. Enjoy this informative, fun, episode that may inspire you to follow that interesting career opportunity to a new and exciting job.Terrell Echols: LinkedIn | EmailFNSB Carlson Center: Facebook

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, we're deep in the western Alaska Range with Registered Hunting Guide, Rob Jones. Rob tells us some riveting stories from his colorful careers starting as a private pilot at a young age, to his adventurous years as an Alaskan smoke jumper, to ultimately becoming a prolific commercial fisherman and hunting guide of over 30-years. Today Rob operates his hunting operation, RnR Hunting, from his Big River Lodge, the same place we recorded this here episode. You're about to hear a diverse string of tales including some from the early years building the lodge, when rob and his crew deconstructed, fly out, and later reassembled, on-site, an actual bulldozer, to his painful story of his worst case of frostbite ever that almost claimed both his feet. And even the haunting  recollection of recovering the victims of a plane wreck out in the wrangles. Rob Jones, Indiana Jones, what's the difference! This man has seen, and survived all of it. So listen up! You're about to hear from one of the most interesting and experienced humans I've ever met, Mr. Rob Jones. 

On this episode of the Peter Panda Podcast, I have the absolute pleasure of catching up with my dear friend and badass hunter, Becca Harris. Now, if you don't know Becca already, let me stop you right here, and re-direct you to Season 1 Episode 5 of the Peter Panda Podcast for a formal introduction. I promise you'll fall in love with this young lady as quickly as we all did. Fortune favors the best of us, and Becca just recently had the extremely limited opportunity to hunt an Alaskan Bison. Thats right, there are buffalo in AK. And drawing a permit is like basically winning the lottery. So listen up! We're about to snowmobile deep into the Alaska Range to hunt North America's largest mammal with one of the all around greatest humans I know, Miss Becca Harris. 

Begguya - Mount hunter - at 14,537 feet tall - a massif that is dominated in scale by its neighbors Sultana and Denali - but a mountain that dominates the minds and hearts of many a mountaineer.And this was the case for Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander in the spring of 2021 when on a hunch, he called August Franzen - a young Alaskan climber who'd been making a name for himself on the frozen waterfalls of Valdez - with a proposition.  To attempt a monolithic line on the unclimbed West Buttress of Mount Hunter.  Franzen agreed instantly, and in May of 2021, the duo flew into Denali Basecamp.  The route, which starts with a 9 mile ski from Denali basecamp, weaves its way up and through the broken labyrinth of the Ramen Icefall, up to a dicey corniced ridge, then through a plum line up the golden granite buttress, before finally topping out on a plateau below the south summit.But on that first trip, many lessons had to be learned.  First, Helander took a 30 foot crevasse fall in the icefall.  Able to extract himself, the team was shaken, but continued on.  19 hours later, they shivered through a miserable night a few pitches up the crux buttress - a lone soggy sleeping bag shared between them.  Mentally and physically exhausted, they retreated the next morning.  But as they took the edge off with whisky in basecamp a day later, the duo made a pact.  They would return to finish the west buttress.Links:Climbing MagazineThe Firn Line Website

In 2019 Steve Cannon embarked on a journey with a handful of other intrepid souls, to ride their bikes along the Iditarod Trail from near Anchorage, across the Alaska Range to Nome, a thousand miles away on the Bering Sea. Bike Talk with Dave's Dave Mable followed along to film a documentary about the journey. Once the two had returned home, Cannon and Mable sat down to record Cannon's experience, from his first fatbike ride all the way through Alaska to Nome. This is the first half of that recording - taking listeners from Cannon's first ride to the starting line of the Iditarod Trail Invitational on the frozen Knik Lake just outside of Anchorage. Tune in next week for Part 2 which will take us, with Cannon, from the starting shotgun blast through the Alaska Range all the way to the Bering Sea. Also, starting this week we'll be randomly dropping a new Bike Talk with Dave Feature: Bike Talk Shorts! Five-to-15-minute stories and interviews with incredible people doing incredible things - this week you'll meet Flori Reiterberger, a fat biker who was attempting his first Iditarod Trail race to Nome. Be sure to subscribe so you're notified when Bike Talk Shorts hits your favorite podcast platform!Watch: 1000 Miles to Nome and Down the Kuskokwim for free!Please consider supporting Bike Talk with Dave by rating, reviewing and sharing on your favorite podcast platform. We'd invite you to support the show financially at www.buymeacoffee.com or on Venmo @David-Mable. You'll receive a Bike Talk with Dave sticker!Bike Talk with Dave is supported by Chain and Spoke Coffee. Order your favorite flavor at www.chainandspoke.com. The Chain and Spoke retail location will be opening in Des Moines, Iowa soon featuring great coffee, bikes and the new Bike Talk with Dave Studio!Bikeiowa.com is the online host of Bike Talk with Dave. Get your event listed on the extensive ride and race calendar for free! Create an account and add and edit your event to reach thousands of cyclists.AND if you want your event featured on Bike Talk with Dave, reach out on the Bike Talk with Dave instagram or facebook page for details how to highlight your ride on one of these bonus episodes!Join Dave and the Iowa Gravel Gang on April 29 for the Driftless 100, a beautiful ride through the scenic Driftless region of Northeast Iowa. Starting in Elkader, a 100, 6o and 30 mile options are available. Register today at www.driftlessgravel.com. And a month before that, Dave and his wife, Dee, will be eating fried rattlesnake and riding gravel at the Rattlesnake Gravel Grind in Sweetwater, Texas. www.rattlesnakegravelgrind.bikeWe hope you tune in every week - we've got a great slate of guests ahead of us - Heather Poskevich who is preparing to tackle the RAAM this summer and Matt Phipen Director of the annual ride across Iowa, RAGBRAI. Subscribe to Bike Talk with Dave and follow on facebook and instagram so you don't miss a thing!

Today I'm talking with Colorado businesswoman Sheri Tingey. Sheri pioneered an entire adventure sport, while many her age were mulling retirement. Recently, on her 77th birthday, Sheri Tingey finally saw her dream come true.   Two decades and dozens of prototypes later, Alpacka Raft launched the Valkyrie. Suited for Class V whitewater, this Packraft is the closest resemblance of a hard shell kayak ever made. It's the culmination of Sheri's ambitions since she designed the modern-day Packraft and built the brand 22 years ago. Her idea blossomed into a 50-employee company, making the brand a leader in the outdoor industry and one of the largest employers in the small mountain town of Mancos, CO. Facebook Twitter Instagram The Outdoor Biz Podcast Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Sign up for my Newsletter HERE.  I'd love to get your feedback! Contact me here: email: rick@theoutdoorbizpodcast.com or leave me a message on Speakpipe! Brought to you by: Thrive Market Show Notes Let's start with how you got into the outdoors. You know, honestly, I've been in the outdoors from the time I can remember I was born and raised in Phoenix. I, from the time I was a very small child, I hated the heat, didn't, you know, didn't want anything to do with that. But there was a camp out of Prescott and my dad would build cabins for them. I only have a tiny memory of that, but by the next year, that and that camp was everything about being in the outdoors. And how did you learn how to sew and make things? I come from the generation that women still, you know, sewed. My grandmother lived with us and she made all of our clothes, in those days. You know, today it, it is kind of interesting, sewing has become one of these lost arts that's sort of, redefining itself again. But when I was young, clothing was very expensive and so most people sewed. My grandmother lived in a little tiny cabin out and back and she had a little singer. And you know, she didn't so much teach us as my sister and I would just watch her and she let us use the sewing machine. And so by the time Rogue was five and I was three. We started sewing. Where'd you learn to kayak? Yep. I, I had moved to Jackson Hole in 1967, and lived there for many years till we moved to Alaska. And I started kayaking. I got invited on a trip on the Owyhee River. Some friends who were, uh, ski friends who had and you, I'm trying to think, this would be about 1971. Okay. Something like that. Mm-hmm. 72 maybe. And you know, at that time there were kayaks on the East coast and there were some kayaks in Seattle and Los Angeles, but almost nothing in the Rocky Mountains. Kayaking had not hit yet. I was a water fanatic and I am invited on this trip on the Owyhee River, and there were four kayaks and one raft. And I, of course, was in the raft and I had never seen kayaks before. And I took one look at those things and went, oh my God, this is the way you, you know, all of a sudden you have waves, you have water, it's like the ocean. So the, uh, last day of the trip, the three of us that were in the raft, they traded off and let us play in the kayaks. And I just was, you know, it was love the second I got in and I was like, oh my God, I am home. Did that also get you in rafting? You know, I was never a quote-unquote rafter. I think rafts are great, but particularly then, even now, you need a lot of stuff for a raft. You need at least four people and a lot of stuff. You need a good trailer. You need all this stuff. There's nothing small about owning a raft, but buying this world-famous that weighed, you know, what, 25 pounds or something? You could throw it in the back of the car. Looking back I realized, wow, those were dots, that those were the dots in the line of development for building pack rafts that I would've never even remotely thought about. It was this reality that, wow, I don't want a huge raft. I want something I can throw in the back of the car. I want something that, you know, can support my kayak trip. Share with us the early days from that first boat. Sounds like you made your first boat and played around with it. How long after that first boat did the company start? Two years earlier, Thor went to Colorado College, which is a school that had an adventure program that gave grants for basically adventure travel. And it was done because one of the previous alumni, Rick Kellogg was a climber and he was killed on Mount Foraker and his parents had a fair amount of money and started a fund at this college for travel. So Thor won a grant his sophomore year, and there were five of them. And that year they took a, I don't know what it was, like a three-week or a month trip at that point. So, the idea was always there, but there wasn't a boat. And so long story short, the summer before Thor's first trip, Roman Dial and Carl Tobin had done a thing called heli biking the Alaska Range. They started at the Alaska-Yukon border and followed the Alaska range up and ended up at Lake Clark. They were gone all summer and they had their bikes and they had these little pack rafts that were made by Sherpa. So that was the year before Thor won his grant. And we knew Roman. So when Thor was trying to figure out what he wanted to do, my ex and I said at the time, you should talk to Roman, cuz Roman just knows so much about travel in the state. And so Roman kind of put Thor onto making a pack raft, quote unquote work, and do this last third of the trip that they'd done. And so they did that year. And those boats, they bought little $79.95 Sevylors. So with almost every mile, one of the boats out of the five would sink and they, you know, they just repaired and repaired and repaired and repaired. And so any rate, when he returned from that trip, he said, I will never ever, ever, ever take a Sevylor anywhere again. And so fast forward two years and, and he has a trip again, and there was another gentleman named Curtis, his last name was Curtis. He was a Boeing engineer, and in one of those bust economies, he started building these beautiful little boats, but it was made out of tissue paper practically. He was a high-country lake fisherman, and that's what they were designed for. Thor was climbing Denali when the boat arrived. And I unpacked this thing and I took one look and I thought, oh my God, you are so toast You're not even gonna get off the lake in this thing. So I went down to Joanne Fabrics, and in those days they actually had some Pack Cloth and glued it on the bottom, at least to give him something of a floor. Then he got off Denali and heads off on this trip. And so when he returned, as they say, I weighed that boat and I weighed about three and a half pounds when it left, and it was close to 15 pounds. at the end of the year when it came back and it was just patch on patch on patch. And that's when he said, can you build me a boat and like a dummy I said, uh, yeah. Are there any future projects you guys are working on that you can talk about? Well, you know, and what's been fun the Valkyrie, this last boat that just came out. I lovingly call her the bitch because she is the bitch. Dustin and I, and Thor and everyone, we've worked so long on this boat. There are so many things we learned off of that boat. Uh, just like with all, all of these things, you know, it's that classic progression, right, that you learn a new technique, well then you take back and you know, it drips down to all the others and, oh, we can do this now, we can do that now. And there are so many things I learned off of building the Valkyrie that I can now take forward into some of these other boats that I'm doing that I wouldn't even thought about. So do you get outside much? Do you get to paddle a lot? The last two years, to be honest, I've been real active up till about two years ago, and then my chronic fatigue just came out of the closet again. And so it'll, well, It's life. At least I'm functioning again. The most I get out is I bought, I broke down and bought a nice electric bike. I'm trying to ski a little bit this winter, but I'm also starting to get Healthier. Do you have any suggestions or advice for folks wanting to get into the outdoor adventure business? One, don't be afraid of it. It's one of the things that happens, and it was a, one of the biggest lessons for me, you know, I had my business making ski clothing. I started in 1968, you know, and went till 1981. And at that point was, when all there were so many little tiny manufacturers like myself and then Patagonia, Chouinard at that time, and North Face and all those guys all of a sudden just exploded, blew up. And all of us in this, in the industry that were little thought, this is the end. You know, there's, there's no hope. There's no room for anybody else. And what I came to find out many years later is, that's not true because as these companies get bigger, they, you can't be great big and be cutting edge. It just doesn't work. If you, the more people you sell to, the more you have to dumb down your, gears the wrong word, but in a way it's, it, it has to be more standard. There's always room on the cutting edge. Yeah. If you're gonna try to do something standardized, yeah you might have some problems, you know, then you're fighting the big voice. But if you can make something really good that's out there on that edge that has a market, absolutely you can do it. I think the most difficult thing today is, which didn't used to be such a problem is getting your hands on the fabrics that you need. Some of those companies are not so willing to sell the good stuff, but, you can find your way through it. It you just have to be persistent. You can do it, but just be careful about where you start and you don't need to be a giant. Start small and let it grow, you know? That's perfect. Do you have a favorite piece of outdoor gear under a hundred dollars that you use a lot that you like? When I saw that, I chuckled. Several years ago we had moved into Anchorage. There was an article in the paper about a man and his son uh, out in the Bethel area, which is, well it's out in the big delta there. Anyway, it was early June and I, I don't even remember the river that they were running, but they had come around a corner, you know, they're out in the middle of absolute nowhere and the entire river was frozen over and they went under the ice. Long story short, it wasn't too far. The whole thing went under and they broke out the other side and you know, they lost everything. He and his son survived because he had a waterproof lighter. And in those days I always had lighters and I always put 'em in plastic baggies and everything, and never thought that, but any rate, I went down and I bought a waterproof lighter and It's one of the coolest things I've ever owned, and it is such an incredible safety thing to have that, you know, this thing's gonna work. That's a great thing to have. Do you have a couple favorite Books? John Kretschmer Cape Horn to Starboard Sailing a Serious Ocean As we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to say to, or ask of our listeners? You know, I would say one thing, but I think it's apropo of this time in particular. And this is not just alpaca, all of these companies like alpaca, that chose to stay here. People need to understand just how difficult that is for these, companies, to choose to produce in this country. Everything works against you. It's so easy to say, oh, I'm going abroad and I'm gonna get slave labor and I'm gonna get this and I'm gonna get that and I'm gonna make my big bucks. Any of these smaller companies that choose to do their production at home. They're gonna be a little more expensive. But they give people jobs. They're, there's just so much about them that people need to recognize that it's not all about the darn bottom dollar, you know? So you save five bucks. Uh, think about where you're buying and why you're buying it, because there are a lot of companies like ours, especially in the outdoor industry now, there's many of 'em, Give him a, a good hard look. Follow up with Sheri Just call Alpacka and they will get in contact with me and I will contact 'em back.

David & Melissa Wagner join snowmobile sessions podcast to talk about Iron Dog Snowmobile Race Team 11 and what it takes to prepare and ride in the worlds toughest race.The Iron Dog is the World's Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race, it covers more than 2,500 miles as it traverses the Alaskan backcountry.Starting on Big Lake, Pro Class racers travel over the Alaska Range to the Yukon River, then cut overland toward the Bering Sea coast. Once on the coast they travel to Koyuk then to Kotzebue via the “Red Dog Loop”. From Kotzebue racers head south reaching the halfway point in Nome. After leaving Nome, Pro Class Racers will reverse the course, minus the “Red Dog Loop” and finish back in Big Lake, Alaska.The Expedition Class, a non-competitive class, travels from Big Lake to Nome. Participants cover some of Alaska's most remote and rugged terrain while confronting harsh winter conditions.The race is scheduled to begin with the Expedition Class starting on February 15, 2023, followed by a Pro Class start on February 17, 2023 and finish on February 25, 2023 (in Big Lake, AK).#snowmobilepodcast #snowmobiling #snowmobilesessions #sledsessions #irondogSupport the show

For mountaineers and adventurers, there's a rich history of exploration in and around Alaska's Denali National Park.  And although the park is mostly known for the hordes of people who attempt to climb Denali each season - few have ever thought about circumnavigating the Denali, Foraker (Sultana) and Hunter (Begguya)  massifs - let alone in winter.The first circumnavigation-like explorations, of non-indiginous people, came around the turn of the century, around the 1900's.  These trips were fueled mostly by the hunt for scientific knowledge or, of course, gold.  In 1899,  the first non-native overland traverse of the Alaska Range was made by 1st Lt. Joseph Herron's Army expedition. They took a route via the Yetna and Kichatna Rivers.In 1902, USGS geologist Alfred Brooks first explored the southern aspect of  the area on a mapping expedition, traveling through and eventually naming Rainy Pass.Then, in 1903, a 6-member expedition led by Dr. Frederick Cook attempted Denali's Northwest Buttress, reaching an elevation just under 11,000 feet. Starting in the small village of Tyonek, the team completed the expedition by circumnavigating, possibly unintentionally, the Denali-Foraker massifs.In the ensuing years, most of the exploration focus in and around Denali National Park was on mountaineering.  Then, in 1978, the first circumnavigation on skis of Denali was made from April 7-28 by Ned Gillette, Galen Rowell, Alan Bard and Doug Weins via Kahiltna Pass, Peter's Glacier, Muldrow Glacier, Traleika Glacier and Ruth Glacier.But it wasn't until 1995, that a complete circumnavigation of the Denali-Foraker massifs - in winter - would be made.On February 17 of that year, Daryl Miller and his partner, Mark Stasik, embarked on a journey that would last 45 days, and traverse 350 miles.  The route, which started in Talkeetna, followed the winding Chulitna River, to the massive Muldrow Glacier, to an area north of the Wickersham Wall known as little Siberia, across the Yetna, Lacuna and Kahiltna Glaciers, on and around toward the Peters Hills and finally back home to Talkeetna.  The duo would endure bone-chilling temperatures and relentless wind, waist deep sugar snow and terrifying glacier terrain, as well as unrelenting hunger.But when it was all said and done, the journey would become an Alaskan classic that is yet to be repeated.  Here's Daryl Miller's retelling of this amazing story.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Map Artwork by Mike ClellandSpecial Thanks to Daryl MillerWritten and produced by Evan PhillipsEdited and mixed by Pod PeakMusic by Evan PhillipsSupport The Firn LinePatreonPayPalMerchSponsorsAlaska Rock GymThe Hoarding Marmot

Episode #33 EXO MTN GEAR & Goat – Mark Huelsing Mark Huelsing from Exo Mtn Gear joins us this week to discuss their innovative pack systems. Exo creates some of the most functional backcountry hunting packs on the market. American made and built for the most dedicated of hunters, Exo leads the pack! We discuss Marks adventures around Alaska including Kodiak Island, the Brooks Range, and the Alaska Range. With an upcoming Goat hunt in southeast Alaska we discuss the importance of quality gear and what we will be carrying into the field for our early season mountain hunts! Leave us a message and well answer it in the next Episode! You can contact us HERE: Instagram: @average_alaskan_podcast Instagram: @michael_swoboda Instagram: @sean_luv Twitter: @swabooty33 Email: averagealaskanpodcast@yahoo.com Website: Swobodacharters.com

This month's trip report takes place in one of Alaska's most remote and mythical mountain ranges: The Revelations.  First explored in the late 60's by David Roberts and friends, The Revelations hold a mystique, and reputation, that has continued to grow over the years.  The range, which is nestled between the southwest tip of The Alaska Range, and the north and western aspects of the Aleutian, Neacola and the Tordrillo Mountains, is as remote, as it is fierce.  The jagged peaks, which average between 7 and 9 thousand feet in height, are an alpine climbers dream, with sweeping granite buttresses, firm gullies of neve snow, and ribbons and shafts of bulletproof ice.  But for every day of good conditions and weather, there's at least 3 days of worse weather.  And by bad I mean never ending rain and snow storms,  fog and soupy cloud cover, and relentless,  vicious, hurricane-force winds.  If that's not enough, just getting in and out of the range requires multiple bush plane flights, sometimes costing thousands of dollars.  That is if you can even find a pilot willing to fly in there (more on that, at the end of this episode).  Let's just say that being a Revelations climber requires a different kind of commitment.  And this was certainly the case for North American alpinists Clint Helander and Andres Marin, who flew into the Revelations this March to attempt the east Face of Golgotha - an unclimbed, 4,000 foot granite face, laced with snow, and pierced by sinister shafts of ice. The mountain, which clocks in at just under 9,000', was first climbed in 2012 by Helander and Ben Trocki, when they attempted the east face, but ultimately opted for an easier route up the southeast face.  Helander returned in 2016 with Marin, making a tricky landing directly under the face on the aptly named ‘Misfit' Glacier.  But after a day, the snow and wind came, and the duo was nearly killed when a gargantuan avalanche destroyed their camp, forcing them to quiver behind a large, glacial erratic for days until their pilot extracted them to safety.The duo returned in 2017 - this time with a third - Leon Davis.  That year, they made it multiple pitches up the route, finding a massive bivy cave.  They also got a look at what appeared to be the crux pitch.  An overhanging prow of rock with ice daggers hanging off the top like tentacles of an octopus.  But unfortunately, a broken crampon led to an early retreat.  Again, Helander and Marin returned in 2018, but the conditions and vibe weren't right.  They decided to fly out.Finally, in March of this year, Helander and Marin returned for a fourth trip, landing on the more spacious Revelation Glacier, where they made a basecamp.  The duo then traveled over a col, and rappeled onto the Misfit Glacier, where they were able to recon the east face.  This time, the route looked to be in impeccable condition, with a decent weather window to boot.  Here's Clint and Andres's account of the first ascent of the east face of Golgotha - a route they aptly named ‘The Shaft of The Abyss'.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••NotesSpecial thanks to Clint Helander & Andres MarinProduced by Evan PhillipsEditing & Sound Design by Pod PeakOriginal Music by Evan PhillipsSupport The Firn LinePatreonPayPalMerchSponsorsAlaska Rock GymThe Hoarding Marmot

Living on the edge and creating your own rules with Adventurer of The Year Gavin McClurg Gavin Noll McClurg is an American paragliding pilot, adventurer, and offshore sailor. As a paraglider, he pioneered a route over the Alaska Range along with Dave Turner, and completed several expeditions over remote areas across North America. As a sailor, he circumnavigated the Earth twice. Gavin McClurg is no stranger to adventure and exploration. He is a 2015 National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” for his unpowered paragliding expedition across the Canadian Rockies (documented in the Red Bull Media House feature film “The Rockies Traverse”). He became the first person to traverse the full length of the Alaska Range by foot and paraglider (unsupported) in 2016 (documented in the Red Bull Media House feature film “North of Known”). He is the owner, founder and Captain of “Offshore Odysseys”, a global kitesurfing/surfing/sailing expedition. He has twice circumnavigated the world by sail, living at sea for 13 straight years, including short-handed roundings of both notorious capes (Horn and Good Hope). Gavin holds the former North American record for foot-launched cross-country paragliding, a flight of 240 miles deep into Montana from his hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho. Gavin is the first American (and only 3rd non-European) to complete the “toughest adventure race on Earth”, the Red Bull X-Alps a paragliding/foot race across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco. In ten days Gavin flew 1560 kilometers, walked 498 (12+ marathons), and scaled 52,000 meters of vertical ascent on foot (Everest 5 times). Gavin competed again in 2017, 2019, and 2021.

Episode 2#04 is thrilled to sit down with Colorado-based Renan Ozturk to discuss his latest film “The Sanctity of Space”. A climbing film at heart, it not only celebrates the stunning landscapes of Denali National Park, the Alaska Range and the film-makers' carving of a new skyline route across the “Moose's Tooth” peak (3,150m)… but also pays heartfelt tribute to Brad Washburn, the legendary aerial photographer whose life's work provided inspiration for the entire project.And there's time for more than that too. Renan - a sponsored expedition climber, landscape artist, and previous “National Geographic Adventurer of the Year” - has had a busy career so far. You may recognise him from his previous film projects “Meru” and “Sherpa” (both 2015), or perhaps from his back catalogue of arresting mountaineering photography. Possibly you're one of his million-strong Instagram followers, or you met “dumpster diving” at Trader Joe's in southern California, or he offered you a lift in the “technobago” whilst you were both enjoying your dirtbag climber phase. But don't worry if not, this interview will provide the perfect introduction either way.> Read more about Renan here: renanozturk.com, and find him on the ‘gram here: @renan_ozturk> Find screenings and streaming links for “The Sanctity of Space” here: thesanctityofspace.comListen, enjoy, tell your friends, subscribe to the podcast if you get and chance, and thank UKHillwalking.com for their kind support of this series![episode recorded on 10/03/22]> Find galleries, blog posts and many more episodes at www.mountainairpodcast.uk00:00 - Introduction03:05 - Welcome04:14 - “The Sanctity of Space” - Brad Washburn, the sharing of exploration, finding an antique plane, “feeling the magic” in Washburn's camera 11:20 - “I think what he created still stands up against the highest resolution digital cameras”11:59 - Gyro-stabilised gimbals15:33 - The Moose's Tooth: “… it's going to be hard to top that experience of drawing a line with our bodies across that beautiful skyline.”18:40 - “The factors are always stacked against you in the mountains” 19:11 - Top backcountry tip: “...just as long as you always save half your dinner, you're never going to run out of food”20:30 - The allure of Denali National Park: “there aren't many places in the world that are as alive as the Alaska Range”26:13 - The challenges of film-making: needing “the same optimism you have when you're doing a climb”26:58 - “It's impossible to answer the question of why you climb, and why you suffer, and why you put yourself in these crazy situations… as artists we always want to package it in different ways where the art itself answers the question, these images give people heart-palpitations or goosebumps in a way that you can never do in a conversation at the bar.”28:48 - Growing up in Rhode Island, discovering mountaineering at College, “I wasn't one of these kids that grew up with ​​Yvon Chouinard as an uncle”32:30 - The “technobago”, a duffel bag, a backpack, an “endless summer” of climbing for seven or eight years34:00 - Painting, not “struggling with technology”, dragging a 10ft long canvas around the landscape of Nepal39:15 - “Dumpster diving” in Trader Joe's in southern California, career thoughts44:07 - Greatest mountain memory: the end of the Mooth's Tooth traverse “moving for some 30-odd hours… hallucinating without drugs… the summertime in Alaska where it doesn't really get dark”46:00 - All the time, money, freedom… what do you do? “I'd still be doing what I'm doing now. It's such a random storm of luck and opportunity that's led me here”

Gavin McClurg is no stranger to adventure and exploration. He is a 2015 National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” for his unpowered paragliding expedition across the Canadian Rockies (documented in the Red Bull Media House feature film “The Rockies Traverse”). He became the first person to traverse the full length of the Alaska Range by foot and paraglider (unsupported) in 2016 (documented in the Red Bull Media House feature film “North of Known”). He is the owner, founder and Captain of “Offshore Odysseys”, a global kitesurfing/surfing/sailing expedition. He has twice circumnavigated the world by sail, living at sea for 13 straight years, including short-handed roundings of both notorious capes (Horn and Good Hope). Gavin holds the former North American record for foot launched cross-country paragliding, a flight of 240 miles deep into Montana from his hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho. Gavin is the first American (and only 3rd non-European) to complete the “toughest adventure race on Earth”, the Red Bull X-Alps a paragliding / foot race across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco. In ten days, Gavin flew 1560 kilometers, walked 498 (12+ marathons) and scaled 52,000 meters of vertical ascent on foot (Everest 5 times). Gavin competed again in 2017, 2019, and 2021. Some more of Gavin's career highlights include: 2015 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year; 8th place Red Bull X-Alps and the first American to reach goal in Monaco in the race's history; Former World Mountain Distance record holder in paragliding (387 kilometers, 240 miles); 2 X circumnavigations by sail, including short-handed rounding of both Capes (Horn and Good hope). 160,000 total miles; Created, founded, captained and current CEO of Offshore Odysseys, an ocean-based expedition company based around kitesurfing, surfing and paragliding; Former US Alpine Ski Team member; Several first descents (kayaking) in Central America (class VI); Published author, countless magazine features   Gavin had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “He was an explorer in terms of his entrepreneurial spirit. He was always trying stuff that was 10 years too far in the future” (21:30). “Most people go to security when they have that kind of background, and for me it was the opposite” (22:25). “For whatever reason, I've always been drawn to speed and risk” (23:40). “When you're letting your subconscious do the work and you're so embedded in the moment, then all of this frivolous stuff that drives life, that's distracting and stressful and sometimes painful, goes away” (24:50). “It's a battle against your own mind” (27:35). “The risks are enormous, and I think eventually for everybody the luck's going to run out” (30:25). “Until that day, I hadn't understood death” (33:00). “Death is a fascinating animal” (36:15). “I feel celebratory, in a sense, towards the concept of death. To me, it's a driver. It's kind of like fear. Fear is a really good thing; it keeps you alive” (36:30). “The inevitability of death is a really good thing because it reminds me every day of how important and how precious every day is” (36:50). “We've all got to figure out how to replace that rush with something else” (40:30). “That's what I want to do. I want to have the most fun” (41:55). “The more we separate ourselves from attainment, and the more we can be present, then we're winning” (42:20). “Just being who you are is good enough” (42:35). “Sometimes, you have to be dumb enough to launch. Otherwise, life is pretty gray” (44:00). “If you're not falling, you're not pushing hard enough” (44:25). “That's my New Year's resolution every year: to be more present, to be here, and to be grateful and thankful for that” (46:00). “That's what my daughter has taught me: to be more curious” (49:15). “Wow we are lucky. Wow we are fortunate” (52:45).   Make sure to follow Gavin on Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, you can purchase Gavin's book, "Advanced Paragliding,” wherever books are sold. Gavin has also written hundreds of magazine articles and been part of many films. Lastly, you can find Gavin's recent TedXTalk here! Thank you so much to Gavin for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening. -Brian

In June 2020, Chantel Astorga soloed Denali's Cassin Ridge in less than 15 hours, setting a women's record and making the first known ski descent of the Seattle Ramp during the approach. She recalls one particular moment after skiing through a dangerous icefall and spotting an eagle: “I've never seen a large bird in the Alaska Range up that high, and it was thermaling above me, and I had this wonderful sense of peace and calmness… I'd gotten through this thing I was most terrified of, and I did it in as good a style as I could, and as safely as one can do something like that alone.” Today, Astorga makes a living as an avalanche forecaster in Idaho. She received an honorable mention by the Piolets d'Or awards in 2018 for a new route that she completed on Nilkanth (6596m) in India's Garhwal Range with Anne Gilbert Chase and Jason Thompson. In this episode, she talks with Derek Franz about her early days as a climber when she was rope soloing ice climbs and skiing Denali in oversized, second-hand gear, and the path that led to her recent success on the Cassin Ridge. [Photo] Chantel Astorga This episode is brought to you by Rab Equipment. Audio Production by Nick Mott.

The Turbine Otter is not only the favorite airplane for glacier landings and expedition support in the Alaska Range, it has flown life stock from Talkeetna, Alaska to the Big River, which is on the other side of the Alaska Range.  The Alaska Range Homestead, a horse farm in Big River has slowly been growing it's Icelandic horses, one foal at time. Listen to veteran Alaska Range Pilot, Paul Roderick of Talkeetna Air Taxi, share his stories and knowledge of the air cargo visit unique to Alaska.For more information, visit:  Talkeetna Air Taxi: https://www.talkeetnaair.comN2 Alaska: https://www.n2alaska.comAlaska Range Homestead:  https://www.apricityalaska.comAnd to see aerial photography of Alaska, visit:https://www.katiewritergallery.comThanks for tuning into All Cooped Up Alaska. Katie WriterJournalist/Pilot/Photographer

The Turbine Otter has become a widely used aircraft in Alaska for it's sturdiness, reliability, safety and performance. Today's episode, we talk with three Alaskan air taxi and lodge business owners about their coveted aircraft and how it came to be the 'Turbine Otter'.Interviews include: Paul Claus of Ultima Thule Lodge, Suzanne Rust of K2 Aviation  and Talkeetna Air Taxi's Paul Roderick.There will be a part II of the Turbine Otter story, in which includes how one operator transported horses across the Alaska Range to Big River. For aerial photography of Alaska, go to:www.katiewritergallery.comThanks for tuning in to All Cooped Up Alaska!Katie Writerktphotowork@gmail.com

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.

In today's episode Brian Mehmen goes behind the scenes with Brad Dana to unpack his recent experience hunting for Dall sheep in the Alaska Range. Going into the hunt, the scouting reports indicated it could be a challenge. And it ended up being just that. So what do you do when the hunt doesn't end the way you planned? And even more than that, as the founder of the company how does the result of the hunt affect the way you may promote it to Rolling Bones' members in the future?  Today Brian covers three areas: (1) Why he booked where he did, (2) What worked and what didn't on the hunt, (3) How the results will influence the RBO hunt catalog which is a continually updated resource.   Time stamps:  10:01 Why Brian booked where he did 19:18 The logistics of the hunt, flying in, etc.  26:10 What worked well on the hunt 30:42 What didn't work well on the hunt 38:15 What else worked on the hunt (gear) 47:45 How the hunt experience affects the updating of the RBO adventure catalog for the benefit of our RBO members. 

Luke Smithwick is a professional alpinist, ski mountaineer, and mountain guide best known for his cutting-edge climbs and descents in the world's wildest mountain ranges. Luke is based in Victor, Idaho, in the shadow of the legendary Teton Range, but he spends large portions of each year deep in the Himalayas, guiding clients on remote peaks or pursuing personal climbing and skiing objectives on 7-8,000-meter peaks. He is currently hard at work on a multi-year skiing project called The Himalaya 500, which is his personal quest to ski 500 aesthetic ski lines throughout the greater Himalayan Range. - Luke was born and raised in North Carolina, and he moved to Colorado, where he attended CU Boulder and studied environmental biology and cultural anthropology. When not in class, Luke immersed himself in outdoor sports and soon began working as a guide-- first a river guide on Colorado's Upper Arkansas River and then a climbing guide. After graduation, Luke completely committed himself to the mountains, and his adventures have since taken him everywhere from the Alaska Range to his current work in the Himalayas. His company, Himalaya Alpine Guides, focuses on trips to some of the lesser-known (and less crowded) peaks in the Himalayan Range, where his clients can enjoy completely unique climbing and cultural experiences that cannot be found on more mainstream, well-known mountains. - Luke and I went to high school together back in the mid-1990s, and I was a couple of grades ahead of him. After graduation, we lost touch but have reconnected during the past few years thanks to shared interests and common friends. I was so happy that he joined me on the podcast, because I had lots of questions about how a guy from small-town North Carolina has become one of the world's most accomplished Himalayan skiers. We had a wonderful conversation, discussing everything from his career trajectory to this season's climbing objectives. We talked about how he picks ski lines, how climate change is affecting the Himalayas, the unique nature of his guiding company, how he trains, why he has made his home in the American West, and his deep respect for the people, history, and cultures of the Himalayas. - I loved catching up with my old friend Luke. I was blown away by all he has accomplished in the past 20 years, and I have the utmost respect for his understated, humble approach to life, learning, and adventure. Be sure to check the episode notes for links to everything we discussed. Enjoy! --- Luke Smithwick Himalaya Alpine Guides The Himalaya 500 Episode Notes with Links: https://mountainandprairie.com/luke-smithwick/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:00 – Luke walks us through his trajectory post high school and how he became a professional outdoor guide 7:30 – Luke talks about his work and his guide company in the Himalayas 9:45 – Luke explains why he focuses on a deep understanding of mountain ranges instead of just the principle summits of a range 13:15 – Luke discusses how he finds his clientele 15:30 – Luke explains the importance of local relationships for his business 17:45 – Luke discusses his project, the Himalaya 500 21:15 – Luke explains how he picks his ski lines 23:00 – Luke talks about the information age and its impact on the availability of “secret spots” 25:00 – Luke talks about the people he has met in his travels around the Himalaya 27:45 – Luke talks about how current action in Afghanistan may affect his work 28:45 – Luke discusses the impacts of climate change that he sees in his work 32:00 – Luke explains how he trains for his work and play in the mountains in order to make it a sustainable lifestyle 36:00 – Luke talks about his current 8,000 meter peak goal 39:00 – Luke discusses how he balances humility and the need for self-promotion in his field 44:45 – Luke talks about training for alpine trips in his forties 48:00 – Luke talks about his family 49:15 – Luke discusses his hometown and the significance of Boy Scouts in his upbringing 51:30 – Luke's book recommendations 53:30 – Luke's film recommendations 54:30 – Luke talks about the most powerful experience in his life 56:45 – Luke's parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Among people who spend a lot of time in the wilderness, there’s a notion that the trail is our teacher. And if you talk to serious outdoor adventurers, you quickly realize just how powerful trail lessons can be. Take the case of professional endurance athlete Rebecca Rusch, who was schooled over the last several winters while riding a bike across the Alaska Range as a racer in the 350-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational. Rusch has long been lauded for her ability to push through the most agonizing of competitive events, but she discovered a new kind of suffering in Alaska—which is exactly what she was after. In this episode of our new series, The Wild Files, Rusch takes us through her hardest moments on the trail and explains why pushing herself to go way, way outside her comfort zone was essential for her progression as an athlete and as a human being. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a 4x4 SUV with seven available G.O.A.T. modes that enable it to go over any type of terrain. Learn more at ford.com/bronco

Springtime in Alaska comes alive with people celebrating the return of the sunshine and  lots of outdoor sports, including dog mushing. On March 7th, 46 dog teams departed Deshka Landing near Willow, Alaska and headed for the first checkpoint of Skwentna. As a flying reporter, my daughter and I headed out from Talkeetna, Alaska and flew to a small airstrip of Skwentna to look for the first dog teams. While we arrived a bit early to see the teams, our day was shaped by good Alaska fun of meeting folks off the road system and enjoying a burger and wings from the Skwentna Roadhouse.  Dallas Seavey won this year's race in a mere 7 days, 14 hours, and 8 minutes.For more stories and results of the Last Great Race, check out their website below. https://www.iditarod.comFor new aerial photography of flying in the Alaska Range and Talkeetna Mountains, check out:https://www.katiewritergallery.comThanks so much for tuning into All Cooped Up Alaska, which had it's first episode on March 23, 2020. This podcast has been about generating positivity and sense of connection in a pandemic. Thankfully, we are hoping to be soon the other side of the pandemic as vaccinations are becoming widely available. I may have to shift gears to a new name for All Cooped Up Alaska...Any suggestions from you are welcome!My email is: ktphotowork@gmail.comYou can also follow me on Instagram @akktwriter.  https://www.instagram.com/akktwriter/And Facebook Katie Writer Photography and Art. https://www.facebook.com/akktwriterHappy Springtime to you wherever your perch may be. Sincerely, Katie WriterAll Cooped Up Alaska

The 2021 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is going to look a lot different, one year into a global COVID-19 pandemic. (The Iditapod's going to be pretty different this year, too, as we'll explain). The ceremonial start is canceled, so the race begins Sunday in Willow under strict COVID-19 protocols, with a shortened trail that doubles back on itself, a challenge to sled dog teams to cross the Alaska Range not once, but twice, plus coronavirus testing along the way and less access to indoor spaces at checkpoints... This Iditarod is certainly going to be unique.

The 2021 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is going to look a lot different, one year into a global COVID-19 pandemic. (The Iditapod’s going to be pretty different this year, too, as we'll explain). The ceremonial start is canceled, so the race begins Sunday in Willow under strict COVID-19 protocols, with a shortened trail that doubles back on itself, a challenge to sled dog teams to cross the Alaska Range not once, but twice, plus coronavirus testing along the way and less access to indoor spaces at checkpoints... This Iditarod is certainly going to be unique.

In this episode I sit down with Master Guide Coke Wallace, of Midnight Sun Safaris. Coke has been at the game a long time and it was great to hear about Coke's background and talk about hunting sheep and moose with horses, predator hunting and trapping in the Alaska Range. Enjoy! Comments or questions? email podcast@tundratalkak.com -Tyler

On today's episode of The Firn LIne, we'll get to know climber, alpinist and author, Kelly Cordes.  I first heard of Kelly back in the mid-90's when I started seeing his name speckled across the pages of publications like Climbing and Rock and Ice.  Over the years, I watched from afar as he made gutsy first ascents in the Alaska Range and beyond - always pushing himself to a higher standard, that only he knew the limit of.  Later, I admired his work as senior editor of the American Alpine Journal, followed by his published books, ‘The Tower', and the New York Times best seller, ‘The Push', which he co-wrote with Tommy Caldwell.But I didn't truly get to know Kelly until we chatted, and like a lot of alpinists, Kelly has a storied past, riddled with high highs, low lows, anchored by a fascination with exploration and adventure.  So here's our conversation.  I hope you enjoy it.Links:Kelly CordesThe Tower (Book)The Push (Book)The Firn LinePatreonEvan Phillips MusicSponsors:Alaska Rock GymThe Hoarding Marmot

We are joined by our buddy, Tyler Boschma, who recently hunted Dall Sheep in the Alaska Range with Steve. We hear the story of the hunt, including the highs and lows, the lessons learned, and more. This hunt was a true adventure and an entertaining story to tune-in to. https://exomtngear.com/podcast Connect with us: podcast@exomtngear.com

The terms Survival, Adversity and Resilience will certainly be redefined in this Flatline episode. Coming to you from Seattle, Washington the hometown of our guest Brian Dickinson. Brian served in the U.S Navy as Special Operations Air Rescue Swimmer and Combat Rescue. His duties were combat Search & Rescue, Anti Submarine Warfare Operator, Aerial gunner & Special warfare support. Brian Dickinson story did not come from serving 2 tours of duty but started on May the 15th of 2011 after summiting solo to the top of Everest. As he started his descent the world turned white and Brian was Blind and he was running out of Oxygen. Brian holds the record for the highest solo blind descent. His story of survival, faith and resilience has been reenacted in television and with global coverage on:CNN: Anderson CooperCNN: Chris CuomoABC: Good morning AmericaFOX businessNBC NEWS: Today showCBN-700ClubTRT WorldSpartan Up PodcastHuffpostThe Weather Channel and much more..Brian Dickinson is an Author, Motivational Speaker, Mountain Guide and an Adventurer.Adventures CV – Everest, Island Peak, Aconcagua, Patagonia, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Kosciusko, Vinson Massif, Cascades, Waddington Range (British Columbia), Alaska Range, Canadian Rockies, Smokies, Sierras, White Mountains, Appalachian, Andes, Himalaya, Caucasus Mountains (Russia), Sierra Nevada Range (Spain), and Sentinel Range (Antarctica).In this episode, you will learn and hear about:The power of Faith.How to control panic and keep going. Applying survival mode. Choosing purpose over fame. Planning for things within your controlThe ability to respond to things outside your controlPushing yourself beyond your perceived limitsCreating and maintaining perspectiveConnect with Brian Dickinson:Brian Website InstagramYoutubeFacebookTwitterYou can find Brian's Book "Blind Descent: on : Amazon

Late last February, Westminster's Student Honors Council invited Hikmet Loe and Russ Costa to lead a discussion around issues of nature and mental health. They called the discussion "Embodied Landscapes, Embodied Minds, and Restorative Nature" and asked Hikmet and Russ to talk about their experiences in nature and links to mental health. Respecting Honors College tradition, Russ and Hikmet grounded this concept in texts, art and photography from around the world. You can see the images Hikmet and Russ discussed below. Image Information/Credits https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/-m2dBrJz.jpgAnsel Adams: The Tetons and the Snake River Stock photo of the moon from Getty Images (https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/moon?family=creative&license=rf&phrase=moon&sort=mostpopular#license) https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/NF3vJjw_.jpgTropical Paradise Beach by Belle Deese on WallpaperUp https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/4-JqmaZq.jpgJoseph Turner, Rough Sea With Wreckage at the Tate Gallery https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/_SsOyV8r.jpg Kandinsky: Bavarian Mountains With Village https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/Hnal2rkc.jpg Sunflower: Luca-Postpischii https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/n-s6y_Ui.jpgDenali (20,310') in the Alaska Range. [Photo] Bradford Washburn Collection, Museum of Science https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/x0m2g8GB.pngAndy Goldsworthy, Pebbles around a hole, Kinagashima-Cho, Japan (1987) https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/QI7NfqYr.jpgFrederick Church: Cotopaxi https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1fa521c0-f451-41ad-b95a-11b649737210/KlbxQZ67.jpgHikmet Loe: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, west of Las Vegas, Nevada, January 2020 Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research (http://mountainresearch.org) and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys. (https://www.pixieandthepartygrassboys.com) As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.” Special Guests: Hikmet Loe and Russ Costa.

Welcome to the podcast Gavin McClurg! Gavin is a paragliding pilot, sailor, skier, kayaker, NatGeo's Adventurer of the Year and a podcaster. He hosts the Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast, a paragliding show that interviews the top pilots to spread their knowledge on flying and safety. He's raced 3 times in the Red Bull X-Alps, a 1100km adventure race that crosses the Alps 5 times. He's an inspiration to so many, myself included. So stoked on this episode. Donate to support this show at www.paypal.me/ariintheair Subscribe and Share! Thanks for listening! Mentioned in this episode, Jeff Shapiro, Cody Mitanck, Cloudbase Mayhem, and more. "Gavin McClurg (born April 21, 1972) is an American paragliding pilot, adventurer and offshore sailor. As a paraglider, he pioneered a route over the Alaska Range along with Dave Turner, and completed several expeditions over remote areas across North America. As a sailor, he circumnavigated the Earth twice. McClurg set the free-distance USA foot launch paragliding record at 387 km in 2013, taking off from Sun Valley, Idaho.[5] He was awarded the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year nomination in 2015 for an 18-day crossing of the Canadian Rockies from McBride, British Columbia to the US border with Will Gadd, documented in the film The Rockies Traverse.[6][7] McClurg completed the Red Bull X-Alps race in July, 2015 finishing in 8th place.[8] On May 5, 2016 McClurg set out with Dave Turner to traverse the full length of the Alaska Range by foot and paraglider, unsupported. The 480 mile route had never been attempted by paraglider. McClurg completed the route solo on June 17, 2016 after 37 days." - Gavin's wiki page

With plenty of snow on the Iditarod Trail this year, some of the more technical runs have not been as difficult as years past. But the Happy River steps and the Dalzell Gorge are always a challenge, and Alaska Public Media's Tegan Hanlon joins Iditapod host Casey Grove to discuss why we call both of those sections "technical." Also in today's episode, reports from KNOM's Davis Hovey and Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes in Rainy Pass, as well as KNOM's Ben Matheson on the newly rejuvenated roadhouse in McGrath.

With plenty of snow on the Iditarod Trail this year, some of the more technical runs have not been as difficult as years past. But the Happy River steps and the Dalzell Gorge are always a challenge, and Alaska Public Media's Tegan Hanlon joins Iditapod host Casey Grove to discuss why we call both of those sections "technical." Also in today's episode, reports from KNOM's Davis Hovey and Alaska Public Media's Zachariah Hughes in Rainy Pass, as well as KNOM's Ben Matheson on the newly rejuvenated roadhouse in McGrath.

It's Monday, and Iditarod sled dog teams are heading into their second full day of racing after the official start yesterday in Willow. From there they mushed west to the Yentna checkpoint about 50 miles into the race, on to Skwentna at about 80 miles, and the front-of-the-pack teams are already heading up and up and up into the Alaska Range, toward the mountainous checkpoint of Rainy Pass. We hear about the rookies in the race, a clip from Quince Mountain on what it's like to be the first openly trans Iditarod competitor, and Aliy Zirkle tells us about one of her leaders, Sparky.

It’s Monday, and Iditarod sled dog teams are heading into their second full day of racing after the official start yesterday in Willow. From there they mushed west to the Yentna checkpoint about 50 miles into the race, on to Skwentna at about 80 miles, and the front-of-the-pack teams are already heading up and up and up into the Alaska Range, toward the mountainous checkpoint of Rainy Pass. We hear about the rookies in the race, a clip from Quince Mountain on what it's like to be the first openly trans Iditarod competitor, and Aliy Zirkle tells us about one of her leaders, Sparky.

Mark Twight is a former pioneering mountaineer, climber, photographer, author, podcaster, and Hollywood trainer. During his climbing career, he made multiple first ascents of some of the most challenging routes in the world, and achieved the fastest known times (FKTs) on Denali and Mount Hunter in The Alaska Range using bold, innovative training and climbing methods. His lightweight, single push approach to alpinism solidified his legacy as a pioneer of the sport, and changed the face of mountaineering. Following his retirement from climbing, Twight founded Gym Jones, a private training facility where his success with professional athletes and military personnel led him to training actors for nine different Hollywood movies. He defines his current project--NonProphet--as the intersection between art and action but it is difficult to assign a title to what he does. Now he works as a writer, podcaster, speaker, and photographer. Payson caught up with Mark in Moab, UT to attempt to scratch the surface of Mark's career. They discuss radical approaches to breaking speed records, Mark's legendary 60 hour ascent of Denali, and why a balance between hubris and humility is key to achieving anything great. In the process, they realized there was just too much to talk about, and came back for round two a few months later. Part II of their conversation will be published next week. 

Hashtag 59's Season 3 Podcast is 50 Episodes long and each episode will provide FIVE outdoor adventures in each of the 50 states. We are doing these episodes in ABC Order of the states and episode two is Alaska. The goal is to give you ideas and opportunities to experience outdoor adventure anywhere and everywhere in the United States of America. Here's our list for Alaska: 1. Run in the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon and experience the Summer Equinox in Alaska: http://www.mayorsmarathon.com/. 2. Visit Denali National Park - In the northern part of the Alaska Range, Denali National Park is one of the largest in the United States and encompasses North America's highest mountain named Denali. 3. Visit Tracy Arms - A fjord edged with glaciers, Tracy Arm is located south of Juneau and is a popular destination for cruise ships and boat tours. Waterfalls tumble down the sharp rock walls and glaciers calve, creating small icebergs. 4. Explore the Alaska Highway - Road Trip Alert! The Alaska Highway runs from Dawson Creek in British Columbia (Canada) through the Yukon Territory to Delta Junction near Fairbanks & See the Northern Lights. 5. Iditarod National Historic Trail - Alaska's only National Scenic Trail, the Iditarod National Historic Trail consists of a network of trails totaling more than 2,300 miles between Nome, on the Bering Strait, and Seward, near Anchorage. Thanks for listening to Season 3 of our podcast featuring all 50 US States and some of each state's unique Outdoor Adventures. This episode featured the state of Alaska. Subscribe to our podcast if you enjoy what you hear and if you feel so inclined to leave a review we would be grateful. Check out www.Hashtag59.com for our old podcast seasons, hundreds of blogs, & outdoor events/team outings info.

In 2003 I was caught in an avalanche while climbing in the Alaska Range. I was certain that my life was going to end in that moment. Then, as if out of nowhere, a spirit appeared and saved my life. That incredible story is the focus of Episode 19.Music is found on the Free Music Archive and by Blue Dot Sessions, which can be found at https://sessions.blue/For more information about my climbing and adventures, or to hire me to speak to your school, business or event, find me at www.eyesopenproductions.com

The Sound of Music Julie Andrews stole the hearts of Americans and Canadians with her passionate "The hills are alive with the sound of music." The music, the heart wrenching story and yes, even the magnificent Alps contribute in making "The Sound of Music" a classic. She seems totally lost in the beauty around her. While I've never seen Mont Blanc or the Alps and I certainly can't sing, I find myself wanting to join Ms. Andrews in belting out that famous tune. I want to sing simply because the mountains do that to you. But I promise you, you won't hear a note out of me, cause I don't sing, not even in the shower. My singing can be compared to a deafening coyote howl.  From the Grand Tetons, to that top of the world feeling you get in the Rocky Mountains, all the way to the blue haze of our Blue Ridge Mountains, I've never seen a mountain I didn't love. And my favorite, Denali. I understand why the Native Americans still refer to it as Denali, the Great one. The name Mt. McKinley  doesn't even begin to conjurer it's majesty and at least Denali  begins to go there! I digressed. Every time I think of my experience at Denali, I always wind up at Psalms 121:1,2. The spectacular beauty of Denali points me to a place far more precious than a mesmerizing view.   It takes to me all the way to the words of another mountain lover From another part of the world The lines scrawled in Psalms 121  are the passionate words of David, shepherd and psalmist. Jerusalem, the royal city was situated on a high plain or plateau surrounded by deep valleys and dry riverbeds. While King David didn't write all the Psalms, many experts believe he wrote Psalms 121.   And like most musicians, he sang about the things he loved. High on his love list were the mountains that filled the  desert terrain.  Psalms 121 is called a song of degrees, not temperature degrees or college degrees but more accurately, the song of ascents. It was a climbing  chant for worshipers to use as they made their way to the ark housed under David's tent.  Each line is progressive.  The tent containing the ark was placed in an elevated location in Jerusalem. The song begins, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—" Whether they are the giants of the Alaska Range, the red rocks of Sedona or the tree covered Blue Ridge baby sized mountains, they make me crane my neck to look. Oh, how I drink in the magnificent scenery! And with every vista I gasp. Do you do that? The magnificent glory of the mountains. The... waterfalls. arches. caves. I know, the beauty is overwhelming, but David didn't stop with looking up at a mountain. The beauty of God's artistry wasn't his stopping point. Their jagged point seemed to point David to the Source, the Creator of it all--Almighty God. I realize the wording in the KJV of this verse is a little confusing, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." It sounds like David is looking to the hills for help. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Other translations of this verse, even the New King James, ends the verse with a question mark. NKJV reads: I Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help?  When I read these verses I feel like I'm right there with David as he says, "Look up. Awesome mountains, huh?" I know the feeling, because I felt it when I saw Mt. McKinley. And I gasp with this Mighty Warrior King, "Wow!" (How that for expressing beauty!I'm quite the wordsmith..aren't I!LOL) Tall Impressive Daunting Insurmountable Breath taking. Then he continues, "Does my help come from there?" I can see him shaking his head no. And I shake my head no in agreement. Did I confuse you? Yes, I agree with David, Chosen Shepherd of Israel.  And No, my help doesn't come from the mountains, either dear brother. I can almost see a wide grin come across his face, a grin that comes from remembering... remembering times, frequent times, recent times that God's help had enabled him to win. To triumph in the middle of impossible situations. I feel confident he grinned widely as he declared his faith loudly, MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. (I know it had to of been loudly, because how do you get a revelation like that and remain stoic?) I wonder if he's so happy by this point that he's half way dancing a jig as he adds, "who made heaven and earth." And I have to join the celebration with him, "I know what you're talking about, dear King David! No, I haven't fought a lion or a bear, but I've fought lots of giants. No, dear brother, none of them were named Goliath, but they were giants just the same! Big problems! With glaring eyes , hurling condemnation and demeaning accusations. I'm sad to say, I didn't run to meet them like you met Goliath. Sometimes, I coward-down like the army you met on that fateful day. Sometimes I'm braver than others, but even on my bravest day I have discovered, like you tell me, my dear mountain loving, friend, "my help comes from the Lord...WHO MADE HEAVEN and EARTH!" Did you get that? The same God that made everything, is my source and I don't want to leave you out dear friend. He helps us...ME and you both! Yes, me! And you too... if you let him!   Your situation isn't too big for him to handle... You're not too weak or too old or too whatever it is the enemy of your soul is declaring over you... nothing is too hard for God. But we have to ask for and receive His help. It's not automatic. Yes. It does sound too good to be true, but no, it is true. Really true! It's not a fairy tale! It's the TRUTH! Think of that! What a power source! Fabulous mountains. Stately. Majestic. Fiery Stars. Oceans... kissing the shoreline... ebbing in and out... orderly... rhythmically. God spoke and made it all. He established it. He set it in His divine order. And my help...your help comes from the one that made it all. Why do we continue to put God in our little box and limit what He can do in our lives? Why do we try to accomplish everything that needs to be done with our muscles and strength and talent? Could it be that we only view the beauty of His creation? We visit His beauty as if going to a museum... nice artifact... nice tree... nice star... nice mountain... nice! If  we stop had only recognizing what He has done, without knowing the Person that created it all, without knowing the God that King David saw behind it all, then we miss the best part. He is wonderful beyond words. God Almighty was the source of David's strength! I don't know about you, but I refuse to only enjoy the beauty of His creation. I want more. I'm going to have more than a glimpse of beauty or the photograph to remember it. I'm going to go where it all points me...to the Creator of it all. There is where the fullness of joy is found.... in Him! Ahhh! Now that's a wonderful place to be ...and it's even better than Denali!

In April, 2019, alpinists Alan Rousseau and Jackson Marvell flew into the Ruth Gorge, intent on repeating "Blood From The Stone", arguably one of the most difficult routes in the Alaska Range. But when the duo found poor conditions on the face, they re-directed their efforts, eventually succeeding on a new route between "Blood From The Stone" and "The Wine Bottle".The pair were harassed by a group of ravenous ravens, and endured a pummeling at their second bivy. But the suffering was balanced out by incredible climbing, which followed a series of vertical, razor cut, ice-tubes splitting the granite walls. On the third day, the team topped out on Mount Dickey, establishing ‘Ruth Gorge Grinder', an instant Alaska Range classic.Music by Evan PhillipsSupport the show on PatreonLinks:Alan RousseauJackson MarvellRuth Gorge Grinder (AAJ 2019)The Firn Line (website)Sponsors:Alaska Rock GymThe Hoarding Marmot

Twenty years ago this month, Malcolm Daly and Jim Donini attempted a new route on Thunder Mountain in the Alaska Range. After Daly fell near the top of the climb, the ensuing rescue was one of the most dramatic in Alaskan mountaineering history. In episode 40 of the Sharp End, listen to Daly tell this legendary story in vivid detail. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support for this episode from Kavu, Colorado Outward Bound School, and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Join hosts Alex and Robert as they bring you our daily Iditarod coverage. The Alaska Range If you haven't already, please review us on iTunes! It's an important way to help new listeners discover the show. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and sign up for our weekly newsletter. If you would like to introduce friends or family to podcasts, we created a How to Listen guide based on frequently asked questions. Support Dog Works Radio by taking our survey. Sponsors:  Alaska Dog Works

Join hosts Alex and Robert as they bring you our daily Iditarod coverage. The Alaska Range If you haven't already, please review us on iTunes! It's an important way to help new listeners discover the show. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and sign up for our weekly newsletter. If you would like to introduce friends or family to podcasts, we created a How to Listen guide based on frequently asked questions. Support Dog Works Radio by taking our survey. Sponsors:  Alaska Dog Works

On today's episode of The Firn Line, we'll get to know UK-based alpinist, Malcolm Bass.  Over the course of a 30 year alpine career, Malcolm has pushed the limits of exploration of the mind, and the mountains. • From early caving expeditions in his university years, across unclimbed walls of rock and ice in the fabled Alaska Range, to a string of monumental ascents in the Himalaya, Malcolm epitomizes the character and spirit of a true alpinist. • I recently got a chance to talk with Malcolm about his life in the mountains, the friendships he's forged along the way, as well as the other components in his life he finds meaningful. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Music: www.evanphillips.net •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Links: www.evanphillips.net www.thefirnline.com www.patreon.com/thefirnline •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sponsors: www.alaskarockgym.com www.moosestooth.net www.hoardingmarmot.com www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com

Over the course of an distinguished 30+ year career, Conrad Anker's adventures have taken him from the bigwalls of Yosemite, to the icy flanks of The Alaska Range, The Himalaya and Antarctica. Although Anker is probably best-known for discovering Mallory's remains on the north side of Everest in 1999 (or his stunning climb up Meru), it's his earlier adventures in Alaska that I've always been fascinated with. • That's why I was excited to sit down with Conrad this past February, to talk about his formative experiences in the mountains, the friends and partners that meant the most to him, as well as his efforts in environmental activism. Having flown to Alaska to teach some workshops at the Valdez Ice Festival, Conrad was able to squeeze in an early morning chat me at his hotel in Anchorage, before catching a flight back to Bozeman. Hope you enjoy! •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Links: http://conradanker.com/ http://www.alexlowe.org/the-khumbu-climbing-center/ http://www.thefirnline.com/ https://www.patreon.com/thefirnline http://evanphillips.net/ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sponsors: http://www.alaskarockgym.com/ http://moosestooth.net/ http://hoardingmarmot.com/

Poet Tom Sexton offers a brief history of Alaska poetry until 1966, focusing on poery in verse. Tom Sexton first came to Alaska in 1959 and has lived in Anchorage with his wife Sharyn since 1970. He is Professor Emeritus of English at UAA and served as Alaska’s Poet Laureate from 1994-2000. He is author of several collections of poetry including A Ladder of Cranes, For the Sake of the Light, I Think Again of Those Chinese Poets, Autumn in the Alaska Range, A Clock With No Hands, and Bridge Street at Dusk. In 1982 he compiled the collection Early Alaskan Writing 1867-1925, A Miscellany. (Part 2 was recorded on August 2, 2018 and is also posted in iTunes.)

In this episode #009, I have a chat with my new friend Gavin McClurg via Zoom. Gavin is based in Idaho, USA. I have recently been working with Gavin for his sleep/recovery and performance optimisation strategy in his lead up to the Red Bull X-Alps a paragliding / foot race across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco. In ten days Gavin flew 1560 kilometres, walked 498 (12+ marathons) and scaled 52,000 meters of vertical ascent on foot (Everest 5 times). Gavin makes my finish at Leadville 100 and other ultra-marathons look amateur with this impressive resume. Gavin is no stranger to adventure and exploration. He is a 2015 National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” for his unpowered paragliding expedition across the Canadian Rockies. He became the first person to traverse the full length of the Alaska Range by foot and paraglider (unsupported) in 2016. He is the owner, founder and Captain of “Offshore Odysseys”, a global kitesurfing/surfing/sailing expedition. He has twice circumnavigated the world by sail, living at sea for 13 straight years, including short-handed roundings of both notorious capes (Horn and Good Hope). Gavin holds the current North American-record for foot launched cross-country paragliding, a flight of 240 miles deep into Montana from his home town of Sun Valley, Idaho.   Check out more on Gavin at Facebook: facebook.com/gavinnmcclurg Instagram: @gavinmcclurg Twitter: @cloudbasemayhem Website: www.cloudbasemayhem.com Films: http://www.cloudbasemayhem.com/visual-delights/   Further information on Sleep4Performance Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Podbean    Check out the website and sign up for blogs, podcast news and free downloads www.sleep4performance.com.au Click here for Facebook were I post regularly throughout the week. Click here for Twitter to keep up to date with my ramblings on sleep, sport and anything!!! Contact me and feedback at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au  

Nestled in the heart of the Alaska Range, lies what many believe to be one of the most beautiful mountains in the world: Mount Huntington. Rising on all sides to form a 12,241 ft symmetrical pyramid of rock, snow and ice, Huntington has captured the imagination of bold and dedicated alpinists for decades. • When the French Ridge was first climbed in 1964, the mountaineering world took notice. Then just a year later, when a young David Roberts and crew climbed the stunning west face, the mountaineering world was shocked. Both of these climbs raised the standard of what could be done in Alaska's mountains, as well as setting a precedent for what future alpinists could expect on Huntington: remoteness, sustained, hard climbing, total commitment. • By 2016, most of Huntington's major features had been climbed. But one line, perhaps the most committing of them all, had yet to be ascended: The complete south ridge. • Rising nearly 7,000 feet, the south ridge follows a serpentine spine of four jagged sub-peaks, each connected by delicate gendarmes and stacked cornices. Of the south ridge, David Roberts wrote, “It was not so much a ridge as five separate, serrated peaks, each increasingly higher.” Although a few teams had ascended the upper south ridge of Huntington over the years, few parties had considered a go at the complete south ridge. That is until this year. • Over a stretch of perfect weather in April 2017, American alpinists Jess Roskelly and Clint Helander made the first ascent of the complete south ridge in a single 5 day push. The climb was everything the duo had anticipated and more, pushing- the limits of their endurance, and forcing them to commit psychologically in a way neither of them had experienced in the past. • A few days later after they got down from the climb, I sat down with Jess and Clint in Anchorage, to recount this once in a lifetime adventure. The interview picks up on the second day of their trip, as they are crossing the east fork of the Tokositna Glacier, and starting the initial climbing up the first peak of the south ridge of Huntington.

What should you know about a fishing lodge package at Jimmie Jack’s Alaska Fishing Lodge? This lodge gives families the opportunity to have their own lodge room, or their cabin, so that they can enjoy our fishing charters and their own private leisure time. If you come during the summer season, you’ll be able to fish and enjoy a nightly campfire at the lodge during our famed salmon runs. If you’d like to know more about vacationing here, watch this short video.Click here for Alaska Fishing Lodge Packages Click here for Alaska SeaScape Lodge PackagesWhat makes the Alaska Fishing Lodge unique? It gives families and other groups of people the opportunity to have their own cabin and their own kitchen so that they can spend their evenings planning their own dinner feasts. We provide a breakfast and fisherman’s lunch, but after that our guests can prepare their own barbecues and make use of the campfire pits in the evening.. Our guests can have their own cabin and their own kitchen. The capacity for this lodge is 14 to 16 people. The best season to visit would be the summer months of June, July, and August. This is when we have our peak salmon runs and the myriad of other natural wonders that make Alaska great. During your trip you can plan on catching Kenai River king salmon, silver salmon, sockeye salmon, halibut, lingcod, rockfish and trophy rainbow trout. Our lodge is centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula to all of our great fishing destinations, and boasts spectacular views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. The two biggest fish ever caught at the lodge were a 270-pound halibut and a 76-pound king salmon. Think you can do better?This lodge is special because it gives people the opportunity to do what they came to do at their own leisure. After a hard day’s fishing session, they can return to their own cabin, throw what they caught on their own grill, and sit around the campfire telling stories. If you have any further questions about either our Alaska Lodge or our SeaScape Lodge, please feel free to call us or send an email.

Ed Ewing, the editor of Cross Country magazine takes over as show-host and asks Gavin the questions many people have wanted to know about how it all went down on the traverse. We talk about the Red Bull X-Alps, how Gavin's obsession with paragliding started and find out what led to his 6-year pursuit of a dream- to traverse the full length of the Alaska Range by paraglider and foot. We find out what went right, what went wrong, what gear was used, what happened after Dave had to leave, and hear some pretty wild stories of what went down.

March 31, 2016 A Girl Who Rides Show Page ABOUT THIS EPISODE Leah Gruhn joins Andrea to discuss her recent successful first attempt at the Iditarod Trail Invitational. Leah breaks down her 350-mile fatbike trek from Knik Lake to McGrath, Alaska. It’s a great listen because Leah’s passion and excitement for the ITI and riding in general definitely comes through. Leah had a busy 2015-16 winter as she completed the Tuscobia Ultra, the Arrowhead 135, the Actif Epica, and the Iditarod Trail Invitational. The Iditarod Trail Invitational is the world’s longest winter ultra marathon by fat bike, foot and ski, and follows the historic Iditarod Trail from Knik, Alaska over the Alaska Range to McGrath (350-mile) and to Nome (1000-mile) in late February every year one week before the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The shorter 350-mile race finishes in the interior village of McGrath on the Kuskokwim River and the 1000-mile race finishes in Nome. If you have any ideas for future guests or episodes, please contact us atinfo@mountainbikeradio.com. ---------------   RELATED SHOW NOTES: ABOUT LEAH (from the Salsa Cycles website): “Leah Gruhn grew up in Rhode Island and developed a love of wilderness adventure in the far north as a teenager on summer canoe trips in northern Minnesota and the Canadian Arctic. After moving to Duluth, Minnesota, she became an avid cross-country skier and winter camper, and later competed in northern Minnesota’s Arrowhead 135 on cross-country skis. The following year, Leah raced the Arrowhead on fatbike and quickly got hooked on long fatbike races. In total she has competed in six Arrowhead 135s, the ITI, Tuscobia Ultra, and Actif Epica.” Leah’s guest blog post on the Salsa Cycles website – Part 1 Leah’s guest blog post on the Salsa Cycles website – Part 2 Leah’s guest blog post on the Salsa Cycles website – Part 3 Iditarod Trail Invitational Tuscobia Ultra Arrowhead Ultra Salsa Beargrease Revelate Designs Andrea’s Blog – Andrea Rides a Bike Andrea on Instagram (@andrearidesabike) Andrea on Twitter (@agirlwhorides) Become a Mountain Bike Radio Member  

Ryan Wichelns and Gabe Messercola first appeared in episode 12 of The Pursuit Zone to talk about their Adirondack Traverse. Since then they've gone on to create the website primitivecondition.com to serve as a media platform for their outdoor pursuits. In their latest climbing adventure, known as the Brooks Glacier Expedition, they completed the Silverthrone […] The post Climbing the Alaska Range with Ryan Wichelns and Gabe Messercola : TPZ 100 appeared first on The Pursuit Zone.

Poet Tom Sexton is a former Alaska State Writer Laureate and author of numerous collections of poetry. At this event, he discusses poetry, his life as a poet, Alaska and nature in his poetry. Tom Sexton first came to Alaska in 1959 and has lived in Anchorage with his wife Sharyn since 1970. He is Professor Emeritus of English at UAA and served as Alaska's Poet Laureate from 1994-2000. He is author of several collections of poetry including For the Sake of the Light, I Think Again of Those Chinese Poets, Bridge Street at Dusk, Autumn in the Alaska Range, and A Clock With No Hands.

In episode 3 of West of Center, we head north to the Alaska Range in winter. It's here where you'll learn about frigid temps, talking with ravens, and Jonathan Waterman's first winter time ascent of... West of Center is an audio project exploring stories of adventure and the environment through creative use of sound and the spoken word.

In 1996, photographer John Burcham and three friends completed the first foot traverse of the 650-mile long Alaska Range. Burcham decided to leave the group at the very end of the trip in order to make it to his sister's wedding. He was alone in the continent's last great wilderness with a sobering realization -- crevasses, hungry wildlife and hypothermia can kill you, but loneliness can drive you crazy.  

A "virtually" clear day in the Alaska Range gives us the opportunity to fly completely around Mt. McKinley, taking in the magnificent glaciers, the stunning North Face of the mountain, the breathtaking Ruth Gorge, and the grand snowy peaks of Denali National Park. Lots of climbing history and geology. (Verging on the educational, but hey, can't there be great informational moments?)