Themediocrealaskan

Larry Persily moved to Alaska in 1976 to buy the Wrangell Sentinel. In this episode he recounts a long career covering logging, fishing, and Alaska's dependency on oil. We also discusses Alaska’s fiscal challenges, the Permanent Fund dividend, declining oil production, debates over taxes and public services, and how social media and changing business models are threatening local news and community life. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Dante Troina and Kody Malouf host The Cinema Cult Podcast. In this episode we discuss Major League, Bad News Bears, Moneyball, Hoosiers, the nostalgic human moments that make them resonate, and how film storytelling captures those emotions. We also talk about the impact of analytics and AI in sports, AI’s growing role in filmmaking and post-production, and the ethical and cultural questions that come with relying on technology for creative work. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Travis Hall is the associate editor for Field and Stream. In this episode we discuss conservation writing, important issues, meaningful conversations about complex issues, his trip to the potential site of the Ambler Road and the amount of foreign mining companies looking to dig up American soil.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

In this episode journalist and author Tom Kizzia recounts his journey from arriving in Homer in the mid-1970s and reporting for the Anchorage Daily News. We discuss the newsroom environment, land management and oil politics of the 1980s, as well as his books, especially Pilgrim's Wilderness, his 2013 bestseller about a cruel patriarch who attempts to insulate his family from reality near the town of McCarthy.  We also talk about changing attitudes toward development, national parks, tourism, and the challenge of balancing storytelling, objectivity, and empathy. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Matt Deluca from Alaska Blade Works covers knife testing and iterations, field sharpening and maintenance, essential backcountry gear, rifle choices, and where to buy their products. We also discuss hunting sheep, populations and the incredible outdoor opportunities provided by living in Alaska.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Dagen Walton is back to deep dive into fly fishing specifics. We start at the fly rod and work all the way through his preferences for big rainbows in Bristol Bay. We break down tactics, fly selection, managing line in varying depths and even luggage that anglers should own.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

This episode features a panel of Southeast Alaska locals—guides, hunters, and conservationists—discussing the Tongass National Forest. We discuss past logging impacts, the Roadless Rule, and transitioning to young-growth management. We also share stories about effects on salmon, deer, and bear habitat, the growth of tourism and recreation, and how upcoming public comment periods regarding the next forest plan. Panel: Mary Glaves -Juneau Bjorn Dihle - Juneau Lucas Mullen - Petersburg Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Seawind Aviation (Ketchikan-based flightseeing and air charters) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

In this episode, Olympic athlete Maxime Germain talks about helping the U.S. Olympic 4×7.5 km biathlon relay team record its best finish in history. We discuss his approach to the skiing and shooting elements of biathlon, the European attitude toward biathlon, and his journey from Juneau, to France, to Anchorage before graduating from West Anchorage High School. We also discuss the importance of hobbies (such as knitting) as a break from competition, the need for sponsorships for less popular Olympic sports.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Brennen Schulz is a commercial fisherman and fishing guide who grew up in Ketchikan. In this episode we talk about the transition from gear fishing to fly fishing, flies, proper hook sets, conservation and the life of being a guide.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Dan Kirkwood works for SalmonState and in this episode we talk about forest management in Southeast Alaska, habitat for deer and salmon, the Tongass forest plan update, and the challenge of balancing logging, tourism, and local economies. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Indy and Dagen Walton talk about starting out commercial fishing in Kodiak then running drift boats and set nets in Bristol Bay. We cover community, conservation, crowded runs, permit changes, extreme weather, guide academies, sustainability and concerns about developments like the Pebble Mine. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

In this episode Dagen Walton shares his life on Bristol Bay—growing up commercial fishing, running a small fly‑fishing lodge, and guiding guests on world‑class fisheries. Trout Unlimited Alaska Communications Director Marian Giannulis is also with us and provides important stats about Bristol Bay. She explains HB 233 which would go a long way in protecting the region from mining that would severely impact habitat for both subsistence use and the multi-billion dollar fishing industry.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Kyle Wilkinson is a freshwater fishing guide and outdoors columnist for The Frontiersman newspaper in Wasilla. In this episode we discuss winter conditions, practical tips for preventing frozen pipes, moose roasts and creative game recipes. We also get into guiding, fly fishing patterns, small-scale farming and chicken care, and his work writing local features and columns. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Patrick McCormick is a science teacher and commercial fisherman. In this episode we talk about fishing the Copper River Delta and Prince William Sound, permit economic, commercial and charter users, concerns about  trawling, and the need for science-based management and local engagement. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Journalist Katie Hill discusses her writing process, workforce reduction threatening a long-standing wildlife research center, and why federal science funding matters for hunters, habitat, and conservation policy. We also talk about balancing urgent conservation fights with keeping hunting accessible and fun to recruit and retain everyday outdoor participants.

 Here are the links to the Meateater and Substack pieces we discuss. 

 Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

University of Alaska-Fairbanks fisheries ecologist (steelhead expert) Michael Courtney talks about Alaska steelhead biology, tagging studies using pop-up satellite archival tags, and the unexpected westward migrations these repeat spawners take. We also cover predation risks, timing and river conditions, fishing methods, and how to follow ongoing research or contact the team for publications and data. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

This episode traces the history and impact of the Roadless Rule in the Tongass National Forest. Chris Wood, a key architect of the rule and President of Trout Unlimited, describes the conservation rationale, restoration work, partnerships with industry and local villages, and how balanced, collaborative solutions can protect fisheries while supporting rural economies. Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

Fisheries scientist Kevin Fraley recounts fieldwork along the Dalton Highway investigating contaminants like mercury and PFAS, mining impacts along the proposed Ambler Road, access and conservation concerns, and fishing for Arctic Char.  Check out the On Step Alaska website or subscribe on Substack for articles, features and all things Alaska. Thanks to the sponsors: Sagebrush Dry (Alaskan-owned business that sells the best dry bags you can buy.) Alpine Fit (Premium outdoor layering from another Alaskan-owned business.) Backcountry Hunters and Anglers  

This episode explores the proposed West Susitna Access — a 100+ mile industrial corridor from Big Lake through roadless wetlands to exploratory mining claims — covering estimated costs, major bridge and maintenance concerns, and how the project was split between state agencies. We discuss ecological risks to wetlands, salmon and lamprey habitat, impacts on hunting and fishing, community perspectives from Talkeetna, and practical ways the public can get involved through comments, the Susitna River Coalition, and local events.

To close out the year I’m revisiting four critical habitat and conservation issues in Alaska. This episode dives into the debate over a proposed second crossing through the Mendenhall wetlands in Juneau, Alaska. Local conservationists, hunters and bird experts discuss the ecological importance of the wetlands — a globally important stopover used by hundreds of thousands of migratory birds and over 230 species — and how different bridge alternatives would affect habitat, fishing, hunting access and community recreation.