Arctic Entries

Jim made a career as an attorney in Alaska before moving into nonprofit work in California and dirt work in Oregon. He spends his metal energy contemplating Citizen’s United and organic compost (not together), and all his airline miles flying back and forth to visit his grown kids. When he doesn’t answer the phone on the first ring, it’s probably because he’s in his truck-tent camped out along a riverbank.

Anonymous - High-Seas by Arctic Entries

Stephanie hails from the tropical suburbs of Florida. She came to Alaska for the first time in 2011 to lead land tours for a cruise line. The following year, she surprised her family and friends by claiming, “I was born for the tundra,” throwing caution to the wind, and driving the 6,500 miles up in her tender little Diesel Bug. Today she is no longer a guide, but still loves to tell stories about Alaska to anyone who will listen—especially the tourists who annually migrate here.

Brooke likes to dabble in all things wilderness while tickling her creative poetic muse. That’s a cute way of saying, she makes her living as a seasonal guide and educator in Alaska, because we all know poetry doesn’t pay. She has a penchant for dirty jokes, dancing on the bar, powder in the face, and glitter—copious amounts of glitter. Apologies ahead of time for inappropriate language, as that is this storyteller’s learning style.

Wendy has done many different things in her life: British Army Officer, Outward Bound Instructor, Mountain Guide, Musher, Aid Worker, Travel Guide, Silk Shibori Artist. She has travelled to many of the remotest places in the world, and is now happily settled with her husband Richard and their husky Nick at their homestead on Sheep Mountain. In the summer, they operate Little Bear Guest Cabins, and she does silk classes and retreats, occasionally guiding on the Matanuska Glacier. In the winter, she leads trips for Alaskans to Britain, France, and Morocco.

Oscar is an immigrant from Colombia who grew up riding bikes throughout Anchorage. A recent father of two, he is exploring what he wants to do for the next phase of his life. Oscar often wonders how his life experiences differ from those of others and translates what he learns into visual narratives as a photographer.

Juan is a hockey fanatic. He moved from Mexico City to Alaska in 2012. Juan loves Marvel and Star Wars. He is 16 years old and attends West Anchorage High School. Enchiladas are his favorite food.

Ole spent his early childhood in Unalakleet listening to stories of the coast as told by the wind howling through frosty window-panes, over snow machine windshields, or through the fur ruff on his mother’s parka. He now lives in Anchorage and with his older brother, sets out all over Alaska’s road and trail systems to expand his horizons, break barriers, eat ice cream and make a little mischief.

Chrissy was born and raised in Parma, Idaho and attended the University of Idaho to become a counselor. She did that for a few years and then decided to try teaching. Teaching has taken her all over the world from the Middle East to New Jersey and now to Talkeetna.

Born in California and raised in Chugiak, Laura grew up determined to leave this cold and desolate state. After 11 years of teaching, traveling and adventuring around the globe, she is back in her home state, reacquainting herself with what it means to be Alaskan.

Eric is an Alaskan Grown musical mountain man day-lighting as an engineer and board member for the Anchorage Folk Festival. He can be found playing with local groups High Lonesome Sound and The Hot Club of Nunaka while designing mechanical systems for buildings with RSA Engineering. Rumor has it, he likes pasta.

Katy was born and raised in Anchorage, and recently returned to Alaska with her family after eight years in Washington. Her Arctic Entries performance is the culmination of a year of taking epic chances, including leaving her job, starting a new business, Nerd Nite presentations, improv practice, tap dance classes and moving back to the state she calls home.

Nyachan is a Justice student at UAA. Born in Ethiopia, her family migrated to the U.S. due to the continuous civil war in her home country of South Sudan. Nyachan’s friends often give her crap for her poor storytelling abilities. Now joke’s on them!

Helen grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Alaska in 1959. She spent the 60’s having kids and homesteading in Eagle River Valley. In 1970 she became chair of the Alliance for Humane Abortions. That experience changed her view of herself and women and what she and women could do. She is best known as co-author of “55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska.”

Teresa is a 25-year paramedic whose career includes metro, rural, flight and SWAT medicine. For the past 18 years, she has lived in Alaska where she owned and operated 3 paramedic schools, flew medevac and ran ambulance 911. Teresa is an educator, entrepreneur, wife, mother of four, and grandmother. She is currently the director of a non-governmental organization, Mobil Medics International, which provides medical teams to disaster and underprivileged areas all over the world.

Hailing from Anchorage since birth, J.C. has made it a mission to see as much of Alaska as he can. In constant awe of nature, he likes to spend time in the woods or by the water and won’t shut up about his deer hunting trip next week. He enjoys thinking about politics, traveling, and Alaska’s future.

Britteny hails from Detroit and has lived in Anchorage for four years. Despite her serious professional demeanor as an advocate for disenfranchised Alaskans, she would like you to know that she has super-sick dance moves. Her other talents include kissing puppies and eating a lot of pasta.

Ex-professional fingerboarder Mikey Huff lives his life in Alaska as a photographer, leather worker, and owner of The Mercantile, a menswear shop in Anchorage. If he’s not taking pictures or leather crafting, he’s probably hanging out with his four legged child, Boogie.

5 Truths and 2 lies about Tim: He was born in Texas, holds a college degree that he’s sworn never to use, once painted a prison, has swum in 4 of the 5 oceans, holds an obscure world record, has ridden his bicycle to Prudhoe Bay, and thinks you’re fabulous.

Carolynn came up to Alaska 20 years ago for a summer job and left only long enough to pack up her belongings in Utah and drive the Alcan. Since then she has been working on her Alaskan skills check list with the goal of earning Sourdough status. So far, of the 4 things on the list, she has checked off peeing on the Yukon River. Carolynn’s hometown roots are in New England, which can be readily determined by the emergence of a noticeable accent after a few drinks. Her favorite things to do are sitting around a campfire, with a frosty adult beverage in hand, telling stories with friends, going places with no cell phone service and adventuring with her husky dog, Sassy.