Local adventurers will report back on a multiweek excursion to the Brooks Range for the Kenai Peninsula College Showcase next Thursday, Nov. 16.
“Three in the Far North” will feature Ben Meyer, Maura Schumacher and Buck Kunz, who will tell of their experience rafting and hunting along the Sagavanirktok River in Northern Alaska over the summer.
Meyer said Wednesday that adventure stories are a good fit for the KPC Showcase. The trio will share photos and maps from their trip, and he said he hopes to start a dialogue with attendees about the adventures they’ve taken — or the ones they’re dreaming of.
They’re looking to hear about experiences similar and different to their own, Meyer said. They’re also hoping to inspire others to experience more of the opportunities afforded by Alaska, if not quite so far away as the North Slope.
The pack-rafting excursion, Meyer said, was the culmination of years of experiences around Alaska that he’s enjoyed with Schumacher and Kunz. The three planned the big trip for the summer because they all have seasonal jobs that usually keep them busy during those months — they seized the opportunity to get out and explore.
Hard-won, Meyer said, was the “adrenaline rush” of floating on the river and navigating the rapids because they had to carry out the heavy raft.
The Kenai Peninsula College Showcase was started roughly 40 years ago to show off the talents of KPC students, staff and faculty — it has since expanded to more broadly feature local and statewide presentations about topics interesting to local residents.
“Three in the Far North” will be held on Thursday, Nov. 16, starting at 6 p.m. in the Kenai Peninsula College commons. For more information about the KPC Showcase, find “Kenai Peninsula College Showcase” on Facebook.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
Ben Meyer carries his raft during a pack-rafting trip in the Brooks Range in August 2023. (Photo courtesy Ben Meyer)
From left: Buck Kunz, Maura Schumacher and Ben Meyer pose during their pack-rafting trip in the Brooks Range in August 2023. (Photo courtesy Ben Meyer)
Buck Kunz and Ben Meyer navigate their rafts during a trip in the Brooks Range in August 2023. (Photo courtesy Ben Meyer)
