Mike Gordon: A Tribute

Today's show pays tribute to Mike Gordon, who started the world-renowned, rustic saloon, Chilkoot Charlie's. Its success rose during the oil boom days of the Alaska Oil Pipeline and with it the drug craze years of the 1970's. Although Mike got wrapped up in it, he quit, turned his life around and as part of his therapy set his sights on climbing the seven tallest peaks on seven continents. Mike wrote a book about it, Climbing the Ropes: An Alaskan Memoir, that you'll find with other books Mike wrote on our Big Alaska Show Book Review section. Mike's life is a rich, entertaining tapestry. We've picked clips to share this life well-lived!

Mike Gordon the Naked Alaskan!

Naked Alaskan: The Rest of The Stories is Mike Gordon's 3rd book that completes an adventurous memoir trilogy including capturing a time in Alaska's history when money was flowing from the Alaska Pipeline to catapult a 1500 square foot shotgun bar into a world-renowned rustic saloon, Chilkoot Charlie's.

His first two books, Learning the Ropes and Dagnabit!, are focused on those times, while his third book, like the title says, fills in the rest of the stories. You'll find those on our Big Alaska Show Book Review Section.

Hear our interview with Mike Gordon.

Denali Tales!

Denali translates to "The Great One". Today's show features two books and their authors with Denali as their subject. Former editor of Alaska Magazine, Andy Hall, talks about his book, Denali's Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak. 

Then, Mike Gordon talks about his book, Learning the Ropes: An Alaskan Memoir.   

We even have two Tall Alaska Tales in today's show! Check out this fun podcast!