• Becky paddling with Bill Copperthwate.
  • Wood bowl by Tony Perelli.
  • Carving
  • Tony on Old Soggy in Chugach State Park, Alaska (Photo: JT Lindholm)
  • In the arctic.
  • Tony Perelli (Photo: Eric Parsons)

The Creative Path: Tony Perelli

Evan Phillips on July 19, 2019

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know Alaskan-based wilderness adventurer, woodworker, potter and teacher, Tony Perelli.

Tony grew up in the farm country of Wisconsin, playing sports as a kid, but also developing a passion for the outdoors, fishing and canoeing with his family and grandparents. After college, Tony found himself in Alaska, working as a teacher for the Anchorage School District, and also meeting a group of friends that would introduce him to mountaineering and packrafting. These formative experiences would shape his life, and instill a deeper sense of love and respect, for the wilderness.

Since that time, Tony has continued refining his life, stripping away the excesses, and focusing instead on living simply, working with his hands, and sharing unique life experiences and connections with others.

Last winter, I got to sit down with Tony, to talk about his life in the mountains and wilderness, as well as the creative endeavors he chooses to pursue, and share with others. Like many conversations on The Firn Line, we started by talking about Tony’s inspirations as a kid – and later, how a random encounter after college, would lead him to Alaska.

Links

Tony Perelli

Evan Phillips

Patreon

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym

The Hoarding Marmot

  • Becky paddling with Bill Copperthwate.
  • Wood bowl by Tony Perelli.
  • Carving
  • Tony on Old Soggy in Chugach State Park, Alaska (Photo: JT Lindholm)
  • In the arctic.
  • Tony Perelli (Photo: Eric Parsons)
Roman Dial and Evan Phillips chat at The Firn Line “Live” at the Alaska Rock Gym. Photo: Kevin Goodman
Family trip, popping land leaches over a candle. Borneo 95/ 96
Roman in the Copper Canyon. 2007.
Roman Dial. Photo: Luc Mehl
Roman and his son Cody ‘Roman’ Dial. Bhutan 2012.
1998 with Cody Roman in his own boat and Roman and daughter Jazz, watching the Caribou calve in area just opened for oil drilling. Jago River, Alaska
Roman tree climbing in Australia in 2002. Photo: Bill Hatcher
sailing with Brad across Kontrashibuna Lake in Lake Clark National Park. Photo: Mike Curiak

Episode 21 // The Firn Line “Live”: Roman Dial

Evan Phillips on January 11, 2018

 

Narrative

On December 2, 2017, I had the great privilege to sit down in front of a live audience at the Alaska Rock Gym, and talk with renowned Alaskan alpinist and explorer, Roman Dial.  We had a candid and highly-entertaining conversation that spanned topics including his early years in Fairbanks, his ambitious climbs in The Hayes Range in the 80’s, as well as his forays into hell-biking, tree climbing, and packrafting in the 90’s and beyond.  

In some ways, Roman is a larger than life character, with a list of jaw-dropping outdoor achievements to his credit.  But as you’ll soon hear, it’s the characters, friends and partners that have helped shape Roman’s life, and ultimately meant the most to him.  

Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Lonely Mountain / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Space Walker / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)

Links

Support The Firn Line
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym
The Roaming Dials
Shwak Magazine

Photo: Luc Mehl
Photo: Luc Mehl
Photo: Luc Mehl
Photo: Luc Mehl
Photo: Luc Mehl
Photo: Roman Dial
Photo: Mike Curiak
Brad Meiklejohn above Eklutna River. Photo Courtesy of B. Meiklejohn
“Uncle B.” and Kyle Dempster. Photo: Brad Meiklejohn

Episode 17 // A Higher Calling: Brad Meiklejohn

Evan Phillips on November 16, 2017

 

Narrative

It’s no accident that Brad Meiklejohn makes his home in a beautiful alpine valley outside of Anchorage, Alaska.  An avid pack rafter, climber and skier, Brad has spent much of his life exploring Alaska and other remote corners of the world.  But beyond his accomplishments in the outdoors, the mountains have always been a sacred place of reflection and self discovery, attributes that can certainly be traced to his deep family roots.

As a kid, Brad followed his grandmother and cousins on hiking and climbing adventures in The White Mountains of New Hampshire.  It was during these formative years that Brad would lay the foundation for his future outdoor ambitions.  But more than anything, his family instilled in him a deep loyalty to each other, as well as a sense of duty to protect the natural world they loved.  

This way of life was a natural progression for Brad, first as an avid climber, skier, and avalanche forecaster in Utah, then as Alaska Director of The Conservation Fund, a position he’s now held for over 20 years.  

But as much fulfillment as his career and personal adventures have brought, there’s been equal amounts of tragedy and sadness.  Over the course of Brad’s outdoor career, he’s lost over 30 friends in mountain-related deaths, a toll that has affected him profoundly.  But perhaps none of these deaths have affected him more than loss of Kyle Dempster, a young American alpinist with whom he shared a deep family and spiritual connection.

A few months ago, I drove out to Brad’s mountain-side home in the Chugach Mountains, hoping to gain insight into his wilderness adventures, his philosophies about conservation, as well as his meaningful relationship with Kyle.  

Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• By Your Side / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Avalanche / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Falling Down / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Guess I Was Just Young / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Letter That You Sent / Evan Phillips / Lonely Mountain (2017)
•By Your Side / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)

Links

Patreon
American Packrafting Association
The Conservation Fund – Alaska
Kyle Dempster
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym