WWU alum first to finish grueling Race to Alaska on stand-up paddleboard

Karl Kruger stepped onto his paddleboard and began to paddle to Alaska. It was the start of the journey, but also the culmination of a lifetime of outdoor experience that made him ideally suited for the wild adventure.

Just 15 days later, after covering 766 miles, Kruger stepped off his board, the first person to complete the Race to Alaska on a stand-up paddleboard. Along the way, he camped on beaches covered in cougar prints, traveled alongside a humpback whale for 10 miles and paddled through bioluminescent waters as he traveled at night to take advantage of the tides.