“Stuff like this, I’m probably better off than most people in shoes,” he said. He often reads while he walks.Īs we set off, I noticed pretty quickly that Strong seemed to fare better than me in a lot of the slushy spots. He’s brought a book with him for the hike, just something he pulled off the shelf at home. He’s 29 and works in IT for the Juneau School District, where he has to wear sandals. Strong grew up in Tenakee Springs, the youngest of six kids. He wore shorts, a light pullover and, of course, no shoes. Several inches of snow were on the ground. I met Ezra Strong on a sunny day in late March for a hike along Dredge Lake Trail. I introduced myself and he laughed in a “not again” kind of way. The ground was slick with ice, and across the street, a bearded man in cargo shorts was walking - without shoes. One 30-degree day, I had my own sighting downtown near the State Office Building. He wanted to know more about the mysterious man whose bare footprints crisscross the neighborhood. “Rain, shine, 10 degrees, 70 degrees, uh, never any shoes,” Boyer said after submitting his question to Curious Juneau.

“Is he a hobbit? Is he into New Age spiritual stuff? Don’t his feet get cold?”īoyer lives in the neighborhood above Juneau-Douglas High School.Īs he’s out walking his dog or with his kids day to day, he’s noticed a certain walker who also frequents the area. “Oh yeah, barefoot guy! What’s the story?” said Juneau resident Michael Boyer. Catch up on past episodes, or ask your own question on the Curious Juneau page. Every episode we help you find an answer. Curious Juneau stars you and your questions.

Kids muck boots