Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun is also the Land of the Majestic Mountains. When people think of Alaska mountains, their minds instantly go to Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley. And for good reason: Denali is North America’s tallest peak and easily Alaska’s most popular. The mountain is magnetic to climbers, sightseers and Alaskans, who visit its namesake park by the... Read More
There are good, old-fashioned, tried-and-true America traditions, and then there are the good, old-fashioned, quaint, quirky and uniquely Alaskan traditions. Here are a few of the most interesting traditions inspired by Alaska life in the "Last Frontier". "Sunsational" Alaska Solstice Celebrations Around most of the country, the Summer and Winter Solstices come and go like any other days, much like the sun... Read More
Happy New Year! If your big 2020 New Year's resolution is visiting Alaska, we're thrilled! To get you excited about your upcoming adventure, here are 10 Alaska-inspired ideas for your travels to the 49th state in 2020 (or beyond). And don't worry, you don't have to do all of these in just one trip north! Exercise more … by taking one... Read More
In Alaska, every year brings opportunities for visitors to tackle unique adventures, find new favorite outdoor activities, and discover, explore and experience more of this gigantic state and its spectacular landscapes and lifestyles. Here are our top 10 Alaska highlights from a 2019 that was filled with some amazing adventures: #1: Alaska's 60th Birthday The most important 2019 milestone in Alaska happened... Read More
Alaskans have so much to be grateful for, beginning with the fact that they live in Alaska – one of the most beautiful and exciting places in the world! It takes a special breed to live here, and those who thrive in AK take great pleasure in enjoying some of the state’s truly unique features. Here are the top 10 things... Read More
Christmas in Alaska might only arrive in late December, but the holiday season and spirit are celebrated year-round in the quaint and quirky town of North Pole. No, this isn’t the North Pole set deep in the icy Arctic at the top of the world. This North Pole is a welcoming commuter community about a 15-minute sleigh ride …(or even... Read More
While there’s a certain mystical quality behind Alaska’s awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights form great bands of incredible illumination that actually have much more to do with magnetism than with magic. And believe it or not, their activity is even (perhaps surprisingly) fairly predictable. First, you need to understand the science behind lights themselves. The Northern Lights phenomenon is created... Read More
The first time you see the Northern Lights (officially known as "aurora borealis"), they will simply take your breath away. An evolving natural light show with changing shapes and colors with mesmerizing effects. Here are 10 fascinating facts and trivia about the Northern Lights and Aurora Borealis: #1: "Northern Lights" is a pretty-much perfect name for Alaska’s thrilling, sky-filling sensations. But where... Read More
Reality TV Thrives in the Last Frontier Alaska is a unique destination, where life is as real as it gets. Real fascinating and real unique, real cool and real cold, real mysterious and real extreme, real welcoming and even real dangerous. No wonder literally dozens of reality TV programs are, or have been, based in Alaska and around its often more-interesting-than-fiction... Read More
The unique Alaskan lifestyle is embodied in the inspired inventions, tools and clothing created and used by them in their every day lives. For Alaskans, survival has often depended on being strong and smart, resilient and resourceful with little room for error and no space for waste. Accordingly, everything in Alaska tends to serve multiple purposes and is used to... Read More
When it comes to conversations around Alaska’s unique geography, Alaska trivia, fun facts and unusual statistics are dependably fascinating and practically infinite! For example: What’s the distance of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race? ALASKA ANSWER: The traditional route is 1,149 miles. What’s the proper name of the state’s great mountain: McKinley or Denali? ALASKA ANSWER: Alaskans and the federal government... Read More
Special Guest Blog by Dr. Melanie Windridge, author of Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights What are the Northern Lights? The swirling arcs of the Aurora Borealis or "the Northern Lights" that we see are actually billions of oxygen and nitrogen atoms being struck by charged particles and emitting tiny flashes of light high up in the polar night sky –... Read More
Gold! Gold! Gold! In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush drew around 100,000 prospectors, laborers and entrepreneurs to the Yukon Territories and Dawson City, Southeast Alaska and Skagway, the Yukon River and beyond, with all routes leading to potential fortunes. Some struck gold and had their lives instantly changed. But most grand dreams of gold were met with the reality of... Read More
When I was 23, I went to Alaska by myself into the glaciers of the coast range and climbed a mountain by myself. It was incredibly reckless, incredibly stupid. But I was lucky. And I survived, and I came back to tell my story.
Alaska is what happens when Willy Wonka and the witch from Hansel and Gretel elope, buy a place together upstate, renounce their sweet teeth, and turn into health fanatics.