Alaska

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Alaska – “The Last Frontier”

 With Alaska being larger than Texas, California and Montana combined, it is easy to understand how someone could become overwhelmed trying to plan a trip to see it all.  Luckily for most travelers, other than the extremely adventuresome, it can be done in one to three weeks, depending on one’s interests.  Following is some information about Alaska which will hopefully make it a little easier for those wanting to travel to our “last frontier.”

Alaska is home to 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the US.  Mt. McKinley, commonly known as Denali (meaning “The High One”), is the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet and is located in the 6 million acre Denali National Park and Preserve.  The park is located between Anchorage and Fairbanks, but the peaks can be seen from even further on clear days.  Many visitors never get close to Mt. McKinley and choose to admire her from afar and are still in awe at her beauty and sheer massiveness.

Alaska’s weather is not as extreme as some would expect, especially during the summer months.  It is, however, often cloudy and raining or snowing.  After all, it is home to the Nation’s largest rainforest, Tongass National Park.  In the summer months,  the average temperatures vary between 60 and 90 degrees.  The internal areas of Alaska and the Far North usually have more extreme weather than the outlying regions.  With the variation in temperature, even in the summer months, travelers should plan accordingly and take a back pack for layers while out exploring.

Alaska has its own time zone which is 4 hours behind Eastern Time.  Alaska has the same number of daylight hours as the rest of the country, but they are distributed differently.  The summer months have long days and above the Arctic Circle the day can be 24 hours long for months.  In Anchorage, the summer day is about 19.5 hours long at its longest.  During the winter months, Anchorage’s shortest day has about 4.5 hours of sunlight and the northern regions can be dark 24 hours a day for months.  Since summer is the most popular time for visitors, the long summer days make it easy to take in a lot of sights.  It could easily be light when you wake up and when you go to sleep.

Alaska can be divided into five regions.  The Inside and the Far Northern Region include the two largest cities in Alaska, Anchorage and Fairbanks.  Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska with about 250,000 people.  It is Alaska’s most modern and sophisticated city with large hotels, restaurants,  malls, and the arts.  Fairbanks, Alaska’s second largest city, is smaller and more “Alaskan” than Anchorage.  It is also known as the gateway to the Far North.  Denali National Park is also located in this area between the two cities.  The further north you go, the more remote and less inhabited Alaska becomes.

The Southwest and South Central Regions include forests, mountains and rugged coasts.  It is home to the Kanai Peninsula, Prince William Sound, Homer and Kodiak Island, which is off the coast of Alaska.  Some of the most beautiful scenery and wildlife can be found in these regions and the waters surrounding them.

The Inside Passage is the region in Alaska that borders Canada on one side and the Alaskan Gulf on the other.  It is this area that was the route to the Klondike goldfields during the gold rush so  the towns along here are rich in history.  Still today, most cities in this region are only accessible by boat or air.  Juneau, Alaska’s capital is located in the Inside Passage and is completely water locked.  Other cities and attractions in this region include, Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan and Glacier Bay National Park.  Again, beauty and wildlife abound.

When deciding to visit Alaska, first take into account how much time you will have.  Next, narrow down the region or regions you would like to visit and determine what can be accomplished in your time frame.  If you have one week, pick a “base” and take day trips by air, rail, road or ferry to outlying towns and parks.  Cruises also offer 7 night itineraries and can be a good choice if you’d like to visit the Inside Passage, especially since most towns in that region are not accessible by car or rail.  Some cruise itineraries also include Kodiak Island and Prince William Sound.  If you have more than one week, a one way cruise can be a perfect choice, from Vancouver to Seward for example.  Then decide the additional regions you would like to visit and pick one or two “bases” and again, visit other locations from there.  There are various lodges outside and around Denali National Park that afford great views of nature and wildlife.  Modern hotels can be found in Anchorage and other cities and various other types of lodging and camping are available throughout the state.   If you are more adventurous, there are great itineraries for camping and hiking through many of the state’s national parks.  Whatever you do, chunk it down and do it right rather than trying to do it all.

Books have been written on this majestic state and all its natural beauty so summarizing it in an article has proven difficult.  No matter how much time you have to see Alaska or how you choose to see it, you will most likely leave in awe at the beauty of the massive snow covered mountains and glaciers, in wonder at how graceful a bald eagle glides through the air, and yearning to see more whales, seals, and bears up so close.