Alaska Icons - Travel Alaska

TheseiconsrepresentAlaska’snaturalbeauty,deep-- rootedhistory,thrivingNative
cultureandothernot-- to-- missattractions.TheyallexistinAlaska,andallcanbe
experiencedinonetrip.FromtheInsidePassagetoFairbankstothetipoftheKenai
Peninsula,hereare10ofAlaska’smostimpressiveicons.
1. TotemPoles
TheInsidePassageishometotheTlingit,HaidaandTsimshianpeople,whosehistory
andculturearereflectedintoweringtotempolesfoundingalleries,museums,aswell
asinparksandotheroutdoorsettings.
Wheretoseethem
SitkaNationalHistoricParkboastsacollectionoftotemsnearitsvisitorcenter
andalongthepark’swalkingtrails.Thepieces,primarilyfromPrinceofWales
Island,wereoncedisplayedatthe1904St.LouisExposition.
TheTotemHeritageCenterinKetchikanisanationallandmarkandhousesa
collectionof19thcenturytotemsretrievedfromuninhabitedTlingitandHaida
villagesnearKetchikan.ItisthelargestsuchcollectionintheUnitedStates.
KetchikanisalsohometoTotemBightStatePark,whichfeaturesanauthentic
Tlingit“longhouse,”orgatheringplace,anddozensoftotemsinacoastalsetting.
OnChiefShakesIslandinWrangell,sevenintricatelycarvedtotempoles
surroundacommunityhouse,whichisthereplicaofanauthenticTlingitIndian
structure.ChiefShakesIslandisaccessibleviafootbridgefromFrontStreetin
downtownWrangell.
2. Wildlife
Whales,brownbearsandmoose,ohmy!Alaskaishometoanestimated175,000
moose,30,000brownbearandninedifferentspeciesofwhales,alongwith
numerousotherspeciesofwildlife.
Wheretofindthem
Bearsofallvarieties–black,brownandpolar–callAlaskahome,butprobably
themostimpressiveandeasiesttoviewarethebrownbears.KatmaiNational
ParkandPreserve,KodiakIsland,AdmiraltyIsland,AnanBearandWildlife
ObservatoryandDenaliNationalParkandPreserve,amongmanyotherspots,
aregoodplacestowatchbearsinactionfromthesafetyofatourordesignated
viewingarea.
MoosecanbefoundallalongAlaska’shighways,orindensewoodedareasfrom
certainpartsoftheInsidePassagetotheColvilleRiverareainAlaska’sFarNorth
region.Theyaremostabundantinareasthathavebeenrecentlyburnedby
forestfireswithlotsoftendernewwillowandbirchshrubs,ontimberline
plateausandalongthemajorriversofSouthcentralandInteriorAlaska.Theyare
alsocommonlyseenincitieslikeAnchorageandFairbanks.
WhalesarefoundthroughoutAlaska’scoastalregionsandthereareseveral
majorspeciesthatcallAlaskawatershomeforatleastpartoftheyear,including
humpback,gray,bowhead,fin,killer(orca),minke,beaked,beluga,spermand
NorthPacificrightwhales.ManywhalespeciestraveltoAlaskaduringthe
summermonthstofeastonabundantmarinelifebeforemigratingbackto
warmerwatersinCalifornia,MexicoandHawaiiinwintertohavebabies.Day
cruisesorwhalewatchingtours,whichareusuallyonsmallerboatsthatare
moremaneuverablethanlargeships,offerthebestup-- closeviewingofwhales.
However,large-- shipcruisepassengersandferrytravelersfrequentlyseewhales,
too,andwhalescanalsobeviewedfromshoreorduringakayakingtrip.The
entireInsidePassageregion,PrinceWilliamSound,thewatersofftheKenai
PeninsulaandnearKodiakIslandareallgreatplacestoexperiencewhale
watching.
3. America’smostmajesticsymbol—thebaldeagle
ThebaldeaglepopulationinAlaskaisestimatedat30,000birds.MostvisitorstoAlaska
willseeabaldeaglebeforetheyleavethestate.Anywherefishareplentifulisagood
placetolookforeagles.Whenscanningthetrees,lookforsomethingthatlookslikea
golfballandyou’reprobablylookingataneagle’shead.Althougheaglescanbeseen
almostanywhereinAlaska,hereareafewspecialplacestoviewthem:
Wheretospotthem
TheChilkatBaldEaglePreservenearHaineswasestablishedin1982toprotect
oneofthelargestconcentrationsofbaldeaglesinNorthAmerica.The48,000-- acrepreservewindsalongtheChilkatRiverwhereeachyear,betweenOctober
andJanuary,morethan3,000eaglescongregatealongtherivertofeedonchum
salmon.Asimilargatheringcanbeseeninthespringalongthebanksofthe
StikineRivernearWrangell,whereeaglesflockbythethousandstoscoop
salmonoutoftheriver.
Sitka’sAlaskaRaptorCenterborderstheTongassNationalForestandhas
becomeAlaska’sforemostbaldeaglerescueandrehabilitationcenter.Eachyear
thecenterprovidesmedicaltreatmentfor100-- 200injuredbaldeaglesandother
birds.Thecenterreceivesupto36,000annualvisitors,including15,000
schoolchildren,whovisitthecentertotakepartintheRaptors-- in-- Residenceand
Adopt-- A- -Raptoreducationalprograms.
4. MagnificentMountains
Alaskaishometo17ofthenation’s20highestpeaks,includingthelegendaryDenali,
formerlyMountMcKinley,NorthAmerica’stallestpeak.Hikingoptionsareplentiful
statewide,andmanyexcellentguidebooksofferdirectionstotrailheadsanddetailed
descriptionsofAlaskatrailsineachcommunityorregion.Hikersshouldalwayslet
someoneknowwherethey’regoingandwhentheyplantobebackandpackmorethan
enoughwaterandfoodincasetheygetdelayedduetoweatherorinjury.Herearejust
afewrecommendationsforexperiencingAlaska’sbackcountry:
Wheretohikethem
LocatedabovetheArcticCircle,theBrooksRangeisAlaska’snorthernmost
mountainrangeandalsooneofthemostisolated.Toattemptthesedramatic
peaks,thenovicehikerorclimbershouldbeaccompaniedbyanexperienced
guide.VisitorscanflytowildernesslodgesscatteredthroughouttheBrooks
Rangeforunparalleledbackpacking,orriverkayaking.
TheChugachMountainsareaccessiblefrombothAnchorageandValdezand
offerrecreationforalllevels,fromadayhikeup3,550-- footFlattopMountainto
exploringthefaceofValdezGlacier.HikerscanalsoattempttheNorthFaceof
MountAlyeskaatAlaska’smostpopularskiresort,whereafour-- diamond
restaurant,SevenGlaciers,awaitstosatisfydiscerningappetitesatthetop.
ThecommunitiesoftheInsidePassagearehikersparadise,thanksinlargepartto
beingsurroundedbythenation’slargestnationalforest,theTongass.The
toweringSitkaspruce,glaciers,rivers,waterfallsandsteepfjordsmakeforscenic
andchallenginghikingterrain.Inmosttowns,stunningtrailsofalllengthsand
difficultylevelsareasaccessibleaswalkingtotheendofthestreetand
proceedingupamountain.ConsidertheMountRobertstrailinJuneau,which
canbecombinedwithaone-- waytripontheMountRobertsTramwayfora
fantasticallyscenicandenjoyableday.Foralongeradventure,considerthe
ChilkootTrail,whichwashikedbyprospectorstogetfromtidewaterinSkagway,
AlaskatothegoldfieldsinCanada’sKlondike.
5. DogMushing
DogmushingisAlaska’sofficialstatesportwithrootsthatgoback4,000yearsinthe
northernregionsofNorthAmericaandSiberia.Visitorstravelfromaroundtheworldto
witnessanumberofAlaska'sfamoussleddograces.Visitorscanexperiencedog
mushingthroughkenneltoursorevenrideonadogsledacrossthefaceofaglacier.
Wheretoexperiencedogmushing
TheIditarodTrailSledDogRace,alsoknownas“TheLastGreatRace,”isthe
longestdogmushingraceinNorthAmerica–nearly1,000milesfrom
AnchoragetoNome.ThefirstSaturdayinMarchkicksoffwiththeceremonial
startinAnchorage;spectatorswillalsoenjoytheexcitementofthefinishin
Nome.AlsoinAnchorage,theannualFurRendezvouscelebrationinFebruary
featurestheworld’sbestsprintracingteams.
TheothermajorlongdistanceraceistheYukonQuestInternationalSledDog
RacethatrunsfromFairbankstoWhitehorseinCanada’sYukon–adistanceof
1,000miles.ManyYukonQuestracecheckpointsareroadaccessible,affording
spectatorslotsofopportunitiestowatchtherace.AlsoinFairbanks,theOpen
NorthAmericanandLimitedNorthAmericanchampionshipsareheldinMarch
andattracttopsprintmushersfromaroundtheworld.
Inthesummer,kenneltoursareagreatwaytoexperiencemushingandare
availableinmanyAlaskacommunities,especiallyinSouthcentralandInterior
Alaska,wheredogmushingisawayoflife.Toexperiencethethrillofmushing
foryourself,checkoutoneofthemanytouroptionsthatincludeaflightby
helicoptertothefaceofaglacierforarideacrosstheicyexpanse.
6. Glaciers
NotriptoAlaskawouldbecompletewithoutglacierviewing.Infact,threeofthetop10
mostvisitedattractionsinthestateareglaciers.
Wheretoseethem
SomeofthebestaccesstoglaciersisfoundinPrinceWilliamSound,accessed
eitherinWhittier,ValdezorCordova.Boardthestateferryorprivateday
excursionboatsinanyofthesecommunitiesforupcloseandpersonalviewsof
thesemagnificentriversofice.
KenaiFjordsNationalParkishometoExitGlacier,ahalf-- milewideglaciereasily
accessiblewithinthepark.ItisalsohometoHardingIcefield,oneofonlyfour
remainingicefieldsintheUnitedStatesandthelargesticefieldentirelywithin
UnitedStatesbordersat700squaremiles.
SeveralofAlaska’smostaccessibleglacierscanalsobereachedbycarincluding:
WorthingtonGlacierontheRichardsonHighwaynearValdez;MatanuskaGlacier
ontheGlennHighwaynearPalmer;ExitGlacier,partofKenaiFjordsNational
ParknearSewardontheSewardHighway;PortageGlaciernearGirdwoodonthe
SewardHighway;andMendenhallGlacieronGlacierHighwayinJuneau.
7. HistoricMiningTowns
Injustoneyear,1897-- 98,morethan60,000adventurersmadetheirwaynorthtothe
richgoldfieldsoftheKlondike.ThestrikeledtoanewinterestinAlaskaandsubsequent
strikesincommunitiesalloverthestate.Today,Juneau,Nome,theMat-- SuValley,
Girdwood,Fairbanksandmanyothercommunitiesoffervisitorsachancetoexperience
theirgoldminingpast.
Wheretofindgold
TheChilkootTraillocatedoutsideofSkagwayisa33-- miletrailonwhichvisitors
willfindhistoryattheirfeet.Oldpickaxes,wagonwheels,shovelsandcountless
otheritemscanbefoundalongthishistorictrail.
VisitorstoJuneaucanexperiencethearea’sgoldminingpastinanumberof
ways,includingatouroftheAlaska-- GastineauMillandGoldMineorawalk
throughwhatwasonceoneofthelargestgoldminesinAmerica,theTreadwell
MineonDouglasIsland.TogetthemostoutoftheTreadwellMine,stopbythe
DouglasPublicLibrary,rightacrossGastineauChannelfromdowntownJuneau
onDouglasIsland,andpickupafreeinterpretivemapthatwillguideyou
throughtheheavilyforestedwalkingtrails,pointingoutwhatremainsofwhat
wasoncethemostproductivegoldmineintheworld.
InFairbanks,therearestillseveralactiveminesintheareaandolderminesthat
havebeenconvertedfortours.MiningrelicsincludetheChenaPumpHouse,
EsterCamp,ChatanikaCamp,GoldDredgeNo.8andtheDavidsonDitch.The
UniversityofAlaskaMuseumoftheNorthasminingexhibitsaswell.
8. RussianHistory&Culture
AlthoughAlaskawaspurchasedfromRussiain1867,theRussianinfluenceisstillseen
todayinthecommunitiesofSitka,KodiakandUnalaskaaswellasontheKenai
Peninsula,whereonion-- domedRussianOrthodoxchurchesareavisualreminderof
Alaska’spreviousowners.
Wheretoexperienceit
UnalaskaishometotheoldeststandingRussian-- builtchurchinthecountry,
datingbackto1825.ItwasbuiltbytheRussianAmericanFurCompany,andis
nowafederallydesignatedNationalHistoricLandmark.Thechurchwasnearly
destroyedduringWWII,whentheJapaneseattackedUnalaska.
KodiakIslandwasthefirstplaceinAlaskathattheRussianssettled.Awalking
tourofthecitycanincludetheBaranovMuseum,HolyResurrectionRussian
OrthodoxChurchandtheSaintInnocentVeniaminovResearchInstitute
Museum.
VisitorscantakeintheRussianinfluencewhenvisitingSitka,includingtheold
Russiancemetery,theLutherancemetery,whereRussianPrincessMaksoutoffis
buried,andSaintMichael’sRussianOrthodoxCathedral.Visitorscanalsoview
theRussianBishop’sHouse,partofSitkaNationalHistoricalPark,aswellas
manyhistorichousesthatreflectRussianinfluence.
9. NorthernLights
Morethan250,000peoplevisitAlaskaeachwinterbetweenOctoberandApril,most
withhopesofcatchingaglimpseofthenorthernlights(alsoknownastheaurora
borealis).
Wheretowitnessthem
Fairbanksprovidesoneofthebestspotsonearthtoviewtheaurora.Itslocation
andtendencytohaveclearnightskiesmakethisanunbeatablelocationfor
watchingthelightsdance.HotelsinFairbanksofferaurorawake-- upcalls,where
staffwillgentlyawakevisitorstoletthemknowtheauroraisactive.The
UniversityofAlaskaFairbankshasanonlineauroraforecastthathelpspinpoint
thebesttimetowatchthenorthernlights,whichcanrangefromagreenish,
hazycloudtoanactiveanddancingdisplayingreen,redandpurple.Visitorscan
experiencethenorthernlightsfromaheated"aurorium"cabin,onanovernight
dogsledtrip,bysnowcattourtoapanoramicvista,onahorsedrawnsleighor
onaflightabovetheArcticCircle–orsimplybypullingoveronthesideofthe
roadandlookingup.
TheFarNorthregionofAlaskaalsooffersidealcircumstancesfornorthernlights
viewing,whichisknowntobeatitsbestthecloserthevieweristotheNorth
Pole.Bettles,located180airmilesnorthwestofFairbanks,offers
accommodationsbuiltspecificallyforauroraviewing,whereviewingisbestmid-- Augustthroughmid-- April.Nome,ColdfootandBarrowarejustafewoftheother
FarNorthcommunitieswithexcellentauroraviewingopportunities.
10. Unsurpassedsportfishing
FishinginAlaskaisanangler’sdream.Morethan30speciesofgamefishinhabit
Alaska’sfreshandsaltwaters,includingfivespeciesofPacificsalmonandhugehalibut.
Wheretocatchthem
Alaska’sInsidePassage,knownforsaltwaterfishing,isfamousforgianthalibut
andallfivespeciesofPacificsalmon,plusequallyimpressiveopportunitiesfor
freshwaterfishing.Ketchikan,Wrangell,Sitka,Petersburg,Haines,Skagwayand
Juneauarethekeygatewaycitiestothiswildcoastalregion.Guidedtoursare
plentifulinthisregion.
SouthcentralAlaska’sKenaiPeninsulaishometheworld’slargestkingsalmon
andwhatareoftendescribedas“barndoor”Pacifichalibut–trophyhalibut
weighinatover350pounds!Guidedchartersareavailableallalongthelength
oftheKenaiRiver,whicharealsothespawninggroundsforkings.InHomer,
guidedfishingisfocusedonhalibut,whichareplentifulinthearea.Visitorsmay
alsoflyouttotheAlaskaRangeinSouthcentralAlaskaforclassicfreshwater
fishingorparticipateinoneofthelocalsummerfishingderbies,whichofferthe
chancetonotonlycatchatrophyfishbutalsotakehomeagiantcashprize.
Alaska’sFarNorthandInteriorAlaskaareappealingtofreshwateranglersfor
abundantsalmon,trophy-- sizeNorthernpike,laketroutandArcticchar.Inthe
Interior,popularfishinglocationsincludetheCharleyRiverforking,chumand
cohosalmon,andRainbowLake,knownforexcellentrainbowtroutfishing.
Whilealittlemorechallengingtoaccess—primarilybyair—thelakeswithin
theBrooksRangeintheFarNorthregionareapopularspot,althoughtheymay
notbeice-- freeuntilJuly.
Valdez,alsoinSouthcentralAlaska,isalsoknownforitsexcellentsaltwater
fishing.Trophy-- sizehalibutareregularlyfetchedfromthewatersofPrince
WilliamSoundandalongrunningfishingderbyofferssomeofthebiggestand
bestcashprizesavailableinthestate.Chartersandplentifulandcanbearranged
throughthelocalconventionandvisitorsbureau.
IfYouGo
StateofAlaskatourismoffice
http://www.travelalaska.com/Media
Center
Phone:(800)327-- 9372
AdmiraltyIslandNationalMonument
www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/ad
miralty
Phone:(907)586-- 8800
AlaskaMarineHighwaySystem
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/
amhs/pubs/
Phone:(800)642-- 0066
AlyeskaResort
www.alyeskaresort.com
Phone:(800)880-- 3880
BaranovMuseum
www.baranovmuseum.org
Phone:(907)486-- 5920
AlaskaRaptorCenter
www.alaskaraptor.org
Phone:(800)643-- 9425
AnanWildlifeObservatory
www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/recreation/
wildlife_viewing/ananobservatory.shtml
Phone:(907)225-- 3101
AnchorageFurRendezvousFestival
www.furrondy.net
Phone:(907)274-- 1177
ThePumpHouse
www.pumphouse.com
Phone:(907)479-- 8452
ChiefShakesIsland
http://shakesisland.com
Phone:(907)874-- 3097
ChilkatBaldEaglePreserve
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/eaglep
rv.htm
Phone:(907)465-- 4563
CordovaChamberofCommerce&
VisitorsCenter
www.cordovachamber.com
Phone:(907)424-- 7260
KenaiFjordsNationalPark
http://www.nps.gov/kefj/ind
ex.htm
Phone:(907)422-- 0500
DenaliNationalParkandPreserve
www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
Phone:(907)683-- 2294
KenaiPeninsulaTourismMarketing
Council
www.kenaipeninsula.org
Phone:(800)535-- 3624
DouglasPublicLibrary
www.juneau.org/library
Phone:(907)364-- 2378
ExploreFairbanks
www.explorefairbanks.com
Phone:(800)327-- 5774
GoldDredgeNo.8
www.golddredgeno8.com
Phone:(907)457-- 6058
DiscoverKodiak
http://www.kodiak.org
Phone:(800)789-- 4782
KlondikeGoldRushNationalPark
www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm
Phone:(907)983-- 9200
GreaterWhittierChamberof
Commerce
www.whittieralaskachamber.org
Phone:(907)677-- 9448
Mat-- SuConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.alaskavisit.com
Phone:(907)746-- 5000
HainesConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.haines.ak.us
Phone:(800)458-- 3579
HomerChamberofCommerce
www.homeralaska.org
Phone:(907)235-- 7740
IditarodTrailSledDog
Race
www.iditarod.com
Phone:(907)248-- MUSH
JuneauConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.traveljuneau.com
Phone:(888)581-- 2201
KatmaiNationalParkandPreserve
http://www.nps.gov/katm/index.ht
m
Phone:(907)246-- 3305
KetchikanVisitorsBureau
http://www.visitketchikan.com/
Phone:(800)770-- 3300
MountRobertsTramway
http://mountrobertstramway.co
m/
Phone:(888)820-- 2628
NomeConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.nomealaska.org
Phone:(907)443-- 6624
PetersburgChamberofCommerce
www.petersburg.org
Phone:(907)772-- INF
SewardChamberofCommerce
www.seward.com
Phone:(907)224-- 8051
SitkaConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.sitka.org
Phone:(800)557-- 4852
SitkaNationalHistoricPark
www.nps.gov/sitk/index.htm
Phone:(907)747-- 0107
SkagwayConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.skagway.com
Phone:(888)762-- 1898
TongassNationalForest
www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass
Phone:(907)225-- 3101
TotemBightStatePark
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totem
bgh.htm
Phone:(907)465-- 4563
VisitAnchorage
www.anchorage.net
Phone:(907)276-- 4118
TotemHeritageCenter
http://www.ktn-ak.us/totem-heritagecenter
Phone:(907)225-- 5900
Unalaska/PortofDutchHarbor
Convention&VisitorsBureau
http://www.ci.unalaska.ak.us/communit
y/page/convention-and-visitor-bureau
Phone:(877)581-- 2612
UniversityofAlaskaFairbanks
GeophysicalInstitute
www.gi.alaska.edu
Phone:(907)474-- 7558
ValdezConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.valdezalaska.org
Phone:(907)835-- 2984
UniversityofAlaskaMuseumofthe
North
www.uaf.edu/museum
Phone:(907)474-- 7505
WrangellConvention&VisitorsBureau
www.wrangell.com
Phone:(800)367-- 9745
YukonQuestInternationalSledDog
Race
www.yukonquest.com
Phone:(907)452-- 7954