An Adventure in Alaska
A trip to Alaska is a trip to be remembered and definitely for those who are always on the lookout for adventure, and a enjoy vast wilderness and the great outdoors. Motivational speakers such as Adventure Man www.adventureman.org would fit in well in Alaska! Alaska is a vast state and it is actually divided into five separate sub-sections – these are Arctic, Interior, South West, South Central and Inside Passage. Even within the regions themselves, the terrain can vary wildly – from lush green forests, to the arctic tundra, rolling snow-capped mountains to busy towns. Alaska is certainly an adventurers dream destination!
Wildlife and culture in the Inside Passage
A visit to the inside passage region is a wildlife lovers dream. Marine life such as whales and sea-lions thrive here. It is also possible to see many parts of Alaska’s rich cultural heritage here. The totem poles of the Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian Indians are still standing over their land. Alaska’s Russian settlers have also left their mark here, in the form of domed churches.
Alaska’s Russian and Cold War history
Alaska originally belonged to Russia until it was sold to America by the then cash-strapped Tsar in the 19th Century. This meant that the Diomede islands – in the middle of the Bering Strait were divided between the two countries – Russia kept Big Diomede and Little Diomede became property of the United States. Unfortunately, the Cold War saw many of the residents of Big Diomede moved onto the Russian mainland so that the island could be used by the Russian military and were split from family members on the smaller island. It is possible to visit little Diomede from Alaska, and a great opportunity to see a true remote settlement.
Northern Lights and the Hubbard Glacier
Another of Alaska’s greatest attractions are of course the Northern Lights. Visitors flock here for a glimpse of one of natures greatest spectacles of the sky. The best place to see them is in Alaska’s Arctic region, as it is closer to the North Pole (although there have been no Santa sightings recorded in the area!).
Another of Alaska’s grand natural wonders is the Hubbard Glacier – at an awesome 76 miles long, the Hubbard Glacier is enough to make you realise the sheer scale and power of the natural world – the sound of the ice breaking from the glacier has been likened by many to a ‘thunderclap’.
A visit to Utqiagvik on Alaska’s Northern coast gives you a real taste of the culture in the far north. Not much has changed here for hundreds of years and the traditional hunting practices are still going strong. A visit between November and January is an unusual experience, as the sun will not rise over the horizon during these months, meaning the town is always in the dark!
Summary
This article highlights reasons to visit Alaska, including whale and sea-lion watching and Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian totem poles in the Inside Passage, the state’s Russian history and the Cold War division of the Diomede islands, the Northern Lights best seen in the Arctic region, the 76-mile Hubbard Glacier, and the unusual winter darkness of Utqiagvik in the far north.
Questions this article raises
- What is the best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Alaska?
- How accessible is Utqiagvik for visitors during the dark winter months?
- How has Alaska’s Russian heritage shaped its towns today?
