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• Alaska means "Great Land" in the Aleut Indian language.

• It has the 11 tallest mountains in the USA. Denali is the highest at 20,310 feet. California's Mount Whitney comes in 12th at 14,494 feet. From Denali's base - it's peak is 1 mile higher than Everest.

• Wildlife giants live in these harsh conditions: bison, moose, and caribou. Alaska also has the largest bears & whales in the world.

• It's 663, 267 square miles of wild. Alaska is still bigger than a grouping of 22 states.

• The coastline is 33,000 miles long which is 50% longer than the coastline around the lower 48 states.

• There are over 3 million lakes & many aren't named, so it's an estimate. Wisconsin is next with 15,291.

• In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the USA for $7.2 million. Russian culture is still evident in several small southern villages.

• Lowest recorded temperature = -80 degrees F. (that's below 0). If you lived in 80 degree weather, that's a 160 degree difference. STUPID COLD. Having lived in Fairbanks for 18 years - the coldest I got to enjoy (NOT) was -64 degrees F.

Location = No address. On Park Road off the Parks Hwy. Driving south, it's about 11 miles south of the town of Healy. Cross the bridge, and Parks Rd is on the right. It's about 2.5 hours south of Fairbanks, and 4 hours north of Anchorage.

The Visitor Center is Mile 1.5 Parks Rd. The little community has a Bus and Train Depot, a restaurant, a couple hiking trails, a Park Store and Science Center. The Denali Park Village is 7 miles further south on the Parks Hwy and offers lodging, restaurants, guided tours, and whitewater rafting.

Denali National Park

Denali Park is over 6 million acres of wilderness. It's pristine, raw, and can be dangerous mostly due to the wildlife giants that call this environment home - like moose, caribou & grizzly bear.

You'd think with all that wilderness to roam in, they'd stay in their own backyard. Nope, moose are frequently seen around the outskirts of town & in people's yards.

Anchorage, Alaska is on the southern coast, and I loved our trips there for 3 reasons. 1. It's warmer than Fairbanks, especially in the winter. 2. They have glaciers & waterfalls which are spectacular when they're frozen & rippled in hues of blues & aquas. 3. The seafood is right off the boat fresh.

We brought our boat one time to Port Valdez to fish for salmon. I'm not really a fan of fishing because I don't like to sit still more than 1.5 hours at a time. When I got the first tug on the line in less than 35 minutes - everyone was surprised. My dad & ex-husband were none too happy either - I mean, that goes against the rule, or something!

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska with 287,932 as of 2023 which is about 40% of Alaska's total population. Within 50 miles of town, there's about 60 glaciers that are accessible by boat, foot power, train, or dog sled. Matanuska, Portage, Knik, and the glaciers in Prince William Sound are some of the best glaciers to visit with the easiest access.

Location = Matanuska Glacier. 66500 S. Glacier Park Rd, Sutton AK. Access = foot travel. Book a tour, you'll want it for safety & the learning experience. For 2 hours, go with Glacier Tours. For 3-8 hour tours, go with Nova Alaska Guides and the 6 mile Matanuska Glacier Trek.

Matanuska Glacier gives you an up close & personal experience as you walk on top of the glacier AND.... if you're brave enough - walk inside it. It's a WOW in my book. Matanuska is in the Chugach mountains and is huge - 26 miles long and 4 miles wide. Some of the tours will take you past the Ice-Falls to explore more stunning glacier features.

What I really love about glaciers and frozen waterfalls is seeing the most dazzling colors of blue & aqua. Water appears in these stunning colors because of the science: sunlight consists of all 7 rainbow colors which combine and look like white to our eye. Water absorbs red & orange light the best, while the blue & violet lights travel deeper into the water. That's why oceans appear blue. The water is reflecting the blue colors back to our eye. In warmer water where there's algae present, you'll seen more green hues.

If you examine the ice up close, you'll find it appears like millions of tiny crystals stuck together. Matanuska Glacier is reported as one of the few glaciers in the world that you can explore on foot. FYI: To help in slippery ice/snow - get some fairly good ice cleats for your boots, $35-$65.

Gray Whales

The longest recorded mammal migration was a gray whale that traveled 13,988 miles. Typically they swim about 12,000 miles/year. Due to dwindling populations, they're mostly in the North Pacific region within 2.5 miles from shore.

Gray whales migrate from the Chukchi & Bering seas between Russia & Alaska down to Baja California, Mexico. There they mate and return the following year to calf. They feed off the coasts of Alaska & Russia, eating roughly 2,400 pounds of crustaceans per day. That's some appetite.

Gray whales are also very smart and one of the friendliest whales. Photo right: It happened so fast, I'm not sure whale species this is.

More Fun Things to Do - Fairbanks to Anchorage

• Riverboat Cruise - on the Chena River in Fairbanks.

• Salmon Fishing in Valdez - super fresh & delish. Commercial fishing: halibut 6-8 feet long & enormous King Crab legs.

• Hiking Trails - trails are everywhere. Once, I came across a bear while hiking thru the woods with our canoe. SCARY stuff. See the info on Wildlife in the next section, Travel Tips.

• Scenic Hwy & Wildlife Viewing - from Anchorage go south on Seward Hwy. Stop at Beluga Point turnout to view beluga whales & Dall sheep along the mountain. We didn't spot any sheep, but the whales were magnificent.

• Scenic Loop - from Anchorage drive the Seward Hwy to Seward, then hop the ferry around the southern tip to Homer. Drive up the coast on the Sterling Hwy, then back to Seward Hwy & left back to Anchorage. There are multiple small towns for fun sightseeing trips along the way. I've visited many of the small villages, and they're quaint & interesting.

• Whitewater Rafting - Class 4 in Healy & Denali. Class 5 at 6 Mile Creek - Yikes. To calm it down a bit, but still have an exhilarating ride, try the Nenana. That's the one I've been on - it's an adrenaline pump, but not enough to give you a heart attack! The Nenana is a super fun Class 3-4..... but, DANG it's some chilly-brrrrr water.

Seward, AK

Homer Spit, AK

The Wonders of Alaska

• Must try foods: Alaskan King Crab legs & the Moose burger.

• The awe-inspiring & majestic landscapes with the highest mountain peaks & the beauty of glaciers.

• The Northern Lights in winter & the Midnight Sun in summer.

• Dog sledding and the extreme Iditarod Race of 1,000 miles. The Alaskan Malamute is powerful & bigger than a Siberian Husky.

• The birch trees with white bark against a snowy background is a stunning portrait in black & white.

• Ring of Fire volcanoes along the southwest peninsula & the thermal hot springs.

Travel Tips - Anchorage

• The Alaskan bird should be the mosquito - they can really do some damage!

• Average temps high/low

• Fairbanks = July 73/52 degrees F. Jan 0/ -15 with lowest at -66.

• Anchorage = July 62/55 degrees F. Jan 23/14 with lowest at -38.

• Rain/Wind - southern areas are rainforest and therefore the wettest, even in summer months with higher rains during fall. Fall is short, but so gorgeous as the mountains come alive with vibrant colors.

• Backpack essentials - cell phone, extra water, bug spray, bear spray & bear horn, tube whistle is louder, flashlight, flares, pocket knife, rope, sunscreen, rain jacket.

• Winter Essentials - thermal blanket, waterproof boots, dry socks, warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery even in summer. Snow covered areas can be deceiving with ice underneath.

• Vehicle safety – Keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. Winter roads can have both ice & snow. Use “winter” tires. If you only have "all season" tires - take snow chains.

• Wildlife - Don't run, back away slowly. Travel in groups of 4 or more. Make sure food is triple bagged & not heated to keep the smell down. Give a friend your itinerary with estimated time of return.

  Bears are more aggressive in April after hibernating and mamma's with her cubs. Air horns will alert them you're nearby. If they charge, use bear spray.

  Male moose are territorial & aggressive starting September during rutting season. More people have been hurt by moose than bears.

  Wolves are rarely seen, but remember they travel in packs.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – even summer water temps are like super cold.

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