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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.

• Giants of the animal kingdom live in these harsh conditions: bison, moose, and caribou. Also, the 1st and 2nd largest bears in the world: Polar bear & Kodiak bear.

• 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. I'm proud to say I 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. 2. They have glaciers & waterfalls which are spectacular when all frozen & rippled in hues of blues & greens. 3. The fresh seafood. 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 for longer than 2 hours. 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 that a girl beat them.

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, and has a totally different landscape than Fairbanks. Within 50 miles of town, here'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.

Top 2 photos: Anchorage city and scenery. Bottom 2 photos: Girdwood scenery & bison wildlife conservation.

Location = Matanuska Glacier. 66500 S. Glacier Park Rd, Sutton AK. Access = foot travel.

Matanuska Glacier gives you an up close & personal experience as you walk on top of the glacier AND....if you want, 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 or frozen waterfalls is seeing the most dazzling colors of blue. Water appears to be these stunning colors because: water absorbs certain colors like orange & red, and reflects the blue colors back to our eye. In warmer water where there's algae present, you'll seen more green.

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 where they mate and return the next 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 really smart & one of the friendliest of whales. Photo right: It happened so fast, I didn't to ask if this was a humpback or gray whale?

Gray whales in Alaska can reach lengths of 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 meters) and weigh between 30 to 40 tons (approximately 60,000 to 80,000 pounds or 27,000 to 36,000 kg). Females are generally larger than males.

Location = Portage Glacier. 1500 Byron Glacier Rd, Girdwood AK. Access = boat. MV Ptarmigan has boat tours from late May to early Sept.

Portage Glacier is the 2nd most visited site in Alaska after Denali National Park. Interesting fact I learned - and kinda gross. OK, not that gross.... but hey, I'm a girl. You would have thought these were mythical creatures like an alien life form you see in movies. But, ice worms are real. They feed on algae & stuff that actually grows in the ice. Who woulda thought? Interesting tidbit - their kryptonite is temperature. They'll actually melt & die if it gets above 40 degrees F.

The Begich Boggs Visitor Center has living ice worms if you're curious. More fun is touching an iceberg chunk they brought in from the lake, and walking thru the ice cave simulation. They also have photos of the original Portage Village that was destroyed in the 1964 earthquake. It's still the 2nd largest earthquake in the world and the largest in the USA. It was felt by every state except 3 on the east coast. The epicenter was next door to Portage Glacier in Prince William Sound.

When you're on the water - listen for a loud cracking sound and get your camera ready. The ice is "calving". That means part of the glacier will break off, plunging into the frigid waters. Careful though, some of these iceberg calves are so big they create some pretty massive waves. Look at that mesmerizing blue below.

More Fun Things to Do - Fairbanks to Anchorage

• Riverboat Cruise on the Chena River - Fairbanks.

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

• Hiking Trails - everywhere. I came across a bear once while hiking thru the woods with our canoe. Scary stuff. Did you see Leonardo DiCaprio in the Revenant movie? Hiking in groups is much safer. "Vacation Travel Tips" below.

• 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 little morning or afternoon sightseeing trips along the way.

• 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 that water's cold.

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 & immense 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, water, bug spray, bear spray & bear horn, tube whistle (louder), flashlight, flares, pocket knife, sunscreen, rain/wind 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, so please be safe.

• 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.

• Wild animals - Think huge & dangerous. Don't run, back away slowly. Bears are more aggressive in April after hibernating & mamma's with her cubs. Male moose can be territorial & aggressive starting late August during rutting season. More people have been hurt by moose than bears. If you hit a moose on the road - your car will be totaled. Wolves travel in packs.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – even summer temps are brrrrr cold....no tropical attire here!

• Wilderness areas – best in groups of at least 4. Give someone your itinerary.

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