Digital Guides
ALASKA
Sarah Conlin
A guide to the 49th state—the legendary last frontier—featuring expeditions into wild nature, epic drives and the best of tight-knit towns and cities.
PRESENTED BY
Xtratuf
Intel
Events
MAR Iditarod finish, Nome
JUN Sitka Summer Music
OCT Federation of Natives Convention, Anchorage
New Landmark
Walter Soboleff Building, Juneau
The Sealaska Heritage Center preserves and advances Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian culture in a boldly designed and decorated modern building.
Culture
Excellent collection,
including select
Smithsonian items.
Book
Blonde Indian by Ernestine Hayes. A lyrical memoir tells of life in a Southeast Alaska Tlingit community.
Memento
Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers’ Co-operative
604 H St, Anchorage
Yarn and crafted items made from musk ox qiviut (underwool).
Telling Stats
9.2
Richter Scale reading of the 1964 earthquake, most powerful ever recorded in North America
3
Percentage of the state covered by glaciers
22
Hours of daylight Anchorage sees on June 22, the summer solstice
SCENIC DRIVES & PUBLIC LANDS
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK
An icy cocktail of towering tidewater glaciers, electric-blue icebergs, dizzying fjords and breaching whales flipping a fluke to gravity.
KATMAI NATIONAL PARK
Thousands of corpulent brown bears feast on salmon all summer long. A geologic wonder resulting from the 20th century’s largest volcanic eruption.
DALTON HIGHWAY
A mostly gravel roadway that crosses the Yukon River, Arctic Circle and Brooks Range.
SEWARD HIGHWAY
Impossibly scenic, towering epic views of tidal bores, snow-capped peaks and occasional beluga whales, connecting Seward and Anchorage.
CHUGACH STATE PARK
A massive park sprawling roughly 495,000 acres with more than 280 miles of trails and 60+ glaciers.
TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST
Famous for its towering Sitka spruce and western hemlock, misty fjords and massive glaciers.
PARKS HIGHWAY
An essential drive past Denali for anyone heading into Alaska’s wild heart.
RICHARDSON HIGHWAY
Originally a Gold Rush trail north from Valdez, it’s Alaska’s oldest highway.
WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS
NATIONAL PARK
Largest national park in the U.S. Home to massive icefields and the historic Kennicott copper mine.
Alaska Proven. Built For All.
For 75 years, XTRATUF has been making boots that are as rugged and reliable as the people that wear them. Popularized in Alaska, commercial fisherman have relied on XTRATUF’s slip resistant outsole in the harshest conditions. The line now includes casual options that are all built for all environments.
Bests
Food and Drink
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop
718 K St, Anchorage
European-style bakery with killer croissants, rotating soups and baguette sandwiches. Plus, breakfast focaccia!
Finn’s Pizza
4287 Homer Spit Rd, Homer
Woodfired pies, the freshest Homer greens salads and an ocean view. Taste The Mariner and you’ll be back.
In Bocca al Lupo
120 2nd St Suite B, Juneau
James Beard-recognized Italian restaurant with Filipino flair, unsurpassed salmon specials, woodfired pizza and plenty of sass. Definitely make a rezzie.
The Cookery
209 5th Ave, Seward
A low-key bistro with gorgeous specials and a recent Beard nod. You’d be crazy not to get the oysters.
Ludvig’s Bistro
256 Katlian St, Sitka
Cozy seasonal bistro. Essential. The chorizo linguini is an obsession.
Imperial Bar
241 Front St, Juneau
Established in 1891. Local beers, whiskey, bands and dancing. Bonus: great tacos.
The Library
603 Lacey St, Fairbanks
Sweet, petite downtown bar. Folks rave about the bisque.
Lemongrass
388 Old Chena Pump Rd, Fairbanks
The leader of the far north’s surprising Thai pack.
The Black Bear
Mile 238.5 Parks Hwy, Denali National Park
Stellar coffee shop with rotating scratch brunch and dinner.
Spenard Roadhouse
1049 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage
Excellent cocktails and a well-priced kids’ menu.
Club Paris
417 W 5th Ave, Anchorage
Anchorage staple, doing business under an iconic neon sign since 1957. Martinis, steak, seafood platter.
Culture
U of A Museum of the North
Fairbanks, uaf.edu/museum
Natural and cultural trove. Stuffed bear: nearly 9 feet tall.
Anchorage Symphony
Anchorage, anchoragesymphony.org
A full orchestra, formed before statehood.
Quyana Alaska
Anchorage, nativefederation.org
An annual cultural festival, part of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention.
Perseverance Theatre
Juneau, ptalaska.org
Original shows centered on the Alaskan experience.
The Hammer Museum
Haines, hammermuseum.org
Just as it sounds. A tiny outpost celebrates the simple tool.
Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park
Skagway, nps.gov/klgo
Stretches across 20 buildings to tell rollicking tales.
Totem Heritage Center
Ketchikan, ketchikanmuseums.org
Native totem poles, mostly 19th century.
Bunnell Street Arts Center
Homer, bunnellarts.org
Bastion for a proudly creative small town.
Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum
Nome, nomealaska.org/ memorial-museum
Exhibits tell of Alaska’s most famous remote outpost.
49 Writers
49writers.org
Rally point for scribes, both online and for workshops and readings.
Gold Town Theater
Juneau, goldtownnick.com
A few dozen seats for independent and documentary fi lms.
Lodging
Stillpoint Lodge
Halibut Cove
Coastal cabins in an artist community serve as a base for bear watching.
Alyeska Resort
Girdwood
Ski-in, ski-out chalet with Nordic spa, upscale dining, killer mountain views.
Camp Denali
Kantishna
Remote cabins with epic views of Denali. Hiking, canoeing and general off-grid adventures.
Westwind Cabins
Homer
Modern cabins plus epic bay views equal a peaceful Homer hideaway.
Salted Root
Seward
Luxe A-frames, seaside cottages and a converted bus in temperate rainforest.
Tordrillo Mountain Lodge
Northwest of Anchorage
Backcountry lodge where virgin powder, remote fishing and glacier hikes are a chopper ride away.
Riddles Fishing Lodge
Kenai
Snug cabins and stellar guides near the Kenai’s mouth.
Between Beaches
Seldovia
Oceanfront cabins, hot tubs and eagles soaring between two wild Alaska beaches.
Talkeetna Roadhouse
Talkeetna
Creaky floors, giant cinnamon rolls and a no-frills, all-charm historic building.
Waterfall Resort
Ketchikan
Cannery turned sportfishing camp. Clapboard quarters stocked with waders and Xtratuf boots.
Borealis Basecamp
Fairbanks
Glass-ceiling igloos with northern lights views from the beds. Travel via sled dogs and snowmobiles.
Guides and Experts
Out to Sea Expedition Co.
Ketchikan, outtoseaexpeditions.com
Sustainably-minded Zodiac boat tours led by locals.
Alpine Air Alaska
Girdwood, alpineairalaska.com
Helicopter tours to reach wild vistas, plus dogsled rides.
907 Tours
Anchorage, 907toursalaska.com
Small-group van outings at a lower price point and relaxed vibe.
Icy Strait Point
Hoonah, icystraitpoint.com
Culture and adventure complex owned by a Native corporation.
Allen Marine/Dream Cruises
Sitka, allenmarinetours.com
Indigenous-owned, running day and overnight trips in the Southeast.
Infinite Adventure
Anchorage, infiniteadv.com
Camping trips to remote locations via converted bus.
Alaska Rivers Company
Cooper Landing, alaskarivers company.com
Kenai River fishing trips for salmon and rainbow trout.
AK Sled Dog Tours
Talkeetna, sleddogtours.com
Dryland mushing from an Iditarod-winning kennel.
Aurora Forecast
gi.alaska.edu
Regular reports on when conditions are ideal to see the northern lights.
Wesley Loy
deckboss.blogspot.com
A journalist reports on the Alaskan commercial fishing industry in fascinating and gritty detail.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Anchorage
Caring for injured animals. Tours.
“YOU FEEL DIFFERENT in an airplane. It’s nothing like being in a car. How many people do you know get the opportunity to fl y alone, and go up in the mountains? You’re totally free in the air.”
Shops
Ch’k’iqadi Gallery
8800 Heritage Center Dr, Anchorage
Cultural center, sourcing directly from artists.
The Kobuk
504 W 5th Ave, Anchorage
Famous for cake doughnuts, samovar tea and gift selection.
Hoarding Marmot
1231 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage
High-quality new and used outdoor gear.
Mossy’s Fly Shop
750 W Dimond Blvd #114, Anchorage
Flies, rods and expert advice on where to cast on for the best luck.
Dancing Leaf Gallery
13618 E Main St, Talkeetna
More than 100 Alaskan artists in an artist-owned gallery.
2 Street Gallery
535 2nd Ave, Fairbanks
From carvings to pottery and jewelry; more than 20 local artists.
Santa Claus House
101 St Nicholas Dr, North Pole
All things Christmas, all year long. Kitschy but delightful.
Sealaska Heritage Store
105 Heritage Way, Juneau
Southeast Alaska’s biggest source for Alaska Native art.
The Cedar Box
101 B Nordic Dr, Petersburg
Traditional Native artwork, plus contemporary designs.
Sam McGee’s
18 Creek St, Ketchikan
Alaska-made Ulu knives, the curved Native style.
BOOKSTORES
Select statewide stops
Title Wave
Anchorage
Hearthside
Juneau
Homer Bookstore
Homer
Old Harbor Books
Sitka
Skaguay News Depot & Books
Skagway
alaska wildlife
In a state that contains more than half of America’s wilderness, knowledge of fauna is stitched into the way of life. Field notes:
BEARS
Alaska is bear country. Brown, black and polar bears all roam here. In the far north, polar bears patrol shifting sea ice, primarily feeding on seals and whale carcasses, which they can smell from 20 miles away. Black bears live in the state’s deep forests, scaling mountain slopes and trees in search of berries and fish. Brown bears here are some of the largest in the world. And as for those names: the brown bear and grizzly are the same species [Ursus arctos], with the former referring to those in coastal areas and the latter to inland dwellers who eat less fish. Depending on their habitat, bears spend summers gorging on berries, salmon, caribou and beavers to prepare for hibernation.
SALMON
Salmon [Oncorhynchus] are essential to Alaskan life, with deep historical, cultural, and natural signifIcance. All five species–chinook (king), coho (silver), pink, sockeye (red) and chum–are born in freshwater, travel to the ocean to mature, and return to their birth streams to spawn. Their bodies feed entire ecosystems, from eagles and bears to forests rooted in soil enriched by their carcasses. The largest king salmon ever caught in Alaska weighed nearly 100 pounds.
HUMPBACK WHALES
Humpback whales [Megaptera novaeangliae] are one of Alaska’s biggest wildlife draws–literally and fi guratively. These 50-feet-long, 40-ton baleen whales migrate thousands of miles each year, feeding in Alaska’s cold, krill-rich waters from May to September before heading to Hawaii or Mexico for the winter to breed and give birth. The whales are central to the coastal marine ecosystem and a cornerstone of the state’s whale-watching economy.
MOOSE
The Alaska-Yukon moose [Alces alces gigas] is the largest subspecies of moose in the world, with adult bulls often weighing 1,200 to 1,600 pounds and sporting antlers that can span more than six feet. Moose are a major part of life in Alaska. They’re a key subsistence resource for many rural and Indigenous communities, providing hundreds of pounds of lean meat that can feed families through the winter. Regulated hunting seasons draw both locals and nonresidents, and moose permits are often awarded through a competitive lottery system.
Other species of note:
DALL SHEEP Ovis dalli dalli
An iconic quarry for hunters, this mountain-dweller is known for the male’s dramatic curved horns. Rams will test their mettle in clashes of heads. Females have shorter horns.
INSULAR VOLE Microtus abbreviatus
Found only on two islands in the Bering Sea, they stick to the damp lowlands and exist in a tight predator/prey relationship with the Arctic fox, the islands’ only other mammal.
CARIBOU Rangifer tarandus granti
Charismatic tundra ungulates. More than 30 distinct herds roam a vast range of Alaska habitat, on the move to find food and seasonal calving zones. The Porcupine herd is the linchpin for the Gwich’in people.
STELLER SEA LION Eumetopias jubatus
One of the largest pinnipeds, this sealife-eating predator inhabits a huge North Pacific arc, from Northern California to the Korean Peninsula.
YUKON WOLF Canis lupus pambasileus
The gray wolf variant native to a large range on both sides of the Alaska/Canada border. Aerial hunting is the stuff of hot controversy.
MUSKOX Ovibos moschatus
Renowned for curved horns, hirsute faces and powerful stench during rut [males only]. Extirpated in 1920s, reintroduced shortly thereafter.
Performance Always Comes First
All XTRATUF styles are built on a slip-resistant and non-marking outsole to provide traction and stability from the ground up. XTRATUF prides itself on developing footwear that is ready for anything whether you’re wearing boots on the deck or sandals on the beach.
Talk like a local
breakup
The season when the state’s frozen rivers begin to loosen into ice chunks that move their way downstream, usually in late spring.
termination dust
The first snow that persists without immediately melting each year, signaling summer’s end.
outside
Anywhere that isn’t Alaska. Largely referring to the contiguous United States.
the bush
Remote parts of the state, usually not connected to the road or ferry system. The sticks.
sourdough
A longtime or deeply rooted Alaskan, named for the bread starter carried by early pioneers. “Native” is not used unless the person described is Indigenous.
borough
The 19 geographic zones of the state, equivalent to counties. North Slope is larger than 39 states.
subsistence
The traditions of using wild resources for food, shelter, tools and more, associated with Alaska Native culture and legally practiced by many on public lands.
permanent fund dividend
An annual payment to state residents from the proceeds of state oil and gas sales, issued in fall.
cheechako
A newcomer to Alaska. Often employed in derision.
snow machine
Known as “snowmobile” to cheechakos and folks Outside. Analysis of archival classified ads suggests 1960s origin. Also, “snow-go.”
milk run
Alaska Airlines routes tracing the Pacific from Seattle to Anchorage, stopping in smaller Southeast communities Wrangell, Petersburg and Yakutat, mostly in 737 planes whose cabins are half-dedicated to cargo.
ALASKAN HIGH KICK
A highly technical and acrobatic Alaska Native traditional sport that begins from a sitting position. Brian Randazzo’s 96-inch record has stood since 1984.
“ALL OF ALASKA’S 229 tribes are unique. But we’re also closely intertwined thanks to our shared efforts holistically caring for our land, our animals, our water and our elders and children–our most precious gift. We’re all interconnected.”