June 02, 2019 – Alaska towns

Thom

5 years ago

THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION

See Alaska Towns and Cities

In a previous post, we were looking at the scenery and wildlife of Alaska. The main reasons you visit.

Today, let’s look at a few Alaska towns and cities that contain the third reason to visit Alaska, the people.

Glacier Bay National Park, part of the scenery we want to see.

Long before the Europeans, the Alaska Natives were living, for the most part peacefully in the great northwest. The indigenous peoples of Alaska include the Aleut, Athabaskan, Eyak, Haida, Iñupiat, Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Yupik. Many of these tribes have subgroups. According to evidence, they have probably been inhabiting Alaska since 10,000 BC. Crossing a land bridge from Siberia to eastern Alaska, they were following herds of animals across it.

Arriving from Siberia in 1741 by ship, Russians were first trading with Alaska Natives. Next came settlements and trading posts including Russian Orthodox missionaries. Unfortunately, the Russians were soon forcing the Aleuts to do the fishing and hunting for them. Skirmishes and full out attacks between the Russians and natives were not good for the locals. The locals had no immunities to the diseases the Russians brought. These diseases were lethal to perhaps 80% of the Aleut population.

Around every turn in the Inside passage was something to explore.

The Spanish and the British were also exploring the Alaskan coast during the late 1700s, but established few trading posts. A few British names stuck including Cook Inlet.

The 1800s

By 1859, Russia is reeling in debt from the Crimean War. After plundering Alaska for 100 years, they are willing to sell it. It is not until 1867, after the American Civil War, that the United States makes the purchase. It increases the United States by 25% and contains vast natural resources. Gold and black gold (oil) deposits were unknown at that time.

Gold was lying in the creeks and rivers waiting.

In 1880, there is a gold discovery in Juneau. This news began attracting American prospectors. 1896, the finding of gold in the Yukon Territory starts a rush towards that area. The quickest route is through Skagway Alaska. By 1900, gold prospecting is taking place all over Alaska. The “rush” would only last around ten years with people moving on each time there was a new find.

Sometimes they took the buildings with them.

Alaska towns came and went, sometimes almost overnight. By 1915 large mining companies were extracting most of the gold from ore.

The 1900s

Copper mining, commercial fishing, and canning began to become popular in the early 1900s. Alaska towns began popping up around these industries.

In 1942, the 1700 mile Alaska-Canadian Highway was open for military movement during WWII. It will not be until 1948 when they open it for civilians.

The Alaska-Canadian Highway (Alcan) has many lonely stretches.

In 1959, oil discoveries began a whole new chapter and industry for Alaska.

Today, revenues from the oil and gas industry produce nearly 85 percent of the state budget. Tourism, commercial fishing, and lumber make up much of the rest.

Cities

The population of Alaska is around 736,000. Many Alaska towns include hundreds of acres of unsettled land in their area, making them seem monstrous in size. It is better to rank them on their population.

Anchorage

The Anchorage Municipality is home to just under 300,000 citizens (about 40% of Alaska’s population.)

Anchorage is not the capital of the state, but it is one of the major hubs. The international airport is a link between Asia and North America. The railroad connects it with much of the central and northern parts of the state.

Due to its easy access, Anchorage offers a broad spectrum of things to see and do. The Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Anchorage Museum will provide an in-depth discovery of the Native people.

Glaciers

Alaska has approximately 100,000 glaciers. Within 50 miles of Anchorage, there are 60 glaciers.

The Byron Glacier is only an hour away in Alyeska.

You can access them by boat, train, helicopter, plane, on foot, or ski-lift. Some offer dog-sledding once you reach them.

National Parks

Alaska is home to more than half of America’s national parklands. Anchorage has access to five of Alaska’s 17 parks. They are home to glaciers, wild and marine life, stunning scenery, and even the largest mountain in North America.

By road or train, you can access Kenai Fjords, National Park. Denali National Park and Chugach State Park.

One of the best ways to see Kenai Fjords National Park is by boat.

By float plane see Chugach National Forest, Lake Clark National Park, Katmai National Park, and Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park. Any of the above parks can be a day trip by plane. But plan to overnight to see the parks at various times of day and night.

Katmai National Park is about more than brown bears, but they don’t suck.

The parks offer mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers and vast meadows for biking, hiking, rafting, kayaking, fishing, and more.

Wild Life Viewing

Besides in the parks above, Anchorage is your gateway to wildlife viewing all over Alaska. Professional tours depart daily (seasonal) to see moose, bears, whales, marine life, birds, fish, even polar bears in the Arctic.

In nearby Girdwood, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. This center is as close to guaranteed wildlife spotting as you will get.

A Brown bear mugs for the camera at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

Fairbanks

The town of Fairbanks exists in part, due to gold discovery along the Chena River in 1902. Much of the frontier feel of that time remains in this town of 31,000.

The city is six+ hours from Anchorage by road. It is two hours northeast of Denali Park by road or four hours by train. For many tourists, a visit to Fairbanks in only an extension on Denali National Park.

Pioneer Park is a 44-acre city park commemorating early Alaskan history with museums, transportation, and historic displays on site. The park has free admission, but many of the museums and attractions have entrance fees. Most attractions are open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The park is open year round. Original buildings, a stern-wheeler, and a steam train are some of the exhibits.

Pioneers Park gives a peek into the old days when this was a frontier town.

Museum of the North is on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This research and teaching museum has more than two million artifacts. They are in 10 disciplines, including archaeology, earth sciences, marine, insects, mammals, and plants.

The Geophysical Institute, also at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, researches space physics, atmospheric sciences, seismology, volcanology, and other sciences. Self-guiding tours are available Monday through Friday.

The Geophysical Institute at the University of Fairbanks.

There are numerous museums. They include an antique car, railroad, air, and even an ice museum.

Touristy

Gold Dredge Eight is one of two touristy excursions that they aim at the masses. Cruise lines dump numerous busloads of guests at these tours as part of their land package. If you can visit in between the cruise groups, it can be fun. A replica of a local train takes you on a short ride to see a section of the Alaska pipeline. Then you see the remains of a gold dredge in use from 1928 to 1959. It is now a historical site. Then you pan for gold flakes.

Several Gold Dredges remain from the gold rush. This one is in Fairbanks.

Riverboat Discovery is a similar tour by water. The Binkley family own both. This time you board a 900-passenger sternwheeler dating from 1987. You will stop at an Athabascan Indian village for demonstrations.

A float (bush) plane takeoff is part of the tour.

Back on board, you will see a bush (float) plane take off and land. Then you will pass the kennels of the late four-time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher. A mushing demonstration with summer sleds is visible from the boat. Both tours are nice. The crowds are not.

Seasons in the Sun

A great reason to go to Fairbanks is for their seasons. Fairbanks has two seasons, the Midnight Sun Season (April 22 – August 20.) And the Aurora Season (August 21-April 21.)

The full Midnight sun (24 hours of sunlight) takes place from May 17 to July 27. The rest of the season twilight lingers most of the night.

Aurora Borealis (AKA Northern Lights) over a lake in Fairbanks Alaska

The Aurora season refers to the aurora borealis (AKA the northern lights.) If the sky is dark and cloudless, you can see them. December – January are the months with the most extended periods of dark, increasing your chances of visibility. The lights are the major attraction to guests visiting Fairbanks fall through spring.

Seward

Seward is the port where many of the north or southbound cruises begin or end. People rush through here on their way to the boat or to get to Anchorage without even looking. What a mistake. As Alaska towns go, this is a great place to spend a day.

Alaska SeaLife Center – Is a great way to see the area’s marine life without getting on a boat. This marine aquarium is part of a research facility, the only one like it in Alaska. It is very popular with families, but it is not an amusement park. It is all about Alaska’s marine inhabitants.

A Sea Lion is playing with a child at the Alaska SeaLife Center.

Kenai Fjords National Park is to the southwest of Seward. Seasonally, you can enter the park on foot; there are only roads as far as the visitor center. But most people choose to come by boat. This park is a land where you can still see the ice age. Almost 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, several towards the sea. The park is open year round, but the weather can dictate what is available.

Hiking to Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward,

There is easy and hard hiking, and kayaking for the more active visitor. Exit Glacier, the only part of the park accessible by road, (seasonal) offers short trails, viewpoints, and a nature center. These become cross country trails in the winter. For the rest, boat trips from Seward view glaciers, rugged scenery, and the vast marine life.

Scenic Rides

The Alaska Railroad begins in Seward. From here it stretches 470 miles north to Fairbanks passing through many Alaska towns. The cruise lines load down the train between Anchorage/Denali/Fairbanks, adding their train cars. Although the scenery is lovely along that portion, it does not compare to the stretch between Seward and Anchorage.

The Coastal Classic is my favorite train ride in Alaska.

The Coastal Classic Train winds along Turnagain Arm and through the rugged backcountry wilderness. Along the way, it passes massive glaciers and waterfalls. You can take the train to/from your cruise or make a full day outing from Anchorage. The train departs Anchorage each morning arriving Seward around 11:00 AM. It then waits until 6:00 PM that evening, giving you approximately seven hours to explore and play in Seward. The same goes for cruisers. Arrive early enough before your cruise to see Seward. In the summer, daylight lasts longer, so even at 6:00 PM, you can still see the scenery.

There are other things to do in Seaward. Boat rentals, kayaks, and flightseeing trips are also available.

Honorable Mention

Girdwood is more a resort area these days than a town. It began as a supply camp for miners around 1896. Like most Alaska towns, it began to disappear when the gold did.

A 1964 earthquake did not help. Part of the village is now below the adjacent bay. A ski resort opening in the 1990s brought adventure seekers into the area. Today, Girdwood is part of the Anchorage municipality.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center – is the same non-profit organization I mention under Anchorage. They are rescuing and, when possible, rehabilitating Alaska’s wildlife. Current programs also include reintroducing Bison to the plains of Alaska. One of the few places in Alaska with guaranteed wildlife sightings.

Alyeska Aerial Tram departs near the Alyeska Resort & Hotel Alyeska whisking people 2,300 feet above the resort and valley. In the winter you can access ski runs from here. In the summer, there is hiking and most of the time, magnificent views over Turnagain Arm.

On a clear day, you can see up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless Chugach Mountain peaks. In the summer, also look for wildlife. A special treat is an adult beverage or dinner in the restaurant at the top of the tram.

There is a local airport — also, helipads where you can arrange flights to places higher and further out. Landings on Punch Bowl Glacier and summer dog sledding are just some of the options.

The Alaska Railroad is accessible from Girdwood.

Also Worth Mentioning

Whittier is a unique town. With a population of around 200 people, it is not a major destination. The first residents were the Chugach tribes. They would portage boats here to save traveling around the peninsula. Later, the Russian and American explorers will use the portage path. In 1915, the nearby glacier got the name of American poet John Whittier. The town eventually took the name as well.

Whittier Pier is predominantly commercial.

It was not until World War II that the area had significant development. The United States Army builds Camp Sullivan, complete with a port and a railroad spur. It was active until 1960.

Two large buildings dominate the town, both built after World War II. The 14-story building (Begich Towers) has condominiums housing a majority of the town’s population. The other large building (Buckner Building), is empty and an eye-sore.

Today, the port is a petroleum products terminal and an occasional embarkation port for cruise ships. In 2000, they paved the train tunnel so that one-way traffic could access the port. Previously, the only ways to reach the town was rail, boat, and plane.

The port area is cement, train yards, empty buildings with mountains in the background. Like most Alaska towns, it is a gateway. Photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, and sport fishers enjoy the abundance of wildlife and natural beauty just outside.

Alaska Towns Summary

You can see quite a bit of what makes Alaska famous, its scenery and wildlife, without boarding a ferry or cruise ship. Anchorage is an excellent base for just about everything except the northern lights.

In a future blog, I will talk about some of the more popular towns in Southeast Alaska. The cruise area. Many are only accessible by boat or plane.

Regardless of how you arrive, Alaska is worth seeing.

Please comment in the “Leave a Reply” section below. Does this blog change your opinion of Alaska on land? How? Now, why do you want to visit Alaska?

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