Links to the tour
- Planning & Route
- Getting There
- Skagway to Anchorage Through the Yukon
- Kenai
- Fairbanks
- Valdez
- Home
- Stats & a few more photos
- People we met along the way - some pictures
Facts about Alaska:
Motto: “North th the Future”
Flower: Forget-Me-Not
Bird: Willow Ptarmigan
Fossil: Wooly Mammoth
Mineral: Gold
Gem: Jade
Capital: Juneau
Largest City: Anchorage
Colors: Blue and gold
Tree: Sitka Spruce
Fish: King Salmon
Insect: Dragonfly
Land mammal: Moose
Marine mammal: Bowhead whale
Sport: Dog Mushing
Population: 643,786
Area: 586,412 Square Miles
Coastline: 33,904 miles
Tallest Peak in N. America: Mt. McKinley
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean, sea level
Other not so notable Facts or Quotes about Alaska:
Common saying: “Choose your rut carefully...You’ll be in it for the next 150 miles”
Another common saying: “We Drove Alaska’s Marine Highway”
Number of McDonald’s: 30 (14 in Anchorage)
“If you’re driving to Alaska, you need The Milepost. Don’t argue, just go get one, now.”
Top Ten Attractions:
1 - Glaciers
2 - Inside Passage
3 - Native Arts and Culture
4 - Wildlife Viewing
5 - Historic Mining Towns and Areas
6 - Museums
7 - Sportfishing
8 - Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline
9 - Russian Heritage
10 - National Parks and Monuments
Alaska is so big it’s divided into 6 areas for the different interest and weather.
The Arctic - This region, which includes the northern-most third of Alaska, is, it’s name implies, within the Arctic Circle. Average temperatures are about 17 degrees below zero in the winter and about 40 degrees above in the summer. A majority of the people are Eskimos. This is the home of polar bear and the walrus. The Eskimos depend on reindeer herds, hunting and fishing to provide much of the subsistence and economy of the Eskimo country.
Western Alaska - This area includes the Seward Peninsula, Norton Sound area, Yukon-Kuskokwim River deltas, the Bristol Bay Region and coastal islands. Summers area cool and foggy, winters are only moderately cold and often windy.
Southwest Alaska - The largest and narrowest of the Alaska regions. This peninsula extends into the Pacific Ocean for a distance of about 550 miles. From it, the Aleutians string out an additional 1,500 miles. This region is one of mild winters and cold, foggy summers. Here storms are born which affect the weather of all North America. Here lies one of the largest volcanic chains in the world, home of Katmai National Monument. This is home of the Aleuts. The Aleuts are friendly, cheerful and religious, many having embraced the Russian Orthodox Religion.
The Interior - The Interior has temperatures around Fairbanks that reach +90 degrees in the summer, and -60 degrees in the winter. Long summer days make quick raising of vegetables, fruits and grains possible. This is the home of the Athabascan Indians. Some Indians trap, hunt and fish, while others work in industries.
The Southcentral Region - This, the most populous region, had the state’s first oil and gas wells. This area contains much of Alaska’s farm land. Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, is located here. This city is noted for its metropolitan appearance and cultural assets.
Southeastern Alaska - Sometimes called the Panhandle. Warm winters and cool summers. It’s a narrow strip of mainland and offshore islands. Massive forests cover most of the land. Fishing, canning and pulp mill operations are of increasing importance. Most of this region is part of the Tongass National Forest.