ak Travel Guide
8/29/2008 at 11:18 AM
Tags: Possible-Presidents-Map, Presdential Candidates Travel, John McCain, Sarah Palin (all tags)
First-term Alaska governor Sarah Palin has been named as John McCain's running mate, CNN and The New York Times reported this morning. Palin is known as a political reformer in her native state who defeated her primary opponent by blowing the whistle on party corruption--and for support for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Palin is expected to appear momentarily with McCain in Dayton, Ohio for their first campaign event. She will also join fellow Republicans Tom Ridge and Mitt Romney, both of whose names were mentioned in the veepstakes, at a Saturday rally in Washington, Pennsylvania.
A self-described "hockey mom," former journalist and one-time Miss Congeniality, Palin was nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda" in high school, which should look great on a campaign poster. In her first year and a half in office, she created a climate-change initiative and served on the National Governors' Association Natural Resources Committee. She has five kids: Track, Trig, Bristol, Willow and Piper.
Related Stories:
· Surprise Pick of Female Governor [NYT]
· McCain Picks Alaska Governor Palin [CNN]
· Ted Stevens' Alaska Map [Jaunted]
· Possible Presidents coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: jmedkeffphoto]
by egw
8/15/2008 at 3:00 PM
Tags: Missed Connections, Bars, Restaurants (all tags)
Climbing the icy peaks of Alaska can be scary, but not as scary as approaching a cute waitress or waiter. If you dream of glaciers, we've got your hot places to warm up in the largest city of our northernmost state.
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by egw
8/14/2008 at 2:00 PM
Tags: Active Travel, Ice Climbing, Climbing, Adventure Travel (all tags)
We've seen plenty of Alaska before: The state's unpredictable wildlife, epic hiking and even its surfing. But if you want even more out of a trip to America's last frontier, hit up Mica Guides.
Based just two hours from Anchorage on the Matanuska Glacier, the company offers glacier tours, adventure trips and, most importantly, ice climbing! Every day during the summer months, tours depart at 10 am and last about six hours. Best of all, no experience is necessary, as they'll tailor your tour to fit what you can handle.
It will only set you back $130 per person and that includes all the gear you'l need. You probably should bring your own sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves and some warm clothes. Once you get good, Mica also offers an advanced class where they'll mix things up and get you climbing some seriously wild ice.
Related Stories:
· Mica Guides [Official Site]
· Alaska Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Mica Guides]
by kjb
8/04/2008 at 11:31 AM
Tags: Alaska Travel, Hiking, Active Travel (all tags)
You know you've thought of taking an Alaskan cruise before, but let's face facts: It may not be the ideal vacation for the under-50 crowd. That's where Backroads comes in. On a six day hike along the Inside Passage, you'll cover the same turf the cruise ships do--but you'll miss out on the shuffleboard tourney.
The tour starts in Juneau, where you'll hike through spruce forests and take in the Gold Creek. The next two days take you to Skagway where you'll watch your back for moose and grizzlies and rest your feet on the White Pass and Yukon Railway, one of the steepest in the world.
The hike ends in Glacier Bay with a short cruise through the heart of the park--guess you can't completely avoid the water. The tour runs about $2,500 per person and includes all meals except one and your lodging every evening.
Related Stories:
· Backroads Tours [Official Site]
· Alaska Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: vonlohmann]
by kjb
7/29/2008 at 6:09 PM
Tags: Ted Stevens, Alaska Travel, Politics, Ted-Stevens-Alaska-Map (all tags)
He may be the country's longest-serving Republican senator, but Ted Stevens was indicted today on seven felony counts of making false statements in a corruption case. Prosecutors say the 84-year-old took gifts of more than $250,000 in exchange for political favors.
Stevens says he's innocent of all charges, and he's the first senator to face a federal indictment since 1993.
Despite his statements, the senior senator is dogged by corruption allegations. So in honor of these latest charges, we've mapped some of the more, uh, controversial places that he's been involved with. Unfortunately we couldn't find an address for his notorious "series of tubes."
Our Ted Stevens' Alaska Faves Map
Related Stories:
· Ted Stevens Indicted, GOP Senator [AP, via Google]
· AK Senator Ted Stevens Indicted [LAT]
· Ted Stevens Anchorage International Has Free WiFi [Jaunted]
[Original photo: Steinbring]
by pbb
7/23/2008 at 11:45 AM
Tags: National Parks, Summer Travel, Green Travel (all tags)
Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska usually doesn't let visitors drive themselves around park roads, instead offering bus service to transport people through the tundra in search of grizzly bears, moose, sheep and views of Mt. McKinley. But park concessioner Doyon/Aramark realized that by using hybrid busses instead of the diesel models currently in service, they could both cut fuel costs and go a little bit more green.
Park officials are trying out one hybrid this summer to see how it compares to the current fleet of 110 diesel busses. The diesel-electric ride uses up to 70 percent less fuel than those currently in use, thereby lowering carbon, nitrogen and particulate emissions. As an added bonus, the hybrids are far quieter than their diesel counterparts.
Here's hoping the hybrids catch on and take a little attention away from another notable bus in Alaska.
Related Stories:
· Denali National Park & Preserve [Official Site]
· Alaska National Park Tests Hybrid [AP, via]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: -just-jen-]
by pbb
7/14/2008 at 4:15 PM
Tags: Volcanoes, Volcano Travel, Alaska Travel, PenAir (all tags)
Umnak Island, in the Aleutians of Southwest Alaska, experienced a rocking volcano explosion Saturday morning. Because of Mount Okmok's location in the isolated island chain, the only people immediately affected were on a cattle ranch located just six miles from the base of the 3,500-foot volcano.
Ranch owner and Arizona native Lonnie Kennedy fired up his helicopter when he heard the thunderous boom and began moving his family and ranch hands off the property towards the "Deadliest Catch" territory of Dutch Harbor.
The explosion tossed smoke and ash 45,000 feet in the air, leading PenAir to cancel two regional flights. Regular service returned by Sunday morning.
The last time this volcano exploded was 1997; that time it remained active for eight months. We're more amazed by how a cattle rancher goes from Arizona to Alaska. A-state pride, baby!
Related Stories:
· 10 Rescued after Eruption [AP, via ADN]
· Volcanoes coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of Mt. Okmok in quieter times: Wikimedia]
by DanielR
7/09/2008 at 3:00 PM
Tags: Alaska Travel, Live Music, Music Travel, Bars (all tags)
What started in 1970 as a one room, Alaska themed wood cabin bar, Chilkoot Charlie's (known as Koot's to locals) has turned into Alaska's most famous drinking and live entertainment pantheon. When the original owner, Mike Gordon, bought the former piano bar, he promised to triple gross sales at his new establishment with the oil boom taking place on the north slope.
In the 38 years since, not only has Koot's tripled sales exponentially, but it's slowly consumed every business around, expanding into themed sections that include a Russian room, a swing bar (the dancing kind!), an outdoor patio and two areas for live music every night.
Previous performers have included everyone from Metallica to Eddie Money; Alaskan acts also take the stage. The long list of accomplishments has earned Koot's quite the reputation: In 2000, Playboy named it the best bar in America.
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by DanielR
