It's a balmy 50 degrees today in this southeastern Alaska town, and the waves are waiting: From an Inuit word meaning "the place where canoes rest," Yakutat catches great Pacific tides which keep the water warmer than the air year-round.
Don't by spooked by its proximity to the North Pole; boarders might find that with a wetsuit the ride is downright toasty. And how bad-ass is it to surf alongside a glacier? Photographer and Alaska native Scott Dickerson puts it this way:
There must be something about Alaskan surfers and the challenges that they must overcome to surf "the last frontier" that drives them to another level of addiction.
The town of 600 people, sandwiched between Mount Saint Elias and Mount Fairweather, even has its own gear outpost--the Icy Waves Surf Shop (635 Haida St.). Plus: No bears!
Although Anchorage is a somewhat bustling city of 300,000 people, skyscrapers, great nightlife and one of the best bars in America (Chilkoot Charlie's), it still remains on the edge of some truly wild territory filled with animals much larger, tootheir and hungrier than humans.
This fact was sadly reiterated on Saturday night when a teenage girl riding in an all-night bike race was mauled by a bear who was foraging near the course in Far North Bicentennial Park. The young girl was outfitted with bear bells and two lights so as not to scare any wildlife, but a state biologist says that gusty winds on the night of the race and the rush of the creek might have made it difficult for the bear to hear her approach. That, he said, might've spooked the animal and caused the attack.
Two weekends prior, a bear charged at a pair of runners in the same area--though that's not stopping Alaskans from getting out to enjoy nature. Says one local:
It's not going to stop me from going out of the house and enjoying the short summer. But I'm thinking we should buy some bear spray.
Nothing screams summer fun like a national park, but who wants to visit Yellowstone again? This week, we're bringing you some secret spots to enjoy.
It's a shame that this park would be mentioned as a secret. With about 60,000 visitors last year, Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve really needs some marketing behind it--maybe a mascot?
Wrangell is the country's largest national park, and it's about the size of six Yellowstones. That makes it about as big as Costa Rica.
To get there, fly into Anchorage and take either Highway 1 or Highway 4 to the park. Like the other spots we've covered, a chartered aircraft is also a good way to get there, if a little pricey.
Nothing screams summer fun like a national park, but who wants to visit Yellowstone again? This week, we're bringing you some secret spots to enjoy.
To describe it, you'd say Kobuk Valley National Park is "outside" Fairbanks, Alaska, but it'd be more precise to say it's in the absolute middle of nowhere.
The park is only accessible by foot, chartered air, snowmobile or, of course, dog sled. There are no actual trails or roads in the park--or even leading to it--so you better whip out that compass or GPS and hope that you successfully stumble upon it.
We've got another airport to add to our list of the world's most dangerous airports. Adak Airport, the westernmost public airfield in the United States, makes our list, thanks to tipster Ron's awesome story:
This used to be a US Naval Air Station way the heck out 'n gone in the Aleutian Islands from about 1942 until closure in 1997. Since then, it's become a civilian-operated airport. I'm not an air operations specialist of any sort, but as a civilian contractor working for the Navy, we commuted through Adak a number of times in 1989, 1990 and 1991 on our way to Amchitka, from Anchorage.
I specifically remember bouncing into Adak virtually every time we landed or took off from there. Seems the winds were always 30+, and sometimes as high as 60 when we finally got in or out. Then there was the fog.
There were several times we stooged around over the island for hours, hoping for 1/4 mile visibility so we could land. We usually made it in about 50% of the time on flights from Anchorage. If we were lucky enough to get in and out of Adak, we made it to Amchitka less than 50% of the time. We were flying Reeve Air.
One takeoff from Adak remains firmly implanted in my memory to this day.
This week we finally caught up to the movie "Into the Wild," and while we still like the Jon Krakauer nonfiction book better, we were thrilled by the sweeping vistas of off-the-beaten-path Alaska captured by director Sean Penn. Since our 49th state has but one communal Craigslist page, we thought we'd offer an all-Alaska edition of Most Missed, in case you have a hankering to travel north this winter. (Read Into the Wild first!)
La Mex, Anchorage -- This three-location Mexican minichain is famous for its fresh tortillas and (better for sharing with beautiful blondes) strong margaritas. 8330 King St.
Pump House, Fairbanks -- Woo her with dessert at this Gold Rush-themed grill. 796 Chena Pump Rd.
Cosmic Kitchen, Homer -- Scrambled eggs to smoothies are on offer at this charming little indie. Get to know the guy at the table next to you, because "Winters in Homer can be very lonely."510 Pioneer Ave.
The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau up in Alaska is worried about fielding a glut of angsty 20-somethings looking for an epiphany. With Sean Penn's new movie Into The Wild now in theaters, the tourism board anticipates a surge in visitors to The Stampede Trail, a remote path on the northern end of Denali National Park.
The film is based on the Jon Krakauer book by the same name that tells the true story of Chris McCandless, a wealthy young Notheasterner who discarded his possessions, hitchhiked to Alaska and took off on foot with limited supplies into the wilderness near Denali National Park and Preserve. Spoiler Alert: It didn't really work out for him.
Since the book's release in 1996, hundreds of visitors have traveled to the area. The bureau expects those trips to increase and is wondering how to protect people from themselves. The Stampede Trail--poorly defined, bug infested and out of cell phone range--crosses the Teklanika River, which rages in summer and prevented McCandless from getting back to civilization.
In its upcoming 2008 visitors guide, the Healy/Denali Chamber of Commerce will include a warning about the potential dangers of the trail. Other steps to implement safety measures include a proposal to increase park ranger supervision. That's just the kind of sanitized trek McCandless would lament.
Ever wish you could throw in the towel and take off? Today's pick is for you then. Into the Wild is about a fresh-out-of-college student who abandons everything he has--including donating his $24,000 savings to charity--and picks up and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wild.
That young man is played by newcomer Emile Hirsch, who makes a point to prove that having it all, including being a top student, athlete and overall rich white kid, can kinda suck. Of course he meets a cast of interesting characters along the way. It's being called one of those introspective films that will make you think twice. (It's produced and directed by introspection kingpin Sean Penn.)
This one was shot in some of the stunning Alaskan wilderness, so we offer you some cool things to check out in Anchorage:
Where To Stay:15 Chandeliers B&B Inn -- One of the state's most quaint properties, 15 Chandeliers actually has, yes, that many chandeliers. The property's over 7,000-square feet and features a huge garden with a patio for relaxing on. There are just 5 rooms, so it's quiet and you get a delicious breakfast each morning: the perfect place to find yourself.
Where To Eat:Marx Brothers Cafe -- This award-winning and nationally recognized cafe serves local Alaska seafood and encompasses just 46 seats in a cozy frame house built in 1916. The menu changes each week and it's the perfect place to treat yourself to a swanky meal. Don't miss the Katchemak Bay Oysters with pickled ginger-vodka sorbet.
What to See:Alaska Native Heritage Center -- Visit this sprawling 26-acre site and learn about Alaska's Native peoples. There are performances, artifacts, films and even a lake to stroll around. It's not cheap at $21 a person, but certainly interesting.
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by egw
