Alaska USA - the last Frontier

Alaska has three million lakes, glaciers, the highest mountains in north america, and the yukon river. Alaska is one the great wildernesses in the world. Alaska is twice the size of texas, and is the largest state of the USA. Alaska was bought from Russia for two cents an acre. What a bargain! The last frontier is what Alaskans call Alaska and their economy throughout their history has see-sawed constantly from boom to bust.

Eagle is a faded town. Passport Control is in a briefcase. Eagle was founded in the times of the gold rush. Now the gold is gone and there are only 160 people in Eagle now. Alaska has been inhabited by natives for thousands of years. In summer they live off the salmon. The excess gets smoked for storing. They even feed their sled dogs salmon. There are some old gold prospectors left that find some bits of gold nuggets worth around a few thousand dollars. They build their huts from trees with axes and chainsaws. Their fridges are the frozen tundra underneath their homes. And of course everyone in Alaska has a bear story.

Chicken is a an old gold town as well. Some many fly planes because there are not so many roads in Alaska. Chicken has bars open nearly all night and they do a roaring trade. Some men go diving for gold in the rivers. The Forty Mile River is mined for gold by using a vacuum cleaner on the bottom. Chicken is definitely the last frontier. Two ounces of gold is worth about five hundred dollars.

Kennicott and McCarthy used to be mined for copper, not gold. To get across the river you get in a bosun's chair and someone pulls you across. Alaska is expensive to travel around because of the isolation. The copper mines are all closed now and only sixteen people live in McCarthy. You can find a guide to take you to on a glacier climb if you like. The glacier is only about thirty minutes from McCarthy You can even climb an ice face with rope, picks and crampons.

Bears are dangerous animals and there are hundreds of them around in Alaska. You can get bear spray if you want. Kennicott is a ghost town that was once a major copper mining town. Planes are the best way to get around in Alaska.

Prince William Sound is a must to see. Alaska's weather is extreme and can change quickly. The Columbia glacier has bits breaking off it into the sea every day. Seward has the best wildlife viewing places around Prince William Sound but around this are the Exxon Valdez dumped its cargo of oil, causing massive pollution. Go for a boat ride and see the whales and dolphins. Prince william Sound waters are popular for sea kayaking. There is ice in the sea all over the place. If you get too close to the glacier you might get crushed. Kayak to a spot to rent a cabin for $20 a night. It is dry but basic and remember to bring all your own gear and wood.

Alaska is a rich salmon fishing area but it gets crowded by the river fishing for salmon. It is an alaskan tradition to cook fish on the barbecue. You have to have good gear in Alaska because of the extreme weather conditions and it can become a little bit expensive.

Homer is known for its fine weather. Lots of tourists come here as a result. There is the ocean and the mountains. You can stay on a farm and work in exchange for food and a bed. But overall there is not much work in Alaska for the locals. You can go on a skytrek on a bush plane from Homer and it will cost you about five hundred dollars a day. Katmai National Park is 2 hours flight west from Homer. It has a glacier fed lake that is freezing. There are lakes, fjords, and beaches. They have grizzly bears, moose, and sea lions in the Katmai National Park. The bears wait in the rapids for the salmon run and gorge themselves. Alaska has about 3 million lakes. Lake Clark has lots of unihabited islands. A float plane can drop you off and pick you up a few days later.

To get to the Arctic Circle you need to catch a train to Fairbanks first. The train ride to Fairbanks is one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. From Fairbanks you head up the highway to the Arctic circle to a place called ColdFoot which has the most northern bar in the the USA. In summer the sun never sets. Alaska surely is one of the last frontiers.

Alaska Resources

Alaska - places to visit:
Eagle
Chicken
Kennicott
McCarthy
Valdez
Seward
Homer
Prince William Sound
Katmai National Park
ColdFoot

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