A moose ambles in front of your car. What do you do? Well, probably not much, you'd be so stunned to even see one, but you shouldn't be. Anywhere on the outskirts of Anchorage, and wherever you find mountains or forestland, expect to find moose.
The Last American Frontier
This is Alaska, one of the youngest and certainly the biggest state in the entire nation yet the least populated. "Wide open and empty" is how Francis Donal from the UK described it. "Great scenery and fresh air," said his wife, of America's 49th state, which attained membership in the Union in 1959. And they're right. In this case, size really does have a lot to offer. Alaska is in fact so big it has its own time zone—an hour behind LA time. As well as being 1/6 the size of all the lower 48, it has more coastline than the rest of the states combined.
The history of the state and its largest city is fascinating. The best place to find out more is at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Alaska's largest museum and one of the 10 most visited attractions in the state. More than 10,000 years of Alaskan history is showcased at the museum, including the Alaska Natives' way of life and how the Europeans and Russians explored the area. One fascinating exhibit is dedicated to the Alaskan railroad, a tribute to the work and determination of the many who put this engineering feat together, right up to the golden spike being put in by President Hardin in 1923. Check out authentic pioneer and Native dwelling displays and an actual section of the Alaska pipeline.
Glaciers Galore!
Of course Anchorage is famous for its many glaciers. Back in the 1800s John Muir, the American naturalist, described his experience thusly: "This is my first view of such solitude, and magnificence, such ice and snow newborn ... mysterious, yet wonderful." If you want to experience mysterious yet wonderful glaciers just as he did, check out the 26 Glacier Cruise. The cruise ship has been in operation for over 20 years and carries more than 340 passengers on board at any one time. "It's different and beautiful here, every day," says Captain Nina Himmelwright, who's spent seven seasons on the boat. Who can argue with her?
The most popular of the 26 glaciers on the tour is undoubtedly the Surprise glacier, just for the rumbling, eerie noises it emanates. Bits of ice break off and drop spectacularly into the sea in front of you. The floats that result can exist as ice for days at a time. Surprise Glacier is one mile wide and 275 feet high. These waters are the northernmost salt water in North America, yet surprisingly they never freeze.
Surprising, too, is the fact that there are actually 100,000 glaciers in Alaska yet only just over one quarter of them have been named. One Alaska glacier, the Malaspina Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, is larger than Rhode Island. That's one enormous piece of ice!
The cruise boat runs seasonally until September 30th. "I think it is the best single day experience in Alaska. You get the cruise experience but get to go home to your own bed at night," said marketing manager Marsha Barton.
Among the wildlife you'll see on the tour are playful sea otters, whale, bald eagles and kittiwake. Bald eagles are protected in the rest of the United States, but here in Alaska they are found in abundance, to the tune of 7,000 plus. Prince William Sound is actually home to more than 200 species of birds, including the bald eagle, arctic tern, gulls and the common loon.
When it comes to the most common tourist question, it is, perhaps not surprisingly, "When do the whales come out? In response, the staff will unequivocally guarantee that you will see glaciers. Alas, the whales can't be predicted, so it's just a bonus if you see one. That's just the way of nature. You do get to see all three kinds of glacier, so that's a nice compensation. Alpine or hanging, piedmont and incredible tidewater glaciers await you, some of the latter rising 300 feet above the water.
The 135-mile tour includes narration on the history of the daring natives who ventured into the Sound in the past. The Harriman Expedition named many of the glaciers over 100 years ago. For example, British navigator Captain James Cook named Prince William Sound, for William Henry who later became King William IV of England. Cook is himself commemorated with a statuenear downtown Anchorage.
Another place to see a glacier is at Portage Lake which is surrounded by the Chugach and Kanai mountains. Check out the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center which shows the 20-minute film Voices from the Ice every half hour. It's fascinating. Don't be surprised to see icebergs floating on the lake here, too, right outside the visitors' center door—they regularly drop off the Portage Glacier.
The Wildlife
Of course, apart from glaciers, people come to Anchorage to see the wildlife. One sure way to see bears, for instance, is at the Conservation Center, the only center of its kind in Alaska. Don't miss this! Many of the bears you see here might not be that healthy—in fact, it's likely to be a rescued or rehabilitated bear. The center is run by a nonprofit organization that takes cares of orphaned and injured animals. These could include moose, brown bears, black bears, porcupine, elk, bison, caribou, musk ox, and birds of prey. Most of them simply cannot survive in the wild.
Take one of the residents, Seymour, for instance. Seymour was an orphaned moose calf who wandered into a family yard. The family looked after him for a year but called officials when he became a threat to children in the area. Seymour has become so accustomed to humans he can no longer fend for himself in the wild. As a result, he's lived at the center since 1997, and has actually appeared in nature shows and movies. The center has its own celebrity but, alas, he cannot sign autographs!
Seymour shares the Center with two great-horned owls, both of whom were the victims of gunshot wounds and are now unable to fly. Adonis, the bald eagle, is also the victim of a gunshot wound and his wing needed full amputation.
The caribou you'll see at the Center were rescued from Alaskan islands that were becoming overpopulated. To prevent starvation, some caribou were removed and brought here. It's interesting to note that caribou are the only species of deer in which both male and female grow antlers, and there are actually more caribou than there are people in Alaska!
Northern Lights and Other Action
One thing people like to do on clear and frosty nights is to look for the aurora borealis, or northern lights. The lights "happen" because ionized gas particles increase their speed and density while stirring in the Earth's magnetic field. This creates curtains of light shimmering with brilliant colors. Interestingly, in the old days people thought these lights were an omen from the gods and a sign of terrible things to come. If you don't get to see them "live" or just don't want to brave such cold weather, then check out the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, where you can see 25 years worth of rare images in a 40-minute show set to music.
If you think that being in Anchorage means you're miles from the countryside, think again. Book yourself a horse ride and within minutes of leaving town you'll be riding through some of the best countryside and scenery around. The four-hour horse ride with Turnagain Trails will take you through the backcountry of Chugach State Park, a 495,000-acre wilderness on the edge of Anchorage that serves as a backyard playground for residents and visitors alike. Enjoy sweeping views of the Alaska Range, Cook Inlet, Mt.Susitna (the Sleeping Lady) and Denali (Mt. McKinley). Spruce woods and mountain hemlock along the trail give way to open tundra and jewel-like alpine lakes. Moose, wild sheep and bears are frequently sighted during this short and easy horseback riding adventure. A great experience! On your visit around town, don't forget to stop off at the Earthquake Park, which commemorates the biggest earthquake on American soil and that happened right here in Anchorage. The Good Friday 1964 earthquake measured 9.20 on the Richter scale and the 55 aftershocks went on all weekend. The 40-foot tsunami wave it generated forever changed the towns of Valdez and Seward. A peaceful park that overlooks the bay now commemorates the events. You might be surprised to know that it's Alaska, not California, which has more earthquakes than any other state. During the 1964 episodes, homes in this area slid down the embankment toward Cook Inlet, causing $68 million in damage.
No doubt all law enforcement officials in the area were there, helping as best they could. These days fans of law enforcement will love the Law Enforcement Museum, displaying historic police equipment, a submachine gun, and a restored 1952 Hudson Hornet Patrol Car. Being a law enforcement agent in a state that has such a small population, less than three quarters of a million people, spread out over more than half a million square miles, is a challenge indeed. This is one of the most unusual, rugged and far-flung jurisdictions under the American flag. Admission to the museum is free but check out the souvenirs. This is the only place you'll get an Anchorage State Troopers T-shirt. Just what you need to impress your friends!
As soon as you walk in, though, look for the mug shot of Steve McQueen who was arrested here for driving dangerously while drunk. After his experience with law enforcement it's very unlikely McQueen got the tee-shirt—he no doubt got a nice big ticket and a very embarrassing night in jail instead.
Native Heritage Experience
From life in the spotlight to life that went on quietly beforehand, check out the Alaska Native Heritage Center, just 10 minutes from downtown. Life for Alaska's 11 distinct Native cultures, which thrived on the land and sea, is showcased. You can wander through native village sites and read about the traditional lifestyles, while Alaska Native youths share stories about early village life. On stage inside the main building—the "Gathering Place"—you'll be treated to drums, drama, dance and storytelling and see native costumes, all while artisans show and sell their work. If you fancy trying some fishing just like the natives once did as a way of life, you can try your luck at Bird Creek on the road to Seaward. Here you can join the local people fishing for salmon. Fishing limits for those with a license is three fish a day. From the river to the lake, check out Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world. You can watch some of the more than 87,000 take-offs and landings a year that occur here firsthand from the observation deck. In the onsite museum, aviation buffs will find rare aircraft being restored. Alternatively, try your skills with the flight simulator. While flying is serious business, Alaskans are not without their sense of humor. One sign you'll notice off the main street is a plaque that says: In 1897 in this place, nothing happened.
One sure place to find something that is happening is at the Alaska Zoo. Native species at the zoo include a polar bear, brown bears, a rare glacier black bear, moose and many raptor species. There are also exotic creatures on view. The zoo has been around for more than 30 years and boasts nearly 100 mammals and birds.
While much of the rest of the lower 48 is sweltering in blistering heat, you'll be pleased to know that the temperatures in Anchorage reach a comfortable 60 degrees. And of course this is where you'll find those long lazy summer light nights where the sun sets at 11:30pm and rises at 4:30am.
Alaska has been described as more than a state—it's more like a state of mind. It has unsurpassed beauty and wilderness. It has untamed mountains, glaciers, rugged terrain and soaring eagles. This is Alaska, and this is Anchorage. Go discover them both.
Oh, and that moose? You obviously don't want to harm it—or your car. Just enjoy the experience of watching one of nature's most regal creatures cross in front of you. He knows you're too small to be any bother, and in any case, this is Alaska, and moose have the right of way.
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