Annie Alexander and Allen Hasselborg In 1907, Annie Montague Alexander, a naturalist, paleontologist and world traveler, was camped with a team of scientists on Admiralty Island in southeast Alaska. She was trying to make good on her dream of collecting specimens to create a museum of natural history on the west coast of America. Having [...]

The post The Scientist and the Bear Man appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Looking for a new April adventure? Consider heading up toward Tahneta Pass on the Glenn Highway to join this year’s annual Gunsight Mountain hawk watch. The main event is April 19-20 and features talks by pro birders, hawk counts, and a potluck barbecue. Last year, says Mr. Whitekeys of Anchorage Audubon, observers counted over 250 [...]

The post April Happenings: Gunsight Mountain Hawk Watch appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Keeping Alaska’s Busiest Port Open Visit Anchorage’s Port of Alaska in summer and you might notice a barge-like boat slowly plying the waters of upper Cook Inlet. Colored red and white, reminiscent of a candy cane, it has a boxy cabin on one end and a tugboat lashed alongside it. Beefy red arms angle out [...]

The post The War on Mud appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Sometimes you get lucky, and that winning photo practically takes itself. Other times you have to work for it, angling for the best composition or waiting for perfect lighting. Either way, photographers create art that captures the viewer’s eye. What we always look for when selecting finalists and then winning images from this contest is, [...]

The post 2024 Photo Contest Winners appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Outdoor Adventure & Academic Excellence in the PNW Sponsored by Annie Wright Schools For many, the Pacific Northwest is synonymous with adventure. Its rugged coastlines, snow-capped peaks, and dense forests have long called to those with a spirit of exploration. For students at Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma, Washington, this landscape isn’t just a backdrop [...]

The post Adrenaline & Personal Growth: The School You Always Wanted appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Federal funding has long been crucial to Alaska’s economy, even before statehood. From the Alcan to the pipeline to our airports and beyond, it props up Alaska’s transportation and energy sectors, providing the infrastructure necessary to move people, fish, oil, and minerals. Federal programs have also long supported education, health care, research, and much more. In each case, a steady—and often overlooked—flow of federal dollars helps Alaskans afford the cost of life in the North.

The post Alaska 2.0 appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Alaska is one of only a handful of states that celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day on the federal Columbus Day holiday. The state holiday was first created by annual proclamations in 2015 and 2016 by then Governor Bill Walker. In 2017, the Alaska legislature made the holiday permanent, and Walker signed the law while attending Utqiaġvik’s annual Nalukataq whaling festival.

The post Alaska’s Indigenous Peoples Day appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

The making of an avalanche rescue dog. Above: Raven and Hutch riding the chair lift together last winter at Alyeska Resort. Photo courtesy Ryan Hutchins Raven, a one-year-old black lab, lies on the floor of the ski patrol office at Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, 35 miles southeast of Anchorage along Turnagain Arm. She gnaws [...]

The post Raven appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

Above: The Ascension Church of Our Lord Chapel at Karluk on Kodiak Island. Photo by Tommy’s Dog Climate change is impacting cultural sites across Alaska. From Denali to the Bering Sea coast and down to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, melting snowfields, eroding coastlines, and increasingly severe floods are unearthing artifacts faster than [...]

The post Historical Sites Across the State Succumb to Climate Change. appeared first on Alaska Magazine.

There are more ways than ever to celebrate the holidays at the fairgrounds this year. The Alaska State Fair has partnered with the Christmas Factory to present a brand-new holiday event: the Yuletide Festival, an old-fashioned Christmas celebration offering holiday fun for all ages. Tickets are on sale now at alaskastatefair.org.  The Yuletide Festival will [...]

The post New Yuletide Festival Headlines Fair’s Holiday Season  appeared first on Alaska Magazine.