Alaska

314 Pages·2010·20.45 MB·English

by  Nigel Hicks

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
AL ASKA
MOUNTAINS GLACIERS
•
HIKING CRUISES
•
NATIONAL PARKS
AURORA BOREALIS TOURS
•
MAPS HOTELS WILDLIFE
• •
THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT
OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
Alaska

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
Alaska
Main contributor: deanna swaney
MANAGING EDITOR Aruna Ghose
ART EDITOR Priyanka Thakur
PROJECT EDITOR Ankita Awasthi
PROJECT DESIGNER Mathew Kurien
EDITOR Arundhti Bhanot
DESIGNER Baishakhee Sengupta
SENIOR CARTOGRAPHER Uma Bhattacharya
CARTOGRAPHER Alok Pathak
SENIOR PICTURE RESEARCHER Taiyaba Khatoon
PICTURE RESEARCHER Sumita Khatwani
DTP COORDINATOR Shailesh Sharma
DTP DESIGNERS Vinod Harish, Azeem Siddiqui
CONTRIBUTORS Brown bear roaming the tundra
Deanna Swaney, Eric Amrine of Denali National Park
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Nigel Hicks, Andrew Holligan CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATORS
Arun Pottirayil, Madhav Raman, T. Gautam Trivedi
INTRODUCING
Reproduced in Singapore by Colourscan
Printed in China by L.Rex Printing Company Limited. ALASKA
First American Edition, 2006
10 11 12 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
DISCOVERING
Published in the United States by DK Publishing, Inc.,
ALASKA 8
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Reprinted with revisions 2008, 2010
PUTTING ALASKA
Copyright © 2006, 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London ON THE MAP 12
A Penguin Company
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WITHOUT LIMITING THE RIGHTS UNDER COPYRIGHT
A PORTRAIT
RESERVED ABOVE, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED,
STORED IN OR INTRODUCED INTO A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, OR TRANSMITTED, IN OF ALASKA 14
ANY FORM, OR BY ANY MEANS (ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING,
RECORDING OR OTHERWISE), WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF
BOTH THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND THE ABOVE PUBLISHER OF THIS BOOK. ALASKA THROUGH
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. THE YEAR 42
A CATALOG RECORD FOR THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. THE HISTORY
ISSN 1542-1554 OF ALASKA 48
ISBN: 978-0-75666-199-1
Front cover main image: Hubbard Glacier, Yakutat Bay
The information in this
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date
as possible at the time of going to press. Some details, however,
such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices, gallery hanging
arrangements and travel information are liable to change. The
publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising
from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party
websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this book
will be a suitable source of travel information. We value the views
and suggestions of our readers very highly. Please write to: Publisher,
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand,
London, WC2R 0RL, Great Britain, or email: [email protected]. St. Innocent Russian Orthodox
Cathedral, Anchorage
Lily pond along the Seward Highway, Chugach National Forest
SOUTHEAST
ALASKA 124
WESTERN INTERIOR
ALASKA 156
EASTERN INTERIOR
ALASKA 180
SOUTHWEST Kayaking in the calm waters off
Whittier, Prince William Sound
ALASKA 202
SURVIVAL GUIDE
ARCTIC AND WESTERN
ALASKA 218 PRACTICAL
INFORMATION 278
ALASKA AREA
BY AREA TRAVEL
INFORMATION 288
ALASKA AT A
GLANCE 60 GENERAL INDEX 300
ANCHORAGE 62 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
310
THE KENAI Handwoven
PENINSULA 92 Aleut basket
PRINCE WILLIAM TRAVELERS’
SOUND 112 NEEDS
WHERE TO STAY 238
WHERE TO EAT 252
CRUISING IN
ALASKA 264
OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES 272
The day’s catch of halibut displayed Cocktail bar at Aurora Ice Museum,
at the waterfront, Seward Chena Hot Springs
Kennicott (see pp188–9)

Introducing
Alaska
DISCOVERING ALASKA 8–11
PUTTING ALASKA ON THE MAP 12–13
A PORTRAIT OF ALASKA 14–41
ALASKA THROUGH THE YEAR 42–47
THE HISTORY OF ALASKA 48–57
8 I N T R O D U C I N G A L A S K A
DISCOVERING ALASKA
A
laska can be roughly divided state capital Juneau, and a host of
into eight main regions. The charming towns. The vast Interior,
largest city, Anchorage, brings bisected by the Alaska Range, con-
a taste of urban life to the wilderness, tains Fairbanks, the state’s second
while to the south, the Kenai city, and Alaska’s portion of the
Peninsula offers a range of outdoor Klondike goldfields. Southwest Alaska
activities. Prince William Sound, a combines stark volcanic landscapes
spectacular bay on the south coast, with fine fishing grounds, while Arctic
features superb scenery and wildlife- and Western Alaska is a pristine
viewing. Southeast Alaska, an archipel- wilderness. Below is an overview of
ago of stunning islands, boasts the each of these diverse regions.
Glacier. With more time,
it is worth visiting the
Matanuska-Susitna Valley
(see pp84–5), known for
its giant vegetables.
THE KENAI PENINSULA
• World-class fishing
• Excellent hiking
• Whale-watching in Kenai
Fjords National Park
• Free-spirited Homer
With glaciated peaks, forests,
and fjords in the east and
Aerial view of Anchorage with the Chugach Range in the background excellent fishing and views
of the Aleutian volcanoes in
gifts (see pp88–9), watching the west, the Kenai Peninsula
ANCHORAGE the floatplanes at Lake Hood/ is among the state’s most
Lake Spenard, the country’s scenic and diverse regions.
• Ample shopping busiest floatplane complex, Often referred to as Alaska’s
• Anchorage Museum or exploring the scenic Playground, it offers count-
• Alaska Native Heritage Tony Knowles Coastal Trail less recreational opportunities.
Center (see pp74–5). The amount of time needed
• The backyard wilderness of A full day can be spent to explore this region will
Chugach State Park in the incredibly attractive depend on individual inter-
Chugach State Park ests. Keen anglers would do
Alaska’s largest city, busy (see pp78–9), perhaps well with at least three days:
and sprawling Anchorage including a hike from the a day of halibut fishing in
makes a great introduction Eagle River Nature Center. Resurrection Bay off Seward
to the state. Dotted with Alternatively, a day can be (see pp98–9) or Homer (see
pleasant green areas and spent driving the beautiful pp110–11) and two on the
flanked by Turnagain and route along Turnagain Arm Kenai River (see p96). Avid
Knik Arms, it enjoys a (see pp80–81) to Portage hikers should allow about
strik ing location and offers
plenty of opportunities
for outdoor adventure
on its doorstep.
The downtown Anchorage
Museum (see pp68–9), with its
exten sive displays, is a must-
see sight. The Alaska Native
Heritage Center (see pp72–3),
which provides an intro-
duction to Alaska’s diverse
Native cultures, merits at
least half a day. An afternoon
can be spent shopping for Humpback whale diving in Aialik Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park
Vividly painted façade of the Raven Clan House at Totem Bight State Park, Ketchikan