Alaska

Hit the road less travelled and explore the wild frontier of Alaska.

 

Things to see and do

The first stop for most people to Alaska will be the state capital of Anchorage, a major cultural centre and the ideal base from which to explore further. There is plenty to see and do around the city but it is as a gateway to the wilderness that Anchorage is best known, indeed it may be hard to see where the city ends and the wilderness begins, with moose roaming the suburbs and people plucking salmon from creeks between office blocks. The ideal way to acclimatise to the Alaskan environment is a trek up the Flattop Mountain Trail, a challenging three mile hike that rewards visitors with stunning 360 degree views of the city, the Aleutian Islands and on a clear day, Denali (Mt. McKinley) the highest mountain peak in North America.

If the short hike to Flattop Mountain whets your appetite for more challenging walks, there is no better place than Denali National Park. The park is known worldwide for its wide variety of plant and animal life and some of the most stunning views in North America. Park Rangers with their sled dogs provide guided tours through some of the most popular trails, while more hardy souls can spend the night under canvas and fall asleep to the sounds of the wild. Be sure to be on the lookout for caribou, moose or even grizzly bear.

Image Credit:: Chris McLennan. 

Read more in the December issue…