The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who seek them
Posts tagged Alaska
The Yukon – Canada
Feb 4th
The Yukon takes its name from Yu-kun-ah, the Loucheux word for the Yukon River, the ‘great river’ that drains most of the territory. Some five per cent of Canada’s landmass, the Yukon lies in the northwest corner of Canada. Bordered on three sides by rugged mountains and on the 4th by the Arctic Ocean, it shares many of the characteristics of its neighbours, Alaska, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories. More >
Back to the Ice Age – Alaska Glacier Bay
Jan 26th
Had he been interested, Captain George Vancouver, who charted the waters of Icy Strait in 1794, could have seen all of Glacier Bay in about an hour. In those days, however, the 5-mile-long indentation in the 100-mile (160-km) long, 20-mile (32-km) wide, and 4,450-ft (1,350-m) thick Grand Pacific Glacier was considerably less intriguing than it became over the next two centuries. By the time John Muir reached the site in 1879, that indent had grown to about 31 miles (50 km) long and today, due to further melting, Glacier Bay now stretches about 72 miles (115 km). More >
Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park – Alaska
Sep 15th
by Noël Zia Lee
Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park covers an enormous area, including ground in the United States and Canada, which makes it fairly unique among government-run parks. From 1897 to 1898, gold rush led prospectors to mines along the Klondike River and Yukon River territory in Canada.
The park consists of a series of units of historical importance that have been preserved, with three around Skagway, one in Seattle, and a further three in Canada. The units cover buildings and parts of the trails, with much of downtown Skagway preserved, including 15 historic structures. More >
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary – Alaska
Sep 11th
Just west of Augustine Island, the McNeil River drains into the mudflats of Kamishak Bay. About a mile upstream from its mouth, boulders and fast water form a frothing falls that poses a challenge to migrating salmon. The fish leap and fight against the current and cataracts, making several attempts to navigate the falls – and dodge the waiting bears.
Hundreds of salmon sometimes clog the pools below the falls. With no comparable fishing sites in the area, the McNeil River falls attract the world’s greatest concentration of brown bears. Nowhere else you can expect to see a similar gathering. Using threats and roaring, bare-fanged assaults, thousands-pound males defend prime fishing spots from other bears. Smaller bears position themselves on exposed rocks in midstream. Juvenile bears and females with tiny spring cubs patrol back and forth. More >
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge – Alaska
Sep 11th
Famed for its wildlife, the nearly two-million-acre roadless Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge encompasses the south-western two-thirds of Kodiak Island, all of Uganik Island, and parts of Afognak. The refuge has 800 miles of coastline, 11 large lakes, and 7 major watersheds.
Biologists have estimated that 2,500 to 3,000 Alaska brown bears live in the refuge. This is the world’s highest known density of these giant creatures, some of which weigh in at more than 1,500 pounds. More >
