When the Iditarod teams bound out of Willow this month, their odyssey across the Alaskan wilderness will be more than a race. Rising and falling across a frozen landscape – stitching together far-flung rural communities as they go – they will help preserve an arctic sled dog culture that stretches back thousands of years.
North America’s biggest cat is a rare sight here, but that might change Austin Prine knows he saw a cougar run across the Elliott Highway about thirty miles north of Fairbanks last December. Prine, a long-haul trucker who was returning south from Prudhoe Bay, says the cat bounded across the snow-packed road and vanished over a guardrail. He estimates the animal was three years old and weighed about 110 pounds. But it was the three-foot tail that told him it was a cougar. Also known as pumas or mountain lions, cougars are not known to inhabit Alaska. An avid hunter, Prine knows this. But having lived around cougars in eastern Washington, he also knows how to distinguish them from lynx, wolves, or other large mammals. And he believes that cougar reports are increasing in Alaska’s interior, including along the Elliott. When he posted his experience on social media, hundreds of people commented, with…
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 — it’s an essential part of their education. Through the Great Outdoor Adventure Team (GOAT) program, students in Grades 9-12 experience a unique blend of academic rigor and outdoor adventure. A Classroom Without Walls At Annie Wright, students aren’t confined to the walls of a classroom. The GOAT program integrates the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma with hands-on learning experiences in some of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic settings. From kayaking alongside porpoises in Commencement Bay to summiting the glaciers of Mt. Baker, the program offers a diverse range of outdoor challenges designed to build…
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.
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 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 on a chew toy shaped like a head of broccoli, which she keeps pinned beneath her oversized paws. While she may look like any other dog at play, Raven is already a year into intensive training as Alyeska’s newest avalanche rescue dog. Her owner, assistant ski patrol director Ryan Hutchins, says she might be certified by the end of this ski season. Hutchins, who goes by Hutch on Alyeska’s close-knit ski patrol crew, selected Raven because labs, originally bred for duck hunting, are high-energy retrievers with strong scenting abilities and great people skills—all necessary for…
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 they can be preserved. Climate change also shows up as a stressor in Preservation Alaska’s annual list of at-risk historical sites. The number two site on the group’s 2024 list is Pilgrim Hot Springs, 0 miles north of Nome. The geothermic site, and its tree oasis in the vast tundra, bear evidence of Indigenous, gold rush, aviation, and homestead histories, along with buildings from a Catholic-run orphanage dating to the early 1900s. The site is also a popular recreation area today. But beavers, who are dramatically spreading north with warmer winters and increased woody vegetation,…
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 be held Thursdays through Sundays, December 5-8, 12-15 and 19-22, from 5-10 p.m. Step out of the dark and into an immersive magical experience with lights aglow. Take a spin on the carnival carousel or a ride on the slide. Visit with Christmas elves and sip on mulled wine, beer or a holiday mocktail. Cozy up around the bonfire or grab a bite from one of the festive food trucks and listen to live entertainment. Enjoy Christmas themed activities inside our tent and outside. Yuletide Festival tickets are $10 per person, or purchase a ticket…
September brings the end of blueberry season across much of Alaska. As you put away the last of your annual supply, consider this small sampling of Indigenous names that have long been used for this nutritious Alaskan superfood:
Above: Clarks Point students Adrianna Wassily-Wood and Mary Wassily-Wood with mini Yup’ik drums they made to celebrate their culture and Orange Shirt Day. Photo by Deanna Baier On September 30, Orange Shirt Day events across Alaska will once again promote healing from the legacy of Alaska Native boarding schools. The annual commemoration began in Canada in 2013 and has steadily grown in Alaska, with new resources now available for teaching. Between the 1800s and 1970s, Alaska Native children were separated from their families to attend church and government run boarding schools, where abuse was common. Acknowledging boarding school history has gained importance as families and communities across the U.S. and Canada have recognized its intergenerational impact, which includes abuse, incarceration, and more. In Anchorage, the Alaska Native Heritage Center now hosts the nation’s first totem pole dedicated to boarding school survivors and their families. It was carved by Haida master…
