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Keeping an Alaskan Tradition
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Keeping an Alaskan Tradition

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Becca Wolfe and John Wolfe Jr. Honor a Legacy Half a century after Helen Nienhueser published the popular guidebook 55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska, her son and granddaughter have released a revamped and expanded trail guide to hiking, biking, paddling, skiing, and skating in the mountains and rivers around Anchorage, from the Kenai Peninsula to Mat-Su valley to the Copper River basin. In their new book, Alaska Adventure 55 Ways, authors John Wolfe Jr. and Rebecca Wolfe celebrate Alaska’s wilderness and their family tradition of being out in it. It’s so cool that this book now spans three generations of your family. How did it first come about? Becca: My grandmother found herself and found the love of her life in these mountains. She wrote the book with the intention of getting more people out to fall in love with the wilderness. It’s sort of endemic to…

Wildlife watching is one of many good reasons to roam Alaska.
30-Second Reads

Reasons to Discover Alaska

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It’s hard to pick just one Ask a dumb question, get smart aleck answers—at least from the sassiest members of the Alaska magazine team. For our staff question on page 8, my inquiry was in earnest, yet some responses were telling: It’s nearly impossible to choose just one good reason to visit Alaska, and their replies radiate incredulity at my audacious request to narrow the scope. Pick one? Preposterous! They’re right, of course. The list of reasons to explore Alaska is practically endless: natural beauty and scenic wonders, wildlife, interesting people, cultural diversity, unparalleled recreation options, abundant local foods, one-of-a-kind events, distinct seasons, geographic variety, quirky towns, find yourself, lose yourself, etc. etc. Lesson learned—never underestimate a person’s fierce loyalty to and love of Alaska. Kinship with place is not unique to the Great Land, of course, but it’s different here than anywhere else I’ve ever been. Maybe because Alaska is…

Activities

The Alaskan Way

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Communication is Key I grew up in the Lower 48, and over the last decade, I’ve come to realize the differences between people who live in Alaska versus those who don’t. My clients, who I take on Alaska tours, also note these distinctions and point them out—usually with amusement, and other times with shock akin to having entered a foreign country with a different language and culture. Of course, these are generalizations—but indulge me for my years on the ground in the north and attempts at self-deprecating humor. One of the first things you need to know about Alaskans is that they prefer to communicate by phone or in person. Many businesses don’t publish their email address for correspondence, not even a general one or automated form. Because I have social anxiety and will always choose to write rather than call or meet in person, I have spent hours searching…

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