How bad are the mosquitoes in Alaska? People love joking that the mosquito is Alaska’s “state bird,” and honestly, there’s some truth behind the joke. During peak summer, parts of Alaska can have absolutely massive mosquito swarms. Warm temperatures, melting snow, wetlands, and endless daylight create perfect breeding conditions, especially in [...]
Best Places to Camp Near Anchorage, Alaska in the Summer Anchorage, Alaska, is a paradise for outdoor lovers, offering stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife, and endless opportunities for adventure. Whether you prefer RV camping, tent camping, or backcountry experiences, the Anchorage area has something for everyone. Here are some of the best [...]
What Is the Best Month to Visit Alaska and See Bears? If you're dreaming of seeing wild bears in their natural habitat, few places rival the breathtaking wilderness of Alaska. With its sweeping mountain ranges, salmon-filled rivers, and endless forests, Alaska offers some of the best bear-viewing opportunities in the world. [...]
Pound for pound, Alaska mosquitoes pack punch By Ned Rozell, In mid-June, while standing deep within the northern boreal forest, it’s possible to feel a sensation similar to one felt in mid-December at the same spot. It’s a sting to exposed skin, delivered in December by bitter air and in June by [...]
Raven roosts shrouded in mystery March 30, 2023 / Ned Rozell Last week, while getting ready to climb into a bunk, I heard the yell of a raven outside. And then another, and a few more. I pulled on my boots. Outside, a steady stream of black bodies glided overhead, many of [...]
Journey into the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes By Ned Rozell One hundred years after the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is still a moonscape of ash and volcanic rock, without a tree or shrub in sight. The valley, located on the Alaska Peninsula where the Aleutians [...]
The inner workings of the world’s largest sockeye salmon hatchery EAST FORK OF THE GULKANA RIVER — In late summer, a few months before this mossy valley will feel the sting of 40-below air, bright red salmon dart through a crystal-clear pool amid fragrant green vegetation. The Gulkana Hatchery has a Garden [...]
By Ned Rozell During a good year in Bristol Bay, a surge of more than 100 million pounds of sockeye salmon fights its way upstream, spawns, and dies. In Bristol Bay and elsewhere in Alaska, this incredible pulse of salmon carcasses enriches streams and rivers and makes young salmon hardier. That’s the [...]
Alaska Caribou Cams Give Insight Into Secret Lives Caribou wearing cameras around their necks have filmed a secret world of mushroom nibbling, desperate head-shaking during bug episodes, and nuzzling of wet newborns seconds after they fall to the tundra. The caribou cams gave biologists who teamed up from several agencies a new [...]
The Secret Life of an Alaska Whitefish In Alaska’s infinite waters swims a handsome, silvery fish. Until recently, we knew little about the Bering cisco, which exists only around Alaska and Siberia. Then a scientist combined his unique life experiences with modern tools to help color in the fish’s life history. Randy [...]
