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Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards
Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book
Best Travel Guide, Benjamin Franklin Awards finalist
“Impressive in its presentation and abundance of material.”
— National Geographic Traveler
“PhotoSecrets books are an invaluable resource for photographers.”
— Nikon School of Photography
“One of the best travel photography books we’ve ever seen.”
— Minolta
“Guides you to the most visually distinctive places to explore with your camera.”
— Outdoor Photographer
“This could be one of the most needed travel books ever published!”
— San Francisco Bay Guardian
“The most useful travel guides for anyone with a camera.”
— Shutterbug’s Outdoor and Nature Photography
“Takes the guesswork out of shooting.”
— American Way (American Airlines magazine)
PhotoSecrets Alaska, first published March 6, 2018. This version output May 5, 2018.
Curated, coded and designed by Andrew Hudson. Copyright © Andrew Hudson for PhotoSecrets (Photo Tour Books, Inc.). Photos, text and maps copyrights are listed in the credits section.
“‘And what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversations?’”
— Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Thank you to the many talented photographers that generously made their photos available. Photos distributed by the following:
Text copyright of Wikipedia editors and contributors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA).
Map data from OpenStreetMap and its contributors. Open data licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).
Cover image by Christoph Strässler/Flickr.
Back cover image by .
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any way without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner(s) and the publisher of this book.
The information provided within this book is for general informational purposes only. Some information may be inadvertently incorrect, or may be incorrect in the source material, or may have changed since publication, this includes GPS coordinates, addresses, location titles, descriptions, Web links, and photo credits. Use with caution; do not photograph from roads or other dangerous places or when trespassing, even if GPS coordinates and/or maps indicate so; beware of moving vehicles; obey laws. The publisher and author cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book. There are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, images, or graphics contained in this book for any purpose. Any use of this information is at your own risk.
For corrections, please send an email.
A great travel photograph, like a great news photograph, requires you to be in the right place at the right time to capture that special moment. Professional photographers have a short-hand phrase for this: “F8 and be there.”
There are countless books that can help you with photographic technique, the “F8” portion of that equation. But until now, there’s been little help for the other, more critical portion of that equation, the “be there” part. To find the right spot, you had to expend lots of time and shoe leather to wander around, track down every potential viewpoint, and essentially re-invent the wheel.
In my career as a professional travel photographer, well over half my time on location is spent seeking out the good angles. Andrew Hudson’s PhotoSecrets does all that legwork for you, so you can spend your time photographing instead of wandering about. It’s like having a professional location scout in your camera bag. I wish I had one of these books for every city I photograph on assignment.
PhotoSecrets can help you capture the most beautiful sights with a minimum of hassle and a maximum of enjoyment. So grab your camera, find your favorite PhotoSecrets spots, and “be there!”
Bob Krist has photographed assignments for National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, Travel/Holiday, Smithsonian, and Islands. He won “Travel photographer of the Year” from the Society of American Travel Writers in 1994, 2007, and 2008.
For National Geographic, Bob has led round-the-world tours and a traveling lecture series. His book In Tuscany with Frances Mayes spent a month on The New York Times’ bestseller list and his how-to book Spirit of Place was hailed by American Photographer magazine as “the best book about travel photography we’ve ever read.”
The parents of three sons, Bob and his wife live in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Thank you for reading PhotoSecrets. As a fellow fan of travel and photography, I hope this guide will help you quickly find the most visually stunning places, and come home with equally stunning photographs.
PhotoSecrets is designed to show you all the best sights. Flick through, see the classic shots, and use them as a departure point for your own creations. Get ideas for composition and interesting viewpoints. See what piques your interest. Know what to shoot, where to stand, when to go, and why it’s interesting. Now you can spend less time researching and more time photographing.
The idea for PhotoSecrets came during a trip to Thailand, when I tried to find the exotic beach used in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun. None of the guidebooks I had showed a picture, so I thought a guidebook of postcard photos would be useful for us photographers. Twenty-plus years later, you have this guide. Thanks!
Now, start exploring — and take lots of photos!
Originally an engineer, Andrew Hudson started PhotoSecrets in 1995. His first book won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book and his second won the Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards.
Andrew has published 38 nationally-distributed photography books. He has photographed assignments for Macy’s, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Men’s Health and Seventeen, and been a location scout for Nikon. His photos and articles have appeared in Alaska Airlines, National Geographic Traveler, Shutterbug Outdoor and Nature photography, Where, and Woman’s World.
Andrew has a degree in Computer Engineering from Manchester University and a certificate in copyright law from Harvard Law School. Born in Redditch, England, he lives with his wife, two kids, and two chocolate Labs, in San Diego, California.
At a Glance | |
---|---|
Name: | Alaska |
GPS: | 64, -150 |
Nickname: | The Last Frontier |
Motto: | North to the Future |
Capital: | Juneau |
Highest point: | Denali |
Abbreviatio: | AK |
Website: | alaska.gov |
Alaska offers photographers glaciers, brown bears and gold-rush era towns. There are eight national parks and the tallest land-based mountain on Earth, Denali.
Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area (greater than Texas and California combined); the most northern and western state, and the most eastern, as the Aleutian Islands extend into the Eastern Hemisphere.
You really can see Russia from Alaska. From the hills of Tin City on the mainland, you can see mountains on mainland Russia, 60 miles (100 km) away, and from the top of the Alaska’s Little Diomede Island you can see Russia’s Big Diomede Island, three miles (4.8 km) away.
At least 11,000 years ago, people had crossed the Bering land bridge and settled in today’s Alaska. The area was occupied by numerous indigenous peoples well before the arrival of Russian seafarers, possibly in 1648. After Vitus Bering’s expedition in 1741, his crew returned to Russia with sea otter pelts judged to be the finest fur in the world and fur trading led to competing interests. Britain mapped Alaska’s southern and western coastline in 1778, Spain named Valdez and Cordova in 1790, and Russia took today’s Sitka from the Tlingit people in 1799.
The name “Alaska” was first used in the Russian colonial period and is derived from the Aleut (Unangam) term for the mainland of Alaska, meaning object to which the action of the sea is directed.
In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million. Gold was discovered near Sitka in 1880, and Joe Juneau’s mining village grew to become the capital in 1906. The Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899) brought about 100,000 prospectors, mainly to the ports of Dyea and Skagway in Southeast Alaska. And a simultaneous gold discovery in Southern Alaska led to the 1914 founding of today’s largest city, Anchorage, as a railroad-construction port.
The U.S. welcomed Alaska as the 49th state in 1959. Oil was discovered at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 and Royalty revenues from oil have funded large state budgets from 1980 onward.
Alaska’s economy is dominated by fishing, natural gas, oil, military and tourism. Approximately half of the state’s residents (738,432 in 2015) live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. 99% of Alaska’s land is publicly-owned — 65% by the U.S. federal government and the rest mostly by state and local government; only about one percent is private land.
Alaska is separated from Washington state by 500 miles (800 km) of British Columbia, Canada, and is generally reached by ship or plane. The capital, Juneau, is so isolated that no roads connect it to any other city.
Photographer: Frank K
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
The Anchorage skyline with Cook Inlet leading to Downtown Anchorage and the snow-capped Chugach Mountains. This postcard shot is taken from Point Woronzof Park, north of the airport.
Addr: | 9700 Point Woronzof Rd, Anchorage AK 99502 | Where: | 61.203547 -150.015860 |
What: | Skyline | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East-northeast → | Far: | 7 km (4.05 miles) |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The Conoco-Phillips building is the tallest building in Alaska and defines the Anchorage skyline. The 22-story, 90 m (296 ft) tower — home to the regional headquarters of energy company ConocoPhillips — is connected by an atrium to a second smaller tower. The complex was known as the ARCO Building when it opened in 1983.
Addr: | 700 G St, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.212721 -149.8930757 |
What: | Office building | When: | Anytime |
Look: | Northwest ↖ | Far: | 320 m (1060 feet) |
AKA: | Arco building | Wik: |
Photographer: Jason Riedy
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Bear and Raven is a whimsical eight-foot-tall sculpture by Hugh McPeck in 2000. The plaque reads: “The Raven whispers to the Bear, ‘I really enjoy watching you fish for salmon in Ship Creek.’ The Bear’s large smile and tummy indicates that he loves it too!.”
Addr: | 315 E St, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.218733 -149.891027 |
What: | Statue | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 5 m (16 feet) |
Photographer: Wonderlane
Year: 2006.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Alaska’s Marine Life is a mural by artist Robert Wyland. Painted in 1994, it is number 54 in his series of 100 “Whaling Wall” murals. The mural is on the side of the JCPenney building, facing Town Square Park.
Addr: | 550 E St, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.216976 -149.891238 |
What: | Mural | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 30 m (100 feet) |
AKA: | Whaling Wall |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The Robert B. Atwood Building (formerly Bank of America Center) houses government offices for the State of Alaska. It is the second-tallest building in Alaska at 20 stories and 81 m (265 ft).
Addr: | 550 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.214569 -149.893443 |
What: | Office building | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 90 m (280 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Jwalsh
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Captain James Cook (1728- 1779) was a British explorer who, on his last voyage (1776–79), identified what came to be known as Cook Inlet in Anchorage, where this statue overlooks. In a single visit, Cook charted the majority of the North American north-west coastline on world maps for the first time, determined the extent of Alaska, and closed the gaps in Russian (from the West) and Spanish (from the South) exploratory probes of the Northern limits of the Pacific.
Addr: | Resolution Park, 320 L St, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.219303 -149.904179 |
What: | Statue | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 13 m (43 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Bernt Rostad
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Alaska Railroad connects Seward in the south of Alaska to Fairbanks in the interior, passing through Anchorage.
Addr: | 421 W 1st Ave, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.221473 -149.89046 |
What: | Locomotive | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 19 m (62 feet) |
Photographer: James Brooks
Year: 2011.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Anchorage Museum has a unique façade of custom insulated fritted (ceramic) glass and is often ranked among Alaska’s top ten visitor attractions.
Addr: | 625 C St, Anchorage AK 99501 | Where: | 61.216269 -149.88677 |
What: | Museum | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East-southeast → | Far: | 120 m (400 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Antti T. Nissinen
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Alaska Zoo is a popular attraction in Alaska, with nearly 200,000 visitors per year. The zoo opened in 1969 after local grocer Jack Snyder won a contest offering a prize of “$3,000 or a baby elephant.” Guess which one he chose.
Addr: | 4731 O’Malley Rd, Anchorage AK 99507 | Where: | 61.124677 -149.792302 |
What: | Zoo | When: | Anytime |
Wik: |
Photographer: C Watts
Year: 2017.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Susan Adams
Year: 2009.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Alaska Native Heritage Center is an educational and cultural institution opened in 1999, with six life-sized Native dwellings and a whale bone arch arround Lake Tiulana.
Addr: | 8800 Heritage Center Dr, Anchorage AK 99504 | Where: | 61.233761 -149.715784 |
What: | Cultural institution | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 11 m (36 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Frank K
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
North Suicide Peak is a 5,065 feet (1,544 m) mountain on the southern edge of Chugach State Park.
Located east of downtown Anchorage, Chugach State Park is mostly within the Municipality of Anchorage.
Addr: | 18620 Seward Hwy, Anchorage AK 99516 | Where: | 61.049187 -149.609584 |
What: | Mountain | When: | Anytime |
Look: | East-southeast → | Far: | 3.00 km (1.86 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Mount Rumble (7,530 feet / 2,295 meters) as viewed from Peter’s Creek.
Addr: | 18620 Seward Hwy, Anchorage AK 99516 | Where: | 61.286236 -149.164466 |
When: | Afternoon | Look: | Southeast ↘ |
Far: | 6 km (3.51 miles) |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Bold Peak is a 7,522 feet mountain.
Addr: | 18620 Seward Hwy, Anchorage AK 99516 | Where: | 61.341609 -148.962936 |
What: | Mountain peak | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 2.05 km (1.27 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Josette
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
Portage Glacier is a glacier within the city of Anchorage. Take AK-1 54 miles southeast to Begich Boggs Visitor Center, then a boat ride across the lake.
Addr: | Portage Lake Loop, Girdwood AK 99587 | Where: | 60.75306 -148.78556 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Morning |
Look: | West ← | Far: | 410 m (1360 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Near to Portage Glacier is Byron Glacier, with ice caves and views of Portage Lake.
Addr: | 1500 Byron Glacier Rd, Girdwood AK 99587 | Where: | 60.752702 -148.859469 |
What: | Ice cave | When: | Anytime |
Wik: |
Photographer: Sbork
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. A two-hour (104 mile/167 km) drive east from downtown Anchorage.
Addr: | Glacier Park Road, Sutton AK 99674 | Where: | 61.777263 -147.765255 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Southeast ↘ | Far: | 0.55 km (0.34 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Lower Reed Lake is one of a pair of turquoise alpine lakes in a dramatic glaciated wilderness landscape. From Fern Mine Road, take the Reed Lakes trailhead with a 1,900 ft. of elevation gain.
Addr: | Fishhook AK 99645 | Where: | 61.842776 -149.165162 |
What: | Lake | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Southeast ↘ | Far: | 280 m (930 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Cecil Sanders
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Mint Hut (Rainery Hut) is a popular mountaineering hut, built in 1971 with pre-cut parts flown in by helicopter.
Addr: | Mint Glacier, Palmer AK 99645 | Where: | 61.86384 -149.089365 |
What: | Hut | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | South-southeast ↓ | Far: | 0.93 km (0.58 miles) |
AKA: | Rainery Hut |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Year: 2014.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
Snowbird Glacier Moulin is a circular, vertical, well-like shaft into Snowbird Glacier. Don’t get too close!.
Addr: | Snowbird Glacier, Fishhook AK 99645 | Where: | 61.855231 -149.209029 |
What: | Moulin | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 30 m (100 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Maureen
Year: 2013.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Denali National Park and Preserve is centered on North America’s highest mountain, and other mountains of the Alaska Range.
Denali is home to a variety of North American birds and mammals, including grizzly bears and black bears. Herds of caribou roam throughout the park. Dall sheep are often seen on mountainsides, and Alaskan moose feed on the aquatic plants of the small lakes and swamps.
Private vehicles are restricted beyond Mile 15, which includes the major views of Polychrome Overlook (Mile 46), Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66) and Wonder Lake (Mile 85).
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Polychrome Overlook at Mile 46 provides fine views of Polychrome Glaciers, five parallel and colorful glaciers.
Addr: | Park Road MP 46, Healy AK 99743 | Where: | 63.531572 -149.828453 |
What: | Overlook | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | South-southeast ↓ | Far: | 5 km (3.29 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Derek Ramsey
Year: 2005.
Source: Wikipedia
License: GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.
Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) is the highest mountain n North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet above sea level. From base to peak, Denali is taller than Mount Everest (which rises from a high plateau). It is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.
The Koyukon people who inhabit the area around the mountain have referred to the peak as “Denali” for centuries. In 1896, a gold prospector named it “Mount McKinley” in support of then-presidential candidate William McKinley; that name was the official name recognized by the United States government from 1917 until 2015. In August 2015, following the 1975 lead of the state of Alaska, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the change of the official name of the mountain to Denali.
Denali is a granitic pluton lifted by tectonic pressure from the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate.
This view is from Stony Hill Scenic Overlook at Mile 62.
Addr: | Park Rd MP 62, Healy AK 99743 | Where: | 63.457218 -150.228430 |
What: | Mountain | When: | Morning |
Look: | Southwest ↙ | Far: | 58 km (36 miles) |
AKA: | Mount McKinley | Wik: |
Photographer: Denali National Park and Preserve
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Eielson Visitor Center at Mile 66 has amazing views of Denali to the southwest. Built in 1960, it is named after pioneer Alaskan aviator Carl Ben Eielson. The center is open June to September.
Addr: | Park Rd MP 66, Denali AK 99755 | Where: | 63.333 -150.500 |
What: | Visitor center | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Southeast ↘ | Far: | 16 km (10 miles) |
Photographer: Denali National Park
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Wonder Lake at Mile 85 offers a calm and classic reflection of Denali.
Addr: | Park Rd MP 85, Healy AK 99743 | Where: | 63.49575 -150.884079 |
What: | Overlook | When: | Morning |
Look: | South ↓ | Far: | 48 km (30 miles) |
Photographer: Andrei
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Ruth Glacier is on the southern slopes of Denali National Park, near Denali State Park. Its upper reaches are almost three vertical miles (4.8 km) below the summit of Denali. The glacier’s “Great Gorge” is one mile (1.6 km) wide with 5,000-foot (1,500-m) granite cliffs on either side. It moves about 3.3 feet (1 m) a day.
Addr: | Ruth Glacier, Denali NP AK 99683 | Where: | 62.676211 -150.360078 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Morning |
Look: | Northwest ↖ | Far: | 17 km (10 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Paxson Woelber
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Into the Wild bus (Fairbanks 142) is an abandoned 1946 bus that is parked in a clearing along the Stampede Trail near Denali National Park. It is a 28 mile hike from Healy.
The bus was used by to provide remote shelter for constructions crew from Fairbanks that worked on road upgrades in 1960–1961. The engine was removed and the interior fitted with beds and a wood burning stove, which still remain today. While being towed to a construction site, the bus broke an axle and the crew abandoned it where it now serves as a backcountry shelter for hunters, trappers, and visitors.
The bus gained notoriety in 1993 when Outside magazine published an article by Jon Krakauer titled “Death of an Innocent” describing the death of Christopher McCandless, an American hitchhiker who lived in the bus during the summer of 1992 while attempting to survive off the Alaskan wilderness only to die of starvation four months later.
In recent years, the bus, also known as the “Magic Bus” according to McCandless’s writings, has seen a pilgrimage of visitors seeking where McCandless perished. The 2007 film version of Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book about McCandless, Into the Wild, has revived interest in the bus.
Addr: | Stampede Trail, Denali Borough | Where: | 63.868165 -149.769139 |
What: | Movie location | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 25 m (82 feet) |
AKA: | Fairbanks 142 | Wik: |
Photographer: Mike Fairbanks
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Fairbanks is the second most populous metropolitan area in Alaska (after Anchorage). Located less than 120 miles (190km) south of the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks is the most northern U.S. metro area.
When his steamboat ran aground here, Captain E. T. Barnette founded Fairbanks in 1901 as a trading post for gold prospectors.
Photographer: Awyu322
Year: 2010.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
The Museum of the North is a swooping contemporary building on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus designed by Joan Soranno to evoke alpine ridges and glacier.
Addr: | 907 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks AK 99775 | Where: | 64.858096 -147.841108 |
What: | Museum | When: | Morning |
Look: | Northwest ↖ | Far: | 60 m (200 feet) |
Photographer: Arthur Chapman
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Unknown First Family is an 18-foot-high statue in Golden Heart Plaza, by Malcolm Alexander in 1987.
Addr: | 516 1st Ave, Fairbanks AK 99701 | Where: | 64.844131 -147.719677 |
What: | Statue | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 18 m (59 feet) |
Photographer: Nils Öberg
Year: 2011.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
SS Nenana is a sternwheel paddleship that carried passengers and pushed freight on Alaskan rivers from 1933 to 1954.
Addr: | Pioneer Park, Fairbanks AK 99709 | Where: | 64.838280 -147.772810 |
What: | Ship | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 40 m (130 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Mr Hicks46
Year: 2014.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Worthington Glacier is a 5,774-acre valley glacier that can be seen from Richardson Highway, 33 miles (53 km) east of Valdez.
Addr: | 28.7 Richardson Hwy, Valdez AK 99686 | Where: | 61.17028 -145.76333 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Anytime |
Wik: |
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest area managed by the National Park Service in the United States (20,587.186 sq mi; 53,320.57 km2), an expanse that could encapsulate a total of six Yellowstone National Parks. The park includes the Wrangell Mountains (with the second and third highest volcanoes in the United States, Mount Blackburn and Mount Sanford) and the Saint Elias Mountains (including Mount St. Elias, the second tallest mountain in both the United States and Canada) which are within 10 miles (16 km) of tidewater, one of the highest reliefs in the world. Wrangell–St. Elias borders on Canada’s Kluane National Park and Reserve to the east and approaches the U.S. Glacier Bay National Park to the south.
The main base in McCarthy, 307 miles (500km, an 8 hour drive) from Anchorage.
Photographer: Ankitkhare
Year: 2017.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
Mount Sanford is the third highest volcano in the United States and has one of the steepest gradients in North America.
Addr: | Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, Alaska | Where: | 62.3014194 -145.3047036 |
What: | Shield volcano | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 62 km (38 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: NPS
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Public domain as created by the United States Government.
Kennicott Glacier trends from Mount Blackburn to the Kennicott River. It was named in 1899 for Robert Kennicott, pioneer Alaska explorer with the Western Union Telegraph Expedition in 1865. Nearby is Kennecott ghost town.
Addr: | Where: | 61.552222 -143.020806 | |
What: | Glacier | When: | Morning |
Look: | North-northwest ↑ | Far: | 6 km (3.69 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Neal Herbert
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
Mount Saint Elias is the second highest mountain in both Canada and the United States, being situated on the Yukon and Alaska border. This view including Taan Fjord is from a flight between Anchorage and Juneau, as there are no roads nearby.
Addr: | Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, Alaska | Where: | 60.071326 -141.310146 |
What: | Mountain | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 32 km (20 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Kennecott (Kennicott, Kennecott Mines) is an abandoned copper mining camp at the world’s richest known concentration of copper at the time it was discovered in 1900. The copper was depleted by 1938, leaving a ghost town.
Addr: | McCarthy AK 99566 | Where: | 61.483869 -142.887733 |
What: | Ghost town | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 210 m (690 feet) |
AKA: | Kennicott, Kennecott Mines | Wik: |
Photographer: W Smith
Year: 2013.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Dubhe
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Exit Glacier is an accessible “drive-up” glacier, 12 miles (32 km) west of Seward. It is a visible indicator climate change, having retreated 187 feet (57 m) from 2013 to 2014 alone.
Addr: | 24620 Herman Leirer Rd, Seward AK 99664 | Where: | 60.1816551 -149.640309 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | South ↓ | Far: | 380 m (1250 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Balazs Barnucz
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Aialik Glacier is a tidewater glacier, flowing into Aialik Bay and the Gulf of Alaska.
Addr: | Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska | Where: | 59.942000 -149.723000 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Morning |
Look: | West-northwest ← | Far: | 1.33 km (0.83 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Derek Ramsey
Year: 2005.
Source: Wikipedia
License: GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.
The Salty Dawg Saloon is a well-known landmark on the Homer Spit in Homer. The city of Homer lies 218 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula, and is known as the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.”
Addr: | 4380 Homer Spit Rd, Homer AK 99603 | Where: | 59.6017551 -151.4214766 |
What: | Building | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 19 m (62 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Brooks Falls is a renowned place to photograph Alaskan brown bears during salmon migration season. In July, salmon swimming upstream to their spawning grounds have to leap up the 1.8 m (6 foot) falls, providing airborne food for bears. Up to 25 bears at one time have been seen in July, with about 18 at a later salmon run in September. Salmon make up the majority of the brown bear’s diet during spring.
There is a one-mile-long boardwalk connecting three viewing wooden platforms: the Lower Platform, the Riffles Platform, and the Brooks Falls Platform. The iconic photos are taken from the Brooks Falls Platform, which faces northeast about 10–50 feet from the bears. There are upper and lower tiers and both can get crowded during July.
Getting an even exposure on the dark bears against the bright waterfall is tricky, so overcast days and early mornings out of direct sunlight are best. Photographer Thomas Mangelsen made a famous photo here called “Catch of the Day.”
Addr: | Brooks Camp, Katmai NP AK 99613 | Where: | 58.554691 -155.791824 |
What: | Waterfall | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 40 m (130 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Year: 2013.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Christoph Strässler
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Max Goldberg
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Azov
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Brocken Inaglory
Year: 1998.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Addr: | Brooks Camp, Katmai NP AK 99613 | Where: | 58.553127 -155.778628 |
What: | Bridge | When: | Morning |
Look: | South ↓ | Far: | 40 m (130 feet) |
Photographer: Alan Wu
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Juneau is the capital city of Alaska and the second largest city in the United States by area. Located in the Alaskan panhandle, downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the Gastineau Channel from Douglas Island.
Due to the rugged terrain, there are no roads connecting the city to the rest of Alaska or to the rest of North America (although ferry service is available for cars), making Juneau a de facto island city in terms of transportation, since all goods coming in and out must go by plane or boat.
The city is named for prospector Joe Juneau who, in 1880, found gold nuggets here “as large as peas and beans,” according to partner Richard Harris. A town quickly sprang up and became the territory’s capital in 1906.
Photographer: Gillfoto
Year: 2016.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
The Alaska State Capitol was the territory capitol when it opened in 1931, and became the state capital when Alaska gained statehood in 1959.
Addr: | 120 4th St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.301420 -134.409981 |
What: | State capitol | When: | Morning |
Look: | North-northwest ↑ | Far: | 70 m (220 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Bernt Rostad
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Alaska State Liberty Bell, outside the capitol, is a replica of the Liberty Bell given by the federal government in 1950 to help raise support for savings bond drives.
Addr: | 120 4th St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.301905 -134.410021 |
What: | Liberty bell | When: | Morning |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 5 m (16 feet) |
Photographer: Ian D. Keating
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Mount Roberts Tramway is an aerial tramway. In operation since 1996, the tram makes a six-minute ascent of 3,819-foot (1,164 m) Mount Roberts from the cruise ship docks (just feet above sea level) to a height of about 1,800 feet (550 m). A restaurant, theater, nature center and retail shops are located at the top of the tramway.
Addr: | 490 S Franklin St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.296715 -134.387364 |
What: | Gondola | When: | Morning |
Look: | West ← | Far: | 0.79 km (0.49 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Sonny Sideup
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Bernard Spragg
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
The Clam Shell Mural is a colorful painting on the west side of Juneau’s City Hall. The 40-foot-long mural, painted in 1986 by Bill Ray, depicts the Tlingit creation story. On the left, Raven and Man emerge from a shell. On the right follow Bear, Frog, Eagle, Killer Whale and Wolf.
Addr: | 155 S Seward St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.299382 -134.406288 |
What: | Mural | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 15 m (49 feet) |
Photographer: Bernard Spragg
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
Photographer: Mark Byzewski
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Wknight94
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is an octagonal church in Juneau built in 1893.
Addr: | 326 5th St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.303024 -134.408761 |
What: | Church | When: | Morning |
Look: | Northwest ↖ | Far: | 19 m (62 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Diego Delso
Year: 2017.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
The Red Dog Saloon is the oldest man-made tourist attraction in Juneau.
Addr: | 278 S Franklin St, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.298778 -134.4034513 |
What: | Building | When: | Morning |
Look: | West-northwest ← | Far: | 30 m (100 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Ian D. Keating
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Mendenhall Glacier (Sitaantaagu) is a 13-mile-long (22 km) glacier about 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Juneau. It is named for Thomas Mendenhall, superintendent of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey who defined the exact national boundary between Alaska and Canada.
Addr: | 6000 Glacier Spur Rd, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.419301 -134.546026 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 2.50 km (1.56 miles) |
AKA: | Sitaantaagu | Wik: |
Photographer: Reywas92
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center was the first U.S. Forest Service visitor center, opened in 1962. There are hikes to the glacier, Nugget Falls, and ice caves.
Addr: | Where: | 58.419339 -134.545938 | |
What: | Visitor center | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North ↑ | Far: | 9 km (5 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Sunnya343
Year: 2016.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
Nugget Falls, also known as Nugget Creek Falls or Mendenhall Glacier Falls, is a waterfall downstream of the Nugget Glacier.
Addr: | 6000 Glacier Spur Rd, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.419330 -134.545936 |
What: | Waterfall | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 1.02 km (0.63 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Joseph
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Mendenhall Ice Caves are beautiful blue caves formed in the melting Mendenhall Glacier.
Addr: | 6000 Glacier Spur Rd, Juneau AK 99801 | Where: | 58.441105 -134.556255 |
What: | Ice cave | When: | Anytime |
Photographer: Joseph
Year: 2014.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Joseph
Year: 2014.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Ky0n Cheng
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
Photographer: Jerzy Strzelecki
Year: 2000.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The Alaska Raptor Center (one of the largest in North America) rehabilitates sick and injured eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and other birds of prey which are brought in from all over Alaska.
Addr: | 1000 Raptor Way, Sitka AK 99835 | Where: | 57.0524 -135.3161 |
What: | Park | When: | Anytime |
Wik: |
Photographer: Jerzy Strzelecki
Year: 2000.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Barek
Year: 2008.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
St. Michael’s Cathedral is the earliest Orthodox cathedral in the New World, founded in 1808 and built in 1848 when Alaska was under the control of Russia. It was rebuilt following a fire in 1966.
Addr: | 240 Lincoln St, Sitka AK 99835 | Where: | 57.050187 -135.335137 |
What: | Cathedral | When: | Morning |
Look: | South-southwest ↓ | Far: | 20 m (66 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Lee Coursey
Year: 2016.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Creek Street is an historic stilt-mounted boardwalk on the slopes of Ketchikan Creek.
Creek Street is infamous as being Ketchikan’s red light district, roughly between 1903 and 1954, and some of its attractions are commemorations of this past. Its origins lie in a 1903 city ordinance banishing brothels from the city center to the “Indian Town” area on the east side of the creek, and it operated until the brothels were outlawed and shut down in 1954. Numerous houses of prostitution sprang up on this difficult terrain, supported by wooden stilts. Famous among them is The Star, which was one of the largest of these businesses, and Dolly’s House, which is now a museum.
Winding into the hills above Creek Street is Married Man’s Way, a trail used by patrons of the brothels to escape raids.
Addr: | 13 Creek St, Ketchikan AK 99901 | Where: | 55.342316 -131.64262 |
What: | Boardwalk | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East-southeast → | Far: | 60 m (200 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Bernard Spragg
Year: 2012.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
Photographer: Jay Galvin
Year: 2010.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Totem Heritage Center houses one of the world’s largest collections of unrestored 19th century totem poles. Sixteen of the museum’s thirty-three totem poles are on permanent display, recovered from uninhabited Tlingit settlements on Village Island and Tongass Island.
Addr: | 601 Deermount St, Ketchikan AK 99901 | Where: | 55.342861 -131.634257 |
What: | Museum | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | South-southeast ↓ | Far: | 28 m (92 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Mark Byzewski
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Saxman Totem Park in Saxman just south of Ketchikan has 19 relocated or reconstructed totem poles.
Addr: | 2660 Killer Whale Ave, Saxman AK 99901 | Where: | 55.319583 -131.596116 |
What: | Park | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 40 m (120 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Joseph
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Photographer: Bernard Spragg
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
Photographer: Jerzystrzelecki
Year: 1998.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 3.
Photographer: Mark Byzewski
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Jerzy Strzelecki
Year: 2000.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Jerzy Strzelecki
Year: 2000.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Photographer: Brewbooks
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
The Sons of Norway statue stands by a Viking “Valhalla” ship and Alaska’s first Sons of Norway lodge, built in 1912.
Addr: | 23 Sing Lee Alley, Petersburg AK 99833 | Where: | 56.810511 -132.959531 |
What: | Statue | When: | Anytime |
Look: | East → | Far: | 23 m (75 feet) |
Photographer: Andrew E. Russell
Year: 2013.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
The Anan Wildlife Observatory is located 30 miles southeast of the town of Wrangell on Wrangell Island. Anan Creek has the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska thus lots of black and brown bears. The facilities consists of a covered viewing shelter, decks, and a photo blind.
Addr: | Wrangell AK 99929 | Where: | 56.178588 -131.884278 |
What: | Wildlife observatory | When: | Anytime |
AKA: | Anan Bear Observatory |
The Skagway Historic District and White Pass is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing a significant portion of the area within the United States associated with the Klondike Gold Rush.
Skagway is a borough on the mainland in Southeast Alaska and was part of the setting for Jack London’s book The Call of the Wild. The port of Skagway is a popular stop for cruise ships, and the tourist trade is a big part of the business of Skagway.
In 1887, William “Billy” Moore on a boundary survey expedition believed that gold lay in the Klondike because it had been found in similar mountain ranges in South America, Mexico, California, and British Columbia. When he was proven right in 1896, prospectors flooded in to Moore’s wharf, preparing for the 500-mile journey to the gold fields in Canada. But Moore was overrun by lot jumping prospectors and had his land stolen from him and sold to others.
By June 1898, with a population between 8,000 and 10,000, Skagway was the largest city in Alaska. But it was a lawless town, described by one member of the North-West Mounted Police as “little better than a hell on earth,” ruled by con artist Jefferson “Soapy” Smith. His telegraph office charged five dollars to send a message anywhere in the world, and unknowing prospectors sent news to their families back home without realizing the wires went only to the wall.
Officials in Canada required prospectors to bring a year’s supply of provisions to survive the winter, which was literally a ton of stuff to haul over the mountains. In 1898, the White Pass and Yukon Route railway began construction, but when completed in 1900, the gold rush was mostly over.
Much of the gold rush town was saved and preserved by early residents, such as Martin Itjen, who ran a tour bus around the historical town.
Photographer: Tony Hisgett
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
White Pass Scenic Railway is a narrow-gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. The railroad began construction in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush as a means of reaching the goldfields. With its completion in 1900, it became the primary route to the interior of the Yukon.
Addr: | 888 Congress Way, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.453013 -135.31921 |
What: | Railway | When: | Morning |
Look: | Southwest ↙ | Far: | 20 m (66 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Jen Hunter
Year: 2013.
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Snow piercer: How to clean snow from a railroad.
Addr: | 271 Broadway, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.452367 -135.323287 |
What: | Train | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | North-northeast ↑ | Far: | 20 m (66 feet) |
Photographer: Stacy Farley
Year: 2016.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 4.
The Arctic Brotherhood Hall is an 1899 building with its front covered in driftwood.
Addr: | 245 Broadway, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.454008 -135.318008 |
What: | Building | When: | Morning |
Look: | West ← | Far: | 14 m (46 feet) |
AKA: | Camp Skagway |
Photographer: Bernard Spragg
Source: Flickr
License: CC-PD 1.
The Golden North Hotel was built in 1898 by the Klondike Trading Company. It was moved to its present location in 1908 and a third story and golden dome were added.
Addr: | 253 Broadway, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.4543458 -135.3173988 |
What: | Hotel | When: | Morning |
Look: | West ← | Far: | 17 m (56 feet) |
Photographer: Reywas92
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
The Railroad Building, built in 1900, was the White Pass & Yukon Route Administration Building and is now the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center.
Addr: | 291 Broadway, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.453527 -135.318158 |
What: | Building | When: | Morning |
Look: | Southwest ↙ | Far: | 20 m (66 feet) |
Photographer: Notyourbroom
Year: 2009.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 3.
Soapy Smith’s was “the real city hall” during the Klondike Gold Rush, a saloon opened in March 1898 as a veritable den of thieves for Jeff “Soapy” Smith and his gang.
Famous in Denver for a street con selling soap bars apparently wrapped in $100 bills, Soapy arrived in January 1898, paid off the town’s deputy U.S. marshal and assembled a gang that soon claimed 317 members.
Pretending to be a newspaper reporter or clergymen, Smith’s men would befriend new arrivals and steer them to dishonest shipping companies, hotels, or gambling dens.
Soapy was challenged by a vigilante committee and, in July, he was killed in an unexpected gunfight, known as the Shootout on Juneau Wharf. His saloon and grave (several yards outside the city cemetery) are on most tour itineraries of Skagway.
Addr: | 380 6th Street, Skagway AK 99840 | Where: | 59.4561956 -135.3147358 |
What: | Historic building | When: | Morning |
Look: | West-southwest ← | Far: | 10 m (33 feet) |
AKA: | Jeff Smith’s Parlor, Soapy Smith’s Olde Tyme Photo Parlor | Wik: |
Photographer: Eric E Castro
Year: 2010.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY 2.
Margerie Glacier is one of the most active and frequently-visited glaciers in Glacier Bay. Flowing 21 miles from the border with Canada, the terminus is about one mile wide. The steep dropoff allows cruise ships and smaller park tour boats to anchor nearby providing close-up views of ice calving.
Addr: | Glacier Bay NP, Gustavus AK 99826 | Where: | 59.0439133 -137.0525047 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Morning |
Look: | West-southwest ← | Far: | 1.08 km (0.67 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY-SA 2.
Hubbard Glacier is a glacier in Disenchantment Bay named after Gardiner Hubbard.
Most the ice is underwater, so newly carved icebergs the size of a ten-story buildings often shoot up quite dramatically.
Addr: | Russell Fjord Wilderness, Tongass NF AK 99901 | Where: | 59.9974123 -139.5306823 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Northeast ↗ | Far: | 4.00 km (2.49 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Ian D. Keating
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
South Sawyer Glacier is one of a pair of glaciers on the Tracy Arm, about seven miles (11 km) from the Canadian border.
Addr: | Tracy Arm, Tongass NF AK 99901 | Where: | 57.853575 -133.1196269 |
What: | Glacier | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | Southeast ↘ | Far: | 3.45 km (2.14 miles) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Ian D. Keating
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Ian D. Keating
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
Photographer: Jeffrey Philip Roddy
Year: 2012.
Source: Wikipedia
License: CC-BY-SA 3.
Barrow Whale Bone Arch is an arch of whale bones at the historic Point Barrow Refuge Station built in 1889 as a rescue and support station for whaling ships.
Addr: | Point Barrow Refuge Station, Barrow AK 99723 | Where: | 71.298533 -156.774221 |
What: | Exhibit | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East-southeast → | Far: | 19 m (62 feet) |
Wik: |
Photographer: Kurt Fredrickson
Year: 2007.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Public domain as created by the United States Government.
[start]The Peace Monument on Attu Island honors all those who died in the WWII Aleutian Campaign. The 18-foot titanium monument was erected by the Japanese Government in 1987. It is located four miles from the U.S. Coast Guard Loran-C Station.
The Battle of Attu was the only World War II land battle fought on an incorporated territory of the United States. In 1942, Japanese forces took Attu and Kiska islands, holding them for 11 months. After a prolonged air campaign, U.S. forces landed on Attu Island in 1943 and the Battle of Attu lasted 18 days. Of the 12,500 American soldiers, 1,700 were killed or wounded, another 2,100 were taken out of action due to frostbite, disease and non-battle injuries. Of the 2,665 Japanese soldiers, over 500 committed suicide and only 27 survived. This was the second deadliest battle in the Pacific Theatre (in proportion to the number of troops engaged), falling just behind Iwo Jima.
Addr: | Engineer Hill near Clevesy Pass, Attu Station, Attu Island AK | Where: | 52.881695 173.170498 |
What: | Sculpture | When: | Anytime |
Wik: |
Photographer: Wanetta Ayers
Year: 2006.
Source: Wikipedia
License: Released by author into the public domain.
Church of the Holy Ascension (Holy Ascension Orthodox Church) is a red-roofed landmark in Unalaska. Built in 1894, the church is one of the oldest in Alaska. From here, missionaries converted the local Aleut people, where the population is still strongly Orthodox.
Addr: | W Broadway Ave, Unalaska AK 99685 | Where: | 53.87556 -166.53639 |
What: | Church | When: | Afternoon |
Look: | East → | Far: | 12 m (39 feet) |
AKA: | Holy Ascension Orthodox Church | Wik: |
Photographer: Chris Lott
Source: Flickr
License: CC-BY 2.
White Alice Towers, near Nome, is the last intact site of a Cold War-era early-warning system (1958–1978) which used parabolic tropospheric scatter antennas for over-the-horizon links.
Addr: | Nome AK 99762 | Where: | 64.5635856 -165.3710777 |
What: | Antenna | When: | Morning |
Look: | West ← | Far: | 90 m (280 feet) |
AKA: | White Alice Tropo Antenna | Wik: |
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