Explore majestic Alaska

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest national park in Alaska. Located in south-central Alaska and covering more than 13 million acres, it is the largest national park in the US. It encompasses the Wrangell Mountains and a significant portion of the Saint Elias Mountains.

The Saint Elias Mountains’ highest point is Mount Logan, the second-tallest mountain in North America. Officially designated as protected land in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter, the park has been shaped by the forces of volcanism and glaciation, resulting in a landscape of towering peaks, expansive glaciers and rugged terrain.

The park is home to diverse wildlife, including caribou, moose, wolves, bald eagles, foxes and bears. Aquatic life is also abundant, with harbor seals, sea lions, whales (orcas and humpbacks) and salmon populating the waters.

Some other interesting facts about Wrangell-St. Elias National Park include:

• Each July, Wrangell hosts Alaska Bearfest, a five-day festival featuring music, arts and excursions to observe black and brown bears in their natural habitat.
• Spectacular glaciers within the park include the Malaspina Glacier, the largest piedmont glacier in North America, and the Hubbard Glacier, the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska.
• The abandoned mine buildings and mills of Kennecott, now a National Historic Landmark that can be toured by visitors, offer a glimpse into the region's rich mining history.
• Visitors can also explore the Chief Shakes Historic Site, which features totem poles and a traditional Tlingit tribal house.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is one of Alaska’s greatest treasures, offering unparalleled opportunities for adventure and wildlife observation in a stunning natural setting. Whether hiking, fishing or simply taking in the breathtaking scenery, this park is a magnificent destination for nature enthusiasts.

From the heights of rocky mountain slopes to the depths of the sea, Alaska is home to a magnificent menagerie. Here are some of the incredible creatures that call this pristine wilderness home:

Bears: Perhaps Alaska’s most famous four-legged residents are its bears. The brown bear is the largest; of the 30,000 or so here, the grizzly subspecies is the most common. Contrary to popular lore, the Kodiak bear, another subspecies of brown bear, is the largest. Black bear species are smaller and number about 100,000. Farther north, polar bears live along the icy Arctic coastlines, numbering less than 5,000.

Caribou: Known as “reindeer” in other parts of the world, the majestic caribou grazes the tundra and mountainous regions of Alaska. It is common for this migratory ungulate to travel an astonishing 50 miles in a single day.

Moose: Alaska’s moose is the largest in the world, weighing up to 1,600 pounds. Its most distinguishing mark is the open-hand shape of the male’s antlers. Despite their imposing size, these solitary giants are slow-moving and typically sedentary.

Mountain goat: The sure-footed mountain goat resides mostly in Alaska’s rugged alpine regions, along the Southeastern panhandle and in coastal mountains. It prefers to stay above the tree line, where their high-altitude homes may exceed 13,000 feet above sea level.

Bald eagle: An icon of the American wilderness, the bald eagle takes wing throughout much of Alaska. It typically hunts near large bodies of water, swooping down to catch fish in its talons. Its nests, usually built in old-growth trees, are the largest created by a North American bird, measuring up to eight feet wide and 13 feet deep.

Willow ptarmigan: Diminutive in size, the willow ptarmigan is the last bird you would expect to be chosen as Alaska’s state bird. But it was, in 1955. This grouse-type bird is part of the pheasant family, and sports brown plumage in summer and white in winter.

Orca: The “killer whale” earned its nickname because of its tendency to hunt for prey in large groups. The black-and-white species is actually part of the dolphin family. Males can grow to be up to 27 feet long and females can reach 23 feet.

Elephant seal: The elephant seal is named for its enormity: the male can weigh up to 5,000 pounds and reach 14 feet in length, whereas the female is about a third this size. The male is especially known for his elongated snout, which gives voice to his loud roars. These seals spend most of their time at sea, coming onto land only to breed and give birth.

Harbor seal: Otherwise known as the common seal, these earless mammals belong to the same family as the walrus. Their ample blubber helps maintain their body temperature. Colonies of harbor seals typically remain in close proximity to the same rocky area.

Humpback whale: During the summer months, the humpback whale plays a starring role on Alaska’s vast and dramatic stage. These gentle giants migrate up to 16,000 miles in a year, feeding in polar waters and heading to subtropical regions to breed and give birth.

Ketchikan proudly—and deservedly—holds the title of the “Salmon Capital of the World.” This picturesque Alaskan town, nestled in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, is renowned for its abundant salmon population and fishing culture. The significance of salmon to Ketchikan and the broader Alaskan community cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in traditional Indigenous ways of life, regional cuisine and the local ecosystem.

Salmon has been a staple in Native Alaskan diets for millennia. Today, the fish features prominently in both traditional dishes and modern culinary creations. Whether it is  grilled, baked, pan-seared or poached, salmon is celebrated for its rich flavor and nutritional value. The annual Ketchikan Salmon Derby is a testament to the community's deep connection to the fish, drawing anglers from near and far to compete and celebrate the town’s fishing heritage.

Beyond its culinary importance, salmon is integral to the Alaskan ecosystem. These fish are a keystone species, meaning their presence significantly impacts the environment. Salmon provide essential nutrients to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, supporting a diverse range of wildlife, including bears, eagles and other fish species.

Preservation efforts are vital to ensuring the sustainability of salmon populations in Ketchikan and throughout Alaska. Organizations and government agencies work to protect salmon habitats, regulate fishing practices and monitor population health. Initiatives such as habitat restoration, hatchery programs and sustainable fishing regulations aim to balance the needs of the fishing industry with the long-term health of salmon populations. Alaska’s commitment to celebrating and protecting salmon will allow the region’s ecosystem, and its stunning array of wildlife, to continue to thrive.

During the earliest years of America, as settlements from Jamestown and Virginia to Plymouth and Massachusetts were beginning to prosper, Alaska had yet to be visited by Europeans. Here are a few of the explorers who pioneered this remote and rugged land:

Semyon Dezhnyov

In 1648, Semyon Dezhnyov and a merchant crew from Siberia sailed across the then-uncharted Bering Strait and established a temporary settlement on Alaska’s shores (many historians believe his arrival was an accident). Dezhnyov was semi-literate and did not realize the significance of his accomplishment, leading him to be largely forgotten by history.

M.S. Gvozdev

Some scholars believe that M.S. Gvozdev, not Semyon Dezhnyov, was the first Russian to see Alaska. The military surveyor embarked on the St. Gabriel with his crew and crossed the strait between Russia and America in 1732, mapping the mainland at Cape Prince of Wales and continuing northwest.

Vitus Bering

In 1728, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer under Tsar Peter the Great, embarked from Kamchatka Peninsula to find a land border between Russia and America. He realized an open sea separated the two continents and returned in 1741 for the Great Northern Expedition. He documented Alaska’s southern coast, Aleutian Islands and Kodiak Island, but died of scurvy on the Commander Islands. His legacy lives on in the Bering Strait, Bering Sea and the island of his passing. His crew brought back sea otter pelts, prized as the finest fur by Russian merchants. This led to fur traders settling the Aleutian Islands in 1784, eventually making Sitka their capital in 1804.

Spanish exploration

During the late 18th century, Spain moved to act on its claims to the entire west coast of North America, having already established itself in Mexico and California. At least 13 voyages to Alaska ensued, and their legacy lives on in the places they named: Valdez, Cordova, Revillagigedo Island, Malaspina Glacier and Bucareli Bay.

In August 1896, enormous quantities of gold were discovered by local miners along a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada’s Yukon Territory. When word of their findings spread, prospectors converged on Alaska’s southwestern panhandle, prepared to scale soaring mountains and endure harsh winters for a chance to find their fortune.

Heeding the Call to Untold Wealth

A July 1897 edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported “Stacks of Yellow Metal!” arriving from Alaska on the SS Portland steamship. The news reached thousands of desperate citizens struggling after The Panic, an acute economic depression in 1896. The promise of untold wealth was irresistible and many soon left their vocations and traveled to the Klondike. The most famous of them, Jack London, later made his fortune fictionalizing his experience in novels like The Call of the Wild.

A Harrowing Journey

Some 100,000 "stampeders" headed north to the Klondike, many via the port of Skagway and over the now-famous White Pass trails to the Yukon River. This was a colossal undertaking — Canadian authorities required all “Klondikers” to travel with a year’s supply of food while traversing steep mountains through often-freezing temperatures. Upon arrival at the gold fields, the permafrost made digging difficult.

Boom and Bust

Boom towns such as Skagway emerged along the coast as staging grounds to support the new community of gold diggers. Only a small fraction got rich, although the value of their gold rarely exceeded the high cost of traveling to the Yukon. The discovery of more gold in Nome lured the hopeful prospectors elsewhere, marking the end of the Klondike gold rush.

FACTOID:

In the summer of 1898, the gold-rush gateway of Skagway boasted a population of between 15,000 and 20,000, making it the largest city in Alaska.

The Tlingit people, indigenous to the southeastern region of Alaska and parts of British Columbia and the Yukon, have a rich and multifaceted culture that has thrived for thousands of years. Known as the “People of the Tides,” the Tlingit have a deep connection to the coastal environment, which has shaped their way of life, traditions and social structures.

The early Tlingits were skilled traders and navigators, establishing extensive trade networks with neighboring tribes, and later, European and Russian settlers. Their economy was primarily based on fishing, particularly salmon, which remains a cornerstone of their diet and culture today.

Art and spirituality are deeply intertwined in Tlingit communities. Totem poles, intricately carved and painted, serve as historical records and symbols of clan lineage. Ketchikan today boasts the state’s largest collection of totem poles, which can be viewed at Saxman Totem Park and Totem Bight State Park. These poles, along with other creations like canoes, feast dishes and weavings, are imbued with spiritual significance and reflect the Tlingit's reverence for nature, as well as their ingenuity.

The Tlingit have a rich oratory tradition, with stories and songs passed down through generations to preserve their history and identity. Today, the Tlingit continue to celebrate and preserve their heritage while adapting to modern life. Efforts to revitalize the Tlingit language and cultural practices are ongoing, with community programs, festivals and educational initiatives playing a crucial role. Despite challenges posed by historical suppression and modern influences, Tlingit culture remains resilient and alive—a testament to the enduring spirit of these proud people.