Cruising Alaska in Summer

Cruising Alaska in summer can include the pleasures of the Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park, the capital at Juneau, and the Russian settlement at Sitka.

Overcoming Environmental Pessimism

The return of wolves to Yellowstone and the proliferation of humpback whales in Alaska were two antidotes to environmental pessimism that I experienced this past year.

Cruising Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park

About 100,000 summer visitors come each year to Glacier Bay National Park. About 90 percent of the annual visitors to the park arrive by cruise ship.

The Southeast Alaska Towns of Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka

The southeast panhandle of Alaska differs sharply from the more northerly sections of the state. Precipitation here is high, comparing with Washington state, so the trees, such as Sitka spruce, grow to great heights and can be harvested for lumber or pulp.

Adventure Cruising Alaskan Small Towns

Some smaller cruise ships and ferries call at or explore Prince Rupert, Ketchikan, Tracy Arms, and Haines. Here are portraits of four lesser-known ports and destinations in Alaska.

Fairbanks and the Alaska Interior

A trip to Fairbanks takes you to the interior of Alaska, a landscape far more severe than the temperate coastal areas of Anchorage or Juneau-Skagway-Sitka.

Exploring Alaska by Small Plane

Nothing captures the magic of Alaska better than the adventure of flying across the vast wilderness in a small bush airplane.

Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve

In both the height of its mountains and the abundance of its wildlife Denali National Park is unsurpassed.

Exploring Alaska’s Prince William Sound

From my tent on Growler Island in Prince William Sound I gazed at vast expanses of the Alaska wilderness.

Anchorage as Alaska’s Gateway City

Anchorage is the gateway to many of the travel adventures available in Alaska . In Aleut, the word Alaska simply means “the great land.” Except for travelers who confine themselves to the “panhandle” of Juneau , Sitka , and Glacier Bay in the southeast corner of the state, Anchorage is the main entry point.