The charms, and dangers, of Chitina dipnetting
The crowds are down, the location can be isolated and nature abounds. But beware: The Copper is a cold, fast-moving river that can quickly prove deadly.
We Alaskans
Insightful new look at ‘Seward’s Folly’
An outstanding history lesson, “Seward’s Folly” reminds us that America doesn’t exist in a bubble and that even what we have done on our own continent has global ramifications.
Noisy nightmare? Or dreamy campout in Seward?
It all depends on your perspective. But the Kasilof author would argue that having a positive attitude can make the difference between a pleasant and crummy evening.
Bloodsucking, bloodthirsty, blood-crazed predators
These thick ANWR bugs are not your garden-variety mosquitoes. They rank among the fiercest of the 176 species of mosquitoes found in the U.S. They drive breeding birds from their nests.
Farming Alaska’s seas
Kelp farming is turning heads and inspiring investors. Seaweed packs a high volume of nutrition without requiring much — no freshwater, fertilizer or feed.
Alaska nicknames that endure
From the Shishmaref Cannonball to Sarah Barracuda to Captain Zero, some monikers are meant to stand the test of time.
Colorful kaleidoscope of marine life in Homer tidepools
How can I resist the lure of the sea peach, the tiger chiton, the opalescent nudibranch, the frilled dogwinkle, the false lemon peel, the breadcrumb sponge, the decorator crab, the peanut worm?
‘Haunted Inside Passage’ is surprisingly smart
Fjorn Dihle's book is about things that haunt us all, things that burrow into our psyches and refuse to leave, the major life-changing and life-affirming things such as love and loss, grief and fear.
Reading the North: ‘Melting the Ice Curtain’
Just a few miles apart, Russia and Alaska have been linked since the Alaska purchase in 1867.
Summer serenade in Haines and a tribute to its grand dame of the arts
Remembering Haines' grand dame of the performing arts while wondering how much of ourselves is molded by nature and how much is nurtured.
Can we safeguard wild salmon for future generations?
Author Langdon Cook travels from Alaska's Copper River to Idaho, California and Seattle to explore the West Coast world of wild salmon.
The deadly winds of Skilak Lake: A family struggles to survive
In 1974, a group of 10 was on the Kenai Peninsula lake when powerful winds kicked up. Their boat capsized, and seven died in one of the biggest disasters ever on an Alaska lake.
An ode to Alaska odors
Scents ground us in nature's cycles, in death and rejuvenation. They mark us emotionally, even physically.
What’s that sound? Ptarmigan? No, it’s raucous, lovesick Alaska wood frogs.
Two amazing encounters with an amphibian that few Anchorage residents probably realize live within city limits — at sea level and well above it.
A 1945 ship, restored and ready to work another salmon run in Bristol Bay
For many, commercial fishing is a tradition that builds strong relationships through generations. For Jim Henry, restoring this 1945 salmon tender fell in line with just such a vision.
Entertaining ‘Shadow Run’ lacks character development that would make it special
The debut science fiction work by Palmer authors AdriAnne Strickland and Michael Miller can be a page-turner. But there's nothing groundbreaking here.
Choreographed frenzy: What happens when the ferry arrives in our tiny town
When the ferry docks along Tenakee’s highest pier, it dwarfs the tallest building in town, and spans the town’s width. It can fit more people aboard than live in our town.
What has happened to our Chugach Dall sheep?
Is climate change reducing the quantity and quality of Alaska's Dall sheep habitat? That's the hypothesis being tested by two researchers.
Adding noise to the Alaska bear protection debate
No gun. No pepper spray. I'm armed with the lyrics of "Cover of the Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook, delivered off-key and loud. So far so good.
Family memories built around meals so homey, they make you ache
Growing up in Unalakleet, I remember meals of uuraq. Boiled humpies, onions and potatoes filling our bowls. Smells and tastes that say home.