Home / 1995.09 Alaska 66
One day in September 1995 I was walking during lunch break with my friend Wojtek Zasada.
We talked about travels. I don't remember who started first, but before lunch break ended I called my travel agent to buy airplane tickets to Alaska.I had no idea where exactly I would go.I knew I would start in Anchorage.
Then I started to hesitate.There was no way back because my travel agent Yvonne bought tickets with the speed of lightning.
After I returned home from work I begun reading where to go.About seven, ten days later I was on the airplane to Anchorage.
- Barrow
Tomasz Hilsberg and bones of a whale - Barrow
Skin of a polar bear - Barrow
Barrow with a population of four thousand is the northernmost community in North America. It is located on the Chukchi sea coast, 10 miles south of Point Barrow from which it takes its name. Barrow is 725 air miles from Anchorage and has an arctic climate. The sun does not set between May 10th - August 2nd each year and does not rise between November 18th - January 24th each winter. The daily minimum temperature is below freezing 324 days of the year. - Barrow
- Barrow
Houses are built above the ground in case there is too much snow fall. Also normal foundations would cause ground to thaw and that would destabilize buildings. - Barrow
One mile outside Barrow. Do not attack polar bears. - Barrow
Tundra and a view of downtown Barrow. - Barrow Airport
Barrow Airport. Several hundred miles north from the Polar Circle - Barrow Airport
Airplane that brought me to Barrow - Barrow Ocean
Arctic Ocean. View from my hotel room. - Border crossing
Border crossing between U.S. and Canada - Border crossing
Border crossing closed for winter - Breakfast
Breakfast after last night spent in Alaska - Cantwell
Reindeer Research Laboratory, Cantwell Alaska
Cantwell got its start as a flag stop for the Alaska Railroad and was named for the nearby Cantwell River. It is located roughly 200 miles from Anchorage and sits just 20 miles outside of Denali National Park and Preserve. This makes it a popular base camp for people wanting to visit Denali and the surrounding areas. The summer months bring many visitors to this small community of just over 200 residents, with activities such as mountaineering, wildlife viewing and bird watching, hiking, camping and fishing. There are bus tours into Denali Park, as well as a visitor's center at the park entrance that provides excellent information on the natural history of the area and gives out permits for camping and shuttle bus tickets. Other things to do in the area include rafting, berry picking, dog sled tours, and boat rides on the Nenana River. Winter fun involves snow marching, skiing and snowboarding. Cantwell has accommodations available in the form of lodges and several bed and breakfasts, as well as RV parks and camping. Cantwell Lodge has dining services available, in addition to shower and camping amenities. - Chicken
Chicken Community
In the late 1800's, early miners traveled far in search of gold. Food was sometimes scarce, but a particular area near the South Fork of the 40-Mile River was abundant in Ptarmigan,
now the state bird which bears a resemblance to a chicken (Ah the foreshadowing is thicker than steel.)
The miners kept themselves alive with the help of the Ptarmigan (if you consider being eaten as helping.)
In 1902, Chicken was to become incorporated, the second town in Alaska to do so. The name "Ptarmigan" was suggested. Many people liked the name, but felt the quotation marks were too presumptuous. The name was shortened to Ptarmigan. The only problem was that nobody could agree on the correct spelling. They didn't want their town name to be the source of ridicule and laughter, so they decided on "Chicken."