I was born in Alaska, and I’ve lived here all my life, so I’ve had enough time to experience Alaska’s ups and downs. There are lots of reasons to love Alaska. I love the peace of Alaska, and I just can’t imagine living in a big city. I love having woods, and trails all around me, and just being able to disappear into them. I love being surrounded by mountains; as if protected by great walls, in a world apart Continue reading
Tag Archives: moose
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
You’re planning your Alaska Vacation and want to see the magnificent sights in Alaska, as well as the vast array of wildlife the Last Frontier has to offer. But how can you fit Moose, Lynx, Caribou, Bears and many other popular animals without trekking all over the state? The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is your place to go. They host all kinds of Alaskan animals ranging from Black Bears to Eagles to Musk Ox.
Located in near the scenic Portage Glacier, just outside of Anchorage this little animal haven puts you up close and personal with animals. The center takes in orphaned or otherwise ‘at-risk’ animals and raises them to health and releases them back, or in some cases, allow them to live in the habitat provided to them by the AWCC staff and supporters.
Upon entrance into the center you are able to see Moose wandering around the gated areas. The center is open year round, and a schedule is available here. Don’t hesitate to ask the staff questions about the animal’s histories, names, and circumstances! You may be surprised at what you hear! Continue reading
Denali in spring. Make your Memories!
Denali Cabins is readying to open its doors. The Denali Park Road is melting away steadily, and wildlife is being spotted coming out of hibernation. Moose lumber into the plains, and caribou are heading back inland to graze on the new grasses and moss. Migratory birds are arriving daily by the thousands. Trumpeter swans, Canadian Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and eagles are taking perches in the still bare trees. Continue reading
Spring has Sprung!
Alaska is thawing. The trees have taken on a red hue, a precursor to their eventual new-growth. Bears are awakening, moose are heading back to the hills, and people emerge from their homes. The mountains still boast a white curtain over their crests, and the forests still harbor patches of snow beneath them, but it is surely going to fade away. Even as I type this, the temperature soars. Recently the Anchorage bowl experienced temperatures in the mid-fifties. While that may not be entirely welcoming for some of our warm-blooded readers, for an Alaskan this is a wonderful sign of shorts and tee-shirts to come. Soon the bottom of our lakes will be unfrozen, the hills will be devoid of ice, and the maroon tips of trees will have turned a lush green. Continue reading
Family trip
I’m from the Space Coast of Florida. My neighbor was an astronaut and I lived close enough to the beach that it took me 8 minutes to literally walk down the street to it. The area is f-l-a-t. When I say flat I mean the most elevation you can achieve within a 10-mile radius is when you go up the elevator at Ron Jon’s. My dad was getting tired of all the people, and the muggy heat that we were constantly engulfed in. He decided that we would pack up for a week and head to Alaska for a little refreshment.
I blended in pretty well with the people there, not your usual bleached-blond tanned babe. Of course everyone was just as friendly to my sister, who fits into every stereotype that is ‘Floridian’. She had issues with the idea of Alaska; the woods, and the man-eating mosquitoes weren’t her in bag of “fun stuff to deal with on vacation”. I, however, loved the idea. Out rocking it with nature, that was my style. I do remember how enormous the mountains were, and the smell of pine. It was a little different than my elevation-less and moldy-musky smelling home.
When we landed in Anchorage I was stiff and thoroughly surprised that it was still light out at two in the morning. This trip turned out to be a lot more exciting than realizing that your parents couldn’t tell you to be ‘home by dark’. We settled into our hotel, and were off to Denali by morning. After an entertaining trip by Motorcoach to the Denali National Park entrance, we boarded the bus to Kantishna and the Denali Backcountry Lodge. We saw three Grizzly bears. Three! I couldn’t believe how HUGE they were. We also saw a few moose, and just one caribou on our way in from Anchorage.
We stayed at the lodge for a night, then went hiking the next day, my sister’s moment of truth. As it turns out there are no man-eating bugs or too many claustrophobic woods for that matter. She won’t admit it, but she enjoyed being out in the wilderness. Florida seems so crowded now that I’m home. It was pretty humbling to realize how small we really are compared to Denali. I’m glad I’ll be able to tell my adventures at school next year.
- Felicia & the rest of the Rae Family.