Alaska – The Last Frontier
The interior of Alaska is a
place of dizzying contrasts: endless
summer days and nearly endless winter nights; killing cold and sweltering heat;
unrivaled scenic vistas marred by infernal swarms of mosquitoes. It’s not a place where many people would
even dream of living. But for the folk
that do live there, well, that suits them just fine. It was a good tour, and I’m proud to call myself an Alaskan
now. Here’s a sample of what you could
look forward to should you get the urge to leave the “lower 48.”
Click on a thumbnail for a full-size image.
These are big pictures, so be patient.
That ain’t wind chill,
people. That’s negative 52F. And it’s during daylight.
A little bit of noontime
sun. That’s all you get on the winter
solstice.
“High” noon down the Eielson
AFB runway.
Just in case you forget that
it’s cold outside, Alaska is thoughtful enough to create ice INSIDE your
house. Better hope the furnace has
enough oil….
Ah, but then there’s the
payoff: Midnight Sun. It’s the summer solstice in North Pole, AK.
A little panoramic shot of
the road I lived down. It’s about 0100
in the morning.
More often than most places,
though, Alaska will catch you off-guard with is raw, unpolished beauty. On an otherwise gray, overcast day the sun
dipped down behind the mountains and bounced off the bottom of the cloud
deck. Thanks to the amazingly clear
air, the entire cloud deck for hundreds of miles lit up a brilliant red. Just as a point of reference, the mountains
in the far background are well over 150 miles away.