Top products from r/alaska

We found 28 product mentions on r/alaska. We ranked the 87 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top comments that mention products on r/alaska:

u/Carl262 · 3 pointsr/alaska

You may find this book useful. Or you can do some research here, here, or here.

Here are some hikes that fit what you're looking for. I'm going to assume "mild" elevation means under 1500 feet of gain.

  • Bodenburg Butte (Palmer) – 3 miles total, 900 feet of elevation. Popular short, easy hike, offers nice views of the valley and mountains. Can be done as a traverse or there-and-back. Either way is fine.
  • Thunderbird Falls (Eagle River) – 2 miles RT, 200 feet of elevation. Pretty easy hike. No mountain vistas, but a quaint waterfall at the end
  • Eagle River Nature Center (Eagle River) – Large network of trails with low elevation gain. Anything from half-mile loops to multi-day hikes. Mostly through spruce and birch forest, with some great mountain views thrown in. If you’re here, at least do the Rodak Trail.
  • Baldy (Eagle River) – 3 miles RT, maybe 1000 feet of elevation. Popular hike, but not as well-traveled as Flattop, although it’s easier with similar views.
  • Flattop (Anchorage) – 3 miles RT, 1200 feet of elevation. Most popular hike in Anchorage. The last section is one step shy of rock climbing. I find the rock scramble a little frightening, but lots of non-hikers do it.
  • Rendezvous Peak (Anchorage) – 3.5 miles RT, 1500 feet of elevation. Popular hike, but you’re probably better picking Flattop or Wolverine if you’re looking for something in the area.
  • Tony Knowles Coastal Trail (Anchorage) –No elevation. Easy, paved multi-use trail. It’s a nice place for a stroll. Nice views, easy to get to. Just walk as far as you want and backtrack, assuming you won’t do the 11-mile planet walk.
  • Winner Creek (Girdwood) – About 5.5 miles to the hand tram and back from Alyeska Resort. 250 feet of elevation. Fairly easy. No mountain vistas, but a nice stream, and a fun hand-tram. Can be done as a traverse (if you get a ride at the other end near Crow Creek), or backtrack after doing the hand tram. If 5.5 miles is too far, start at Crow Creek Mine, and just walk to the hand-tram and back.
  • Byron Glacier (Girdwood) – About 3 miles round-trip. Very little elevation change. Fairly easy. Good views of a mountain valley and Byron Glacier.
  • Portage Pass (Whittier) – 2 miles RT to saddle, 4 RT to lake. 600 feet of elevation to saddle, plus another 700 feet if you go down to the lake. If you’re into Whittier and enjoy hiking, at least hike up to the top of the saddle on Portage Pass for views of Prince William Sound and Portage Glacier. Hike all the way to the lake if it looks enjoyable and you have time.
u/fridgidfallus · 1 pointr/alaska

I agree with you that equality is a fallacy that doesn't really exist. Some people are simply born with better tools in their toolbox. Some people are nicer, smarter, better looking, and some people are are dumb, ugly, assholes. That's just the way of the world. However, the notion that race determines any sort of objective intelligence characteristic has been roundly rejected by the anthropological, biological, and sociological communities (read: all of credible science). Yes, race can determine your height, color of your skin, your hair type, but it does not determine your intelligence. Any studies that claim that race does this have been show to be using a biased test. Giving a kid from the Sahara a #2 pencil and asking him to complete an IQ test in English, isn't really a fair measuring stick. One also has to remember that race and culture are two related but different things. You are born WITH your race INTO your culture. There can definitely be cultures that place different levels of value on certain types of intelligence, decorum, physical beauty, etc and therefore cause their cultural members to strive for/away from those certain characteristics. But the thought that onc group is inherently better or smarter based on their race is the textbook definition of racism and asking for a separation of people based along these lines is extremely racist. Most of the differences that are apparent today have a lot more to do with opportunity, access to resources, geography, and well.. simple luck. I recommend Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel. In there he very eloquently explains a lot of the factors that lead to Europeans finding their way to the top of the heap.

That being said, if you want to have one country that is whites only that's totally fine for you to want it. But you gotta realize that's a pretty racist thing to want. I don't accept the notion that a homogeneous society is inherently better than a mixed race one. I have heard you claim that no one has provided tangible evidence of the benefits of a mixed race society. That is very difficult because the main benefits are acceptance and open mindedness and those are not very tangible benefits in the sense you are looking for. But I would ask you to explain to me the credible and tangible benefits to a homogeneous society. And we have to remember that correlation does not equal causation. Show me something credible that proves the link.

u/sloosher · 2 pointsr/alaska

This will be your friend. I'll leave a more detailed response to others because I haven't been up here too long myself yet, but the Milepost is a wealth of info and a great guide to have for the kind of trip you're hoping for. Good luck with planning, Alaska is an amazing place!

u/Chob_Gobbler · 3 pointsr/alaska

Have fun! Definitely don't turn around before you get to Atigun pass (if you aren't going all the way), it's only a few hours past Coldfoot. There is something awe inspiring about the land once you get past the trees, you can literally park your car and walk hundreds or thousands of miles in any direction before you see a person. On our way up we saw a moose, prints from about six different bears, more caribou than we could count, bald eagles, and met a wolf in the middle of the road who chased us for half a mile. The drive up to Deadhorse and back is the reason I'm planning a move out to Alaska in May. If you do end up going all the way, be aware that if you want to swim in the Arctic ocean (you do) you need to sign up 24 hours in advance and provide information for a background check (you have to go through the oil fields). You can also go on a wildlife tour, rumor has it you can occasionally see a polar bear.


A few other things: you can get gas at the Yukon camp, in Coldfoot, and in Deadhorse. Definitely bring at least 5 gallons with you and have at least one spare tire for each vehicle and a patch kit. Most people will tell you to bring two full spare tires. If you don't feel like buying one for a rental car we were able to talk American Tire & Auto into renting us a tire for a grand total of $15. Bring plenty of food and ammo, and buy some swag at the Yukon Camp and Coldfoot. Breakfast in Coldfoot is amazing as well.



Also, this can't be said enough, get the milepost!

u/Skirrak · 6 pointsr/alaska

Forget worrying about boots, bear spray and all of that other basic goods. Anchorage is a town of 300k, we have a ton of stores with all that kind of goods.

You need to worry about bugs, I think someone mentioned mosquito netting. That is great, but the only thing I found that actually makes a huge difference for mosquitoes is Permethrin clothing treatment. REI carries it as a brand called Sawyer. You can buy it on Amazon. I've spent time in the interior during bug season and the mosquitoes were so bad it honestly ruined everything about the trip. So I went back prepared, you treat your clothing with this stuff, but I also treated my hammock, tent, camping chair etc. It lasts months and through washings, I'd be walking with the people I went with, and they would be covered in bugs while they wouldn't even land on anything I had treated with that stuff. Then I used a mosquito netting hat, and only had to treat my hands and face/neck with conventional bug spray when I chose not to use the hat. The reason I say you should worry about it now is that you need to have a nice dry area to do it. A garage or something works best, treat all your clothes and let thoroughly dry, read the instructions its kind of gnarly stuff until it bonds with your clothing.

I refuse to go out in bug season without my gear treated with it anymore.

u/gimmethatbloodstupid · 4 pointsr/alaska

For your mornings, there's a few options for shorter hikes in the front range. Flattop mountain from Glen Alps Trailhead might be tolerable in the morning (crazy crowded on a nice summer evening). Near Point is another good, relatively quick hike.

For your several days free, I'd recommend shelling out a few bucks for 55 Ways (Amazon link), it will save me typing and the inevitable omission of good suggestions.

I will say, if you're on a moto, you pretty much gotta head out toward Glennallen, past the Matanuska Glacier and Lion's Head.

u/amoxy · 5 pointsr/alaska

I have not done it, but know a lot about it, enough to think about a summit attempt next spring. And I've spent a fair amount of time on the Ruth Glacier (the glacier over from base camp).

akgreenman is wrong on a few accounts, the West Buttress route is the way to go for a beginner. There are established camps at 700 ft on the Kahiltna Glacier (base camp) then again an established camp with a medical tent at 14,000 feet, and then high camp at 17,200. (there are intermediate camps between those as well, but those are the main three)

The route is mostly a walk up with fixed ropes on the harder parts. It is not technical climbing, but you need to be very careful. The weather can be horrendous and the altitude is very trying. Because Denali (call it Denali not Mt. McKinley if you're a climber) is a higher latitude, it has less dense air and thus is equivalent to a much higher height at the equator. The most important thing are be careful and to acclimatize well and watch the weather.

You will want to read this book by Colby Coombs. Full disclosure, he is a family friend of mine, but it is very informative of someone who runs a guiding service.

If you are not very experienced at altitude and very cold weather, do a guided trip. They have experience and have been up the mountain many times. The cost of a trip like that would be something a bit over $6000 plus the $210 park entrance and mountaineering fee. Places to look at are Alaska Mountain School which is local out of Talkeetna (where you'll fly in from), Alpine Ascents, and RMI. The ratio on those trips will be 4-6 climbers to 2 guides. Colby Coombs (who I mentioned earlier) runs AMS (kind ironic acroynm eh?) and they are very experienced and reliable. I know a head guide for Alpine Ascents who I would follow up anything and I am friends with two younger guides for RMI and that group also seems very organized. Basically use one of those three.

As for training, just be in damn good shape. Know how to use all the gear that would be on the gear list. Go for hikes with packs, learn how to manage sleds full of gear. This is most likely going to be a slog where you spend the day shuttling lots of gear up to a higher camp then go down to a lower camp to sleep, and repeat several times. People say that you'll climb Denali three times for each summit.

If you are thinking that you want to do a more technical, exposed, or remote route - don't. Since you are here asking questions you probably aren't the most experienced and only a few people per year climb other routes than the West Buttress. Denali is not a mountain to be messed with, weather can turn at any moment. Be careful and have fun.

PM me (or just reply) if you have any more questions. I like talking climbing.

u/TomTCat · 3 pointsr/alaska

There are a bajillion good hikes in Skagway (Upper Dewey Lakes, A-B Mountain, and of course the legendary Chilkoot Trail). Good hiking and beautiful mountains around Haines too. I would recommend getting the book Hiking Alaska, which just came out with a new edition. Pretty much essential reading if you're into hiking at any level anywhere in AK.

Edit: Added link to book. Also, you might want to get a Milepost if you haven't already. It'll be a big help on the drive.

u/ganthus · 1 pointr/alaska

Local Alaskan here. Mid-May can vary a lot in terms of weather so you need to be prepared for winter-summer hiking. We've had multiple feet of snowfall at sea level in May, so you can imagine how it is at elevation. Here's the most popular local guide for Southcentral Alaska:

http://www.amazon.com/55-Ways-Wilderness-Southcentral-Alaska/dp/0898867916

My favorite spring hike is Crow Pass but it's not really a full week trip, more like 3-4 days tops depending on how slow you take it. Spring is good for that one because you ford a river and the height should be low.

u/orion1486 · 2 pointsr/alaska

They definitely need better traps. I once had a rodent issue where I was living and definitely considered this after watching an enthusiast gush about them. Luckily, I was able to get out of my lease and move somewhere nice.

u/shared_tango · 2 pointsr/alaska

I live in Anchorage and have only been here a year, so it's difficult for me to give advice about the rest of Alaska. I can second what the poster above said about checking out Seward and the Sealife Center, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Milepost for your trip. Look around in /r/Anchorage if you plan to be in the area, there have been lots of similar questions asked there with a lot of good info in the replies! :)

u/[deleted] · 4 pointsr/alaska

Wager with the Wind was a book I selected in school for a report and it was seriously awesome.

It's basically an early history of bush flying in Alaska with a lot of anecdotes. My parents knew or were friends-of-friends with some of the characters in the book so it was even more cool having met some of them.

There is another cool book about Army paratroopers in Alaska. Up here they perform civilian rescues so the book was a recollection of SAR adventures. I can't remember the title but I bought it in a Borders about 10 years ago.

Then of course there are the Alaskan Bear Tales books. I've never read them, but everyone I know who has started carrying guns when they let their dog out in the backyard.

Oh and another book I remember reading was called Jumping Fire about a smokejumper in Alaska.

u/Cdresden · 3 pointsr/alaska

Let's agree to jettison Into the Wild from this list.

Michener's Alaska would be a better choice. Or Lindstrand's Alaskan Sketchbook, if we can include a pictorial journal.

u/legalpothead · 0 pointsr/alaska

Wow, that's the dude who wrote Invisible Cities, a fantasy about Kubilai Khan and Marco Polo, which is fucking amazing.

He died in 1985. Do you know when this Alaska piece was written?

u/ergodox_trouble · 1 pointr/alaska

Russian America is one of the best books I have ever read. You can probably find a copy at title wave in anchorage for less than online

u/XXFirefighter · 2 pointsr/alaska

This is the must get book I mentioned. It’s WELL worth it.

The MILEPOST 2018: Alaska Travel Planner https://www.amazon.com/dp/1892154374/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GUTXBbHX016PP

u/AKStafford · 3 pointsr/alaska

This one gives a good over view: Alaska: A History of the 49th State https://www.amazon.com/dp/080612573X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qP2.BbEVNW77H

u/lets_do_da_monkey · 2 pointsr/alaska

Find this book or someone who has it. I've seen it at Costco, I guarantee there's a recipe or four in there.

u/srpeters · 2 pointsr/alaska

Frigid Embrace is a great book about the resources in Alaska.

Fair Game I recommend this one if you're interested in Robert Hansen, Alaskan serial killer who just recently died in jail.

Tongass is all about the fight for the rain-forest in South East. Been awhile since I looked at that one, but I remember it being very insightful.