Information About Alaska (IAA) - Articles on the Towns, Sights, Rivers, Wildlife and Adventures Found in the Great Land

Alaska being part of the circumpolar north experiences displays of northern lights or Aurora Borealis frequently in the winter months. These natural light shows can stretch from horizon to horizon and display remarkable variations in their color and intensity. Aurora viewing is popular with Alaska residents and visitors alike. Being able to witness the northern lights depends on a combination of favorable solar activity and clear skies. One way that you can improve the odds of viewing a good auroral display is to consult the aurora forecasts made by the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

The Science of Space Weather

Auroras are created at extreme latitudes as highly charged particles erupting from solar disturbances stream into the upper atmosphere of the earth. The color of the aurora depends on the altitude of the aurora and atmospheric density found at that level. Auroral altitudes can vary from 80 to 600 kilometers above the earth's surface. Atmospheric gasses like oxygen and nitrogen display unique colors when charged particles strike them with enough force to split their molecules. Oxygen produces red and green lights, while nitrogen creates blue to red to purple colors.

Read more here about Alaska Aurora and Space Weather Forecasts

Copyright © 2008 by Alan Sorum

Naturalist John Muir first explored Alaska during a trip to the Island of Wrangell on July 14, 1879. Muir wasn't impressed, saying "the most inhospitable place at first sight I had ever seen...There was nothing like a tavern or lodging-house in the village, nor could I find any place in the stumpy, rocky, boggy ground about it that looked dry enough to camp on until I could find a way into the wilderness to begin my studies." Fortunately Muir fell into a group of Presbyterian missionaries that would leave their own historic mark on the state. One was the well-known Reverend Sheldon Jackson who started the Wrangell mission and was seen as a national spokesman on Alaskan affairs. Working with Benjamin Harrison, he obtained funds to begin a school system in the state and later established a self-named college in Sitka.

Another Fort Wrangell minister who befriended Muir was Samuel Hall Young who described Muir as a "lean, sinewy man of forty, with waving, reddish-brown hair and beard, and shoulders slightly stooped. He wore a Scotch cap and a long, gray tweed ulster..." Young accompanied Muir in many adventures, some that he have regretted.

One story told of John Muir's first contact with residents of the island community was the night he inadvertently frightened the town. Climbing to the top of Mount Dewey that overlooks the town, Muir started a roaring fire in advance of an approaching storm. What Muir didn't know was light from his fire reflected off the passing clouds, while the fire itself was not visible from below. The strange lights and shadows intensified, as the storm grew stronger. Muir's friend, Reverend Young found himself consoling residents with little to offer as an explanation. The City of Wrangell established a trail to the top of Mount Dewey named after John Muir that offers a great view of the community, harbor, and outlying islands.

Read more here about the John Muir Comes to Alaska.

Copyright © 2008 by Alan Sorum

Veteran visitors to Alaska soon appreciate the best experiences occur well beyond the borders of Anchorage. Closely following this realization, they quickly learn the vast scale of the Great Land can make planning excursions a daunting task. Encompassing six distinct regions, lifelong residents even complain of not seeing all of the State. The ninth edition of the Alaska Wilderness Guide offers an entertaining way to explore the choices to be had traveling Alaska's backcountry.

Anyone who has spent time on a commercial fishing boat within the State will recognize the style of this guidebook is much like the Alaska Fishermen's Journal Pilothouse Guide. Both guidebooks offer ready reference and are meant be carried, but make for a good read while standing watch or waiting for the next adventure to start. The Alaska Wilderness Guide does this by interjecting detailed stories from Alaska Magazine covering their favorite communities, activities, and locations listed in the guide. Reading about paddling in Shuyak Island State Park or hiking to the St. Elias Lighthouse spark visions in readers for future expeditions to come.

Read more here about the Alaska Wilderness Guide.

Copyright © 2008 by Alan Sorum