ALASKA … a Spirit of Adventure

Travel America, Sept, 2001 by M.T. Schwartzman

Modern-day prospectors strike gold in the Great Land

John Muir felt it. Jack London sensed it. Robert Service romanticized it. It's the spirit of Alaska--an irresistible promise of adventure. Even today, more than a century after the Klondike Gold Rush, that "Spirit of '98" lives on. More people than ever--1.2 million a year to be exact--are answering the call of the wild, following in the footsteps of prospectors and poets.

Alaska has a storied history that is both colorful and inspiring. Pioneering frontiersmen braved the elements and the unknown to build a civilization in the middle of the wilderness. Were it not for men like William Moore and Felix Pedro, there wouldn't be a Skagway or a Fairbanks. And without the foresight of William Henry Seward, secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson, who knows if Alaska would have become part of the United States in 1867.

The same spirit of adventure pervades Alaska today. While cities have airports and McDonald's, there is still a sense of living on the frontier. Outside the city limits, the Alaska of yesteryear endures.

Public transportation is a great way to get around and meet local people--and we're not talking about subways and buses. The state-run Alaska Railroad (800-544-0552) remains the only train in the U.S. that continues to have flag-stop service, which allows travelers to wave down the train. The Alaska Marine Highway (800-642-0066), the state-run ferry system, has its own version of this, known as whistle-stop service.

Yet transportation in Alaska has come a long way since the days of the Gold Rush. Today's travelers can jet around by 737 with Alaska Airlines (800-252-7522). They can go helicopter flightseeing with Era Helicopters or step into the past aboard a vintage DC-3 with Era Classic Airlines (800-843-1947).

Surface travel comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, too. Passengers can book a cozy small ship from Alaska specialists like Cruise West (800-888-9378). Or they may combine various types of land transportation, from motor-coach to luxury railcar, in a custom-built vacation package from Holland America Tours (800-544-2206).

The demand for independent arrangements in Alaska has spurred more choices than ever. According to Alaska Heritage Tours (877-258-6877), the company's independent business has doubled every year since 1999. Another independent specialist, Knightly Tours (800-426-2123), reports a fourfold increase since 1997. That burgeoning interest has led to a diversity of options, ranging from wilderness-lodge getaways to self-drive packages. The newest source of custom vacations is Alaska Tour & Travel (800-208-0200). Tailor-making trips for individuals accounts for 70 to 80 percent of its business.

For those who prefer to travel in a group, escorted tours are available from a wide range of operators, such as Mayflower Tours (800-323-7604), YMT Vacations (800-922-9000), and Collette Vacations (888-344-5578).

Accommodations in Alaska are far from spartan. Statewide, Alaska is experiencing a miniature hotel boom, with new properties rising in virtually all of the state's major tourism destinations. Marriott has new locations in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Alaska Heritage Tours operates the rustic-styled Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge just south of Denali National Park. This property features a towering fireplace in the lobby and great views of Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America (elevation 20,320 feet).

Pioneering travelers can check in to Alaska's newest wilderness lodge in 2002: Princess Tours will build the first major hotel outside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the United States. The 100-room lodge is being built at a cost of $10 million and will be named the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge.

Attractions in Alaska are modern and world-class, too. The Alaska Sealife Center (800-224-2525) in Seward is devoted to the study and rehabilitation of marine life in and around Prince William Sound. It's the only facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and one of only two in the world (the other is in Norway). A new exhibit, "Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: The Continuing Legacy," features a mural depicting animals affected by the spill and audio wands visitors can use to hear the latest on each species' recovery. Also new is a Pacific giant squid display.

Travelers interested in native culture should put Anchorage on their itinerary. The Alaska Native Heritage Center (800-315-6608) is the only place in Alaska where all the state's native cultures are gathered under one roof. The Anchorage Museum of History and Art (907-343-4326) is one of the best museums in the state; its gallery of Alaskan art presents views of Alaska as seen by explorers, visitors, and residents. The Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum (907-248-5325), at Lake Hood near the airport, preserves vintage bush planes.

As the only true metropolis in Alaska, Anchorage (population 258,782) has some of the state's best restaurants, and the main thoroughfare downtown, Fourth Avenue, is a great place to shop. The city has some intriguing architecture, too, ranging from wood-frame houses built during the early days (Anchorage was founded in 1915) to glass-sheathed buildings that qualify as skyscrapers (the tallest building in Anchorage is only 24 stories high).