We spent May to October 2017 in Alaska while I worked at an Outpatient clinic in Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula. It was terrific, and I highly recommend it to any outdoor enthusiast!
Here is what we discovered on all of our adventures!
One of my favorite signs is located on the edge of a university campus IN THE TOWN of Soldotna, AK. Fairly dramatic but also accurate at the same time!
1. Alaska is the true wild wild west
Being a Montana native who loves to be outside, I thought I was pretty comfortable with the “wild.” I like to camp, hike, and generally do anything that involves fresh air, few crowds, and good company.
Then I went to Alaska. Suddenly, I was in a place of pure, unadulterated, crazy wild nature! I will admit it was both awe-inspiring and very intimidating, to say the least.
When we arrived, we quickly found a short-term rental off of Craig’s List that was a 10-minute drive from the “center” of our town. Yet, in our little home surrounded by trees, we frequently encountered moose and caribou and were close to world-class fishing! I biked to work several times that summer and carried my bear spray. With so much excitement in our own neighborhood, it was hard to imagine what gems we would find when we put in a little effort!
We were basically in heaven all summer with the never-ending amount of exploring to do on the weekends, and I was lucky enough to have some awesome co-workers who were always down to join us and make it a party! (Plus, there is strength in numbers with things like bear encounters, which we luckily never had).
While biking the first 15 miles of Denali National Park on paved car friendly terrain, never a dull moment!
2. I learned a new level of alertness and noise-making
I will admit that my first hike with my husband was terrifying. I may have read a few too many articles on how to protect myself from a bear attack. Personally, I was more than happy to feel “prepared,” but it also left me feeling on edge.
Every sound, breeze, and mud print had me jumping out of my skin. Luckily, I was able to keep my composure (for the most part) with a focus on some deep breathing and staying alert. I am happy to report that with each outdoor adventure, my alertness stayed, but my anxiety significantly improved!
I am not loud, but I quickly became comfortable singing and yelling, “Hey, Bear!” or whatever nonsense seemed fun to yell. We saw many signs of wildlife but luckily never had any threatening encounters.
Signs of wildlife everywhere!
3. It’s almost always cold and rainy!
Ok, yes, everyone knows Alaska is cold. The idealized cold in my head meant a mild summer in the 60s and 70s where I could still work on my tan in the long summer days. It was typically cloudy and closer to the 40s and 50s on an average day. I think I wore a tank top a total of one time all summer when it hit the 70s! (I had also felt extra sensitive to the cold after spending four months in hot Asia right before!).
Hanging out in the Alaska rainforest, so much beautiful greenery!
Yet with the rain and cold came beautiful scenery. Not growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I was constantly mesmerized by the amount of green. The damp and green also brought on lots of fun foraging. We could “hunt” for mushrooms (we consulted locals, attended a mushroom conference, my husband has experience with edibles from Czech, and we had a paper guide we picked up to be safe) and berries all summer long. Having fresh mushroom soup, a freezer full of blueberries and snacking on watermelon berries and raspberries while hiking is the best!
Honza is just a little proud of the mushrooms we found on our hike in Girdwood, AK. I can also report they were delicious in an egg and garlic scramble.
4. Long summer days are the BEST!!!
When we arrived in Alaska, I was worried that the super long days would throw off my schedule and leave me feeling tired all the time. The reality for me was the joy of never being limited by daylight hours when we were out adventuring. We would be out camping and enjoying life, suddenly wondering why we were feeling tired and realizing it was past our bedtime!
CAMPING BONUS: When I had to pee in the middle of the night, I didn’t have to wonder what creatures were watching in the dark!! During the work week, when I needed a schedule, it was easy enough to use some blackout curtains with no sleep deprivation accumulated.
5. Salmon fishing is expensive and harder than it looks!!
Honza’s prize, but apparently still “small” King Salmon.
Fishing is one of the top Alaska tourist bucket list items, with world-class fishing for Salmon, Dollys, Rainbow trout, Halibut, and many more sea/river-dwelling fish. We drove up with a few fishing poles, bought some thigh-high boots and a fishing license, and figured we’d try our luck on the river. WELL, I’m sad to report I never managed to catch a salmon.
Honza (my husband) caught two (one of them was > 20 lbs and filled our mini freezer) with the help of a friend on a boat. My “expert” fisherman brothers came up for a week and managed to catch a handful on their own after spending HOURS on the river. The best we had for “yield” was with Halibut fishing, but this was also for a pretty penny.
Approx. 90 lbs of halibut caught by my family on a 1/2 day boating trip.
6. The variety of activities can be overwhelming for a short trip.
Where to start?!?! North to Palmer, Denali, and Fairbanks? Anchorage? South to the Peninsula? To the inner passage via boat/plane?
To see them all involves a lot of driving (except the inner passage, which would be by boat or plane). Undoubtedly, you will see some beautiful nature and wildlife (most likely) no matter where you go! But trying to see it all will probably leave you exhausted and tired of sitting on your butt for travel time. When my family decided to come visit us for eight days, I struggled initially with an itinerary that would capture the best of Alaska without being too much.
So much epic-ness to explore. I’m lucky to have this man by my side for it all!
Unless you dream, eat, and sleep fishing, the biggest mistake I saw was people focusing all their time on fishing and getting frustrated when the yield they expected wasn’t what they hoped. They missed out on all the available hiking, water sports, and biking!
7. Ultimately, Alaska is Freaking Awesome.
Alaska was such a unique experience, and I loved every minute. When I returned to Montana for the fall, I appreciated all the little things I normally took for granted. Did I appreciate hiking without having to sing or yell the whole time? Sure. When I saw a sunset and sunrise again, was I totally mesmerized? SURE. When the majority of days were sunny and rain-free, was I ecstatic? Sure.
That’s the great thing about new places: you can enjoy them immensely while gaining a new appreciation for where you have been (and “home”)! I wouldn’t change a minute of the time we spent adventuring in Alaska (except maybe investing in some Gortex tennis shoes and rain gear earlier). If you need further inspiration check out some of my favorite pics from our summer here.
