Traveling in Alaska

Living in Alaska, I can attest that Alaska is one of the most disconnected states in the Continental U.S. due to its limited road system, location, geography, and harsh climate. But, most people who live in the Last Frontier do not mind. In fact, one popular bumper sticker says, "If you want more roads, go down south!" Alaskans have developed a means to travel this great state using limited roads and a creative use of transportation. Here is a brief overview of the options that are available.

1. Traveling by Road:
The road system covers a moderately small area of the state. This system connects the center of the state near Anchorage with Canada by means of the Alaska Highway. This highway can be driven through Canada to the rest of the Union. If a person can reach the Alaska Highway, they "have a ticket to ride" their way in and out of our great state by means of Canada. Unfortunately, there are islands or isolated sections of Alaska which do not have access to the Alaska Highway. These must be reached by boat or plane (which will be discussed later). The state capital, Juneau, is one of those cities which has caused much debate as to it being moved to a city on the road system.

Approximate highway distance between major cities in Alaska
Anchorage to Big Lake 59 miles/95 km
Anchorage to Kenai/Soldotna 147 miles/237 km
Anchorage to Seward 126 miles/203 km
Anchorage to Talkeetna 113 miles/182 km
Anchorage to Wasilla or Palmer 45 miles/72 km
Anchorage to Denali National Park 236 miles/380 km
Anchorage to Fairbanks 358 miles/576 km
Fairbanks to Circle 162 miles/261 km
Fairbanks to Denali National Park 125 miles/201 km
Fairbanks to Haines 653 miles/1051 km
Fairbanks to Valdez 364 miles/586 km
Fairbanks to Tok 205 miles/330 km
Haines to Tok 447 miles/719 km
Haines to Anchorage 775 miles/1247 km
Homer to Kenai/Soldotna 91 miles/147 km
Homer to Seward 180 miles/290 km
Tok to Anchorage 328 miles/528 km
Whitehorse to Skagway 108 miles/174 km
Whitehorse to Tok 396 miles/637 km

Highway Names and Routes
Highway 1: Tok Cut-Off, Glenn Highway, Seward Highway, Sterling Highway. Used to travel between Tok and Homer.
Highway 2: Richardson Highway, Steese Highway, Elliot Highway. Used to travel between Canadian border and Manley Hot Springs.
Highway 3: Parks Highway. Used to travel between Glenn Highway and Fairbanks.
Highway 4: Richardson Highway. Used to travel between Valdez and Delta Junction.
Highway 5: Taylor Highway. Used to travel between Alaska Highway and Eagle River.
Highway 6: Steese Highway. Used to travel between Fox and Circle.
Highway 7: Haines Highway, Egan Drive in Juneau, Mitkoff Highway, Tongass Highway. Discontinuous in southeast Alaska. Connects with Canadian border by Haines.
Highway 8: Denali Highway. Travel between Paxson and Cantwell.
Highway 9: Seward Highway. Travel between Seward and Tern Lake Junction.
Highway 10: Edgerton Highway, Copper River Highway. Discontinuous. Connects Richardson Highway with Chitina and Cordova with Million Dollar Bridge.
Highway 11: Dalton Highway. Connects Elliot Highway with Deadhorse.Highway 98: Klondike Highway. Travel between Skagway and Canadian border.

Alaska has several privately owned, grant funded, and government managed bus lines which offer public transportation on the roads in Alaska. Depending on the purpose of the bus line, some are tailored for the tourists while others better suit the needs of people who live in the communities.

2. Traveling by Rail
Railroad systems in Alaska are found in limited place and are mainly used by tourists. The routes available can be accessed through the Alaska Railroad System website http://www.akrr.com. Winter weather does not stop the trains in Alaska. Many trains are equipped with a plow on the front to ensure safe passage through the deep snow.

3. Traveling by Air
Alaska consists of many isolated villages and islands. Due to the limited transportation by road and rail, travel by air is a vital necessity. There are a variety of planes which are used for transportation-jet, bush, float, and prop are the most common. Alaska has an international airport located in Anchorage, the Ted Stevens International Airport. Alaska is served by direct flights from major cities throughout the United States, including Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Newark, Detroit and Chicago. Cities in Alaska that have direct flights from the Continental U.S. include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Ketchikan.

It has been said there are two classes of people in Alaska-those who fly and those who do not. According to the FAA, in Alaska there are 8 times as many pilots and 15 times as many aircraft per capita as the rest of the nation combined. Most planes flown by private pilots are outfitted with fat tundra tires, skis, or floats to enable them to land not only on runways, but also on sand bars, snowfields, and lakes. It has been said that most of the landing spots are where the pilot makes one (Spencer, 2008).

Many airlines offer their services. Alaska Airlines is the only airline which uses primarily jet airplanes in the more isolated places. Most of the jets flown in Alaska go in and out of the International Airport in Anchorage. Many places depend upon smaller airplanes to accommodate the landing conditions.

4. Traveling by Water
Alaska is surrounded by spectacular coastlines. These coastlines have provided a means of travel and subsistence for people living in this land for centuries. The Native people of Alaska are known for their great skill in navigating the ocean waters surrounding Alaska. Inupiaq and Yupik are skilled hunters who have and still harpoon whales from small covered canoes called umiaks.

The waters, though treacherous at times, provide an excellent means of travel. In southeast Alaska, the coastal waters in the Inside Passage are referred to as the Alaska Marine Highway. The State of Alaska operates a ferry system, sometimes referred to as the poor man's cruise line, which offers service to many coastal towns in Southeast as well as the AK peninsula. The website is found at www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs

Boats of all sizes and forms are used extensively in Alaska for not only necessity in traveling but also subsistence, commercial, and charter fishing as well as recreation. Many communities offer boat safety classes due to the frequency and accessibility of boating.

The cruise ship industry has brought many visitors to Alaska via the waters surrounding Alaska. It is estimated that Juneau, the state capital, had over 1 million tourists in 2007 by means of the cruise ship industry.

5. Other Transportation
There are many forms of personal transportation which are used by Alaskans to accommodate location, needs, and beliefs. Bicycles are a common and beneficial means of transportation. Many communities have adopted a bike-to-work program encouraging individuals to ride their bikes instead of driving. Recently, Sitka was named the first Biking Friendly Community in Alaska.

Surrounded by vast wilderness, it is no wonder that All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) are widely used by Alaskans. ATV's have many uses in Alaska. Some villages do not have roads and use ATV's primarily. Alaskans use ATV's not only for transportation but also to hunt, to explore, and to plow the sidewalks in the winter.

In the winter, many people switch from an ATV to a snow machine (snowmobile). These ensure that Alaskans can navigate through the heavy snow and ice. Again these are used in many of the villages which do not use roads. They have become the modern sled dog.

Of course, mushing or using sled dogs is still enjoyed by many in Alaska. This awe-inspiring form of transportation has been used for centuries by the indigenous people of Alaska. In fact, our state is well known for the Iditarod Race each year celebrating those individuals who have mastered the art of dog sledding.

In this brief overview of transportation in Alaska, I can not overlook the obvious mode of transportation used by Alaskans. The human feet. Alaska offers some of the best trails and walking areas for those who enjoy the outdoors. Speaking from my own experience living in Southeast Alaska, simply a walk to the grocery store can offer breathtaking mountain and ocean views.

Only the human feet can be used to trek the historical Chilkoot Trail which is called the gateway to the Yukon. Thirty three miles long, this trek is one of the most popular in North America. This trail was once used by the Tlingit traders, then later used by Klondike gold rush prospectors. This is just one of the many walking opportunities in Alaska.

Alaska....the last frontier. Although the geography, climate, and wilderness seems formidable to many, it is possible to travel from Point A to Point B. All one needs is a love for the outdoors and a sense of adventure.

Sources:
Fitch, Edwin M. (1967) The Alaska railroad. NY: Frederick A. Praeger Publishers.

Gibbs, Jim (1997). Alaskan maritime. PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

Spencer, Hal. (2008, April 6). Anchorage Journal; Flying Opens Door to a Wild Alaska. New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from www.nytimes.com

State of Alaska DOT. (1995). Vision 2020, Alaska statewide transportation plan. Alaska: author.

Sutton, Anne. (2008, February 11). Rule may shorten cruise ship stops in Alaska. The Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from www.adn.com
Website for Whittier Tunnel: http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/virtualdrive.htm

Website for Alaska Railroad: http://www.akrr.com/

Website for Cruise ship routes: www.uas.alaska.edu/.../atlas/lg_ship/lg_ship.jpg

Website for Alaska travel: www.alaskavacations.us/travel.htm, www.alaska.org. www.alaskatravel.com,