Discover the Great Frontier: Top 22 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Alaska!

1. Anchorage's Daylight Dance

In the Alaskan game of "Where's the Sun?" played every winter, Anchorage takes the crown with its impressively elusive daylight, serving up a pastel-pretty landscape and giving aurora-seekers even more nocturnal playground: During winter solstice, Anchorage basks in a petite 5.5 hours of daylight, but by February, skies brighten up as the city doubles its daily dose of sunlight, treating residents to a unique color palette and ample opportunities for chasing Northern Lights.
Source => anchorage.net

2. Lake Party in Alaska

If Texas is the life of the party, Alaska is the lake of the party: Alaska boasts over 3 million lakes that are more than 20 acres in size, which is a staggering 99 times more than the total number of lakes, reservoirs, and rivers combined in the Lone Star State!
Source => alaska.org

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=> Fun Facts about Washington-State

3. Balto and the Mushing Lingo

Who let the dogs out? Alaska did, and even inspired Hollywood and Big Apple tributes: Balto, the star sled dog from the 1925 Serum Run – a relay race that saved Nome's children from a diphtheria outbreak – got an animated movie made about his heroism, and even a statue in New York's Central Park. Mushing still thrives in Alaska with the Iditarod race, just remember: "Mush" isn't spoken; try "Hike" to get sled dogs moving, and "Gee" or "Haw" for right and left turns.
Source => statesymbolsusa.org

4. Alaska's Very Own North Pole

If you're dreaming of a place where Christmas cheer lasts all year, look no further than the North Pole. No, not THE North Pole, but the one in Alaska, where even Santa Claus can't resist the charm: North Pole, Alaska is home to a year-round Christmas wonderland called Santa Claus House, complete with aisles of ornaments, toys, and even a chance to meet Mr. Claus himself. Don't forget the Antler Academy for Santa's reindeer team, and the town's Winterfest & Holiday Bazaar that brings fireworks and festive crafts to deck the halls in December. Just remember, this jolly haven isn't where the real Santa resides.
Source => travelalaska.com

5. Aerial Pizza Delivery

When pigs fly? More like when pizzas take to the skies: In Anchorage, Alaska, a local Papa Murphy's location delivers frozen pizzas by air to remote communities, averaging 150 pizzas each week, with owner Tyler Williams striking a deal with airlines to keep shipping costs low, allowing folks in far-off places to enjoy a savory slice of pie without traversing the Alaskan wilderness.
Source => pmq.com

6. Close Enough to Walk to Russia

If you put on some extra-warm cocktail attire, you might be able to walk right into Russia for some vodka and diplomacy: Residents of Little Diomede, an Ingalikmiut Eskimo village in Alaska, can see the Russian island of Big Diomede from their homes, and during the winter, a 2.3-mile-wide frozen channel between the islands allows them to technically walk to Russia – but beware, the island is home to a military base, and any crossing might turn your hosting skills into an international incident!
Source => nunatsiaq.com

7. Rainforest Rhythms

If Alaska were to RSVP to Mother Nature's party, it'd bring its own rain for the dance floor: In the state's southeast region, a temperate rainforest takes center stage, boasting an incredible 275 inches (6,980 mm) of average annual rainfall. October struts its stuff as the wettest dance partner, while May and June stay relatively dry and composed.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Moose With Attitude

In Alaska, moose strut around with an un-bear-lievable level of swagger, proving they're simply not ones to be messed with: These larger-than-life herbivores outnumber the bear population by three times, and are responsible for more human injuries each year than grizzly and black bears combined, especially during the feisty fall mating season and the baby-moose laden spring. Pro tip: Don’t unwittingly spark their ire with your canine friends, or you might become a moose-take waiting to happen!
Source => wildlifexteam.com

9. A Reptile-Free Alaska

If Alaskans ever threw a reptile housewarming party, they'd have no unwanted guests slithering through the door: Alaska is the only U.S. state without any native reptiles, due to its freezing temperatures and inhospitable environment for cold-blooded creatures like snakes.
Source => online-field-guide.com

10. Anchorage Gold Digger Haven

Back in the day, Alaska was the original Gold Digger's Paradise, putting Kanye to shame as fortune-seekers swarmed like moths to a shiny, golden flame: Nowadays, Anchorage is the heavyweight champ of Alaskan cities, with half the state's population calling it home, while the rest of them spread out, probably still searching for leftover gold nuggets.
Source => worldatlas.com

11. Glacial Abundance

In Alaska, glaciers are more abundant than reality TV stars: The state is home to over 100,000 icy giants, with the largest of them all, the Bering Glacier, covering a whopping 1,200 square miles!
Source => thearcticinstitute.org

12. Teen's Starry Flag Design

Who says teenagers these days have their heads in the clouds? Back in the 1920s, 13-year-old Benny Benson was starstruck in the best way possible – by designing the Alaskan flag that still flies today: Benson's winning flag design, adopted in 1927, featured eight gold stars on a blue background, inspired by the Big Dipper and the North Star, earning him a $1,000 scholarship and a watch with the flag emblem.
Source => alaskahistoricalsociety.org

13. Alaska's Sky-High Pilots

Forget flight school – Alaska's got nature's pilot program: Approximately 1% of the state's residents are registered pilots, as opposed to the national average of 0.2%, due to its vast, remote regions that require airborne modes of transportation. Advocating for safety and protecting general aviation rights, the Alaskan Airmen's Association is the largest voice for the state's soaring population, boasting over 2,000 members.
Source => generalaviationnews.com

14. Mosquito Clap Test

If Jurassic Park's mosquito trap had a mosquito buffet, it would be found in Alaska: the state's mosquito population is so dense that swarms have obstructed reconnaissance missions and residents measure annual mosquito severity by clapping their hands, counting the number of casualties with an average count of seven being typical and even two or three inviting relief.
Source => adn.com

15. Alaska Moose Monstrosities

Moose on the loose? More like the Alaskan Monstrosity: The Alaska moose is the Godzilla-sized subspecies of our favorite antlered friend, with males towering at over 6.9 feet at the shoulder and tipping the scales at a whopping 1,400 pounds. Females don't fall too far behind, standing at roughly 5.9 feet, weighing in at a staggering 1,054 pounds. And for the record, the heftiest moose in history weighed a mind-boggling 1,808 pounds, making you wonder if those behemoths were secretly chowing down on protein shakes in the Yukon back in 1897.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

16. Alaska's Massive Shoreline

Forget the shoreline bikinis, it's time for some coastline parkas: Alaska's tidal shoreline stretches over 46,600 miles (75,000 km), making it longer than the combined shorelines of all the lower 48 states. This vast expanse has been meticulously surveyed by the Alaska ShoreZone Coastal Inventory and Mapping Project, which gathers aerial imagery and environmental data on approximately 90% of Alaska's coastal habitats, making it the ultimate Alaskan beach party!
Source => response.restoration.noaa.gov

17. Alpine Forget-Me-Not Flowers

"Flower power meets Gold Rush fever: During the Klondike gold rush, a men's group known as the Grand Igloo declared the alpine forget-me-not as Alaska's official flower, leading to its adoption as the state's floral emblem in 1949 and its starring role on the state flag, while also being treasured for its medicinal properties, treating ailments like lung conditions and bloody noses."
Source => akhomeshow.com

18. Jade Mountain Bling

Suffering from jade-envy? Fear not, Alaska's got you covered, with a whole mountain of bling: Jade is the Alaska state gem, and Jade Mountain, located on the remote Seward Peninsula, is made entirely of dark green jade, with surrounding rivers like Dall, Shungnak, and Kobuk also offering plentiful supplies of this precious gemstone.
Source => princesslodges.com

19. Alaska's Highs and Lows

In Alaska, size really does matter, and they've got the highs and lows to prove it: Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, boasts the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet, while just over 20,592 feet away, Badwater in Death Valley, California, digs deep as the lowest point in the U.S. at 282 feet below sea level.
Source => homework.cpm.org

20. Passport for Alaskan Travels

Forget your car keys, Alaska may require your passport too: If you're traveling between the continental U.S. and Alaska via Canada or a ferry/cruise with Canadian stops, you'll need to have your passport handy – especially for non-U.S. citizens, who also require other documents to enter Alaska. Better to be safe and chat up U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration beforehand.
Source => anchorage.net

21. Diomede Islands Time Warp

Whoever said "so close, yet so far" must have been talking about the Diomede Islands: These two landmasses sit a mere 2.4 miles (4 kilometers) apart in the Bering Strait, separated by the International Date Line, with Big Diomede calling Russia its motherland and Little Diomede being the stars 'n stripes' pride. On a good day, you can wave hello to your international neighbor - just remember, you'll technically be waving to someone who exists either a day ahead or behind!
Source => thealaskafrontier.com

22. Tongass National Forest Party

If bears, bald eagles, and sea otters decided to throw a massive forest party in the wildest stretch of America's frosty grandeur, they'd definitely choose Tongass as their ultimate soiree destination: The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, spanning an impressive 17 million acres, is the largest national forest in the U.S and the last remaining temperate rainforest worldwide, offering front-row seats to the antics of the Northern Hemisphere's greatest congregation of coastal brown bears, along with an all-inclusive playground for nature aficionados traversing via boat, kayak, or by foot through its 19 wilderness areas and two national monuments.
Source => fs.usda.gov