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The Best Ways to Enjoy Fall in Alaska

September 3, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

Please note that this post contains affiliate links which I may earn commission from. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please follow the instructions on all of the recommended items. All of the information provided is my personal opinion, unless otherwise cited or noted.

Are you looking for the best things to do during fall in Alaska? Perfect, I’ve got the list for you! Whether you’re a local or coming to Alaska on vacation, these places and activities will fill your fall with happiness and adventure!

First things first. If you want to get the most out of any season in Alaska, you need to get outside. The beauty of Alaska is there is always something to do outdoors during any season. You just need the right gear for the season you’re out in. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of indoor activities to enjoy as well, which I’ll be sure to include!

I know that technically fall doesn’t start until the end of September. I’m not very precise with my seasons, though, so for the sake of this list we’re going to call all of September, October, and November “fall” because that’s basically when it’s occurring here. So, lets get on with our list, shall we!

Berry Picking

Ripe berries and bloomed out fireweed are signs that my favorite season is upon us! Many people spend their fall picking, foraging, and canning. This year berries weren’t as plentiful and seemed to be ripe earlier in the season, but normally you can pick a variety of berries throughout September. People often pick after the first frost as they say it makes the berries sweeten up.

If you plan on berry picking be sure to identify the berries you’re picking correctly as some are poisonous. It’s best to go with an experienced berry picker, grab a berry identification guide like this one, and use the Seek app to confirm the berry type before picking. There are really a variety of things you can do with the berries, and it is a really enjoyable hobby.

The Alaska State Fair

The Alaska State Fair ends during the beginning of fall. If you find yourself in Alaska while the fair is going on, you should definitely make the trip. The Alaska State Fair takes place in Palmer, Alaska, and has a fantastic combination of foods, rides, games, Alaskan vendors and artists, a giant vegetable competition, livestock, concerts, shows, displays, and much more.

If you’d like to go to a fair or festival but won’t be making it to the Alaska State Fair, there are many other options. A quick search about events going on in the town you’ll be in should show you all the fall activities.

Fall Photography

I know the East Coast is the hot spot for beautiful autumn colors, but don’t count us northern places out! In my opinion, fall is the most beautiful time in Alaska. The mix of warm fall colors contrasting with the cold blue of glacial ice and the white caps on the shadowy mountains makes the views look surreal. It’s a photographers dream, and if you visit Alaska in fall you’ll get to view this scenery not only in photos but from behind the lens as well.

Fall in Alaska bringing out colors in the mountains. — The oranges, chocolates, and rusts of fall displayed on the mountains.

Garden Harvest

If you’re a local and have been dutifully tending to your garden all summer, now is the time you can reap the benefits of the rest of your work before winter comes. There’s nothing like that satisfying carrot pull after a long summer of growing, or picking potatoes for stew to start fall off right.

Scenic Drives

Fall drives in Alaska are my favorite. Of all the drives I’ve taken, the ones from Anchorage to Valdez and Anchorage to Denali are by far the best. Glaciers, mountains, lakes, tundra, rivers, and more span the sides of the highways, and give you breathtaking views that you won’t soon forget.

The Alaska Railroad

All aboard! Are you hoping to see Alaska’s fall colors without having to make the drive yourself? The Alaska Railroad might be the perfect option for you! Although I haven’t taken it yet, the railroad is definitely on my Alaska bucket list, and I hope to travel on it soon .

Hiking

Another great way to experience fall in Alaska is on your own two feet. There are an abundance of trails, many close to towns and cities, so you can easily find trails for any level of hiking experience. Fall weather brings cool hiking temps along with the views, so be sure to be prepared and layer up. Also, be bear aware! Don’t go if you don’t have proper bear protection that you know how to use, and follow the usual hiking safety rules (have first aid, let people know where you’re going, etc).

Fishing

There’s always good fishing in Alaska no matter what time of year. During fall you’ll be able to get silver salmon, rainbow trout, and more. If you want to fish but don’t want to invest in gear quite yet, or are just up visiting, check out the ”rod loaner program” with Alaska Department of Fish and Game. I’ve also heard that there are libraries that loan gear, too, but haven’t confirmed this yet, and there are businesses such as The Bait Shack that rent fishing gear, too.

Hunting

Fall in Alaska is when many residents look to fill their freezers with delicious, organic meat. The season is filled with packing (as I’m doing this weekend), scouting, hiking, processing game, and more. Many of the people who visit Alaska during this season have traveled to hunt, but other than that the tourist season begins to quiet down, so wherever you go is a bit less crowded than it is in the summer. This makes traveling around much easier, and you can get into places without a wait.

Preparing for Winter

This might sound like more of a chore than a fun activity, but really it’s both. Some of these things really are just chores, but others become hobbies. The things we need to do, such as filling our freezers, cleaning up gardens, storing away outdoor furniture, canning berries and vegetables, and more, just build excitement for the next beautiful season in Alaska.

Have I convinced you to visit Alaska in the fall yet? I hope so! Alaska is beautiful year-round, and especially so in fall. If you get the chance to visit our beautiful state and have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

A Jetboil Review

August 31, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

Are you considering purchasing a Jetboil, but are hoping to learn a bit more about what it is and if it’s worth getting? Perfect, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve been using a Jetboil for years now and am going to give you the lowdown in this Jetboil review.

What is a Jetboil?

The Jetboil is a super speedy water boiling system. This system has a tall container to hold water, supported by a stand with an igniter, which attaches to a small fuel canister. You light the flame, watch the indicator on the outside for boiling progress, and before you know it you’ve got boiling water! I know it’s a simple explanation, but that’s just what it is. Jetboil has expanded their line to include other cookware such as a skillet and cook pot. For now, I’ll be reviewing the stove cooking system/super speedy boiling system as I haven’t yet tried the other cookware.

A Jetboil heated up in fall. The Jetboil gets a great review for ease of use. — The full orange ”flame” under the clear overlay indicates that the water is boiling and ready to use.

Who would benefit from having a Jetboil, and when would it be useful ?

Honestly, I think everyone should own a Jetboil, and this is why. First of all, they are great for emergencies. If you go through a natural disaster or some other event where you may not have access to clean water, you’ll want a Jetboil. Having one in your emergency preparedness kit can give you the ability to boil water for purifying, keeping you hydrated and hopefully preventing you from getting a water born illness.

Secondly, Jetboils are great for the outdoorsey folks. If you’re into hiking, biking, camping, hunting, or other outdoor hobbies, a Jetboil is for you. You can heat up water for coffee, dehydrated meals and more. The Jetboil is so compact and easy to carry that you’ll want to bring it on all your adventures.

A cozy lunch. You can take the Jetboil on all your adventures.

What are the pros of having a Jetboil?

The Jetboil is a must-have addition to your emergency preparedness kit and outdoor gear. It’s compact, convenient, lightweight, portable and easy to use. They now have the ”Stash”, which I haven’t tried yet, that is even more compact and lightweight. Jetboils are also easy to clean, which is handy when you are out in the mountains and quite far from the nearest sink! It’s a bit of an investment, but well worth it for warm food and drinks while enjoying the great outdoors.

Breakfast with a view. Nothing like oatmeal straight from the Jetboil.

Are there any cons to the Jetboil?

Clearly, this is a very positive Jetboil review, but there are cons to even the best of gear. Thankfully, I really only have one thing I’d consider a con for the Jetboil. During our most recent use of our Jetboil, we had problems with the igniter. Luckily, we had plenty of matches (as you should while you’re in the wilderness) to start it with. There is a troubleshooting video on their YouTube, though, and it looks like an easy fix, but as with all gear, we should have made sure it was in working order before we left.

I hope this review has helped answer your questions about the Jetboil. I really believe that you can’t go wrong with purchasing this cooking system. There are so many benefits to having one, and it comes in handy during a variety of different activities. If you have additional questions about the Jetboil, please feel free to ask them in the comments, and I’ll get back to you with an answer ASAP.

Hunting Tips, Tricks, and Lessons I’ve Learned Over the Years

August 26, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

This fall will be my seventh season of hunting. I came into it really not knowing much, but always having wanted to do it. Every season I learn something new. The more experience I get, the more hunters I talk to, the more gear I use, and the more mistakes I make, the more I learn. Clearly, I’m no hunting expert, but I thought I’d share my experiences in the hopes of helping others have productive and enjoyable hunts.

My husband and I primarily hunt for moose, but these hunting tips, tricks, and lessons aren’t just for moose hunting. These lessons I’ve learned are applicable to many types of hunting, and I hope they help you have success in the field.

In the Field

Safety first. The last thing anyone wants is to have someone in their hunting party get injured. Follow safety guidelines for all your gear. Bring a first aid kit and know how to use it, and take an inReach. Also, make sure at least a couple people know where you’ll be, when to expect you back, and what to do if they don’t hear from you on the appointed date.
Know your hunting partner(s). Knowing both your and your partners’ abilities in the field really ties into safety. It’s hard to know how someone will do without actually just hunting, but make sure your partner has good outdoor knowledge and hunter’s safety. You have to more or less trust them with your life out there. For example, my husband got his first bear while bear baiting, and we had to go track it. He went ahead with his gun, and I followed behind with mine. It was getting dark, and finding a dark object in the shade of trees isn’t easy. He finally spotted it not far from us on the ground as it was getting darker. Clearly, it wasn’t happy and a little too close for comfort. He shot it again and the bear died. Afterward, my husband told me he was a little worried about how I would react with the bear so close and me following behind him with a gun, but I stayed calm and had his back, and I knew he’d do the same.
Make sure your gun, bow, or weapon of choice is sighted in. Just because it was sighted in last season doesn’t mean it didn’t get a little out of wack between seasons. It’s always good to know your gun will be dead on so you can get a clean and quick kill.

A beautiful fall Mountain View — You’ll see the most beautiful views when hunting.

The early bird gets the game. I know this isn’t always the case, but if you get motivated and wake up early to start your hunt, chances are you’ll have less competition from other hunters who are still snoozing. There may also be more animals moving about in those cooler morning hours. We experienced this a couple times. We usually wake up quite early on hunting days. A couple of these times, other hunters were camped around, but still snug in their beds. We were already out hunting and spotted moose. My husband spotted a group of bulls (really surprising!), found a legal one, and got it down before the other hunters were even awake. They woke up to the shots, and came out of their camper looking bewildered. Had they been up early enough, they would have had a moose down like we did.

If you see an animal while glassing and decide to go after it, make sure you bring your safety gear and food with you. We made the mistake of not doing this one time. For the first moose my husband got, he spotted it on the mountain side. We decided to go after it and clearly did not think ahead. We brought barely any gear or food. This was a very poor decision. He ended up shooting the moose, it got very dark, and we had to use the flash from my camera to flag down his uncle and dad when they came on four wheelers to pick us up. This mistake definitely falls in the lesson category of the hunting trips, tricks, and lessons. Learn from our mistake, and pack gear with you even if you think you’re going a short distance and won’t be gone long.
Patience is key. I especially learned this when calling for moose. Our most recent season of moose hunting was the first season we did much calling, and my husband called multiple moose in. It takes longer than expected sometimes for them to call back. In-between that time it takes a lot of patience to wait. It also takes a lot of patience to sit in stands, field dress animals, glass for animals in the rain, and more, but it is 100% worth it to have the experiences that you will have while out hunting.
Take note of the shooting light. If you get an animal down, will you have time to safely track it if necessary? Will you have enough light to field dress it? Are you going to be able to pack it out before dark? If not, will it be protected from the elements and predators until you can get back to it?
Learn how to field dress your kill. If you are going with a group of hunters who haven’t done that before or going with a seasoned hunter, it is always good to know how to do it yourself. Check out the resources below for some information on where you can learn processing tips and techniques.
Check out blogs (like this one!), books, YouTube, DVDs, and other resources for calling techniques, field dressing tips, processing how-tos and more. Also, talking to other hunters and joining groups like GoWild is a great way to answer questions you may have.

Gear

Take a copy of the hunting regulations with you. It’s better to have it with you then to have questions and not be able to look them up. Make sure you have them laminated and/or in a waterproof bag to keep them dry.

Spend the money. Good gear is invaluable in the field. I’m not saying you should go into debt and buy all of the coolest and most updated camo, gear, and products out there, but quality gear really makes a difference. My husband and I built our collection of good gear throughout the seasons. For example, our first hunt I started out with ill-fitting military surplus rain gear, regular black rain pants, and a cheap jacket I bought in high school. As we continued to hunt, I got gear that was waterproof, warmer, quieter (a big advantage!) and fit me better. We slowly but surely started getting more warm and weatherproof camo, better binoculars and spotting scopes, tastier dehydrated meals, and more. This isn’t to say you can’t be successful without higher quality things, but it will make your hunt more enjoyable and likely lead to a more successful hunt.
Know your gear. Know the ins and outs of all your gear, and how to troubleshoot it if necessary. Test it, look it over, and know how to use it properly. If you’ve got new gear, don’t assume it’ll work fine right out of the box. That may not be the case. You don’t want to find out things don’t work when you’re out in the field and it’s too late to fix it.
Plan for inclement weather. Make sure you have gear for all types of weather for yourself, and gear that will take care of the meat whether it is rainy or hot out, such as tarps.
Dull knives are more harm than good in the field. Make sure you can sharpen your knife while you are out hunting or get one with replaceable blades.
Good glass makes a big difference. If you’re like us and need to see specific antler sizes and/or antler configurations from long distances, you want to have high quality binoculars and spotting scopes. We found that our Vortex binoculars and spotting scope serve us well. They help us determine whether a moose in the distance is worth going after, or if we should pass on it and need to look for something larger. They also help us save time on moose that we shouldn’t be going after, and help us figure out if a moose is worth trekking miles to get.

Using Vortex binoculars — Using my Vortex binoculars and **HotHands** while looking for sheep.

Plan for bugs. Obviously, this will depend on the season and area you’ll be hunting, but you’ll likely run into some bugs on your hunt. I was unprepared last season, not wearing my bug net, and got bit by my eye. My whole eye swelled shut. This really made glassing with binoculars a little frustrating, and it took out my dominate eye for shooting. Use a bug net, spray, or whatever necessary to prevent bug bits, stings, and swelling from interrupting your hunt.
Batteries and chargers. If any of your gear runs on batteries (e.g. headlamps, inReach, camera, phone, etc), and you run out of juice, you’re just carrying dead weight. Make sure everything to charged up before you go, and bring extra batteries and a portable solar charger to keep your gear going.
Another thing to add to the list of hunting tips, tricks, and lessons is meal planning. Meal planning for your hunt is very beneficial. If you will be hunting a distance from any type of store, this is an essential thing to do. It also may help to plan out your daily snacks. By doing that you won’t end up using all of your snacks in the first few days of hunting.
Check out my hunting checklist for more recommend gear.

Field Dressing, Processing, and Meat Care

We use these game bags, and have really had good luck with them. The sizing works great, the material fits snug, it has coverage for whole quarters, and is made in America. You can even reuse these bags. As soon as you have your meat out of the game bags and no longer need to use the bags to store your meat for that hunt, take your game bags and rinse them in cold water. Try to get as much blood and any pieces of meat off as possible. I would suggest soaking them for a short time and then hosing them down to rinse the blood out. After that, you can launder them, and they will be almost as good as new! This is a great way to save some money and get more uses out of your bags.

You can never have enough tarps. If you have the room and are able to, I’d bring at least two tarps just for the meat. We use one tarp for laying meat on as it is being processed, before it goes into the game bag. This allows us an area to set quarters of meat on and clean it before we spray and bag it. The tarp definitely helps keep the meat cleaner, and you end up with a better product if you keep the meat clean through the whole process. I would also have another tarp to go over the meat and act as a tent if any inclement weather comes and you need to cover it from the rain or snow.

Make sure you have a sturdy meat pole to hang your meat on.

Weather not only plays a big role in what gear you have, but it also makes a difference in meat care as well. As mentioned above, tarps are great for keeping your meat dry. You can also use them to you help shade in your meat from some sun. In addition to a tarp, make sure you have rope and a way to hang your meat on a meat pole for ventilation. If you don’t plan on doing that, be sure to get your meat processed and in the freezer to prevent spoilage.

Citric acid, water, and a spray bottle. The mixture of the citric acid and water will help with meat preservation and help prevent any issues with flies. Only a small amount of citric acid per ounces of water is needed. You can find the whole scoop on using it for meat care here.
You may hear people suggest dousing your meat with black pepper to keep the flies off. We did this for the first moose, and boy was it a mistake. We were charged extra at the processor for a “cleaning fee” to get the pepper off. Oops. Since the, we’ve just used the critic acid, which has worked very well.
If you’re traveling with your meat in a truck bed for a distance, be sure to allow for proper ventilation under the meat as you travel. If your exhaust heats up the bed too much or there’s just no airflow, your meat can spoil. Using pallets under your meat is a good way to prevent this from happening.

Moose meat and rack in the truck bed — When transporting meat in a truck bed, make sure there’s airflow and ventilation around the meat. In this case, our moose was not well ventilated and would need better airflow to stay cool.

Speaking of processing, if it’s at all possible, process your game yourself. We took a muskox in for processing and ended up with butcher paper in all of our burger. Needless to say, we started processing our meat at home after that. It’s an investment to get the equipment, but saves you money in the long run. No one will take care of your kill as well as you will. You shot it, you’ll eat it, and if you process it yourself you’re guaranteed to get you’re meat back, unlike some places you may take it. This isn’t a dig on butcher shops or processors, there are many that do a fantastic job, but processing your meat yourself really adds to the experience and is a great skill to learn. Just make sure you allot time to process your game when you get back from your hunt, as it does take some time to do.

After reading all of these, I guess I should key you in on the most important of all hunting tips, tricks, and lessons. You don’t need to kill something to have a successful hunt. Yup, I know its crazy. You can have a successful hunt by just enjoying the outdoors. Your hunting trip may teach you a valuable lesson. Spending time with family and friends while hunting is a success. Learning a new skill is success. If you come back without meat, you’re not necessarily coming back empty handed. Yes, getting meat is definitely the goal, but the experience itself is what you’ll really remember.

I hope this list of hunting tips, tricks, and lessons has helped you feel a little more prepared to go out on your own hunt. I know I will be learning more on every hunt I go on, so I’ll be adding more to this list as I learn. Please feel free to add any of your own tips and lessons in the comments to share with others. Happy hunting, friends!

The Pros and Cons of Cooking with Cast Iron

August 18, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

Cooking with cast iron makes me feel like I’m in Little House on the Prairie, or all cozied up in a little cabin somewhere. I don’t know why, maybe its the old-timey feel or the hearty meals that come from them, but those skillets and dutch ovens have won me over. For a minute, I was a little intimidated to use them, but now I’m hooked, and I’ll tell you why.

There are so many pros to cooking with cast iron, and very few cons. Clearly, in my opinion, the benefits to cast iron cooking heavily outweigh the minute amount of cons. Below, I’ll give you the lowdown and hopefully convince you to grab a skillet and join me in some cast iron cooking!

Cooking with cast iron over charcoal — Camping queso prepped and ready to heat up!

Ease of Cleaning

It doesn’t take anything technical to clean cast iron. A little soap, water, and a quick soak if necessary. If there are any stubborn, stuck on pieces, take your scraper to them after a short soak. Dry it completely, and oil it lightly. You’re good to go!

The only downside is you need to clean this shortly after use; no letting it sit on the stove to wash in the morning or it may begin to rust. On the bright side, if you don’t get to it right away and a bit of rust shows up you can use this handy tool and then re-season it. And if you’re looking for more handy kitchen tools and gadgets, click here!

Less Cleanup

Speaking of cleaning, when you start cooking with cast iron you’ll have less dishes do to! You may be asking yourself how this is possible. Well, let me tell you. You can use cast iron on your stovetop and in your oven, so if you’re frying up hamburger that needs to go in a casserole, you can cook it on the stove top, add the casserole ingredients to the skillet, and then pop it in the oven. So simple, and it saves you a dish!

Space Saving

Although cast iron may be a bit heavy and somewhat larger to store, it can end up saving you space. If you only need one skillet to do the work of a pan and baking dish, that saves you space and even money, too!

Durability

These pans are heavy duty. There’s no warping with this cookware, they seem to be virtually indestructible, and will last generations if well taken care of. Another bonus of this long-lasting durability is less waste. If you’re not going through a few sets of warped, peeling, and broken pots and pans in a lifetime, that’s a little less that gets sent to the landfill. The trade off? They are quite heavy. You’ll need some sturdy shelving or a storage area for them, but I just consider it a good little arm workout!

Even Cooking

From what I’ve experienced, cast iron seems to heat evenly, and retains heat well. This is very helpful, especially when cooking over an open flame or coals.

Cooking bread in a cast iron ditch oven — Savory jalapeño cheddar bread in the Dutch oven.

Classic

Cast iron cooking has been around for quite awhile now. Its classic look really goes with any kitchen decor, so if you store it in the open like I do it acts as both cookware and decor. Plus, Lodge Cast Iron has collections with a variety of cute patterns, such as the Wanderlust and Wildlife Series, which is what I have.

Made in America

There’s definitely no downside to this! My favorite thing about cooking with cast iron is that you can buy made in America cookware! Lodge Cast Iron makes their items in the USA, so not only are you buying some fantastic cookware, you’re supporting American made as well.

I hope these reasons help you decide to give cooking with cast iron a shot. You’ve got nothing to lose, and decades of delicious meals to gain! And speaking of meals, check out these handy cookbooks and magazines below for recipe inspiration.

A tasty apple crisp made while out camping.

The Best Ways to See Glaciers in Alaska

August 11, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

Seeing glaciers in Alaska is on the bucket list of many. That glacier blue, the massive calving chunks of ice, and the surrounding scenery lure many to the ice cold beauty of glaciers. But where, exactly, do you go to see them? After spending my whole life in Alaska, I’ve got the inside scoop on information you need to view glaciers by air, water, and land.

Viewing Glaciers by Air

Unless you count flying in, out, and around Alaska on commercial flights, I’ve never actually been on a glacier flight. Glacier sightseeing flights will fly you around these massive mountains of ice, and even land on them for you to explore! There are many companies that fly to a variety of different glaciers in Alaska. Since I’ve never gone on one of these flights I can’t give you any reviews, but a quick Google or Tripadvisor search will be able to show you tour options and reviews.

Viewing Glaciers by Water

Glacier cruises are a perfect way to view many glaciers in Alaska from the water. I’ve gone out on these cruises in Valdez and Seward, and have really enjoyed them. These full or half-day tours will not only give you great views of the glaciers, but you may see a variety of wildlife, too. And since you’ll be right where the glacier and water meet, chances are you’ll see some glacial calving.

Other great ways to view glaciers by water are with kayaks or jet skis. As for kayaking, two of the spots are at Portage Glacier and Valdez Glacier. Jet skiing can be done out of Whittier. Always be sure to wear your lifejacket, don’t get too close to the glaciers or icebergs, and watch out for other boats and paddlers while you’re out in the water. And if you’re not familiar with these areas and activities, I’d highly suggest getting a guide.

A large iceberg floating near the edge of portage lake.

Viewing Glaciers by Land

If you’re thinking you’ll miss out on viewing beautiful glaciers in Alaska because you won’t be able to take a glacier cruise or go on a glacier viewing flight, think again! You can view glaciers right from the road! Two of the best places to do this are Worthington Glacier on your way to Valdez, Alaska, and the Matanuska Glacier along the Glenn Highway.

Worthington Glacier can be viewed from the Richardson Highway on your way to Valdez, or, if you want a closer look, you can pull on into the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site. Here, you’ll find trails to great viewing areas (some of which are wheelchair accessible), informative signs, ample parking, and restrooms (hooray!). It’s really a must-stop if you’re passing through.

Matanuska Glacier is visible from the Glenn Highway. As you take this highway from Anchorage to Glennallen you’ll see many large pull-offs for you to stop and take photos of the glacier. It’s a beautiful sight, especially in September when leaves are turning. The contrast between them and the glacier is fantastic. There are ways you can get a very close look at this glacier as well, which are well explained here.

Another glacier that you can get to is the Knik Glacier. In the winter, when the river is frozen, people take bikes, four wheelers, side by sides, and even vehicles over the ice to see the glacier. I have yet to do this, but if you attempt this glacier adventure as always make a plan, go with others, use caution, bring safety equipment, and don’t go out on thin ice!

A way to view Knik glacier in the summer is by taking a four wheeler or side by side. I’ve never done this, but after following Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours, I’d definitely like to try. I’ve never taken any tours with them, but they look like a fun group and have fantastic reviews!

The Matanuska Glacier with fall yellow and orange leafs and snow topped mountains. — The majestic Matanuska Glacier in Alaska.

Things to Note

Safety

Safety first. Glaciers can be very dangerous. Crevasses, calving, icebergs and more can turn a fun viewing experience into a dangerous one. View them from a safe distance, and if you don’t know your way around glaciers, please find a knowledgeable and seasoned guide. Or use a guide even if you are comfortable around glaciers since they might help you learn more!

Guides and Tours

Throughly researching guides, reading reviews, and even just calling them up to see what they’re about is a great way to pick a tour. Since I can only vouch for a couple of tours (linked in the post), Google and Tripadvisor will have to help with that. But, as soon as I get to do any other tours I’ll be sure to post a review!

Viewing Seasons

Obviously, no matter what season you visit Alaska during, the glaciers will be there. It really depends on what you hope the surrounding scenery will be, and how you’d like to view them. Do you want to see glaciers surrounded by colors other than white and blue? Don’t come in winter! Sometimes, it might be hard to decipher what part is glacier and what part is snow covered mountains. Hoping to leisurely paddle a glacial lake? Visit Alaska in summertime and you’ll be able to do just that! Just keep in mind that some of these viewing areas and tours are seasonal, so check ahead for dates.

Budget

If you’re on a budget, seeing glaciers in Alaska from the road or in recreation sites, like the Worthington Glacier site, is probably the best way to go. There are hundreds of glaciers here, so check your maps before you hit the road and see which glaciers you can view on the way.

If you are making the trek to Alaska just to see glaciers, take a guided four wheeler tour, cruise, flight, or whatever you choose. Make sure to save up and budget accordingly though, as many of these are not cheap to do, especially for larger parties. It’s always good to check for military, senior, and group discounts!

I hope this helps you fulfill one of your bucket list items, or if it wasn’t already on your bucket list I hope that you’re now thinking of adding it! Visiting glaciers in Alaska is an unforgettable experience, and I hope you get the opportunity to do it.

A glacier viewed from a Major Marine glacier cruise out of Seward, Alaska.

10 Reasons Why You Should Start Gardening Today

July 22, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already considering starting your own garden. And if you’re considering starting your own garden, but haven’t done it yet, this post is for you.

Maybe you need that extra boost to get you going (and growing!). Maybe you don’t think you can do it. Maybe you think it’s too expensive. Maybe you don’t think you have the knowledge or skill to grow your own food. Toss out the doubt and plant the seeds of confidence (and carrots, lettuce, peas, onion….and so much more), and lets get growing!

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It takes time to learn.

Learning how to garden takes time, which is one the the reasons you should start gardening now. You can get a wealth of valuable information from books, YouTube, Pinterest, and more, but I feel like learning to garden is more of a trial and error process. Don’t get me wrong, many of the ”rules”, guidelines, and suggestions regarding growing are likely the same from one place to another, but some of it is very location, soil, and weather dependent, so not everything is a ”one garden fits all” deal. What works for one may not work for another. This is why it’s great to talk to local gardeners to get better insight into what works for your gardening zone, and begin gardening so you have time to learn. Then, eventually, you may become one of those local gardeners people go to for advice.

A small batch of carrots from the garden. Start gardening today to learn how to grow your own. — In the spirit of learning from mistakes here is an example of one of ours. We ended up with these tiny baby carrots because the soil we thought was good was actually too clay-like and ended up stunting the carrot growth. Choose your soil wisely!

Become more self sufficient.

Self sufficiency builds confidence, and having confidence is key to succeeding in many aspects of life. Taking a tiny seed and growing something that will feed yourself, friends, and family is an amazing thing. You may not expect something so minuscule to produce anything, but with your help, water, and sunshine it will grow. And when you start gardening you’ll not only be growing fruits, veggies, and your confidence, you’ll also be able to begin relying on yourself for food instead of the grocery store. This self sufficiency and self reliance is a great skill to have.

Learn about your food.

When you buy fruit and veggies at your grocery store or market, do you really know where they come from? While there’s nothing wrong with buying things from the grocery store, I do it often, it is much more assuring to get vegetables right from your own garden were you know where and how they were grown and taken care of.

It’s also so interesting to see the growth process for various things. Learning about the different nuances for crops is fascinating. Even just reading seed packets about different varieties of the same vegetable is really eye opening, and shows you just how many things go into growing your food. With that being said, it’s likely still easier than you think!

Start gardening today to learn how to grow your own lettuce. — This year I finally got my lettuce to start looking like an actual head of lettuce! Patience is key.

It’s easier than you think.

You can really make gardening as easy or as complicated as you’d like. If you want to research, do soil testing, compare varieties, and more, that’s great! If you want to plop some carrot seeds into finger-poked holes in the soil, thats great, too! I know that technically there are probably right ways and wrong ways to start gardening, but if it works for you, then it works. And it does’t always need to be hard.

I’m all about the trial and error method. I’m all about what’s simple and easy to figure out. And guess what? I still get veggies to grow! So, if you’re delaying starting your garden because you think it may be too difficult, think again. Yes, research and planning helps, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be difficult or complicated. Just give it a try and see for yourself how simple it can be.

It’s inexpensive to start gardening.

Like any hobby, gardening can be as expensive as you want to make it. You don’t need a massive greenhouse with a self-watering system and temperature controlled fans to start gardening (although that would be awesome). With probably less than $30 you can start planting. All you really need is soil, a container or space for planting, and some seeds. Pretty simple,right? Also, if you grow your own produce you may even save some money in the long run.

You’ll appreciate your food more.

The more food you grow and harvest yourself, the more you’ll appreciate it. It’s so easy to go to the store, pick up a bag of carrots, take them home, and start munching on them without giving much thought to how the carrots got there. It took the process of getting seeds, planting, watering, patiently waiting, harvesting, bagging, and then transporting them to the store for you to get them, not to mention the many other things it takes to put produce on the shelves. Unless you grow it yourself, you’ll likely not appreciate fresh produce as much as it deserves.

It’s green in more ways than one.

Your gained appreciation of how produce is grown will likely encourage you to waste less fruits and veggies. After the time and effort you put in to growing your own, you’ll see just how valuable they are. Is the lettuce you grew starting to wilt? Better make a salad tonight! Are your strawberries getting soft? Time to find a recipe for them! Not only that, but by cutting out some of the transportation and shortening the distance from garden to plate, you’ll be saving fuel as well.

Our peas got so large they were busting at the seams!

Starting a garden is a healthy hobby.

Not only is gardening healthy for the environment, it is great for you as well! The act of gardening is great exercise and the perfect way to get out and grab some fresh air. Not to mention the luxury of all the delicious fresh vegetables you’ll be able to eat! If you’re like me, you reach for the closest and easiest snack to eat. If you have a garden those snacks may become fresh vegetables, berries, and fruits! It’s an all around productive and healthy hobby.

You’ll have the freshest produce.

Living in Alaska makes one really appreciate fresh fruit and vegetables. That short distance from the garden to your kitchen will give you the freshest produce possible. Sometimes you may need to taste test, so it may not even make it to the kitchen!

It’s so convenient.

Talk about fast food, getting fresh food from your own plants is as speedy as it gets! Having the convenience of a backyard grocery store is really a game changer.

Bonus: Gardening is fun!

More importantly, it’s fun! Picking out what we’re going to grow for the year is such a fun time. You can really experiment with different things if you want, and watching those tiny seeds turning to salads, canned veggies, jams, smoothies and more is so exciting.

I hope this has encouraged you to start gardening today. I truly enjoy this hobby, and hope that you will too! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below and I’ll be happy to answer. Thanks for visiting Everyday Alaska!

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