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Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:54:53 GMT

The rest you'll have to discover on your own !! Happy travels everyone and happy exploring !! It's gonna be a blast

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 02:50:26 GMT

Part 8

The Aurora Borealis, or northern lights as they are commonly called, can be seen an average of 243 days a year in Fairbanks. The northern lights are produced by charged particles from the sun striking the earth's upper atmosphere. These charges particles cause gases in the upper atmosphere to glow much like the gas in florescent lights.

Barrow, the farthest North American city, has no sunset for about 84 days between May and August as the sun circles above the horizon. This is also known as the midnight sun.

Alaska has both the easternmost and westernmost points in the United States, sort of! The 180th meridian, the dividing line between east and west longitudes, passes through the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska. So, if you look at it this way, the westernmost point is Amatignak Island at 179'10” west longitude. The easternmost is Pochnoi Point at 179'46” east longitude.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 02:21:22 GMT

Part 7

1. Alaska's name comes from the Eskimo word Alakshak meaning “great lands” or “peninsula”.

2. Sorry Texas, but Alaska is by far the largest state in the union and is over twice the size of Texas. From north to south Alaska is approximately 1,400 miles long and 2,700 miles wide from west to east.

3. Alaska is a geographical marvel. When a scale map of Alaska is superimposed on a map of the 48 lower states, Alaska extends from coast to coast.

4. Alaska has the longest coastline of any state. The Alaskan coastline runs for 6,640 miles, more than all the other states' coastlines combined. That’s not including the coastlines of all its islands. Including them, Alaska has 33,904 miles of shoreline.

5. Alaska has over 100 volcanoes and volcanic fields which have been active within the last 1.5 million years. Over 40 of these have been active in historic times accounting for about 80% of all active volcanoes in the United States and 8% of all active above-water volcanoes on earth.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 23:08:32 GMT

Part 6

Wildlife:

Kodiak Bear; 1,400 pounds, 11 feet tall
Polar Bear; 1,400 pounds, 11 feet tall
Grizzly Bear (Brown Bear); 800 pounds, 9 feet tall
Moose; 1,350 pounds, 5 feet high to shoulder
Antlers span; 72 inches

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

sleddog — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 19:31:25 GMT

one fact about Juneau...it is only accessible by boat or plane...no roads lead in or out of the town

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

SKitH — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 04:05:21 GMT

Clearly, the glaciers of the last ice age were no match for powers of "uplifting" forces. Here are a few more honourable mentions in the same area:

Mt. Logan, St. Elias Range, Yukon, is the second tallest in North America at 19, 551 feet/5959 meters

Mt. Elias, St. Elias Range, straddles the Alaska/Yukon border.

Mt. Luciana also in the St. Elias Range, Yukon Territory, 17,257 ft/5260 meters

King Peak, Yukon Territory, is 16,927 feet/5,173 meters

ps growing up I knew Mt. Denali as Mt. McKinley - apparently a state/country distinction.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:02:51 GMT

Part 5

Mountains:

Mount Denali: 20,320 feet (Tallest in North America)

Mount Elias: 18,008 feet
Foraker - 17,400 feet
Bona - 16,500 feet
Blackburn - 16,390 feet
Sanford - 16,237 feet
Vancouver - 15,700 feet
Churchhill - 15,638 feet
Fairweather - 15,300 feet
Hubbard - 15,015 feet
Bear - 14,831

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:49:55 GMT

Part 4

State Sport: Dog Mushing
It once was the primary form of transportation in most of Alaska. Today dog sled racing is a popular winter sport. It was adopted as the state sport in 1972.

State Gem: Jade
Alaska has a large deposit of jade, including an big mountain filled with dark green jade on the Seward Peninsula.
State Mineral: Gold
The search for gold played a major role in shaping the history of Alaska, from the discovery of gold in Juneau to the great gold rush at Nome. Gold was named the state mineral in 1968.
State Insect: Four spot skimmer dragonfly

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

sleddog — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:24:26 GMT

love the updates!!!

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 03:10:41 GMT

Part 3

State Tree: Sitka spruce (picea sitchenensis)
The evergreen is found throughout the southeastern and central areas of Alaska.
State Marine Mammal: Bowhead whale
State Fish: King salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
King salmon weighing up to 100 lb. have been caught in Alaska. The king salmon is also known as the chinook salmon and is a popular sport fish. It became the state fish in 1962.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:28:39 GMT

Hoping to see lots of birdlife as well !

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

SKitH — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:25:01 GMT

I guess it is fair to say we will be seeing the tip of the iceberg, so to speak!

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

FlaGirl — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 02:58:36 GMT

I'd love to see a Willow Ptarmigan. That would be an addition to my life list.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

RFDiana — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 02:48:40 GMT

Part 2:

State Motto: North to the future.
State Flower: Forget-me-not.
The plant grows well in most of Alaska's varied climate.

State Bird: Alaska Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus alascensis Swarth)
It can change it's color from light brown to snow white. The willow ptarmigan was named Alaska's state bird in 1955.

Re: Fun facts about Alaska

sleddog — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 04:40:08 GMT

thanks for sharing Diana...i love facts!!!