Alaska Highlights
A tour for visitors to Alaska, the 49th state.
Wildlife 
Why visit Alaska?
Iditarod
The camps that raise and train the dogs for the Iditarod give the tourist an appreciation for the importance of this event that is now seen as a sporting event. More importantly, it was once the only means to bring medical supplies, mail, and life giving supplies from the south of the state, Seward, to the north west of the state, to Nome, Alaska.
The camps are in operation year round and the most fun for the tourists is to see how the dogs live to run. In the summer, they are harnessed to an ATV, and they are the most eager runners you'll ever see. Instinct seems to take over and they can't wait to run as fast and as long as they can. This activity doesn't in any way take advantage of the dogs. These animals aren't abused but are absolutely babied. They are more pampered than your favorite pet. Tourists are encouraged to hold, cuddle and spoil the puppies to socialize them. They are very sociable, loving animals that bond easily with their trainers. The dogs are eager to be trained and love all the activity of the process.
Denali
Mt. McKinley, also known by the natives as Denali, lies in the Denali National Park and Preserve which is six million acres dedicated to the preservation of nature and wildlife. The most well-known of the many animals that inhabit the park, include the grizzly bear, Dall sheep, moose, the gray wolf, caribou and over one hundred fifty species of birds. The animals observed on a tour through the park can vary each day and no guarantees are made for seeing every animal that makes its home in the park. Most tourists will see at least a few of them.
This is a young moose. The adults are very large and dangerous. It is hard to spot them in Denali, but that's okay because they can be unpredictable.
This moose has no antlers, but moose antlers look like large fans with fingers.
Caribou antlers have thin branches like reindeer.
Caribou tend to gather under the shade of the park bridges to avoid the heat of the mid-day sun.
The Dall sheep are easy to find perched on many peaks throughout the park. Their gravity-defying trek up the steep rocky slopes have probably kept them
alive and away from predators.
Touring the park by bus is best for the tourists and the animals. The tour bus system was established in 1972 for the protection of the animals, the park and the safety of tourists. Experienced tour guides drive the buses and present a great review of the habitat that respects the home of the animals. They are quick to point out the appearance of any animals and stop for picture taking. Tourists are reminded to take nothing that belongs in the park and to leave nothing you own behind in the park. Littering of anything, cigarettes, gum, paper, containers, etc., would greatly endanger the wildlife. Visitors leave the bus only at the rest stops which are built along the park road. They won't let you out to pet the bear cubs. Food and drinks are consumed on the bus and never put outside for the animals.
As you tour along the park highway in the tour bus, looking for elusive animals, look for a glimpse of the majestic mountain, Denali. At 20,320 feet, it is often shrouded in clouds, but occasionally, the clouds clear for a rare view of the tallest mountain in North America. For lovers of mountains, it presents a great photographic moment. It is hard to overstate the beauty of that particular mountain.
Water Creatures
Aquatic animals can be seen from the whale-watching boat tours available in the summer months. The pilots are quick to spot their characteristic spouts and take the tour groups close enough to see, but not interfere with the feeding of the whales.The pilots are knowledgeable and protective of what they call "the gentle giants of summer". These photos were taken from a boat tour that launched from Juneau, Alaska. Seals can also be spotted, especially perched on the channel buoys.
Also on the must-see list of animals would be salmon, bears and eagles, all of which are often found in the same area since the bears and eagles feed on the fish. They are better fishermen than the tourists who flock to the fishing boats to try their hand at landing the big fish which, like everything else in Alaska, is larger than in other places.
The bears and eagles depend on the fish to live, the tourists just want to catch a big fish. They know they can't take them back in their luggage. The fishing industry is huge in Alaska and highly recommended for tourists with the time and inclination to fish. Salmon have a role equal in importance to gold in the history of Alaska. It is a treat for a tourist to catch a glimpse of a bear or an eagle catching a fish.
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