Alaska's sheer size is hard to comprehend: more than twice the size of Texas, it contains America's northernmost, westernmost and, because the Aleutian Islands stretch across the 180th meridian, its easternmost point. If superimposed onto the Lower 48 (the rest of the continental United States) it would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and its coastline is longer than the rest of the US combined. All but three of the nation's twenty highest peaks are found within its boundaries and one glacier alone is twice the size of Wales.

A mere 600,000 people live in this huge state - over forty percent of them in Anchorage - of whom only one-fifth were born here: as a rule of thumb, the more winters you have endured, the more Alaskan you are. Often referred to as the " Last Frontier ," Alaska in many ways mirrors the American West of the nineteenth century: an endless, undeveloped space in which to stake one's claim and set up a life without interference. Or at least that's how Alaskans would like it to be. Throughout this century tens of thousands have been lured by the promise of wealth, first by gold and then by fishing, logging and, most recently, oil. However, Alaska's 86,000 Native peoples , who don't have the option of returning to the Lower 48 if things don't work out, have been greatly marginalized, though Native corporations set up as a result of pre-oil boom land deals have increasing economic clout.

Traveling around Alaska still demands a spirit of adventure, and to make the most of the state you need to have an enthusiasm for striking out on your own and roughing it a bit. Binoculars are an absolute must, as is bug spray; the mosquito is referred to as the "Alaska state bird" and it takes industrial-strength repellent to keep it away. On top of that there's the climate , though Alaska is far from the popular misconception of being one big icebox. While winter temperatures of -40°F are commonplace in Fairbanks, the most touristed areas - the southeast and the Kenai Peninsula - enjoy a maritime climate (45-65°F in summer) similar to that of the Pacific Northwest, meaning much more rain (in some towns 180-plus inches per year) than snow. Remarkably, the summer temperature in the Interior often reaches 80°F.

Alaska is far more expensive than most other states: apart from two dozen hostels there's little budget accommodation, and eating and drinking will set you back at least twenty percent more than in the Lower 48 (perhaps fifty percent in more remote regions). Still, experiencing Alaska on a low budget is possible, though it requires planning and off-peak travel. From June to August room prices are crazy; May and September, when tariffs are relaxed and the weather only slightly chillier, are just as good times to go, and in April or October you'll have the place to yourself, albeit with a smaller range of places to stay and eat. Ground transportation , despite the long distances, is reasonable, with backpacker shuttles ferrying budget travelers between major centers. Winter , when hotels drop their prices by as much as half, is becoming an increasingly popular time to visit, particularly for the dazzling aurora borealis.  TOP

With the exception of the ferry system, Anchorage is very much the hub of Alaska with several bus companies running to major destinations: Seward with Seward Bus Line (tel 907/224-3608, ; $35); Homer with Homer Stage Lines (tel 907/235-2252; $45); Denali ($49) and Fairbanks ($69) with the Parks Highway Express (tel 1-888/600-6001, ); and Valdez ($71) and Whitehorse, Yukon ($206) with Gray Line's Alaskon Express (tel 1-800/544-2206, ).

The expensive Alaska Railroad runs nearly five hundred miles from Seward north through Anchorage to Fairbanks, with a spur to Whittier for ferries to Valdez. One-way fares from Anchorage are: Denali, $125; Fairbanks $175; and Seward $55.

Driving around Alaska in summer requires no special skills, though the less traveled routes often have a gravel surface and caution is required. Be aware, however, that wildlife, especially moose, can be a danger any time. In spring and fall you should be prepared for snow, and it is wise to carry a survival kit , particularly in winter, as traffic can be sparse even on major routes. Conditions on the roads can change rapidly - call 907/456-7623 for information, or 1-800/478-7656 for a pre-recorded hotline.

Travel by plane is not always more expensive than other methods, especially if you can map out your itinerary in advance with the state's largest operator, Alaska Airlines, which flies to most major communities and uses subcontractors such as ERA Aviation (tel 1-800/866-8394, ), Reeve Aleutian (tel 1-800/544-2248), and PenAir (tel 1-800/448-4226, ) to get to smaller towns. If you are traveling from outside North America, consider pre-purchasing an Alaska Airlines "Best of the West" airpass that allows you to reserve up to ten one-way flights either within Alaska ($99 each leg), or from outside the state (essentially Seattle or LA to Anchorage; $149), or any combination of these. Chartering a plane might sound extravagant but can be an inexpensive alternative for groups of four or more, and may be the crowning glory of an Alaskan vacation. To arrange this, contact any operator of small planes (every town has at least one). ERA Aviation, Reeve Aleutian and PenAir are good places to start, though they may refer you to another company.

The Alaska Pass
If you are planning to keep up a frenetic pace you may make savings by buying an Alaska Pass , PO Box 351, Vashon, WA 98070 (tel 206/463-6550 or 1-800/248-7598, ), which allows unlimited surface transport on participating ferries, trains and buses throughout Alaska, British Columbia and Yukon Territory. There are two types of Alaska Pass: one is valid for a number of consecutive days of travel (15 days for $649; 22 days for $749); the other covers a number of travel days over a longer period (8 days in 12 for $549; 12 days in 21 for $699).  TOP

In 1741, Danish explorer Vitus Bering , working for the Tsar of Russia, became the first Caucasian to set foot on Alaskan soil and found huge numbers of fur seals and sea otters - whose treasured pelts were made into hats. Russians, and later Britons and Spaniards, joined in the ensuing slaughter, both of the otters and the Aleut, who were enslaved and forced to hunt on behalf of the fur traders. By 1799 the Russians had established their Alaskan capital at present-day Sitka, pushed down the coast as far as northern California and, in the process, decimated the sea otter colonies.

During the 1860s, limited returns and domestic economic problems forced Russia to sell its lands to America. On October 18, 1867, Secretary of State William Seward purchased what was disparagingly known as " Seward's Folly " or "Seward's Icebox" for $7.2 million - less than 2¢ per acre. Alaska soon turned out to be a literal gold mine with major discoveries at Juneau (1880), Nome (1898), and Fairbanks (1902). With logging companies and commercial fishing operations also descending upon Alaska, the government began to take a more active interest in its affairs and in 1959 Alaska became the 49th state.

Alaska's next boom followed the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean, and fortune-seekers headed to Alaska in the mid-1970s to build the trans-Alaska pipeline . Today, Alaska still derives about eighty percent of its wealth from oil and gas; indeed, each resident receives an annual dividend check of almost $2000. But the state is still in economic transition and continues to be prone to extreme boom-and-bust cycles. Once lucrative fishing and lumber industries are fast giving way to tourism as a source of income, and the ethical question of how best to use Alaskan lands in the future has led to bitter controversy, not least over the oil reserves under the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  TOP

By Sea
The ferries of the state-run Alaska Marine Highway System (tel 1-800/642-0066, ) cover many areas unreachable by car, currently operating in two separate regions with an occasional "inter-tie" trip linking. The ferries of the state-run Alaska Marine Highway System (tel 1-800/642-0066, ) cover many areas unreachable by car, currently operating in two separate regions with an occasional "inter-tie" trip linking them. The popular southeast route runs a thousand miles from Bellingham, just north of Seattle, through a wonderland of pristine waters, narrow fjords and untouched forests to Skagway, at the northern end of the Inside Passage stopping at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau and Haines. The whole trip takes three days and costs $277 for walk-on passengers, $624 for a small car, $224 for a motorbike and $45 for bicycles and canoes. It is possible to sleep - and even to pitch a tent - on the "solarium," a covered, heated upper deck, while a two-berth cabin costs from $235. The southwest ferry system connects the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound to the Aleutians, and the new Kennicott ferry now links the two systems by running between Juneau and Seward once a month in summer. Throughout the system, section passenger fares depend on distance traveled: $180 from Bellingham to Ketchikan; $59 from Ketchikan to Sitka; $29 from Sitka to Juneau; and $166 from Juneau to Seward. While the ferry is a bargain for foot passengers prepared to rough it, an extended voyage with vehicle and an overnight cabin (both of which should be booked in advance) becomes very expensive. If you're driving up from the Lower 48, consider boarding a ferry at Prince Rupert in British Columbia, a day's drive north of Seattle. This saves the cost of one day at sea from Bellingham without missing much of the natural spectacle.

By Road
For many people, the drive up to Alaska through Canada is one of the major highlights of a visit to the state. Originally built by the military in just eight months, and with a fearsome reputation, the 1500-mile Alaska Highway is now fully complete. For many people, the drive up to Alaska through Canada is one of the major highlights of a visit to the state. Originally built by the military in just eight months, and with a fearsome reputation, the 1500-mile Alaska Highway is now fully paved (though long sections are often under repair) and equipped with sufficient service stations, campgrounds and hotels along the way. It remains as beautiful as ever, and still demands a spirit of adventure from drivers who attempt it.

No direct buses run to Alaska, though for around $380 (sometimes considerably less) you can hop on a Greyhound in Seattle and, after a few transfers over two grueling days, reach Whitehorse in the Yukon, from where Alaskon Express continues to Haines or Skagway in the southeast, or on the longer haul to Fairbanks and Anchorage.  TOP

Heading north from Anchorage the first essential stop is the tiny town of Talkeetna , which has great views of Mount McKinley and the opportunity to fly around it. The mountain is at the heart of Denali National Park , the jewel of the Interior. If you prefer your wilderness with fewer people and regulations, head east for the vast and untrammeled world of Wrangell-St Elias National Park .

Fairbanks , Alaska's second city, is diverting in its own right and serves as the hub of the North, with roads fanning out to hot springs and the Dalton Highway, threading five hundred miles to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay .

Weather in the region can vary enormously from day to day, with even greater seasonal variations: in winter temperatures can drop to -50°F for days at a time, while summer days reach a sweltering 90°F. However, the major problem during the warmer months is huge mosquitoes; don't forget to bring insect repellent.

Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island
South of Anchorage, the Seward Highway hugs the shore of Turnagain Arm past the ski resort of Alyeska to Girdwood . Just beyond, a side road cuts to the ever-popular Portage Glacier , and continues through a new tunnel to Whittier, little more than a ferry dock for accessing Prince William Sound.

Beyond Portage, the Seward Highway enters the Kenai Peninsula , "Anchorage's playground," which at over nine thousand square miles is larger than some states. The peninsula offers up an endless diversity of activities and scenery, mostly concentrated around major communities such as Seward , the base for cruises into the inspirational Kenai Fjords National Park, and artsy Homer, where the waters and shorelines of the glorious Kachemak Bay State Park are the main destination.

Most Alaskans come to the Kenai Peninsula to fish : the Kenai, Russian and Kasilof rivers host "combat fishing," with thousands of anglers standing elbow to elbow using strength and know-how to pull in thirty-pound-plus king salmon. Campgrounds along the rivers fill up fast, especially in July and August.

A hundred miles beyond Homer in the Gulf of Alaska, the "Emerald Isle" of Kodiak Island offers some of Alaska's most uncommon and pleasing landscapes, and is home to the Kodiak bear, an overgrown subspecies of the grizzly.

Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound , a largely unspoiled wilderness of steep fjords and mountains, glaciers and rainforest, rests calmly at the head of the Gulf of Alaska. Sheltered by the Chugach Mountains in the north and east, and the Kenai Peninsula in the west, and with its sparkling blue waters full of whales, porpoise, sea otters and seals, the Sound has a relatively low-key tourist industry. The only significant settlements, spectacular Valdez , at the end of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, and to a lesser extent Cordova , a fishing community only accessible by sea or air, are the respective bases from which to see the Columbia and Childs glaciers .

The region's first settlers, the Chugach Eskimos, were edged out by the more aggressive Tlingit, who in turn were displaced first by Russian trappers in search of sea otter pelts, and then by American gold prospectors and fishers. The whole glorious show was very nearly spoiled forever on Good Friday 1989, when the Exxon Valdez spilled its cargo of 11 million gallons of crude oil. Although the long-term effects have yet to be fully determined, the spill fortunately affected just a fifth of the Sound and today no surface pollution is visible.

Southeast Alaska
Southeast Alaska - also known as the panhandle - is archetypal Alaska; an awesome six-hundred-mile-long tableau of fjords, mountains, glaciers, a thousand islands, and thick conifer forests lining the Inside Passage . All of its communities have their economic base in lumber, fishing and tourism and are set amid magnificent scenery. The state's southernmost town, Ketchikan , rich in native heritage, makes a pretty introduction, tiny Wrangell emits a pioneer air, while Sitka retains a Russian influence. Further north are swanky Juneau , the capital; Haines , with its mix of old-timers and arty newcomers; and Skagway , thoroughly redolent of the old gold-mining days. You could spend months exploring here, but most are content to focus on the highlights, particularly the towns of Sitka and Skagway, and Glacier Bay National Park , an expensive side trip from Juneau that penetrates one of Alaska's most stunning regions.

The region's first settlers, the Tlingit ( Hlin-git ), were joined somewhat violently by Russian expansionists at the end of the eighteenth century. A steady stream of freelance profiteers, keen on tapping the region's gold, fur, fish and lumber, soon followed, and today its small communities resound with tales of endurance, folly and cruelty.

With no roads connecting towns, by far the best way to travel is by ferry , though at some stage make sure you take a floatplane ride. For a true outdoor adventure, you can rent a cabin in the huge Tongass National Forest - which encompasses most of southeast Alaska - for around $35 per night; details from the visitor centers in Juneau and Ketchikan, or through the NRRS reservation service.   TOP