Alaska Outdoors

Photo by Don Miller Don Miller took this photograph of a Lituya Bay hillside shortly after the giant wave in 1958.

Alaska Science Forum: The giant wave of Lituya Bay

In 1958, a magnitude 8.3 earthquake triggered a tremendous landslide into the ocean.

Photo by Don Miller Don Miller took this photograph of a Lituya Bay hillside shortly after the giant wave in 1958.
Old growth habitat is as impressive as it is spectacular. (Photo by Jeff Lund/Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: The right investments

Engaged participation in restoration and meaningful investment in recreation can make the future of Southeast special

Old growth habitat is as impressive as it is spectacular. (Photo by Jeff Lund/Juneau Empire)
Broad-petaled gentian flowers were almost hidden in the other vegetation. (M.F. Wilson)

On the Trails: Late summer flowers

A stroll on the dike trail yielded floral signs that it was now late summer

Broad-petaled gentian flowers were almost hidden in the other vegetation. (M.F. Wilson)
Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire A black bear eats dandelions in a field on June 20 in Juneau.

Weekly Wonder: Bears: Beloved fuzzy Juneau residents — Part 1

My favorite sight, often visible from Egan drive, is the black bear

Chloe Anderson for the Juneau Empire A black bear eats dandelions in a field on June 20 in Juneau.
A young bear scampers up from the slough. (Photo by Dawn Halls/courtesy)

On the Trails: Fun in the sun

Sometimes there is good fun right outside one’s doorstep

A young bear scampers up from the slough. (Photo by Dawn Halls/courtesy)
Chloe Anderson / Juneau Empire A pod of killer whales is pictured in the Lynn Canal on June 3.

Weekly Wonder: The gray area around black and white

Orcinus orca loosely translates to “barrel-chested creature from hell”

Chloe Anderson / Juneau Empire A pod of killer whales is pictured in the Lynn Canal on June 3.
Photo courtesy Jeff Lund The author’s wife with a Dolly Varden.

I Went to the Woods: The fly fishing ecosystem

Anyone who didn’t drop rent on a single rod on their first trip into a fly shop remembers their own journey to the top tier of fly rod technology

Photo courtesy Jeff Lund The author’s wife with a Dolly Varden.
A flying bat shows its extended hand and fingers of its “hand-wing.” (Photo by Bob Armstrong/courtesy)

On the Trails: Bats in the belfry

There are now six species of bat known to be resident in Southeast

A flying bat shows its extended hand and fingers of its “hand-wing.” (Photo by Bob Armstrong/courtesy)
Humpback whales bubblenet feed in Saginaw Channel on July 18, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Anderson/Juneau Empire)

Weekly Wonder: Bubblenet feeding shows the humanity in humpback whales

Bubblenet feeding is a complex cooperative behavior handed down from one generation of whales to the next

Humpback whales bubblenet feed in Saginaw Channel on July 18, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Chloe Anderson/Juneau Empire)
The Treadwell Ditch Bridge (Photo courtesy of Trail Mix, Inc.)

Treadwell Ditch Trail fully reconnected from Eaglecrest to South Douglas, project organizers announce

The milestone marks the first time in over a century that the trail is fully connected

The Treadwell Ditch Bridge (Photo courtesy of Trail Mix, Inc.)
Photo by Jeff Lund Cruise ships are needed and welcome, but why can’t we find money to accommodate the local way of life rather than catering to the tourism industry?

I Went to the Woods: The original Southeast Alaska cruise

The ferry is charming. It demands patience.

Photo by Jeff Lund Cruise ships are needed and welcome, but why can’t we find money to accommodate the local way of life rather than catering to the tourism industry?
Photo by Dave Harris/courtesy A toad tadpole and a dragonfly nymph meet head-on.

On the Trails: Pleasures of taking a daily walk

Sometimes we enjoy seeing something expected; sometimes there are surprises

Photo by Dave Harris/courtesy A toad tadpole and a dragonfly nymph meet head-on.
Dark-eyed juncos make a typical nest cup of woven plant fibers. (Photo by Bob Armstrong/courtesy)

On the Trails: Bird nests: Variations on a theme

Within the range of more ordinary cup-like woven nests, there is a lot of variation in construction, using different materials

Dark-eyed juncos make a typical nest cup of woven plant fibers. (Photo by Bob Armstrong/courtesy)
Cow parsnip inflorescences often attract crowds of small insects. (Photo Bob Armstrong/courtesy)

On The Trails: Some early summer observations

At the very end of June, with just one monster cruise ship in, a friend and I ventured up the tram in between rain showers

Cow parsnip inflorescences often attract crowds of small insects. (Photo Bob Armstrong/courtesy)
The shoot killed by last year's willow rose is surrounded by exuberant new shoots. (Photo by Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Spittlebugs, shore pines and avian juveniles

A friend and I strolled out to Nugget Falls, accompanied by the songs of warbling vireos

The shoot killed by last year's willow rose is surrounded by exuberant new shoots. (Photo by Mary F. Willson)
Public lands are a unique privilege that Americans should relish and protect. (Photo courtesy Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: The comment section: Where discourse goes to die

Someone always takes it upon themselves to filter a post, headline, story or ideas through their political view and come up with a divisive hot take.

Public lands are a unique privilege that Americans should relish and protect. (Photo courtesy Jeff Lund)
The dainty little flowers of sheep sorrel are either male or female, but not both. (Photo courtesy Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Butterworts, leaf rollers, and invasive flowers

On a bright, sunny day in mid-June, a friend and I strolled on the Lower Loop trail at Eaglecrest. Out in the meadows, we found… Continue reading

The dainty little flowers of sheep sorrel are either male or female, but not both. (Photo courtesy Mary F. Willson)
The author with a king salmon caught on a fly rod. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: No time like the present

The end of my line thrashed back and forth at the surface, throwing water in every direction. But the fish didn’t turn and run, so… Continue reading

The author with a king salmon caught on a fly rod. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Lund)
Male wood ducks have colorful plumage and do not share parental duties. (Photo courtesy of Kerry Howard)

On the Trails: Wood ducks

Wood ducks nest seasonally in forested areas across North America from coast to coast in southern Canada and the northern tier of states. From southern… Continue reading

Male wood ducks have colorful plumage and do not share parental duties. (Photo courtesy of Kerry Howard)
Natural hydrogen gas may be trapped under the surface of Alaska in many areas, such as here in the Brooks Range. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Geologic hydrogen may be an answer

The internal combustion engine is less than 100 years old. Same for the technologies we have developed to pull oil and gas from the ground.… Continue reading

Natural hydrogen gas may be trapped under the surface of Alaska in many areas, such as here in the Brooks Range. (Photo by Ned Rozell)