Alaska Outdoors

The Anan Wildlife Observatory is located 30 miles southeast of the town of Wrangell. Anan Creek has the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska, which supports the high density of black and brown bears. The facilities consists of a covered viewing shelter, decks, photo blind, and an outhouse.

Observatory permits soon

WRANGELL—Permits will soon become available for those wanting an opportunity to view bears at Anan Wildlife Observatory this summer. Starting Feb. 1 at 8 a.m.,… Continue reading

The Anan Wildlife Observatory is located 30 miles southeast of the town of Wrangell. Anan Creek has the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska, which supports the high density of black and brown bears. The facilities consists of a covered viewing shelter, decks, photo blind, and an outhouse.

Treadwell comment period extended

The US Forest Service is providing an additional six-day comment period on the Treadwell Ditch Trail Environmental Assessment by accepting comments from Jan. 20 through… Continue reading

Girls on Ice accepting applications

Girls on Ice, a free wilderness education program, is accepting applications now through Jan. 29. Each year, two teams of nine teenage girls and three… Continue reading

Commerce secretary approves halibut bycatch plan

The Secretary of Commerce has approved a fishery management plan amendment to reduce halibut bycatch in four sectors of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands… Continue reading

In Cook Inlet, some groups are asking what oil and gas development may do to beluga whale habitat.

Beluga concerns arise for Cook Inlet oil leasing

With the annual lease sale approaching and the Alaska LNG Project proposed to enter Cook Inlet, some groups are asking what oil and gas development… Continue reading

In Cook Inlet, some groups are asking what oil and gas development may do to beluga whale habitat.
Hikers approach one of Icelands many waterfalls.

Traveling Outside: A landscape of hidden folk

After my daughter and I returned from a recent trip to Iceland, I began thinking about how Icelandic alpine is different from Juneau’s. I knew… Continue reading

Hikers approach one of Icelands many waterfalls.
Oliver Shanley the poodle stands on the porch of John Muir Cabin, where he stayed the night of Dec. 23, 2014. During the last fiscal year, the cabin was rented 263 nights, a new record.

Juneau cabins break attendance records

Juneau’s U.S. Forest Service roadside cabins set rental records this year.For the fiscal year between Oct. 1, 2014 and Sept. 20, 2015, “we posted the… Continue reading

Oliver Shanley the poodle stands on the porch of John Muir Cabin, where he stayed the night of Dec. 23, 2014. During the last fiscal year, the cabin was rented 263 nights, a new record.
Common murres swim in Auke Bay in December. Local birder Gus van Vliet counted between 3,000 and 4,000 of the birds in Auke Bay in late November and early December. A large number have also been gathering at the mouth of Glacier Bay. Usually, this time of year, the birds winter away from coastal areas, but thousands have been washing ashore, dead, in Prince William Sound and Southcentral Alaska. Some dead birds have also been recorded in Sitka and Glacier Bay.

Murres in Southeast affected by die-off

One of Alaska’s most common seabirds is dying off in unusually high numbers, and though the majority of common murres found dead have been in… Continue reading

Common murres swim in Auke Bay in December. Local birder Gus van Vliet counted between 3,000 and 4,000 of the birds in Auke Bay in late November and early December. A large number have also been gathering at the mouth of Glacier Bay. Usually, this time of year, the birds winter away from coastal areas, but thousands have been washing ashore, dead, in Prince William Sound and Southcentral Alaska. Some dead birds have also been recorded in Sitka and Glacier Bay.

Traveling Outside

We Southeast Alaskans love Southeast Alaska, but we also love traveling to other (usually less rainy) parts of the world and hiking, biking, birding, scuba… Continue reading

A short-tailed weasel in mid-winter.

On the Trails: January ice and snow

A bright, cold day—just right for a little exploration. A friend and I headed for Hilda meadows: up Trickster (not groomed), onto the groomed upper… Continue reading

A short-tailed weasel in mid-winter.

A day of adaptive skiing

Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL)/Outdoor Recreation and Community Access (ORCA) have teamed up with Eaglecrest Ski Area for their annual “Learn to Adapt” Day (Adaptive… Continue reading

New report provides conservation and management strategies for climate-sensitive yellow-cedar in Alaska

The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station Wednesday released a new report that outlines a climate adaptation strategy for yellow-cedar in Alaska. The report,… Continue reading

Learn to ski and snowboard

January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, which includes the 34th annual Learn to Ski Weekend on January 16 and 17 at Eaglecrest Ski… Continue reading

JGC’s most recent shoot results

On yet another, wet, overcast, beautiful dark day in Alaska’s capital city, the Juneau Gun Club held a PITA Registered Shoot. Only four members showed.… Continue reading

Fireside lecture: Kittlitz’s Murrelets

The second Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Fireside Lecture of the season features U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist Michelle Kissling discussing Kittlitz’s Murrelets. The birds… Continue reading

Treadwell comment period ending

The comment period for improvements the US Forest Service plans on Treadwell Ditch Trail between the Blueberry Hill and Bonnie Brae access trails ends Tuesday,… Continue reading

New Ranger takes reins of Petersburg District

KETCHIKAN - A new ranger has been selected to guide the Tongass National Forest’s Petersburg Ranger District. Dave Zimmerman, Timber and Special Forest Products program… Continue reading

Nordic Ski Team Race

Keep an eye out for the Juneau Nordic Ski Team, which is conducting two days of “Peaceful Pursuits” races this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, they’ll… Continue reading

Healy Rep. proposes ‘lite’ fish hatcheries

Fairbanks’ Ruth Burnett Sport Fish Hatchery is a towering complex of tanks, tubes and growing fish.It also carried a towering price tag. When it opened… Continue reading

Mountain conditions

New snow (24 hours):• Base: 0 inches• Top: 0 inchesNew Snow (48 hours):• Base: 0 inches• Top: 0 inchesTotal snow:• Base: 18 inches• Top: 86… Continue reading