My memories of travel to Alaska are awash with colours, all distinctly beautiful and varying with the seasons. The glaciers, wide open spaces, mountains, wildlife, island-dotted coastlines and extensive backcountry of “The Last Frontier” offer unforgettable experiences whether you choose summer or winter, land or sea.
In the nearly endless daylight of summer’s midnight sun, everything seems to sparkle – from the impossibly bright blues of the glaciers to the gleaming white snow caps on the mountain peaks.
I particularly love the Tongass, the old-growth temperate rainforest that covers most of Southeast Alaska. Shafts of hazy yellow light filter through the gaps between the lush cedar and Sitka spruce, illuminating the subtle shades of green on the forest floor carpeted with ferns, lichens and moss.
Autumn comes early this far north, and the subarctic, low land tundra erupts into fiery shades of red, yellow and orange – it feels a bit like the changing of autumn leaves transformed into a thick ground carpet.
While in Denali, I was treated to a soft dusting of delicately white snow, yet was still lucky enough to see the imposing outline of the highest mountain peak in North America during my stay. The first two weeks of September are when things start to wind down in anticipation of winter, and nearly everywhere we went in the area was preparing for their annual hibernation.
The brief, dusky days of winter envelop the vast snowy wilderness in soft pastel shades of pink, blue and lavender.
Aboard the Alaska Railroad’s Aurora Winter Train, I watched the mesmerising landscape passing by in the picture windows, in awe of how many different shades of white there seemed to be. On crisp, clear nights, the darkness is interrupted by the magical northern lights. Above all, these are the colours that will remain etched in my mind forever.
One night they were a soft green glow that gently waved on the horizon. On another, they were dynamic bands of light, coming to life as green, white and purple piano keys being played across the sky. Evenings were spent sitting in a cosy warm cabin, with one eye on a website for aurora notifications, then rushing outside at the first sign of the lights.
No matter when you choose to go, you’ll find the seasonal colours of Alaska to be truly spellbinding!
Inspiration on Alaska…
Alaska Fjords & Glaciers – small-ship expedition-style cruising from Ketchikan to Juneau (or v.v) with UnCruise Adventures
Katmai Wilderness Lodge – this eco-friendly lodge is set in Katmai National Park, home to the largest grizzlies and the highest concentration of grizzlies in the world, along with other wildlife
Wonders of Alaska Self-Drive – a great combo of the Alaska Railroad to Denali and Fairbanks, with self-drive to Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park
