| Alaska: The Land of Hiking |
| Alaska is viewed as the last frontier, the last oasis of wilderness, a hiker's paradise. This book is for those who want to access these pristine landscapes via trail. It is my hope that you find this book as interesting and exciting in planning your own adventures as it was for me compiling, verifying, and savoring each tiny piece of the puzzle. |
| The purpose of the book is to give information about trails that are accessed by existing transportation systems. Aside from roads, which form the core of the transportation system, Alaska also has the marine highway in Southeast and Southcentral, allowing additional access to even more trails. This book focuses on summer and fall hiking opportunities, but there are many other trails strictly open to cross-country skiers, ORV drivers and snowmobilers in winter. Simply contact the controlling agency for information. The book attempts to be as comprehensive as possible, covering everything from the half-mile interpretive trail focusing on bog ecology to the 30-mile wilderness mountain trail. After an initial comprehensive study of all trails in the region, some trails were omitted from the guide for various reasonsbecause they crossed private lands, were not adequately maintained, or were not managed for the hiker. |
| Choosing the ''right" trail can mean many things to the same person. It can be a spontaneous decision to take an afternoon out of doors. Or, it can be a week-long trip into the high country to relax and take pictures of wildflowers or wildlife. It might be an adventurous stay in a public cabin, with walks radiating out to points of interest each day. In any case, this book should give you sufficient information for the stand-alone trip where hiking is the primary activity, as well as a trip where hiking simply gets you to your destination, such as a lake or public cabin. |
| Helping to choose the "right" setting for your hiking adventure is also important. There are many varied geological and ecological environments. Some are very exciting and attractive; others are less stimulating. Still others are not very appealing at all. That said, most designated trails typically lead through and to some of the most stunning natural areas in the state. Trail profiles throughout this book will give you an idea of the landscape and features you might encounter en route. Potential constraints on trail usage, such as season, presence of bears, steepness of the trail, etc., are also taken into consideration. |
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