American Countryside » Alaska

Breaking Trails in the World of Sled Dog Racing

Tom — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:01:42 +0000

The first Saturday in March is the start of the Iditarod sled dog race. The state of Alaska also sets the date as a annual memorial to this woman who won that race five times. This is the story of her kennel and her legacy as told by her husband…

Mushing Dogs All Year Long

Tom — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:01:30 +0000

Imagine a race that last 8 to 10 days in which each competitor braves extreme temperatures and gets only 1 to 2 hours a sleep each day. It’s part of life for this family.

Dog Mushing

Tom — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:01:47 +0000

Although dog mushing races like the Iditarod and Yukon Quest are winter time events, the training goes on year round. Today we go to the kennels of a four-time Iditarod winner for a look at the what goes into make a championship team…..

An Anchorage Vendor

Tom — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:01:07 +0000

When we think of reindeer we may have visions of animals pulling Santa’s sled. However, if you head to downtown Anchorage, you’ll learn what happened to the reindeer that couldn’t fly…

The Soapy Smith Gang

Tom — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:01:22 +0000

Mr. Smith had a telegraph office and a friendly group of men that could send your message for a fee. Too bad those messages never actually went anywhere. Here’s the story of a telegraph office and the notorious gang that swindled thousands of dollars…

The Path to Gold

Tom — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:01:02 +0000

For many this trail to gold began in Seattle, but the toughest part of the journey was in the mountains above Skagway, Alaska.

North to Alaska!

Tom — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:01:12 +0000

Just about every gold rush has the same story line: Gold is discovered, a handful of people early to the gold field strike it rich, tens of thousands follow only to find all the gold is gone. But no matter the similar pattern, the story is always fascinating…

The Rendezvous Theatre

Tom — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:01:30 +0000

When hunters and trappers would gather once each season, it was often called a rendezvous. In Alaska and the Yukon Territory, there is still a rendezvous, although the types of people it draws are more varied and widespread than a century ago…

Alaska’s Salmon

Tom — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:01:53 +0000

To many of us, salmon are just another type of fish we might eat. But to the people of Alaska, this is a fish that may have even a spiritual meaning…

Alaskan Riverboats

Tom — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:01:45 +0000

When the city of Fairbanks swelled with the Klondike gold rush in the late 1800s, a fleet of riverboats began to sail the river waters hauling supplies. When the riverboats came, something else began to change…