From the dense, misty rainforests of Oregon to the last desolate, treeless island in the Aleutian chain, North America's northwest coast is a land of staggering natural beauty. Along the coast, sharp young peaks soar skyward from the water's edge, spilling pieces of glacier into the ocean at their bases. Human settlements of varying sizes and degrees of polish mark the spots where rivers meet the coast, pointing the way to the country's interior. There, peaks give way to sometimes arable land, desert, tundra, and more mountains, peppered with more cities and towns.
America's "Last Frontier" is a vast and awesome land of adventure. Lush rainforests, deep fjords, glacial icefields, immense tundra and the greatest mountains in the Americas combined with super abundant wildlife, make Alaska one of the most interesting and rewarding places to visit. It was Henry Gannett, Chief Geographer of the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition who said that "The scenery of Alaska is so much grander than anything else of the kind in the world that once beheld, all other scenery becomes flat and insipid." Alaska is a place where the spectacular is commonplace.
For thousands of years, human settlement in the region has relied on natural resources. In the last two hundred years, human activities have significantly impacted the land---enthusiastic logging, mining, and fishing proved the land isn't inexhaustible---but the birth of the environmental spirit in the late 20th century is revitalizing the region's natural charm. That spirit (visible in the adoption of sustainable practices by resource-based industries) and the explosive growth of tourism (dependent on the beauty of the region's forests) have helped modern governments see old-growth forests as something more than raw lumber.
While you are assured of seeing many visitors wherever you go, with a minimum of effort you are just as able to lose the crowds. For example, while Banff National Park, in the Rockies, welcomes five million visitors a year, the right dayhike---or a visit to one of the park's lesser-known neighbors---is all it takes to find solitude. For those overwhelmed by the boundless backcountry, a community of welcoming hostels, quirky communities, and laid-back cities anchor the wilderness.
When To Go
In general, tourist season in the US and Canada runs from late May to early September. In Canada, the beginning is marked by the Victoria Day long weekend; in the US, the Memorial Day long weekend. Summer ends with the Labour/Labor Day long weekend at the beginning of September. In the off season, accommodations may be cheaper and less crowded, but sights you traveled so far to see may also be closed, and camping is not nearly as pleasant. On national holidays, many sights and all banks and government offices will be closed, and transportation may run on restricted schedules. The coastal cities are justly famous for rain, which pours down 10 months of the year. The rain-producing ocean also keeps coastal temperatures moderate year-round. In Portland and Vancouver, a few snow days a year are the norm, but it doesn't stick around at lower elevations. To the east of the coastal mountains, expect less precipitation, warmer summers, and colder winters. The same variation is experienced up north, only on a shifted scale---winters in the interior of the Yukon and Alaska are bitterly cold, while summers are merely cool. As in the south, things are more even on the coast.
Capital - Juneau
Population - 550,000
Area - 570,000 Square Miles
Glaciers -About 5,000
Lakes - Over 3,000,000
State Bird - The Willow Ptarmigan
