The Rough Guide to Alaska 3

by Paul Whitfield, Rough Guides

The Rough Guide to Alaska is your complete guidebook to one of the world''s greatest adventure destinations. From the wildlife of the Glacier Bay National Park to cruising the epic highways, the full-colour introduction highlights all the ‘things-not-to-miss’. There are insider reviews of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, both on and off the beaten track, with the new ‘Author’s Pick’ feature highlighting the very best options. There are evocative accounts of the state''s varied wilderness, from the majestic peak of Denali to the glaciers of Prince William Sound, plus lively reports on Anchorage, Fairbanks, and all the states rough-hewn towns. There is plenty of expert advice on a multitude of outdoor activities, from hiking, kayaking, rafting and even trying your hand at panning for gold or riding a husky sled.

The Rough Guide to Alaska is like having a local friend plan your trip!

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

608 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2001

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in 2010 in anticipation of a 2011 trip north. As is the norm for my wife and me, we like to read through several books on our target destinations as we attempt to put together an itinerary. The Rough Guide was extremely valuable for this. One thing about the Rough Guides is that they offer sage advice for those on a modest or very modest budget, and favor those with an affection for camping and hiking. Sadly, that does my old bones little good, but there is plenty of information in the book to warrant its inclusion in the library of anyone planning a trip to number 49. And if I had to pick one, among the several guides I have read, it would be this one. I would suggest, however, checking for the latest update. As of this writing (July 2010) the 2007 version is their latest.

[Helene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Alaska travel books that I have read, this, though perhaps the oldest, was packed with information and funny to boot. It's nice when a travel-guru has a sense of humor! Again, I did not read the entire book but only on the places I would be visiting and all of the history and general information.

Here's a funny: "In Alaska you don't need to worry about snakes, spiders, or poison oak, but bears and, particularly, mosquitoes can be troublesome. The size and number of mosquitoes is legendary and with good reason, though you also have to contend with no-see-ums (very small bitey things) and white socks (small black flies with white feet)." [Page 25]

And another: "Nights spent chatting in historic roadhouses or spit-and-sawdust wayside bars are likely to be some of the most enjoyable (though poorly remembered) times you'll have in Alaska." [Page 54]

Again: "In 1808 Novo Arkhangel'sk (New Archangel) became the colonial capital, with food imported from Fort Rose in California and a social scene of dress balls and grand receptions. Still, those who described it as the "Paris of the Pacific" had obviously never been to Paris." [Page 125] New Archangel became Sitka.

Now here is a State Fair worth going to! The Mat-Su region has mega-veggies. "The happy convergence of twenty hours of summer sunlight and a deep, rockless bed of loess (a type of glacial soil) allows the Mat-Su Valley to produce gargantuan vegetables, notably freak cabbages weighing in at close to a hundred pounds, as well as six-pound onions, eight-pound carrots, and once a single pea pod weighing a quarter of a pound. Astoundingly, the record pumpkin for the area is almost 350 pounds." [Page 353]

In talking about The Iditarod, the author states: "The "official" length is 1049 miles -- a round thousand plus a reminder that this is the 49th state -- but it is actually considerably longer: the shorter northern route through Ruby, followed in even-numbered years is around 1150 miles, while the 1180-mile southern route traced in odd-numbered years passes through the gold-rush gold town of Iditarod -- a mispronunciation of "Hidedhod, "Ingalik for "a distant place." [Page 360]

So lot's of information here, not just things to see and do but facts and history. Well worth the read! I might have given it 5 stars if I had had a more current version, but this one went back to 2004.