Anchorage Alaska Photos

Alaska is almost one-fifth the size of the entire lower 48 states. However the population of Alaska is just over 648,000…and most of population concentration is in Anchorage.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage is located on a peninsula in Cook Inlet. The Anchorage bowl area is largely built on alluvium out pour over the centuries from the glacial movement and sediment run-off. Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm fall to either side of the Anchorage area. The Upper Cook Inlet near Anchorage has the second greatest tide range in North America at 38.9 feet. Water falls to the west of Anchorage and the Chugach Mountains rise on the eastern side. Six mountain ranges can be seen from Anchorage: Alaska Range (and Mt. McKinley), the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna Mountains, Tordrillo Mountains, Kenai Mountains, and the Aleutian Range. Anchorage sits as far north as Helsinki, Finland.

Alaska Range as seen from Anchorage

Anchorage's daylight ranges from 5.5 hours in the winter to 19.5 hours of daylight in the summer (although solstice in Anchorage still sees usable daylight long into the night). Due to its location along the coast, Anchorage also sees mild temperatures with an average of 15 degrees in winter and 58 degrees in summer.

Alaska made national news in 1964 when on March 27th an earthquake measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale (strongest ever recorded in North America) devastated much of Anchorage's downtown area. The movement of the quake lasted 4-5 minutes with 52 aftershocks of significant size afterwards. Homes and buildings tumbled down the bluffs of Turnagain Arm, high-rise buildings shed their outer skin and sunk to only half their original height. Automobiles were tossed or crushed, and houses fell into gashes in the earth. In Anchorage alone, 115 people lost their lives, and the state was declared a natural disaster. However, within days, Alaskans began to restore the town, businesses, and homes.

1964 Earthquake

Anchorage is sometimes referred to as the "Air Crossroads of the World." Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport sees hundreds of flights a day and has become a major gateway for incoming tourists headed to many of Alaska's destinations and a stopover or re-fueling point for international flights.

"Air Crossroads of the World"

It is not uncommon to see moose wandering the streets and back roads of Anchorage. Although caution must be especially given in the spring and early summer when female moose are often protecting their calves. It is well-known etiquette (and simply smart) to always back away and go a different direction when you come across a mother and her young. Black bear and, on occasion, Grizzly have been known to find their way into Anchorage. With the close proximity to the Chugach Mountains, wildlife often finds Anchorage an intriguing place to visit.

A moose at home in Anchorage

Although Anchorage still retains many of the characteristics of a frontier town, it offers many of the same features as major cities in the lower 48 such as museums, theatre, libraries, symphony orchestra, opera, and dance. Anchorage has more than 200 churches and over 80 schools including the University of Alaska and the Alaska Pacific University.

For more information on visiting Anchorage or Alaska, visit the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Downtown Anchorage

Books of Interest

Alaska Geographic - Anchorage

Alaska Earthquake '64 - A collection of 50 first-person reminiscences of the great Alaska Earthquake of 1964. This book contains some amusing anecdotes, heartwarming stories, and a few terrifying tales, as well as a section on earthquake preparedness.