Is a Trip to Alaska All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

You know the old saying, “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Having heard great things about Alaska and seen pictures of its magnificent beauty, you may be wondering if that saying applies to the 49th state. 

Alaska truly is an amazing place, with jaw-dropping scenery, wide-open spaces, and peaceful surroundings. It does have some negative characteristics, though, that you should be aware of if considering a trip to the Last Frontier. 


Mosquitoes

You’ve likely heard the joke about mosquitoes being Alaska’s state bird. They’re not quite that big, but you can see them. The bountiful lakes, ponds, rivers, and creeks in the state give mosquitoes lots of places to lay eggs. 

We found mosquitoes to be the most plentiful and annoying during the month of June. The tiny creatures easily found their way into our rig. I had my arm outside the blankets while sleeping one night and woke up to numerous itchy welts on it. 

The two mosquito rackets* we invested in before our trip to Alaska came in quite handy to battle the pests. There’s something satisfying about hearing the insects fry. (That’s how bad they are.) The netting hoods* we purchased also helped when we spent time outdoors, as did the insect repellent wipes we bought. 

We got a plug-in bug trap later in the season. Because the population of mosquitoes had already subsided, we didn’t find the device super effective after only one night of use, but it did make for a great night light.


Lack of Darkness

Speaking of night lights, you don’t need them for many hours, if at all, during the summer months. Alaska is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun for good reason: Because of its position in the northern hemisphere, the state doesn’t get very dark in the summer.

In Fairbanks in June, the sky never gets pitch black, although it does approach twilight for a couple of hours each night. After the summer solstice, the days start to get a tad shorter, especially if you head south. 

Many people struggle with the lack of darkness. We got used to going to bed with the sun still high in the sky. We pulled our room-darkening shades to give the trailer more of a night feel, and our bathroom skylight made a natural night light. Darkness seemed strange when I encountered it in San Francisco on a work trip a couple of months later. I had forgotten what it was like.


Desolate Roads 

Alaska’s wide-open spaces allow plenty of room for people to spread out. Unless you’re near Anchorage or Fairbanks — or on the Kenai peninsula during the salmon runs — you’re not likely to run into much traffic. (You will, however, come across potholes and frost heaves.) On many roads, you can go for miles or hours without seeing or hearing another vehicle.

Because of this desolation, you’re at the mercy of small-town service station workers, or good-samaritan passersby, if you do have a breakdown. We know because my cousin had an issue with his boat trailer after we met him in Glennallen to go to his remote cabin. 

After getting the boat and trailer towed to the sole service station in the area around 3 p.m. on a Friday, we didn’t leave with the trailer’s integrity intact until about 5 p.m. on Saturday, more than 24 hours later. 


Few Store and Restaurant Chains 

Service stations aren’t the only rarities in the Last Frontier. Store and restaurant chains are too. The only places you’ll find retail, food, and coffee chains in Alaska are in the big cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks and their suburbs. If you get a hankering for McDonald’s or Taco Bell while elsewhere in the state, you’ll likely be disappointed. 

Expect to see lots of mom-and-pop shops. Tok, for example, has a Thai restaurant and an American restaurant, and that’s pretty much it. We prefer those small-town establishments anyway because they give us a better taste, literally, of the areas we visit. 

You may or may not find a supermarket chain. We came across a Fred Meyer in Soldotna, a Safeway in Valdez, and an IGA in Glennallen. Alaska has its own grocery store chain, too: Three Bears Alaska has 12 supermarkets in the state. 


High Costs

Expansiveness and unadulterated magnificence come at a price. Because everything has to be trucked, shipped, or flown into Alaska from a great distance, costs for groceries, restaurant meals, fuel, automotive parts, and practically everything else are expensive. Even with awareness of that, you may have sticker shock. 


Rain and Mud

You will have rainy days in Alaska, especially in the coastal regions. We experienced many, which made for muddy messes inside and outside our trailer. A summer in Alaska is definitely not glamping. 

On a good note, rain in the 49th state is different from rain in the Lower 48. Alaska gets more drizzles than downpours. Because of that, it’s easier to do things outdoors even with “showers.” You just have to dress for the occasion. 

That said, rain can ruin plans and visibility. A foggy, rainy morning limited our views on the wildlife glacier cruise we took in Valdez. We had a wonderful time on the tour anyway and were able to see quite a few things. 

When we moved to Valdez from Homer, the forecast called for rain all week. The weather changes quickly in Alaska, and we were blessed to enjoy multiple nice days in the city at the end of the Alaska pipeline. We’re glad we didn’t let the predicted outlook deter us. 

But don’t expect to get a suntan in Alaska. More often than not, you’ll likely be wearing layers to keep warm. 

There are pros and cons to everything. As far as we’re concerned, the positive attributes of Alaska far outweigh the negative. The state’s awe-inspiring grandeur is not too good to be true. In fact, some of Alaska’s seemingly unfavorable traits contribute to its allure. 

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