Common Sites in Alaska

Image by Star's Fault via Flickr

There are things I see every day here in Alaska that I have come to love.  There are some things that are common to see here on regular basis that just are not so common in other places.  Here are some of those daily or almost daily sightings that I just love!

• Snowmachines and ATVs running along side the roads.
• Kennel Trucks with musher sleds on top.
• Dog mushers racing their dogs.
• No matter what season it is, people are out and about using the trail and climbing the mountains.
• Bush planes.
• Ice Fishing tents on the lakes.
• People wearing only jackets and sweaters when it hits 30 degrees because it is warm.
• Moose, bear, and dall sheep along the roads and in yards.
• Bald Eagles are as common as robins in other parts of the country.
• Wearing real fur is not only acceptable but almost expected!
• Homemade ice rinks in people’s yards.
• Paragliders jumping off the mountain tops.
• Mountains, mountains everywhere you look.
• The most AMAZING sunsets I have ever seen.
• Trees that literally lay down under the weight of the snow.
• Great big and rugged beards!
• People checking out each other’s rifles in the Fred Meyer parking lot.
• Dip nets.
• Downtown murals in Anchorage.
• Beluga Whales swimming in the Cook Inlet.
• The unbelievably long days of sunshine in the summer.
• Fireweed, ferns, and arctic poppies.
• More outdoor trails than you could ever imagine hiking.
• Diversity of the scenery(tall pines, scrawny pines, rain forest, ocean side, tundra, majestic mountains, volcanos, hot springs).
• Snow & Ice sculptures.
• Whalebone carvings and native Alaskan art.
• Gorgeous Alpenglow.
• Snowshoes….I especially love the old wooden ones.

What is it that you love about where you live that maybe isn’t so common elsewhere?  Other Alaskans, can you add some more?