We're often asked about Alaska: Answers to Burning Questions

I have a few good infographics and funnies about Alaska. I got them from the "Alaska Life" page on Facebook.  Their website has photos, news, information, and they also sell fun t-shirts, sweatshirts, and misc with their Alaska Life logo. Please feel free to buy me anything that looks interesting. ;-)

Let's start with size, because to Alaskans it matters.

We're tired of being shown off the coast of California.  So turnabout is fair, the U.S. in the Gulf of Alaska/Pacific Ocean.

From California, to Minnesota, to Florida. I am always asked what the weather is like in Alaska. How would you answer?

The farthest North, West and Eastern State.

How about daylight, it's another part of Alaska that people "outside" are curious about. (Outside: Anywhere outside the state, but is generally the term Alaskans use for the continental 48 states. When a local goes on vacation, they are headed "outside.")  

Sun barely coming up, and sun barely going down.

I can't even remember how many times I have been asked if I live in an igloo. I usually said, "yes", just for fun.

It's way more than igloos here!

How does the population stack up?

I'll take my 530 acres with the caribou please.

And the bears....

Always be "bear aware", the Alaska Dept of Fish and Game has an excellent bear safety class.

Ice and glacier conversations come with lots of controversy. global warming and all. I do know that glaciers have been advancing and receding for hundreds of years all on their own. 

"Even though some of Alaska's glaciers melted entirely during the warming trend that began thousands of years ago, ice fields are still found in northern Southeast and eastern Southcentral Alaska. They cover 28,800 square miles, or 4.9 per cent of Alaska's total land area. Malaspina Glacier is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Washington, D.C. could fit on Prince William Sound's Columbia Glacier." (Alaska History and Cultural Studies)

If you join us on Denali Rose, we will take you to see glaciers.

How about the trees, and forests.

Lots of trees, but our lumber industry is virtually non-existent, most of it locked up in Natl Parks.

Forest fires are mostly started by lightening, and humans, and some should be allowed to burn, helps regrowth.

We're an odd bunch of independent people.

Alaska Airlines paints their planes to reflect our state.

January and February tend to be the coldest time, and we are getting antsy for warmer temps and more sunlight.

This is the worst.....

Learn to speak Alaskan.  

Yes, I know, politically incorrect. Deal with it - we have more than one hunting rifle.

Then there are those who think that all weather tires, or 4-wheel drive vehicles without snow tires are good enough, 

My car has all four tires siped and studded, and it is a full-time 4-wheel drive.

The feeling for Alaska is either, "I hate it here, can't wait to move out!" or "I love it here, I want to stay forever!"

Those that stay, enjoy their lives here.

Lisa Murkowski; One of Alaska's senators, explains the state of land ownership in Alaska.  We own 

about 8 acres of the less than 1% of Alaska that is privately owned.  

Just some other tongue in cheek explanations, which are frightening, because they are so accurate.

11 signs you were born and raised in Alaska

Things people from Alaska have to explain

Alaskan Stereotypes that are completely accurate.