Useful Alaska Travel Tips

Here are a few Alaska travel tips that you probably won't find elsewhere. This is NOT about how to get around Alaska, places to go, things to do, places to stay, or sights to see – those are found elsewhere on this site. For information on language and terms used in Alaska, see the Alaska terms page.



Alaska Travel Tips on ALASKAN PLANTS TO AVOID:

Devil's Club - The plant I warned you about when you're wandering in the woods, is called, "Devil's Club". It looks like a tropical plant with its huge, pale green leaves, on 2 - 6 foot stems. In the fall it has large clusters of red berries on top that bears love to eat.

Huge Devils Club Leaves are Easy to Spot

The leaves are anywhere from 1 to 3 feet across and have a fuzzy looking surface on both sides. Old stems are covered with stickers but if it's a new stalk, it is covered with fine white fuzz or hairs. If you brush against them even slightly, you'll start itching shortly. The good part is that it doesn't spread if you scratch and it stops itching in about a half-hour or so. In the meantime, to keep from scratching your skin raw, apply a baking soda paste or witch hazel to soothe the skin a bit. And TRY not to scratch it. Vitamin C may help alleviate the itching sooner.

Amazingly, this plant is used medicinally by some Alaskan Natives.

Baneberry - The baneberry is a poisonous berry so there is no reason to pick it. However, when you see one, you might think it quite beautiful and perfect for a table decoration. The berries are slightly oblong with a deep, bright red color and so shiny they look like someone sprayed them with a shellac or varnish. It is not harmful to touch them, but the berries are poisonous. There is also a white variety, but any white berry is either poisonous or an immature berry, so you don't want those either.

Make sure the kids know this Alaska travel tip. There are plenty of edible berries to choose from.

Alaska Travel Tips on ALASKAN BITING and STINGING INSECTS:

Mosquitoes - In the summertime, mosquitoes are almost everywhere in Alaska because there is so much standing water. You'll want to take lots of mosquito repellent with you.

Swampy areas have extremely dense mosquito populations, so wear netting. Mosquito repellent is also a good solution.

Alaska mosquitoes are famous for being large and noisy! If you are in an enclosed room, and you hear one buzzing around you, you'll know he's looking for a likely spot to bite. When he stops buzzing, he's found it! And you'll have a welt when he's done! The best solution is to kill every mosquito in the room before you go to sleep.

If you are outdoors, that won't work of course, so you'll want to cover any bare skin with mosquito repellent or keep it covered. A fine netting, scarf or blanket covering your head will protect your face and neck while sleeping.

I have been bitten by mosquitoes many times in my life and never been ill from them, but the welts itch and can remain uncomfortable for several days.

No-See-Ums - An excellent name for these extremely tiny little biting insects. You usually run into them in swarms, so you'll know it, if you do. If you see a "cloud" of insects, it's probably no-see-ums, so just avoid them if you can. Or try dispersing them by waving your arms around and through the cloud if they don't leave. They are in wet, damp areas.

My dad was working on the railroad in the Seward area when he was bitten by a swarm of them. He came home with two eyelids swollen totally shut. It took quite some time for the swelling to go down.

Wasps, Yellow-Jackets and Bees - Alaska has some huge bumble bees but they don't hurt anybody if you leave them alone. You can run into yellow-jackets or wasps more easily without knowing it, as my brother did. He was playing in a field of wild roses and dug his fingers into a ground nest. Needless to say he was stung thoroughly and hurting very badly for some time. However, none of these insects will harm you unless you harm them or their nests.

Alaska Travel Tips on other ALASKAN INSECTS:

Alaska has a lot of other insects and like so many things about Alaska, many of them are quite large compared to other areas of the U.S.

For instance, dragonflies are 3 to 4 inches long and a steel-blue color. I have never seen the smaller red or green ones like I've seen in Florida and California. Dragonflies are beautiful to watch. They came in droves, flying low over the ground up over the 100 foot bank of Rabbit Creek valley, in the fall. I've never heard of a dragonfly hurting anyone.

There are lots of daddy-long-leg spiders and other types of black spiders. I've even seen a very beautiful, fully white spider with thick body and legs, which had a green spot on its back. Don't know what it is, but I also don't know of any spiders in Alaska that will harm you.

Alaska Travel Tips on ALASKAN WILDERNESS CABINS:

Many Parks have log cabin rentals, but you will also find many empty log cabins in the Alaskan wilderness. These old log cabins which are no longer in use, sometimes even have a meat cache next to them. A meat cache is a tiny little log cabin built up on stilts–about 8 to 12 feet in the air. They were used by trappers and hunters to store meat, and keep wolverines, bears and other wildlife from eating their food supply.

If the cabin is empty and open, you can stay there–that has always been the Alaskan hospitality. Old sourdoughs would welcome strangers with open arms. You were always welcome to a meal, also. And if you had some spare supplies to leave behind, that was appreciated, too. People in the wilderness might only get to town once or twice a year at the most. So they needed supplies from town but often had plenty of fish and game.

Alaska Travel Tips for WINTER DRIVING:

If you drive around Alaska in the winter, you should have snow tires or studded studs. Even major highways may or may not be sanded. Or bring tire chains, but those are a bit of work.

When the temperature drops considerably below freezing, you might have a hard time starting your vehicle in the morning, so using synthetic oil is an excellent solution if you are going into remote areas. And ensure you have the antifreeze mixed for the coldest possible temperatures.

There are many different types of engine heaters that can be purchased, such as oil dipstick heaters, headbolt or circulating heaters. Some are installed permanently on your vehicle and others are not. But they all plug in to an electrical outlet. If you stay overnight someplace, check to see if they have electrical plug-ins for vehicles before making reservations. Also see notes on the Alcan Highway Page.

Alaska Travel Tips on HOW TO GET YOUR VEHICLE OUT OF A MUD HOLE OR DEEP SNOW:

Bring burlap bags, old fish nets, rope netting or other such material with you. If you get stuck in a mud hole or deep snow, have someone place a bag or other material directly in front of the drive wheels, tucked tight against them so when you accelerate, the motion will pull the items under the wheel. It will then move forward onto the material you placed. It will also throw the material out behind it as it moves forward, so don't let anyone stand behind the spinning wheels. You can keep doing that until you are out of the hole. Even ropes might work but would be harder to use.

I would never say this unless it was an emergency, but you can also cut evergreen tree branches and use them if you have nothing else available. But as I said, ONLY do that if it is an emergency situation.

You might need this Alaska travel tip in April or May. It can be quite muddy or slushy at that time. Of course, if you have a 4-wheel drive, none of this may be necessary. OR will it??

You'll find many other ALASKA TRAVEL TIPS throughout this website:

Find out what's needed to travel through Canada, precautions to take with wildlife while driving to or in Alaska and how to dress best for the weather. You'll also find lots of tips throughout this website, on other subjects.

With these Alaska travel tips, I hope you'll find your Alaskan vacation more enjoyable and easy to prepare for.

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