736 The Swiss; Sightseer's Guide to the Solar System; Winter in Anchorage
Dec 2, 2023
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Former US ambassador to Switzerland shares insights into Swiss society. Astronomer discusses views from planets in the solar system. Guidebook author highlights winter fun in Anchorage, Alaska.
Winter in Anchorage offers a range of outdoor activities like skiing, dog sledding, and witnessing the Northern Lights.
Anchorage serves as a convenient base for exploring other regions of Alaska, such as Denali National Park, with opportunities for skiing, hot springs, and hiking.
Deep dives
Anchorage: A Winter Wonderland
Anchorage, Alaska serves as a convenient gateway to explore the state, with a well-connected road system and diverse terrain. Visitors can engage in activities such as skiing, cross-country skiing at Kincaid Park, fat biking on packed trails, and experiencing the thrill of dog sledding. The city also comes alive during special events like the Iditarod, a world-famous sled dog race, which kicks off with a ceremonial start in Anchorage. Winter visitors can enjoy the festive atmosphere, street food like reindeer sausage, and witness unique events like outhouse races during Fur Rondi. Additionally, there are opportunities to witness the spectacular Northern Lights, explore Denali National Park, and embrace the beauty of an Alaskan winter.
Alaska's Accessible Wilderness
Anchorage is an ideal base for outdoor enthusiasts. Its centrality in the road system makes it easy to access other regions of Alaska, such as Denali National Park. Visitors can observe the stunning Denali mountain, enjoy skiing and snowshoeing in the park, and even explore hot springs. Anchorage itself offers countless hiking trails for those wishing to experience the natural wonders of the region. The city's ice skating rinks, including Nordic skates for frozen lakes, provide additional winter fun. For adrenaline seekers, fat biking on packed snow is a popular activity in the area.
Iditarod and Fur Rondi
Anchorage hosts the ceremonial start of the Iditarod, a 1,000-mile sled dog race that attracts both locals and visitors. This event provides an opportunity to experience the excitement of dog sledding and witness the unique culture surrounding the race. Before the Iditarod, the Fur Rondi festival offers entertaining events like the renowned outhouse races, where people race outhouses on skis. The festival provides a delightful, light-hearted atmosphere filled with street food and festivities, immersing visitors in Alaskan traditions and winter fun.
Embracing Alaska's Winter Darkness
Winter in Anchorage provides the chance to fully embrace the darkness and find beauty in it. The long nights offer opportunities to witness the spectacular Northern Lights. To fully experience this phenomenon, it is recommended to drive outside of the city to escape light pollution. Anchorage's unique winter landscapes, covered in frost and snow, create a frozen wonderland. Nature enthusiasts can enjoy the stunning beauty of horror frost, delicate ice formations, and luminescent pillars of light in the night sky. Winter in Anchorage offers a chance to revel in the natural splendor and tranquility of the season.
A former US ambassador to Switzerland shares her insights into what makes the Swiss tick — and what their society gets right. Then an astronomer helps us imagine what sort of views we'd enjoy if we could travel to planets in our solar system. And a guidebook author from Anchorage tells us why south-central Alaska can be a fun place for a winter visit.
For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
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