Fall in Alaska: The Sound of Silence

As soon as the tips of the trees start to change color and the air becomes noticeably thinner, the crowds that frequent trails and glacier edges in Alaska start to thin out as well. Once the change of seasons begins it cues many animals, including humans, to start their migrations back to winter grounds. This opens up way more space than the summer months for folks to explore the “Last Frontier” and experience some of the most popular places in a more intimate setting.

The Abundance of Alaska

Taking to the trails or hopping on an end of season guided tour can become the memorable and connective experience you have always hoped for when visiting Alaska. Ambling on normally popular trails that empty out when the fall arrives, leaves more room to hear the migrating birds sing to each other, to pull over along the Seward Highway and spot whales leaving the sounds and bays, and visiting gold boom towns while almost no one roams them. This is the harvest of Alaska, enjoying the abundance of life as it slowly departs and the winter creeps in quietly and quickly.

The Quickness of Change

The fall comes quick and fast in Alaska. And, in the grand scheme of Alaska’s seasons, if you get the chance to be there for the brief moments of this change, be sure to revel in them. This is the “golden” season.

Where the leaves and the light start to bend and shower the surrounding natural world in hues of gold. The Katabatic Winds lightly pulse and the Northern Lights return to the skies.

There is more definition between the transitions of day and night, more space to notice the movement of fellow animals in search of the next food source to pull us through the winter. A mirror to the moments we experience before we climb into our next phase of life.

The Comforts of Fall

Within the quick fall rhythm there is also an element of a sweet slowness. Like a song that moves quickly with low and long hitting notes. The sweetness and sultry touch of the fall sun in the afternoon after frosted and crystalized mornings have time to thaw.

The flow of warm drinks increases as we notice the need to throw a few more logs in the fire each night than we had just two weeks ago. Smells of warm foods and soups beck and call folks into quaint towns and bustling cities to find their creature comforts between adventures. Fall beers are brewed to offer a deep richness that supports the breath taking views and the beginning of the beloved soup season.

When moose chili and homemade bread return to the dinner table. And fall celebrations fill the days of a barely two month long season.

Explore ? Rest ? Restore ? Repeat

Alaska has many experiences and events to fill your fall days and leave ample room to take in the grandeur of the natural elements. Many people like to take a day trip out into one of the many sounds and fjords to watch whales migrate. Another favorite is taking to the streams or charter boats to enjoy the fishing trip of a lifetime.

Other opportunities include ATV tours, day hiking, backpacking, sea kayaking, spotting the Northern Lights, and riding the Alaskan rail line. The fall is also a very popular time for folks to go on their annual hunting trip. Alaska in the fall is one of the most wonderful times to visit Alaska if you are looking for a more intimate experience with a different view than many get.