#anchorage-flashback

#anchorage-flashback

"You don't wind up here by accident; you come here for a reason, and that reason is typically the abundant outdoor adventures and natural resources we have," Nathan Miller, the former executive director of the Copper Harbor Trails Club, told Travel + Leisure.

Zeus led every single run except one. I just wanted to let someone else have some fun. And Polar deserves it more than anybody. He leads by example. This statement reflects Holmes' appreciation for his lead dogs' contributions to the victory, highlighting the collaborative nature of sled dog racing and the individual personalities and strengths of the animals.

When Salt Lake City landed the 2002 Olympics, organizers promised to sustain the vast infrastructure built for the occasion, using it for years to come. Not only is much of it going to come into play again for 2034, but we will see nearly 40% more events than in 2002, including (freestyle ski and snowboard) Slopestyle, Big Air, Women's Ski Jumping, Ski Cross, Mixed Team Snowboard Cross and a much higher-profile Paralympics.

Bisbee is surrounded by the Mule Mountains, offering plenty of opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, and camping. The nearby Sabino Canyon Recreation Area has scenic hiking trails and stunning views. But beyond the art and beauty lies a long, fascinating history as a copper mining town.

I've been on lots of cruises, but my sailing to Alaska on the Disney Wonder really stands out. From the exciting excursions to the stunning views from the boat, the trip was unforgettable. I'd absolutely take another Alaskan cruise in the future. As a frequent traveler, I've sailed with several different cruise lines on itineraries throughout the Caribbean, Northern Europe, and the Mediterranean. But out of everywhere I've been, my favorite vacation was an eight-night sailing on board the Disney Wonder to Alaska.

Travelers to Alaska have a lot of ground to cover; the state holds 665,000 square miles of land that includes volcanic islands, Arctic tundra, glaciers, and temperate rainforest. Yet in winter, some of the state's most compelling scenery can be experienced in a week aboard the Alaska Railroad. The railroad's weeklong Aurora Winter Train "showcases the best of winter in Alaska," including easy access via Anchorage, a sled dog tour with an Iditarod champion,

The Northeast Passage was expected to open first due to the Coriolis effect. As the world turns to the east, in the Northern hemisphere, flowing water will veer to the right. Warm, salty Atlantic water flows into the Arctic Ocean through the Barents Sea Opening between Norway and Svalbard, and the Fram Strait between Svalbard and Greenland, then bends right along the Arctic coasts of Norway and Russia.

Set dramatically on the westernmost tip of Lake Superior, Minnesota's northern hub tells stories of grit and grandeur. Over the years, the city has transformed from a rough-and-tumble logging and mining outpost into a destination for both outdoor enthusiasts and culture seekers, completing one of America's great urban renewal stories.

After a mine cave-in revealed a rich vein of ore Bodie, California became a thriving town during the years of the California gold rush. It quickly exploded in size and at its pinnacle was home to around had around 2,000 structures and a population of 8,000 people. It went bust in 1881 and what buildings remain standing represents about 10% of its original structures.

Mt. Baker is the PNW's snow vacuum. It's close enough to the Pacific to get storm after storm, and the North Cascades do what they do best: force moist air straight up, wring it out, and bury everything in sight. Maritime storms roll in wet and heavy, then pile up fast when they hit terrain.

When a city or country is in the spotlight, it's logical to expect an uptick of interest in visiting there. Each of the locations where a season of The White Lotus was filmed has seen a corresponding increase in tourism, for instance. Being the subject of news headlines and heated negotiations isn't quite the same thing as being the setting for a prestige TV series, but recent data suggests that Greenland is also seeing more international visitors than usual.

I was five years old when I had my first encounter with a black bear. In the spring of 1990, my father, a wildlife biologist, brought home an orphaned three-month-old cub in a cardboard box. The cub's mother, having burrowed beneath the roots of an old tree, had been killed in the den by a logging excavator, but the cub, weighing barely more than a bag of apples, survived. Forestry workers caught the young bear and dropped it off at the Fish and Wildlife office in Peace River, Alberta, where my dad worked, and he called my mom with the news.

The grand château-style resort sits at the base of the 40-passenger aerial tram, the most direct way of accessing the ski area's notoriously steep and deep terrain; Alyeska has beginner areas, but it's great for intermediate and advanced skiers. Across more than 1,600 skiable acres are 76 named trails, among them the North Face, North America's longest continuous double-black-diamond ski run.

Alaska is a hot spot for grizzly bears, easily home to the most of any of the 50 states. There are an estimated 30,000 across the entire state, representing over 98 percent of the United States population. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game manages the population, ensuring that the population remains healthy and grizzly bear viewing opportunities stay abundant.

BackcountryFor most skiers, "all-inclusive" means a lift ticket and a buffet. Forrest Schmidt means something very different: a hot titanium stove in a tipi, filet mignon next to a steaming hot spring, and ancient araucaria trees holding cold smoke over a perfectly set skintrack. Schmidt, a 44-year-old "East Coast kid" from rural New York, runs APEX Andes (Andes Puro Exploraciones) out of Malalcahuello in Chile's Araucanía region. His guide service is small by design with

AllTrails, a hiking app with trail maps and reviews, dug into insights from their 90 million-plus members and team of trail experts to spotlight lesser-known places where the trail alone is worth planning a trip around. Their guide, Travel-Worthy Trails for 2026, spotlights eight unexpected destinations around the world where the trail is the destination.