Fact or Fiction?
When someone thinks about Alaska the words "cold" and "beautiful" usually come to mind. But what about stereotypes such as "it's dark all year long?"
Take a look at the stereotypes below and determine whether they are fact or fiction. Hover over the picture to learn the correct answer!
Flattop Mountain, Anchorage
Fiction. In fact, the temperature during summer can get up to 85F in Anchorage.
It's cold all year long
People have pet polar bears and penguins
Fiction.
Penguins are native to the Antarctic regions of the world.
When spotted on land, polar bears live along more coastal regions of the state and willingly attack humans as prey.
People still live off the land
Fact.
Many residents still enjoy and participate in subsistence living such as moose hunting, berry picking and fishing.
The sun never sets
Fiction.
Depending where you are in the state you will experience different hours of sunlight/ darkness. For example, when one travels above the Arctic circle, the difference is noticeable.
Local people rely heavily on traditional foods gathered from the land and sea. Hunting, fishing and gathering plants and berries play an important role in the local culture of each community.
Some common subsistence activities in the region include hunting for:
-
caribou
-
moose
-
ducks
-
geese
-
musk oxen,
fishing for:
-
arctic char
-
salmon
-
grayling
-
sheefish
-
whitefish,
-
pike,
-
burbot (lush),
​
and gathering for:
-
blueberries
-
salmonberries
-
crowberries
-
cranberries
-
sourdock
-
wild rhubarb.
​
Participating in these activities and realizing their importance to the local community can help you better understand your new home. Before participating in any subsistence or sport hunting, fishing, trapping or gathering activities, be sure to learn about applicable regulations for the land you'll be using and obtain necessary licenses. Unless you are Native, you will not be able to hunt walrus or seal, and ivory tusks must be tagged by Fish & Game in order for you to own them.
Sunset in Mertarvik, AK
Photo credit: Maria Gutleben, 2021
Since the region is located at such a high latitude, daylight levels vary from season to season. If you arrive in June or early July, daylight may make it difficult for you to sleep at night unless you take measures to reduce the amount of light entering your bedroom.
​
As the seasons change, the length of day can decrease or increase between 5- 10minutes per day until the winter or summer solstice. So, over a two-week period of time, you can lose or gain an hour of light depending on the time of the year. On the Kuskokwim Delta, the shortest day has around 5 hours of sunlight in the winter.
​
Lack of sunlight can be difficult for some people. SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lights are a common remedy used to compensate for the lack of sunlight. After December 21st, minutes of sunlight per day gradually increases again and, by the end of March, days and nights are relatively equal.
​
December 21st- Winter Solstice... the shortest day of the year
June 21st- the Summer Solstice... the longest day of the year
​
During daylight hours, the light can be intense. Be sure to keep your eyes protected by wearing a good pair of sunglasses; consider purchasing polarized sunglasses to protect from glares coming off the water and even off the snow during winter.