91-479: Chugach State Park covers 495,204 acres (2,004 square kilometers) covering a hilly region immediately east of Anchorage , in south-central Alaska . Established by legislation signed into law on August 6, 1970, by Alaska Governor Keith Miller , this state park was created to provide recreational opportunities, protect the scenic value of the Chugach Mountains and other geographic features, and ensure
182-556: A beaver and salmon viewing deck. From the trail red salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) and silver salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) can be seen as they spawn, especially in August. Brown bears ( Ursus arctos ) and grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos ssp. ) often feed on salmon in shallow water between the beaver dams. Hundreds of black bears ( Ursus americanus ) likewise live in the park. Area streams are excellent for birding as well. The American dipper ( Cinclus mexicanus ) can be seen during
273-413: A high school diploma or higher with 36.1% having a Bachelor's degree or higher. 8.4% of the population under the age of 65 had a disability with 11.1% of the same age group having no health insurance . 68.5% of the population were in the civilian labor force. The median household income was $ 84,928 and the per capita income from May 2019–April 2020 was $ 41,415. The poverty rate was 9.5%. According to
364-488: A frost-free growing season that averages slightly over 101 days. According to local folklore, when a native plant called fireweed goes to seed after a full bloom, the first snowfall of winter is 6 weeks away. Average January low and high temperatures at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) are 11 to 23 °F (−12 to −5 °C) with an average winter snowfall of 75.5 in (192 cm). The 2011–2012 winter had 134.5 in (341.6 cm), which made it
455-612: A mere quarter mile (0.4 kilometers) from the trailhead leads to a sitting area and viewing deck that overlooks the city and rewards visitors with views of the Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range 80 miles (130 kilometers) in the distance. The trailhead is likewise the primary access to Flattop Mountain , the most hiked peak in the state. During the winter some trails in the area are prone to avalanches . Hikers are encouraged to inquire about current conditions before beginning travel in
546-403: A nearly $ 1 billion bond issue to fund construction of the new capitol building and related facilities ($ 4 billion in 2023 dollars). . Later attempts to move the capital or the legislature to Wasilla , north of Anchorage, also failed. Anchorage has over twice as many state employees as Juneau, and is to a considerable extent the center of Alaska's state and federal government activity. Anchorage
637-581: A new influx of prospectors, and small towns such as Spenard, Hope, Rainbow, Bird, Indian, and Girdwood began to spring up. Alaska became an organized incorporated United States territory in 1912. Anchorage, unlike every other large town in Alaska south of the Brooks Range , was neither a fishing nor mining camp. The area surrounding Anchorage lacks significant economic metal ores. A number of Dena'ina settlements existed along Knik Arm for years. By 1911
728-513: A place he called "Anchor Point" (later named "Anchorage" as another Anchor Point existed to the south near Homer, Alaska ), near a creek he dubbed "Ship Creek" nestled between two large arms (waterways). Cook spent ten days exploring the inlet named after him. He first sent William Bligh to scout the north arm, where he met with the Dena'ina Natives of the Eklutna area, who told him the name of
819-547: A railroad-construction port for the Alaska Engineering Commission . The area near the mouth of Ship Creek , where the railroad headquarters was, quickly became a tent city . Anchorage formed at a time when proponents of Prohibition were gaining traction, and as part of an effort to stem the flow of the alcohol trade, at the direction of President Woodrow Wilson and with the symmetry of the US Army,
910-657: A significant amount of general aviation traffic. Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army's Fort Richardson were constructed in the 1940s, and served as the city's primary economic engine until the 1968 Prudhoe Bay discovery shifted the thrust of the economy toward the oil industry. The Good Friday earthquake of March 27, 1964, hit Anchorage hard at a magnitude of 9.2, killing 115 people and causing $ 116 million in damages ($ 750 million in 2023 dollars). The earth-shaking event lasted nearly five minutes; most structures that failed remained intact for
1001-466: A site closer to Anchorage. The motivation is straightforward: the "railbelt" between Anchorage and Fairbanks contains most of Alaska's population. Robert Atwood, owner of the Anchorage Times and a tireless booster for the city, championed the move. Alaskans rejected attempts to move the capital in 1960 and 1962, but in 1974, as Alaska's center of population moved away from Southeast Alaska and to
SECTION 10
#17327731361931092-680: A small portion of the park north of the Eklutna Lake area in the vicinity of Pioneer Peak lies within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough . Hunting and fishing are permitted in the Chugach under regulations established by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for game management unit 14c. Target practice is not allowed within the park boundaries. The Lakeside Trail travels 12.7 miles (20.4 kilometers) along
1183-516: A substantial presence in the city, most notably Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and CH2M Hill . Four small airlines, Alaska Central Express , Era Aviation , Hageland Aviation Services , and PenAir , are headquartered in Anchorage. Alaska Airlines (at one point headquartered in Anchorage, but now headquartered in the Seattle area), has major offices and facilities at TSAIA, including
1274-714: A third wave around 2,000 years ago. Around 500 AD the Chugach Alutiiq were displaced by the arrival of Dena'ina Athabaskans , who entered through the mountain passes. The Dena'ina had no fixed settlements, migrating throughout the area with the seasonal changes, fishing along coastal streams and rivers in the summer, hunting moose, mountain goats, and Dall sheep in early fall, and picking berries in late fall. They tended to winter near trading junctions along common travel routes, where they traded with other Dena'ina and Ahtna tribes from nearby areas. Captain James Cook
1365-525: A town site was mapped out on higher ground to the south of the tent city, with the condition that a person's land could be repossessed if caught breaking the alcohol laws. Anchorage has been noted in the years since for its order and rigidity compared with other Alaska town sites. In 1915, territorial governor John Franklin Alexander Strong encouraged residents to change the city's name to one that had "more significance and local associations". In
1456-424: A variety of plant life at different elevations. Dense forests, characteristically of white spruce ( Picea glauca ), paper birch ( Betula papyrifera ) and quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides ), dominate the lower elevations. Ferns , mushrooms , and wildflowers such as dwarf dogwood ( Cornus canadensis ), fireweed ( Epilobium angustifolium ), and the parasitic northern groundcone ( Boschniakia rossica ) of
1547-471: Is Beluga Point , at milemarker 110.5, named for the beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas ) that frequent the area. Another popular viewpoint along the Seward Highway is Windy Corner at milemarker 106 where Dall sheep (Ovis dalli) are often visible just up the hill. The McHugh Creek Day use area features hiking trails and picnic areas. The Bird Creek Campground is located south of Anchorage off
1638-480: Is an old roadbed, the trail is a popular winter destination for skijoring and dogsledding . There are two remote campgrounds in the area in addition to a frontcountry campground open during the summer. Two public use cabins are available for rent on the Lakeside Trail. Non-motorized boats, and boats with an electric motor, are allowed on Eklutna Lake. The tallest point in the park, Bashful Peak , towers over
1729-683: Is in Southcentral Alaska . At 61 degrees north , it lies slightly farther north than Oslo , Stockholm , Helsinki and Saint Petersburg , but not as far north as Reykjavík or Murmansk . It is northeast of the Alaska Peninsula , Kodiak Island , and Cook Inlet , due north of the Kenai Peninsula , northwest of Prince William Sound and the Alaska Panhandle , and nearly due south of Denali . The city
1820-477: Is on a strip of coastal lowland and extends up the lower alpine slopes of the Chugach Mountains . Point Campbell, the westernmost point of Anchorage on the mainland, juts out into Cook Inlet near its northern end, at which point it splits into two arms . To the south is Turnagain Arm, a fjord that has some of the world's highest tides. Knik Arm, another tidal inlet, lies to the west and north. The Chugach Mountains on
1911-532: Is the only location in the park open to ATVs all year round. Turnagain Arm boasts the second highest tides in North America after the Bay of Fundy . These tides, which can reach 40 feet (12 meters), sometimes come in so quickly that they produce a wave known as a bore tide . Adventurous kayakers and surfers have taken to riding the tide as an extreme sport . Hikers should take care not to get stuck in
SECTION 20
#17327731361932002-545: Is the world's fourth busiest airport for cargo traffic, surpassed only by Memphis , Hong Kong , and Shanghai Pudong . This traffic is strongly linked to Anchorage's location along great circle routes between Asia and the lower 48. In addition, the airport has an abundant supply of jet fuel from in-state refineries in North Pole and Kenai . This jet fuel is transported to the Port of Anchorage , then by rail or pipeline to
2093-656: The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is a three-part complex that hosts numerous performing arts events each year. The facility can accommodate more than 3,000 people. In 2000, nearly 245,000 people visited 678 public performances. It is home to eight resident performing arts companies and has featured mega-musicals performed by visiting companies. The center also hosts the International Ice Carving Competition as part of
2184-474: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has to kill some individual aggressive moose in the city every year. Dall sheep are often viewed quite close to the road at Windy Point. Approximately thirty northern timber wolves reside in the Anchorage area. In 2007, several dogs were killed by timber wolves while on walks with their owners. There are also beaver dams in local creeks and lakes, and sightings of foxes and kits in parking lots close to wooded areas in
2275-477: The Alaska North Slope and south of Anchorage around Cook Inlet , the majority of offices and administration are found in Anchorage. The headquarters building of ConocoPhillips Alaska , a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips , is in downtown Anchorage. It is also the tallest building in Alaska . Many companies who provide oilfield support services are likewise headquartered outside of Anchorage but maintain
2366-662: The Alaska North Slope , and the resulting oil boom spurred further growth in Anchorage. In 1975, the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough (which includes Eagle River , Girdwood , Glen Alps, and several other communities) merged into the geographically larger Municipality of Anchorage The city continued to grow in the 1980s, and capital projects and an aggressive beautification campaign took place. Several attempts have been made to move Alaska's state capital from Juneau to Anchorage, or to
2457-766: The Bank of America Center (which it renamed the Robert B. Atwood Building ) to house most of its offices, after several decades of leasing space in the McKay Building (now the McKinley Tower ) and later the Frontier Building. The resource sector, mainly petroleum, is arguably Anchorage's most visible industry, with many high-rise buildings bearing the logos of large multinationals such as Hilcorp and ConocoPhillips . While field operations are centered on
2548-528: The Fur Rendezvous festival in February. The Anchorage Concert Association brings 20 to 30 events to the community each year, including Broadway shows like Disney 's The Lion King , Les Misérables , Mamma Mia! , The Phantom of The Opera , West Side Story , and others. The Anchorage Chamber Music Festival draws international guest artists and faculty to perform a summer concert series, and teach
2639-737: The Knik Arm and that it was not the Northwest Passage, but rather an outlet for two rivers (the Knik and Matanuska Rivers ). Cook then sailed south to scout the other arm, and in a bad mood after running the Resolution aground on a sandbar on his way back out of the shallow waters, called it "River Turnagain", having found no sign of the passage there either. In the 19th century, Russian presence in South-Central Alaska
2730-520: The Municipality of Anchorage , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska . With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census , it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area , which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Matanuska-Susitna Borough , had a population of 398,328 in 2020, accounting for more than half the state's population. At 1,706 sq mi (4,420 km ) of land area,
2821-511: The Swedish -born general manager of the railroad for nearly two decades, became a symbol of residents' contempt due to the firm control he maintained over the railroad's affairs, which by extension became control over economic and other aspects of life in Alaska. Between the 1930s and the 1950s, the city experienced massive growth as air transportation and the military became increasingly important. Aviation operations in Anchorage commenced along
Chugach State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-456: The broomrape family cover the forest floor. At higher elevations wildflowers such as mountain avens ( Dryas octopetala ) and the Alaska state flower , the alpine forget-me-not ( Myosotis alpestris ), grow in profusion. The alpine milkvetch ( Astragalus alpinus ), bog wintergreen ( Pyrola asarifolia ) and wild geranium ( Geranium erianthum ) predominate on lower slopes, while further up
3003-462: The quicksand -like mudflats that otherwise make up the beaches along Turnagain Arm. The best place to see the Alaskan bore tide is along Seward Highway south of Anchorage , especially at Bird Point (milemarker 96). As a wilderness park within easy driving distance of the largest population center in Alaska, the park has been the site of contacts between bears and humans over the years. Most of
3094-553: The snowiest winter on record, topping the 1954–1955 winter with 132.8 in (337.3 cm). The coldest temperature ever recorded at the original weather station at Merrill Field on the East end of 5th Avenue was −38 °F (−38.9 °C) on February 3, 1947. Summers are mild (although cool compared to the contiguous US and even interior Alaska ), and it can rain frequently, although not abundantly. Average July low and high temperatures are 52 to 66 °F (11 to 19 °C) and
3185-451: The 2010 census, Anchorage had a population of 291,826 and its racial and ethnic composition was as follows: According to the 2010 census, the largest national ancestry groups were as follows: 17.3% German , 10.8% Irish , 9.1% English , 6.9% Scandinavian (3.6% Norwegian , 2.2% Swedish , 0.6% Danish ) and 5.6% French / French Canadian ancestry. According to the 2010 American Community Survey, approximately 82.3% of residents over
3276-414: The 2020 census, Anchorage had 291,247 people. Racial makeup was 63.8% White (57.1% were non-Hispanic or Latino), 10.0% Asian, 9.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.0% African American, and 8.4% from two or more races; 9.4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino. The age distribution was 6.9% of the population under the age of 5; 24.0% under 18; 64.3% aged 18–64; and 11.7% aged 65 and up. Males were 50.9% of
3367-463: The City of Anchorage merged with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, creating the Municipality of Anchorage. The municipal city limits span 1,961.1 sq mi (5,079.2 km ), encompassing the urban core , a joint military base , several outlying communities , and almost all of Chugach State Park . Because of this, less than 10 percent of the Municipality (or Muni) is populated, with
3458-556: The Eagle River can be accessed by the nearby Albert Loop Trail which passes through three miles (five kilometers) of mixed forests and leads to a river fed by glaciers hidden in the surrounding mountains. At those times in the fall when the park's ursine residents are using the area for their fishing purposes, the trail is closed so as to lessen bear - human interactions. In addition, the Rodak Nature Trail leads to
3549-489: The Lower 48 have been building new hotels along C Street from International Airport Road to just north of Tudor Road, with two more to open in 2017, making this half-mile stretch of C Street a new "hotel row". From Anchorage people can easily head south to popular fishing locations on the Kenai Peninsula or north to locations such as Denali National Park and Fairbanks . Located next to Town Square Park in downtown Anchorage,
3640-447: The Municipality of Anchorage are Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the north, Kenai Peninsula Borough to the south and Chugach Census Area to the east. The Chugach National Forest , a national protected area , extends into the southern part of the municipality, near Girdwood and Portage . A diverse wildlife population exists within urban Anchorage and the surrounding area. Approximately 250 black bears and 60 grizzly bears live in
3731-482: The Seward Highway. As with all campgrounds in the park, each camping site boasts a wooded spot for recreation and relaxation, a fire ring and picnic table, with potable water and latrines nearby. Park volunteers at campgrounds and elsewhere offer assistance and answer visitor questions. Firewood is often available nearby for a small fee. Though dirt bikes are prohibited, the Bird Valley Trail System
Chugach State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-594: The United States' most tax-friendly city. Archaeological evidence discovered at Beluga Point just south of Anchorage proper, along the Turnagain Arm, suggests that habitation of the Cook Inlet began 5,000 years ago by a group of Alutiiq people who arrived by kayak . As this population moved on, they were followed by a second wave of Alutiiq occupation beginning roughly 4,000 years ago, followed by
3913-420: The age of five spoke only English at home. Spanish was spoken by 3.8% of the population; speakers of other Indo-European languages made up 3.0% of the population; those who spoke Asian and Pacific Islander languages at home were 9.1%; and speakers of other languages made up 1.8%. In 2010, there were 291,826 people, 107,332 households and 70,544 families residing in the municipality. The population density
4004-471: The airport. The Port of Anchorage receives 95 percent of all goods destined for Alaska. Ships from Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Horizon Lines arrive twice weekly from the Port of Tacoma in Washington . Along with handling these activities, the port is a storage facility for jet fuel from Alaskan refineries, which is used at both TSAIA and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER). The existing port
4095-533: The area. Bears are regularly sighted within the city. Moose are also a common sight; in the Anchorage Bowl, there is a summer population of approximately 250 moose, increasing to as many as 1,000 during the winter. They are a hazard to drivers, with over 100 moose killed by cars each year. Two people were stomped to death, in 1993 and 1995, in Anchorage. Cross-country skiers and dog mushers using city trails have been charged by moose on numerous occasions;
4186-530: The area. The Powerline Pass Trail is a popular location for dogsledding and skijoring . Though moose ( Alces alces gigas ) may be seen along many of the park's trails, a more predictable and convenient spot is the viewing platform at Glen Alps in fall and early winter. Dozens of moose are often seen below the platform and across the Campbell Creek Valley to the east. Wolves ( Canis lupus ) and Canadian lynx ( Lynx canadensis ) also live in
4277-446: The borderline of Dfb , Trewartha Eolo bordering on Dclo ) but with strong maritime influences that lead to a relatively moderate climate, in contrast to the much more continental Fairbanks . Most of its precipitation falls in late summer. Average daytime summer temperatures range from approximately 55 to 78 °F (13 to 26 °C); average daytime winter temperatures are about 5 to 30 °F (−15.0 to −1.1 °C). Anchorage has
4368-443: The branching off of the U.S. Air Force from the U.S. Army following World War II. In a cost-cutting effort initiated by the 2005 BRAC proceedings , the bases were combined. JBER was created, which also incorporated Kulis Air National Guard Base near TSAIA. The combination of these three bases employ approximately 8,500 civilian and military personnel. These individuals along with their families comprise approximately ten percent of
4459-601: The city is the fourth-largest by area in the U.S. Anchorage is in Southcentral Alaska , at the terminus of the Cook Inlet , on a peninsula formed by the Knik Arm to the north and the Turnagain Arm to the south. First settled as a tent city near the mouth of Ship Creek in 1915 when construction on the Alaska Railroad began, Anchorage was incorporated as a city in November 1920. In September 1975,
4550-407: The city's police chief, was instrumental in Anchorage's relief and recovery efforts as she coordinated response efforts, connected urgent needs with available resources, disseminated information of available shelters and food sources, and passed messages among loved ones over the air, reuniting families. Because the city and surrounding suburban area was built on top ground consisting of glacial silt,
4641-478: The city. The clean-up of ash resulted in excessive demands for water and caused major problems for the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility. The average temperature of the sea ranges from 35.8 °F (2.1 °C) in February to 53.1 °F (11.7 °C) in August. Anchorage first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census. It incorporated that same year and in 1975 it was consolidated with its borough. At
SECTION 50
#17327731361934732-404: The east form a boundary to development, but not to the city limits, which encompass part of the wild alpine territory of Chugach State Park . The city's sea coast consists mostly of treacherous mudflats . Newcomers and tourists are warned not to walk in this area because of extreme tidal changes and the very fine glacial silt . Unwary victims have walked onto the solid seeming silt revealed when
4823-455: The end of the trail and heads over the tops of the Eklutna, Whiteout, Eagle and Raven glaciers, and ends 31 miles (50 kilometers) away at Crow Pass near Girdwood on the opposite side of the park. In wintertime, trail users are able to travel the same route by snowmobile (snowmachine), snowshoes or cross-country skis as permitted by regulation and weather conditions. As most of the trail
4914-416: The families of J. D. "Bud" Whitney and Jim St. Clair lived at the mouth of Ship Creek and were joined there by a young forest ranger, Jack Brown, and his bride, Nellie, in 1912. The city grew from its happenstance choice as a site for railroad construction to begin in 1914. The waters near Ship Creek were deep enough for barges and small ships to dock, and under the direction of Frederick Mears , it became
5005-403: The firebreak south of town (today's Delaney Park Strip ), which residents also used as a golf course . An increase in air traffic led to clearing of a site directly east of town site boundaries starting in 1929; this became Merrill Field , which served as Anchorage's primary airport during the 1930s and 1940s, until Anchorage International Airport superseded it in 1951. Merrill Field still sees
5096-407: The first census. In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward brokered a deal to purchase Alaska from Imperial Russia for $ 7.2 million, or about two cents an acre ($ 129.1 million in 2023 dollars). His political rivals lampooned the deal as " Seward's folly ", "Seward's icebox" and "Walrussia". In 1888, gold was discovered along Turnagain Arm just south of modern-day Anchorage, leading to
5187-539: The first few minutes then failed with repeated flexing. It was the world's fourth-largest earthquake in recorded history . Broadcaster Genie Chance has been credited with holding Anchorage together, as she immediately rushed to the Anchorage Public Safety Building and stayed on the KENI airwaves for almost 24 continuous hours. Chance, effectively designated as the public safety officer by
5278-554: The global north. For this reason, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a common refueling stop for international cargo flights and home to a major FedEx hub, which the company calls a "critical part" of its global network of services. Anchorage has won the All-America City Award four times: in 1956, 1965, 1984–85, and 2002, from the National Civic League . Kiplinger has named it
5369-412: The highest concentration of people in the 100 square-mile area that makes up the city proper , on a promontory at the headwaters of the inlet, commonly called Anchorage, the City of Anchorage, or the Anchorage Bowl. Due to its location, almost equidistant from New York City , Tokyo , and Murmansk, Russia (straight over the North Pole ), Anchorage lies within 10 hours by air of nearly 90 percent of
5460-432: The highest reading ever recorded was 90 °F (32.2 °C) on July 4, 2019. The average annual precipitation at the airport is 16.63 in (422 mm). Anchorage's latitude causes summer days to be very long and winter daylight hours to be very short. The city is often cloudy during the winter, which further decreases the amount of sunlight experienced by residents. The coldest daily maximum recorded in Anchorage
5551-484: The lake at a height of 8,005 feet (2,440 meters). Bush planes are able to land on the far (southern) side of Eklutna Lake at the unpaved Bold Airstrip. North of Eklutna, the southern summit of Pioneer Peak can be reached from Knik River Road via the Pioneer Ridge Trail beginning outside the park boundaries in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough . Visitors to Eklutna Lake have the opportunity to experience
SECTION 60
#17327731361935642-489: The local economy depend on Anchorage's geographical location and surrounding natural resources . Anchorage's economy traditionally has seen steady growth, though not quite as rapid as many places in the lower 48 states . With the notable exception of a real estate-related crash in the mid-to-late 1980s, which saw the failure of numerous financial institutions, it does not experience as much pain during economic downturns. The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (TSAIA)
5733-676: The local population. During the Cold War , Elmendorf became an important base due to its proximity to the Soviet Union , particularly as a command center for numerous forward air stations established throughout the western reaches of Alaska (most of which have since closed). While Juneau is the official state capital of Alaska, more state employees reside in the Anchorage area. Approximately 6,800 state employees work in Anchorage compared to about 3,800 in Juneau. The State of Alaska purchased
5824-531: The lower trails. Dwarf blueberries ( Vaccinium caepitosum ), alpine bearberries ( Arctostaphylos alpina ) and crowberries ( Empetrum nigrum ) are found higher up. Correctly identifying berries before consuming them is important as some species are poisonous. A non-profit organization in association with the park operates the Eagle River Nature Center which exhibits interpretive information on wildlife and geological features. The basin of
5915-633: The mall's structure. In 2013, Forbes named Anchorage among its list of Best Places for Business and Careers. Five Alaska Native regional corporations are based in Anchorage: The Aleut Corporation , Bristol Bay Native Corporation , Calista Corporation , Chugach Alaska Corporation , and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. Anchorage does not levy a sales tax . However, it charges a 12% bed tax on hotel stays and an 8% tax on car rentals . Since about 2000, in response to strong revenue and occupancy rates, major hotel developers from
6006-690: The median income for a family was $ 85,829. The per capita income for the municipality was $ 34,678. About 5.1% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line. Of the city's population over the age of 25, 33.7% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 92.1% had a high school diploma or equivalent. In 2010, 83.7% (220,304) of Anchorage residents aged five and older spoke only English at home, while 4.5% (11,769) spoke Spanish, 2.5% (6,654) Tagalog , 1.6% (4,108) various Pacific Island languages , 1.4% (3,636) various Native American/Alaska Native languages , 1.1% (2,994) Korean , 0.6% (1,646) German, 0.6% (1,502) Hmong , 0.5% (1,307) Russian, and Japanese
6097-400: The multiple eruptions of Mount Redoubt during March–April 2009, resulting in a 25,000 ft (7,600 m) high ash cloud as well as ash accumulation throughout the Cook Inlet region. Previously, the most active recent event was an August 1992 eruption of Mount Spurr , which is 78 mi (126 km) west of the city. The eruption deposited about 3 mm (0.1 in) of volcanic ash on
6188-774: The nature center. This popular trail travels 28 miles (45 kilometers) through the park connecting Eagle River and Girdwood as it traverses the Chugach Mountains . It affords incredible views and wildlife viewing opportunities. Even along the first view miles, hikers often see hoary marmots ( Marmota caligata ) and Arctic ground squirrels ( Urocitellus parryii ) , and occasionally mountain goats ( Oreamnos americanus ) or Dall sheep ( Ovis dalli ) . Hoary marmots live in alpine meadows , often adjacent to boulders or talus . These furry creatures hibernate from mid-September until April or early May. In summer, they can be heard making long whistle warning calls. Mountain goats and their kids and Dall sheep with lambs can be seen feeding on slopes above
6279-505: The nootka lupine ( Lupinus nootkatensis ), coastal paintbrush ( Castilleja unalaschcensis ), prickly saxifrage ( Saxifraga tricuspidata ), the poisonous yellow anemone ( Anemone richardsonii ) and eventually the mosses of the tundra will reward hikers. Berry picking is popular in late summer and early fall. Highbush cranberries ( Viburnum edule ), lingonberries ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea ), northern redcurrants ( Ribes triste ) and bog blueberries ( Vaccinium uliginosum ) grow along
6370-547: The offices of the Alaska Airlines Foundation. Prior to their respective dissolutions, airlines MarkAir , Reeve Aleutian Airways and Wien Air Alaska were also headquartered in Anchorage. The Reeve Building, at the corner of West Sixth Avenue and D Street, was spared the wrecking ball when the city block it sits on was cleared to make way for the Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall , and was incorporated into
6461-689: The park but are seen less frequently. The willow ptarmigan ( Lagopus lagopus ) , Alaska's state bird , as well as the rock ptarmigan ( Lagopus muta ) and white-tailed ptarmigan ( Lagopus leucura ) frequent alpine tundra and subalpine shrub thickets. Meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ) by contrast live underground in alpine and tundra habitats. Hikers may hear the chirps of the singing voles ( Microtus miurus ) . During fall, these rodents construct piles of grasses and plants near their burrows . Smaller mammals inhabiting this area include red foxes , porcupines , hares , ground squirrels , ermines , and pikas . The Seward Highway follows part of
6552-538: The park in a matter of days. A brown bear mauled three people at Eagle River and a black bear killed a teenager participating in a trail race at Bird Ridge. The black bear attack was deemed to be a predatory, rather than defensive, attack as the bear refused to leave and circled the corpse when it was located by park rangers. 61°03′07″N 149°47′49″W / 61.05194°N 149.79694°W / 61.05194; -149.79694 Anchorage Anchorage ( Tanaina : Dgheyay Kaq'; Dgheyaytnu ), officially
6643-417: The people; females, 49.1%. Veterans were 9.3%, and 10.9% of the people were born outside the United States. There were 119,276 housing units and 106,567 households; the average household size was 2.69 persons. In 17.8% of households, a language other than English was spoken at home. In 95.9% of households there was a computer; 90.0% of households had broadband Internet connections. 93.9% of the population had
6734-539: The prolonged shaking from the earthquake caused soil liquefaction, leading to massive cracks in roadways and collapse of large swaths of land. One of Anchorage's most affected residential areas, the Turnagain neighborhood, saw dozens of homes originally at 250 to 300 feet above sea level sink to sea level. Rebuilding and recovery dominated the remainder of the 1960s. In 1968, ARCO discovered oil in Prudhoe Bay on
6825-410: The railbelt, voters approved it. Communities such as Fairbanks and much of rural Alaska opposed moving the capital to Anchorage for fear of concentrating more power in the state's largest city. As a result, in 1976, voters approved a plan to build a new capital city near Willow , about 70 mi (110 km) north of Anchorage. In the 1978 election, opponents to the move reacted by campaigning to defeat
6916-526: The safety of the water supply for Anchorage. The park, managed by Alaska State Parks , is the third-largest state park in the United States , and consists of geographically disparate areas each with different attractions and facilities. Only Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California and Wood-Tikchik State Park in western Alaska are larger. Though primarily in the Municipality of Anchorage,
7007-481: The shores of Eklutna Lake until it reaches the mile-long Eklutna Glacier Trail that leads in short order to the moraines at the foot of the colossal blue ice of Eklutna Glacier . In the summer, travelers go on foot, by mountain bike , ATV or on horseback , past the lake by way of largely flat trail to the glacier. A traverse with three huts maintained by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska begins at
7098-510: The southern edge of the park along Turnagain Arm . This stretch of highway is listed as a National Scenic Byway and is designated as an All-American Road . Along Seward Highway is park headquarters located at the Potter Section House State Historic Site which once served as an important worker camp for the Alaska Railroad . There are several viewpoints along the Seward Highway. One of the most visited
7189-498: The spring are common. Along the Seward Highway headed toward Kenai, there are common sightings of beluga whales in the Turnagain Arm. Lynxes are occasionally sighted in Anchorage as well. Within the Municipality there are also a number of streams that host salmon runs. Fishing for salmon at Ship Creek next to downtown is popular in the summer. Anchorage has a subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfc on
7280-419: The summer of that year, residents held a vote to change the city's name; a plurality favored the name "Alaska City", but the territorial government ultimately declined to change the city's name. Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920. Construction of the Alaska Railroad continued until its completion in 1923. The city's economy in the 1920s and 1930s centered on the railroad. Colonel Otto F. Ohlson,
7371-495: The tide is out and have become stuck in the mud. The two recorded instances of this occurred in 1961 and 1988. According to the United States Census Bureau , the municipality has an area of 1,961.1 square miles (5,079.2 km ); 1,697.2 square miles (4,395.8 km ) of which is land and 263.9 square miles (683.4 km ) of it is water. The total area is 13.5% water. Boroughs and census areas next to
7462-654: The time these encounters end peacefully, but there have been a number of maulings. In 1995 a bear was feeding on a moose kill with its cubs near the McHugh Creek trail when two hikers happened upon them. The sow killed them both. In 2007 a grizzly bear bit a woman at the Eagle River Nature Center. In 2012 a man was mauled while climbing Penguin Peak. In 2014 a brown bear mauled a runner at Bird Point. In 2017 there were two bear attacks in different areas of
7553-549: The trail during the late spring and summer. Although easily mistaken for each other, mountain goats have a fashion edge over sheep—their long leg hairs resemble pantaloons . The Hillside Trail System lies only 20 minutes east of downtown Anchorage. A privately run shuttle - Flattop Mountain Shuttle - provides round-trip transportation between downtown and the Glen Alps Trailhead . A wheelchair-accessible walk of
7644-492: The winter months, which birders will also find a successful time to listen for the great horned owl ( Bubo virginianus ) and boreal owl ( Aegolius funereus ) . Visitors can rent yurts and cabins along the Eagle River in order to spend time out exploring the scenery and wildlife in the area. Camping is available at the Eagle River Campground. The Historic Iditarod Trail (or Crow Pass Trail) also passes by
7735-499: Was 171.2 per square mile (66.1/km ). There were 113,032 housing units at an average density of 59.1 per square mile (22.8/km ). There were 107,332 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who
7826-399: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.19. The age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32.9 years. 50.8% of the population was male and 49.2% were female. The median income for a household in the municipality was $ 73,004, and
7917-670: Was among the first European explorers to map the Alaskan coastline, and many of the geographical features (mountains, islands, rivers, waterways, etc.) still bear the names he gave them. Cook was searching for the fabled Northwest Passage , a route that would provide a shorter means of reaching the Pacific from Europe than the difficult Northeast Passage around the north of Asia, or south around South America. On May 15, 1778, after enduring weeks of hard weather, Cook turned into an inlet between two landmarks he called Cape Douglas and Mount St. Augustine . He anchored his ship, HMS Resolution , at
8008-650: Was spoken as a main language by 0.5% (1,185) of the population over the age of five. In total, 16.3% (43,010) of Anchorage's population aged five and older spoke a mother language other than English. As of September 7, 2006 , 94 languages were spoken by students in the Anchorage School District . Anchorage's largest economic sectors include transportation, military, municipal, state and federal government, tourism, corporate headquarters (including regional headquarters for multinational corporations ) and resource extraction. Large portions of
8099-542: Was substantially built in the late 1950s and is reaching the end of its useful life. Beginning in 2017, the Port of Anchorage is undertaking an extensive 7-year Anchorage Port Modernization Project to upgrade its aging infrastructure, support larger deeper draft vessels, and future proof the port seismically and environmentally for another 75 years. The United States military has two large installations, Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson , which originally stemmed from
8190-696: Was well-established. The Russians placed trading posts along Cook Inlet, such as the Shelikhov-Golikov Company 's post at Niteh on the Palmer Flats (between the Knik and Matanuska Rivers), which in turn created small agricultural communities in Ninilchik , Seldovia , and Eklutna . The Russians also introduced diseases such as smallpox that had devastating effects on the local Native population, which plummeted by half just 10 years after
8281-553: Was −19 °F (−28 °C) in January 1989, while the coldest daily maximum on average between 1991 and 2020 was 1 °F (−17 °C). Warm summer nights do not occur even with the bayside location and extensive daylight; the mildest night on record was 63 °F (17 °C) . The mean temperature is 59 °F (15 °C). Due to its proximity to active volcanoes , ash hazards are a significant, though infrequent, occurrence. The most recent notable volcanic activity centered on
#192807