Alaska (Discoveries America National Parks)

Alaska, the last frontier! Every trip to Alaska is extraordinary.  The adventure, by land, air or sea is filled with wonderful experiences of awe-inspiring beauty, phenomenal wildlife and colorful human characters.   One way to make the effort even more memorable is to drive the Alaska Highway, enjoying the journey through western Canada starting at Alaska Highway mile 0 in Dawson Creek, British Colombia and officially ending at Delta Junction at the historic milepost 1422. Once arriving, Alaska currently has 24 National Parks to enjoy, including: Kenai Fjords National Park Welcome to the Ice Age.  The Harding Icefield is home to over 40 glaciers, where wildlife thrives in frigid waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve The National Park Service largest park where you can experience vast icefields at 18,008 ft. all the way down to sea level.  Home to one of the richest copper deposits in the world, mined and refined in Kennecott boom town beside the Kennecott glacier. Seward National Scenic Byway - All-American Road This 127-mile road, linking Anchorage with Seward, passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country.  Wildflowers, waterfalls and spectacular scenery brighten every corner of the road as it glides below rugged mountains. Alaska Far North, above the Arctic Circle, including: • Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve • Arctic National Wildlife Refuge • Kobuk Valley National Park 51 Minutes ------ REVIEW: The Midwest Book Review - The Library DVD Shelf The thirty-sixth program in the "Discoveries... America National Parks" DVD series, Discoveries... America National Parks: Alaska a superb, high quality DVD video essay showcasing the breathtaking scenery and wildlife of Alaska's parks. The next best thing to visiting Alaska in person, Discoveries... America National Parks: Alaska takes the viewer on an extensive tour of the Alaska Highway, Kenai Fjords National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Seward National Scenic byway - All American Road, and much more. Discoveries... America National Parks: Alaska is highly recommended both for public library and personal documentary collections. 51 min.  NP36 REVIEW: Booklist  This new title in the ongoing Discoveries. . . America, National Parks series touches upon a handful of national parks and towns in scenic Alaska, home to 24 national parks and monuments. The Alaska Highway opened in 1948 and vintage footage and photographs help introduce the massive construction of the 127 mile road that connects Anchorage and Seward. Lingering views of wildlife show the remoteness of some parts of the rugged roadway. The program also travels to Canada, where we meet the quirky owner of a museum housing a sprawling collection of artifacts, machinery, equipment, and vehicles. Other destinations are bush town McCarthy, quaint fishing village Seward, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Wrangeli-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Offering just a glimpse of vast Alaska, this might be paired with another Bennett-Watt travel titles that visit such popular tourist destinations as Denali National Park, Ketchikan, and Anchorage. — Sue-Ellen Beauregard