Category - Only in Alaska

If you have always wanted to experience the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from a musher's perspective, the Iditarider auction is the perfect thing for you, but you better act fast - the bidding ends in two weeks. The auction, sponsored by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, allows people to bid on the...

Aurora season begins

October 18, 2023 by Casey Ressler
They were out this morning, and that wasn't the first time this season by any means! With the return of starry night skies comes a new season - aurora watching. Every fall and winter, eager aurora seekers are able to find this celestial wonder dancing across the sky in the Mat-Su Valley. As our...
Even during the summer, you can still have a dog mushing experience during a visit to the Mat-Su Valley. From visiting with Iditarod champions to petting newborn huskies, Iditarod and dog mushing is a year-round event in Alaska. Dog mushing is Alaska's official state sport, but more than that, it's...
Ask any Alaskan, and they know June 21 is the summer solstice - with 22 hours of functional daylight in Southcentral Alaska, and total darkness not achieved for days. In Talkeetna, for example, the official sunrise is at 4:05 a.m. and the official sunset is exactly at midnight. During those four...

Alaska Day

October 18, 2021 by Casey Ressler
Happy Alaska Day! October 18 marks the anniversary of when formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States. And it was a pretty good deal, too - just $7.2 million. The sale price was approximately 2 cents an acre and enlarged the United States by 586,000 square miles....

Santa Sightings

December 15, 2020 by Casey Ressler
Christmas is just 10 days away, but it seems that all must be under control for Santa. He was recently spotted in the Mat-Su Valley taking a break by fat tire biking and kayaking, two of his favorite activities. The jolly old man got in contact with Dan McDonough of Lifetime Adventures last week -...

Did you know?

June 12, 2020 by Casey Ressler
The Mat-Su Valley is filled with adventures around every turn in the road, but how much do you know about the area? Here are five facts that may come as a surprise to many. Size The Mat-Su Borough encompasses 25,000 square miles, all the way north to Denali State Park along the Glenn Highway, and...

Peony Farming

July 23, 2019 by Casey Ressler
The Mat-Su Valley has always been known as the agricultural hub of Alaska, with giant cabbages, potatoes and carrots being some of the best known products. In the last few years, however, peony farming has become a major part of the growing scene, with their giant, blooming flowers appearing on...

Alaska Strong

December 5, 2018 by Casey Ressler
Ask any Alaskan where they were at 8:29 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, and they can tell you - that's when the ground started shaking and it seemingly wouldn't end, as a 7.0 earthquake centered near Point MacKenzie in the Mat-Su Borough unleashed fury. I was sitting at my desk in Palmer. I've lived in...