Mat-Su Valley Blog

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....

The road over Hatcher Pass is officially closed for the winter after an early season snowfall blanketed the area with snow. The road is one of the most popular and scenic day drives in Alaska. It connects Willow with Hatcher Pass, and is a prime spot for hiking, berry picking and hunting in the...

Pink salmon are far from the most desired salmon in Alaska's streams, but they also provide a great opportunity to get out and test your hand fly fishing in Susitna Valley streams. Last week, I was joined by a college friend from 25 years ago who wanted to do some Alaska salmon fishing. We loaded up...

This weekend, celebrate all things summer at Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm (2350 S. Bodenburg Loop) as two days of activities take place to keep the entire family entertained. The festival, previously known as the Strawberry Festival, is a chance for the farm to celebrate summer with the community that...

Can't wait for the Alaska State Fair? No worries, the first-ever Mat-Su Summer Festival kicks off this weekend at Alaska Raceway Park in Palmer. The event is being hosted by Mat-Su Events, who puts on shows around the Valley including the Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show and, last year, a Mat-Su Fall...

Independence Mine in Hatcher Pass opens to the public on Friday, June 18, kicking off a summer of activity in one of the Mat-Su Valley's most iconic locations. Salmon Berry Travel and Tours, a leading Alaska-owned tour operator based in Anchorage, is operating the recreation area this summer for a...

Wasilla is hosting its annual air show, Wings over Wasilla, this weekend at the Wasilla Municipal Airport. The event brings together pilots from around Alaska for a fly-in that's complete with demonstrations, vendors, displays and events for the whole family. Wings over Wasilla begins Friday with...

You’ll never again forget the details from your favorite Southcentral Alaska hikes, thanks to a new log book published recently by Anchorage’s Andrea Leydon. Leydon just released “Southcentral Alaska 100 Hikes Challenge Logbook” which includes popular trails around Southcentral, including the Mat-Su...

Untold Stories, hosted by the Palmer Museum of History and Art, kicks off its 2021 series on April 9 with "A Pleasant Surprise." The online event features five Palmer storytellers and four Palmer artists presenting their tales on the theme, “A Pleasant Surprise: Stories of grace, love, and the...

This is the summer to invite your friends and relatives to visit Alaska, and Alaska Airlines is making it cheaper than ever before. Through a new partnership between Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Travel Industry Association and its community partners, Alaska Airlines is offering up to 21 percent...