Jade Mountain, Alaska, is the source of the states gemstone, Jade. It is a beautiful dark green gemstone, but it's a little difficult to gather.

So your tour guide has explained that you are looking at a temperate, tidewater, valley glacier. Well, “it’s beautiful”, you’re thinking, but what does all that even mean? Part II of Alaska & Glaciers will sort that out for you.

Glaciers are a big part of Alaska tourism. Understanding the very basics may help viewing them a little more interesting. There are over 100,000 of them covering 20,000 miles yet they only cover 5 per cent of the state. This article is part one of two, describing the many features of glaciers.

Alaska is full of extremes. The Aleutian Islands are no different than the rest of the state. Just a portion of the Southwestern Region of Alaska, they hold extremes in location, weather, and history.

More Fun Facts. Just that. Little tidbits of trivia to keep the mind active. And of course, a little dry humor helps.

Alaska cannot be fully explored or written about without mentioning oil. The debate to, drill or not drill, is heated. Almost 85% of the state budget is provided for by oil revenues. Compared to another state known for oil; Texas, where production taxes are only about 5% of state revenues.

The Potlatch is a very important ceremony for the native groups in Alaska. It was given for any number of reasons including; death in family, naming of children, raising totem poles, or building and blessing of new homes.

It’s tough being low man on the totem pole. Or is it? Depending on the tradition of the native carving a particular pole, the bottom image may in fact be the most important. And not a man! The Inside Passage Region of Alaska is a great area for discovering the significance and beauty of totem poles.

So you want to see the bears of Alaska. This seems to be a great idea but the trick is how to do it safely. There is an abundance of bears and safe viewing areas to be found in Alaska.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to spend three weeks in June on an Alaskan Eco Tour? Mark Garland does just that, leading the tour. I interviewed Mark via email to gain some insight on his Alaskan tour. Here’s what I found out.