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Alaska Traveler: Dispatches from America's Last Frontier
Dana Stabenow was born in Alaska when it was a territory, grew up on and around fishing boats, worked for an air taxi service, a cannery, and later, on the oilfields of the North Slope. Today, she's an Edgar-award winning mystery writer with over 25 Alaska-based novels to her credit. Stabenow knows Alaska.
Writing for Alaska Magazine, she revisited old haunts and explored many new ones to capture the vital pioneering spirit of the state she calls home. From cruising the Inner Passage to hiking the Chilkoot Trail, bidding on bachelors at Talkeetna's Winterfest, to a behind-the-scenes look at the Iditarod sled dog race, Alaska Traveler collects over 50 of Stabenow's columns about life on America's last frontier. It's Alaska in all seasons—not just the summer months—and in all its quirky, iconoclastic glory.
Travelers planning a trip to Alaska will find much to inspire them, as will those just interested to read more about the state that residents call The Great Land.
Writing for Alaska Magazine, she revisited old haunts and explored many new ones to capture the vital pioneering spirit of the state she calls home. From cruising the Inner Passage to hiking the Chilkoot Trail, bidding on bachelors at Talkeetna's Winterfest, to a behind-the-scenes look at the Iditarod sled dog race, Alaska Traveler collects over 50 of Stabenow's columns about life on America's last frontier. It's Alaska in all seasons—not just the summer months—and in all its quirky, iconoclastic glory.
Travelers planning a trip to Alaska will find much to inspire them, as will those just interested to read more about the state that residents call The Great Land.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2012
76 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Dana Stabenow
104 books2,150 followersDana Stabenow was born in Anchorage and raised on 75-foot fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 4, 2021
Thoughts soon.
March 9, 2024
This collection is a very fun read, especially for anyone who's either spent time in Alaska or is considering a trip.
The stories here originally appeared in Alaska Traveler magazine, and are short, easy-to-read vignettes of the author's experiences in various towns and remote locations around the great state of Alaska. Filled with outdoor adventure, quirky local characters, and all sorts of charm, the stories are greatly entertaining and offer a taste of the many different aspects of life in Alaska.
I haven't quite made my way through the entire collection, but I've read quite a bit (and as much as I feel like reading at the moment). This is one of those books that I'll keep handy (and queued up on my Kindle) for when I need distraction while waiting on line somewhere, sitting in a doctor's office, or otherwise in need of a quick but tasty drop of reading. It's perfect for dipping into, and can be read in small chunks with no need to worry about continuity.
Merged review:
This is an entertaining collection of non-fiction travel pieces originally written for Alaska Traveler magazine in the early 2000s by the wonderfully talented Dana Stabenow. I didn't quite read every single entry, but I read all the ones that caught my eye, and I'll likely go back for me.
While some may feel slighted dated at this point, overall these pieces give a slice of life experience of different towns, cultures, and adventures across Alaska, and is a great helping of amusement for armchair travelers as well as anyone yearning for an actual trip to Alaska.
The stories here originally appeared in Alaska Traveler magazine, and are short, easy-to-read vignettes of the author's experiences in various towns and remote locations around the great state of Alaska. Filled with outdoor adventure, quirky local characters, and all sorts of charm, the stories are greatly entertaining and offer a taste of the many different aspects of life in Alaska.
I haven't quite made my way through the entire collection, but I've read quite a bit (and as much as I feel like reading at the moment). This is one of those books that I'll keep handy (and queued up on my Kindle) for when I need distraction while waiting on line somewhere, sitting in a doctor's office, or otherwise in need of a quick but tasty drop of reading. It's perfect for dipping into, and can be read in small chunks with no need to worry about continuity.
Merged review:
This is an entertaining collection of non-fiction travel pieces originally written for Alaska Traveler magazine in the early 2000s by the wonderfully talented Dana Stabenow. I didn't quite read every single entry, but I read all the ones that caught my eye, and I'll likely go back for me.
While some may feel slighted dated at this point, overall these pieces give a slice of life experience of different towns, cultures, and adventures across Alaska, and is a great helping of amusement for armchair travelers as well as anyone yearning for an actual trip to Alaska.
June 6, 2022
I’m dumping out of this early. It started promisingly with a childhood story from Alaska. So, personal. For a moment. And I want to see Alaska. But this book’s narrator is school marmish, rulesy, and seems trite. Which is perfect for this book, which now in chapter 4 sounds the same. There is no real adventure here—and it never promised it would have any I suppose. It’s not a men’s journal story of climbing Denali/McKinley. And it never said it would be. So, it may be of some use just before actually going. And have an e-copy for search function. But to someone holding to get a sense of the soul of the place? No
November 13, 2019
Love these travel stories!
August 3, 2021
Fun stories about Alaska.
November 11, 2024
A must read for anyone going to Alaska. And even if you missed it before your trip, it's still a great book.
February 16, 2020
I really liked this book. I read this after reading all the Kate Shugak books. Now it all makes sense.
April 21, 2025
Alaska Traveler is a collection of articles by Dana Stabenow, originally published in Alaska Magazine in her travel-in-Alaska column.
Stories read in random order, as part of the 2014 Deal Me In! Short Story Reading Challenge (bibliophilica.wordpress.com/deal-me-i...).
Males for Sale, Cheap, Hairy
An amusing anecdote about the Wilderness Woman Contest and the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction, events that kick off the Talkeetna Winterfest celebration every December.
Alaska Travel Etiquette
Humorous but nevertheless sound advice for Outsiders planning to visit Alaska, especially Bush country. It's a different way of life, different customs and values. A great and still mostly wild land, the last great frontier. Even casual travelers must put safety first and be prepared.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Shuck!
How fast can you eat a dozen oysters? Can you beat 2 minutes 48 seconds? That was the winning time one year at the Cordova Alaska Oyster Shuck-and-Suck Contest. Held first weekend of February, it's part of the Cordova Iceworm Festival, invented in the 1960s to encourage tourism between salmon fishing seasons. Festivals may include halibut and salmon fishing, ski race or foot race, dog sled or bike race, beard growing contest, survival suit race, parade, and B-Ball Tourney. Food is plentiful: scrambled eggs with reindeer sausage, chili, ice cream, clam chowder, burgers, nachos, French dip, steak, shrimp, cheesecake. From 7 pm on enjoy music in many styles, starting at the high school gym and continuing in restaurants and bars until the wee hours.
Exit, Pursued by a Bear
"If you're in the same place at the same time every day, acting the same way, " Gary Porter says, "pretty soon you're part of the scenery." To the bears, that is. Gary is a private pilot and tour guide who flies bear watchers from Homer Alaska into Katmai National Forest. Sit quietly and bears will walk right by, 10 feet away.
Sea Lions, Finbacks and Glaciers, Oh My!
On the Kenai Fjords cruise tour of Resurrection Bay, you may see Stellar sea lions, a pod of killer whales, Holgate glacier calving, sea otters and puffins, the remains of Fort McGilvray, finback whales, humpback whales – every time expect to be amazed and humbled by the wilderness and its variety.
Cama'i Means Hello, or a Great Big Hug
The Cama’i Fest held in Bethel in April is the biggest festival of Alaska Native dance there is, lasting three days and featuring dancers from the fifty-six regional villages, as well as dance groups from around the world
Stories read in random order, as part of the 2014 Deal Me In! Short Story Reading Challenge (bibliophilica.wordpress.com/deal-me-i...).
Males for Sale, Cheap, Hairy
An amusing anecdote about the Wilderness Woman Contest and the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction, events that kick off the Talkeetna Winterfest celebration every December.
Alaska Travel Etiquette
Humorous but nevertheless sound advice for Outsiders planning to visit Alaska, especially Bush country. It's a different way of life, different customs and values. A great and still mostly wild land, the last great frontier. Even casual travelers must put safety first and be prepared.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Shuck!
How fast can you eat a dozen oysters? Can you beat 2 minutes 48 seconds? That was the winning time one year at the Cordova Alaska Oyster Shuck-and-Suck Contest. Held first weekend of February, it's part of the Cordova Iceworm Festival, invented in the 1960s to encourage tourism between salmon fishing seasons. Festivals may include halibut and salmon fishing, ski race or foot race, dog sled or bike race, beard growing contest, survival suit race, parade, and B-Ball Tourney. Food is plentiful: scrambled eggs with reindeer sausage, chili, ice cream, clam chowder, burgers, nachos, French dip, steak, shrimp, cheesecake. From 7 pm on enjoy music in many styles, starting at the high school gym and continuing in restaurants and bars until the wee hours.
Exit, Pursued by a Bear
"If you're in the same place at the same time every day, acting the same way, " Gary Porter says, "pretty soon you're part of the scenery." To the bears, that is. Gary is a private pilot and tour guide who flies bear watchers from Homer Alaska into Katmai National Forest. Sit quietly and bears will walk right by, 10 feet away.
Sea Lions, Finbacks and Glaciers, Oh My!
On the Kenai Fjords cruise tour of Resurrection Bay, you may see Stellar sea lions, a pod of killer whales, Holgate glacier calving, sea otters and puffins, the remains of Fort McGilvray, finback whales, humpback whales – every time expect to be amazed and humbled by the wilderness and its variety.
Cama'i Means Hello, or a Great Big Hug
The Cama’i Fest held in Bethel in April is the biggest festival of Alaska Native dance there is, lasting three days and featuring dancers from the fifty-six regional villages, as well as dance groups from around the world
October 28, 2023
Too micro for what I was looking for and is a collection of magazine articles from the early 2000’s so is a bit outdated. Fun to get a sense of the local color and some of the locations and their activities though.
October 17, 2014
This is a collection of travel articles on Alaska, most of which Stabenow wrote for her column in Alaska Magazine. The articles are interesting and the content is pretty varied, from general travel tips and descriptions of glaciers to vignettes of life in the bush and accounts of local celebrations. I learned a ton, and it inspired me to return to Alaska.
The style and structure, however, does get a little samey if you try to read too many close together. There’s a lot of not-exactly-name-dropping, but naming of the people she met on her trips and the people she went with and the people who own the businesses mentioned. This is probably good journalism, and very exciting for the people named, but reading the articles one after the other, it got a bit much. I often struggled to remember who was who, and sometimes I just wanted her to refer to minor characters as “The woman with the yellow boots” or “the pilot.” But this may be an idiosyncrasy of mine that won’t bother anyone else. Another issue that may be just my own: like much travel writing, she did things most of us will never get a chance to do (mostly because of money), and after a while I started feeling like an inadequate traveler, since my own experiences in Alaska have been more of a budget variety. I suppose it’s just my own petty jealousy, but if you’re inclined toward this, I suggest that you spread out your reading to minimize this effect.
The writing is good and very personal. By the end, I felt like I knew Dana Stabenow. And there are so many fascinating facts and stories here. Particularly enjoyable to me were the following articles:
Ch 4: “Alaska Travel Etiquette”—handy for tourists and culturally interesting.
Ch 12: “I Hear the Train A-Coming”—about the Hurricane Turn flagstop route on the Alaskan Railroad
Ch 16: “Thar She Blows”—about Sitka’s Whale Fest
Ch 17: “Dogs and Beans”—about the start of the Iditarod, from the point of view of normal residents of Anchorage
Ch 20-21: “In the Shadow of the Great One”—about Denali
Ch 24: “Carving History in Ketchikan”—about totems and other carvings by the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian
Ch 29: “Two Points, Big Team, Two Points”—about the basketball culture of small-town Alaska
Ch 38: “Boardwalk Boogie”—about a music festival (and life) in the tiny community of Pelican.
Ch 46: “Some Say in Ice”—about an ice-carving festival
Ch 57: “Marine Pilots”—about the pilots who guide big ships into ports and such
The style and structure, however, does get a little samey if you try to read too many close together. There’s a lot of not-exactly-name-dropping, but naming of the people she met on her trips and the people she went with and the people who own the businesses mentioned. This is probably good journalism, and very exciting for the people named, but reading the articles one after the other, it got a bit much. I often struggled to remember who was who, and sometimes I just wanted her to refer to minor characters as “The woman with the yellow boots” or “the pilot.” But this may be an idiosyncrasy of mine that won’t bother anyone else. Another issue that may be just my own: like much travel writing, she did things most of us will never get a chance to do (mostly because of money), and after a while I started feeling like an inadequate traveler, since my own experiences in Alaska have been more of a budget variety. I suppose it’s just my own petty jealousy, but if you’re inclined toward this, I suggest that you spread out your reading to minimize this effect.
The writing is good and very personal. By the end, I felt like I knew Dana Stabenow. And there are so many fascinating facts and stories here. Particularly enjoyable to me were the following articles:
Ch 4: “Alaska Travel Etiquette”—handy for tourists and culturally interesting.
Ch 12: “I Hear the Train A-Coming”—about the Hurricane Turn flagstop route on the Alaskan Railroad
Ch 16: “Thar She Blows”—about Sitka’s Whale Fest
Ch 17: “Dogs and Beans”—about the start of the Iditarod, from the point of view of normal residents of Anchorage
Ch 20-21: “In the Shadow of the Great One”—about Denali
Ch 24: “Carving History in Ketchikan”—about totems and other carvings by the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian
Ch 29: “Two Points, Big Team, Two Points”—about the basketball culture of small-town Alaska
Ch 38: “Boardwalk Boogie”—about a music festival (and life) in the tiny community of Pelican.
Ch 46: “Some Say in Ice”—about an ice-carving festival
Ch 57: “Marine Pilots”—about the pilots who guide big ships into ports and such
January 16, 2013
I've always had dreams of visiting Alaska, but those dreams have cooled somewhat in recent years. Now that I've read Ms Stabenow's book of essays, that dream is again calling to me.
This book is written with Dana's typical style, humor and grace. Throughout some of the chapters I am imagining Ms Stabenow in these stories, climbing when she had vowed newer to sleep under a tent again, rushing around trying to buy baby mukluks and being distracted and her way with words just paints such a picture that I can clearly *see* everything just by reading this.
Perfect for the traveler and the arm-chair traveler both. And if you are a fan of her fiction, then this will just be adding depth to the whole experience of reading her Kate or Liam books.
I know that if I ever get the nerve to travel so far, I will surely be bringing this book with me and visiting some of the places Dana did. Not only because they sound so wonderful to visit, but because I want to brag to my friends that I've visited places that Dana, my favorite author, has recommended!
This book is written with Dana's typical style, humor and grace. Throughout some of the chapters I am imagining Ms Stabenow in these stories, climbing when she had vowed newer to sleep under a tent again, rushing around trying to buy baby mukluks and being distracted and her way with words just paints such a picture that I can clearly *see* everything just by reading this.
Perfect for the traveler and the arm-chair traveler both. And if you are a fan of her fiction, then this will just be adding depth to the whole experience of reading her Kate or Liam books.
I know that if I ever get the nerve to travel so far, I will surely be bringing this book with me and visiting some of the places Dana did. Not only because they sound so wonderful to visit, but because I want to brag to my friends that I've visited places that Dana, my favorite author, has recommended!
January 2, 2014
I loved this set of short columns from the weekly paper that Dana wrote over 5 years of travelling around Alaska and trying new experiences and getting involved in some really unusual events. It seems that nearly all the towns - large villages by UK standards - have unique events to celebrate their heritage or a special event that happened to this town. And of course there is the Editarod - the husky sled race across Alaska celebrating the vaccine delivery that actually took place in the most awful of weathers.
One can see some of these experiences that Dana had in these columns cropping up in her books so it is nice to know that they are real Alaskan happenings!
It is quite long of course - 57 columns - which is why although I started before 2014, I only just finished it yesterday.
If you like her fictional books then read the inspiration for the characters, businesses, and events from real life in this book!
One can see some of these experiences that Dana had in these columns cropping up in her books so it is nice to know that they are real Alaskan happenings!
It is quite long of course - 57 columns - which is why although I started before 2014, I only just finished it yesterday.
If you like her fictional books then read the inspiration for the characters, businesses, and events from real life in this book!
August 17, 2016
This book was a fabulous combination of two of my favorite things. Anything written by Dana Stabenow and Alaska. I can't wait to head back up there this summer and this book just got me that much more excited. After reading this I might have to spend a couple years up there so I can see everything she describes. It isn't your usual travel book that just describes the places or tells you what to see when you get there. Dana does a wonderful job of telling the story about her trips from a personal perspective. It makes it that much more interesting to read. Each chapter is an article that she contributed to Alaska magazine so you can read them in order or however you want.
February 16, 2014
I have read all of Stabenow's mysteries. That is reason I bought this book.
I am an Alaska and pretty much the same age as Stabenow and lived a similar life. Thus I have experienced many of the same experiences. From my perspective I read this as true and what I would write if I had Stabenow's skill.
Thanks so much Dana.
I highly recommend this to Alaskans and those who would be.
I lingered over/in/when reading this book. I only wanted the impact of each story to be an individual. I wanted to deal in the essay without crowding them. it is the talent of the author as well. as my fascination with the subject, Alaska.
I am an Alaska and pretty much the same age as Stabenow and lived a similar life. Thus I have experienced many of the same experiences. From my perspective I read this as true and what I would write if I had Stabenow's skill.
Thanks so much Dana.
I highly recommend this to Alaskans and those who would be.
I lingered over/in/when reading this book. I only wanted the impact of each story to be an individual. I wanted to deal in the essay without crowding them. it is the talent of the author as well. as my fascination with the subject, Alaska.
January 11, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! Ms. Stabenow, as a writer native to Alaska, was asked by Alaska Magazine to write a monthly column about the Alaska she knows. This book is those columns. She writes about everything from places to eat to a 2-week visit on a coast guard ship to the Iditarod to cruising the Inside Passage. As a person planning a trip to Alaska, this book has really inspired me - and has made me even more anxious for my trip. I feel that anyone planning a trip to Alaska(or just dreaming about going) should read this book.
June 10, 2015
Definitely a travel book with a difference, i really enjoyed it and it made me laugh in lots of places, Alaska sounds such a beautiful country :)
Merged review:
The only thing that made me read a travel book, was because I have read all Dana Stabenow's "Kate Shugak" fiction books, and my word can this lady write, I really enjoyed travelling around Alaska with her, because that's how she makes you feel,as she includes you in the journey and is so funny, Yes I'm sure you can tell, I really enjoyed this book and I'm very glad I read it. :)
Merged review:
The only thing that made me read a travel book, was because I have read all Dana Stabenow's "Kate Shugak" fiction books, and my word can this lady write, I really enjoyed travelling around Alaska with her, because that's how she makes you feel,as she includes you in the journey and is so funny, Yes I'm sure you can tell, I really enjoyed this book and I'm very glad I read it. :)
January 16, 2017
As an Alaskan who's lived abroad for years, I savored this book, reading it little by little, the same way I eat a particularly rich chocolate mousse. Dana Stabenow is a favorite author, and I bought this without having realized she worked for Alaska magazine. The essays are full of humour, but also glimpses of home. And not just the cold, the snow, the light, but especially he people, the culture, the quirkiness. This is a fun read whether you've been to the places she describes or not. Highly recommended
July 31, 2013
This is a series of short articles published in Alaska magazine by Stabenow. I enjoyed them quite a bit, they really gave me a sense of local flavor for Alaska and some solid travel tips as well. My reading over the next year will frequently feature Alaska as we prepare for a family cruise to Alaska next summer.
August 12, 2014
A wonderful collection of bite-sized vignettes of Alaskan life, in Dana Stabenow's usual easy prose. Some of it I can picture from my one trip to Alaska (Sitka, the drive into Denali National Park in an old school bus). The rest makes me wants to go back. Definitely worth a read if you have any intention of ever going to Alaska, although it's best dipped into, rather than read in one go.
December 1, 2013
wonderful and wondrous. but I have all the cold, snow and ice I can stand here in New Hampshire. but if I ever win the lottery, a visit to Alaska might be in the cards. after black fly and mosquito season, thank you. in New Hampshire, I found out why Black mountain was named black mountain one memorial day weekend backpacking trip where the black flies tried to get into the "cutters"
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August 4, 2016
Loved it. Dana is an entertaining writer and has a great sense of humour--I caught myself snorting and chuckling many times. Reading Alaska Traveler was like old-home week for me as I recognized places, feelings, sights, and wonders that I have experienced on my travels in Alaska. I had fun and learned some great things.
October 11, 2014
I started reading this before going to Alaska although I didn't finish it until several months after our return. I enjoyed reading about her experiences and relating to some of the same things that we were able to do. There is so much to see and do in this huge state. Reading her stories makes me want to go to Alaska again!
December 6, 2014
This compiles Alaska born-and-raised novelist Dana Stabenow's monthly columns written over five years for Alaska magazine. If you've been to some of the places she describes you'll enjoy them all over again. If you haven't, you can start making your list of what to see and do from this entertaining take on many of the best things. Superb.
April 10, 2014
Intriguing
well written. fascinating people and events. there were a couple entries that seemed out of place because they weren't edited as well as the others, but if you could follow the tense changes, they were still great stories. I will recommend this book to many others.
well written. fascinating people and events. there were a couple entries that seemed out of place because they weren't edited as well as the others, but if you could follow the tense changes, they were still great stories. I will recommend this book to many others.
July 13, 2014
What an atmospheric collection. I enjoy Stabenow's writing very much, and these glimpses into Alaska were revealing, exciting, and entertaining, giving glimpses of the author as she experienced various Alaskan adventures.
August 10, 2014
I read this book on my flight to Alaska. I'm not sure what I expected, but the book is a lot more about her than about her experiences in Alaska. I am not familiar with her mystery writing, but reading this as a nonfiction travelogue did not meet my expectations.
January 2, 2016
Good read
Excellent Dana writhing could not ask for a better description of Alaska. Recommended for Dana Stabenow reader's. It's like you're right with her on each and every step, flight, or festival.
Excellent Dana writhing could not ask for a better description of Alaska. Recommended for Dana Stabenow reader's. It's like you're right with her on each and every step, flight, or festival.
June 11, 2015
Mini Alaska Vacation
In our three trips to Alaska we visited some of the places the author writes about and had heard of many we hadn't visited making the reading of this book like a little vacation.
In our three trips to Alaska we visited some of the places the author writes about and had heard of many we hadn't visited making the reading of this book like a little vacation.
December 28, 2013
This was a delight to read! It read like a fiction book. Now I want to go back to Alaska& go where Dana went!
January 8, 2014
Fun read. I laughed aloud many times, and yearned for some good Alaskan King Crab.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews