Alaskan Living

9-11: What I Saw At Ground Zero After The Attack On The Twin Towers

For me, 9-11 was more than a national tragedy. A single email I sent a few days after the attack revealed America to me in a way I’d never known. The replies opened my eyes to the depth of American compassion and how much all Americans have in common.

The day of the attack on the twin towers, I was 5000 miles away in Anchorage on business. Yael called and woke me with the news. I watched the world trade center collapse on TV, then went into the office. But I couldn’t concentrate. I decided I had to get back to New York to see it for myself.

Alaska Bear Viewing Up Close

We flew out to Redoubt Bay Lodge for an afternoon of Alaska bear viewing. As soon as we motored up to Wolverine Creek, a sow and her two cubs obliged by frolicking on the rocks not 75 feet from our boat. My brother Greg caught a classic shot of momma bear swan-diving into the lake in hot pursuit of salmon.

The Ultimate Alaska Flightseeing Tour

I took my first Alaska flightseeing tour 19 years ago. My pilot Tony Martin flew me up to 14,000 feet for a sneak preview of Mt. McKinley the night before our expedition began. Since then, I’ve been flightseeing in Alaska at least 30 times.

Alaska Rafting: Eagle River With The Family

Last week, my family visited us here in Alaska. One of our first adventures was rafting Eagle River. It’s a classic Alaska day trip when the weather’s down, only 30-minutes drive from Anchorage. Upon seeing JJ and Daniel’s hulking physiques, it was obvious we should all paddle the raft rather than me oar it. 

My Own History Tour of Talkeetna

I had an interesting day yesterday. Chris Hodel, Robert Sheldon and his son Ryan, and I flew up to Talkeetna for the afternoon. It was one of those crisp autumn days with 100 miles visibility. For me, it was also a stroll down memory lane.

I first visited Alaska in ’86. The very first town I went to was Talkeetna. From there, we flew into the Don Sheldon Hut in the Ruth Amphitheatre (arguably the most dramatically situated hut in the world) to train for our Mt. McKinley climb.