I step out into a crisp Alaskan breeze that plays with my hair and a sweater loosely tied around my waist. A creaky screen door slams behind me, and I look down a quaint and quiet Anchorage street. Having arrived in the dark the evening before, I can finally see my surroundings. Our Couchsurfing hosts are still asleep, so my adventure buddy Doug and I leave a note on the kitchen table and start packing the car — it’s my first time in Alaska, and I’m anxious to start exploring. There’s no way a week can cover a fraction of what we want to see in Alaska, so we gathered a few suggestions, and decide to start exploring the Turnagain Arm.
I watch as Doug makes his way down the other side of the steep pass towards the Portage Glacier, glancing behind me to see what we’ll have to ascend to return to our car. The Turnagain Arm is filled with endless hikes leading visitors to overlooks with panoramic views of peaks and lakes.