ANCHORAGE, Alaska Big Wild Life (if you can afford it)
That ought to be the subtext for the new marketing campaign for Anchorage.
Bear-viewing at Wolverine Creek. Flightseeing. King salmon fishing at what appears to be Clear Creek. Rafting the Sixmile Creek thrill ride. Four-wheeling the Knik River Valley. Watching glaciers calve from the deck of the tour boat Klondike Express in Prince William Sound.
"It's all in a day's work."
Or so the advertising claims.
Don't get me wrong. I sort of like the ads.
They make me feel warm all over, giving precedence as they do to Alaska over Los Anchorage.
And I think it's cool that all the activities featured in the new marketing campaign are accessible from this city.
But isn't it all just a little disingenuous?
You can fly direct from here to Maui too. So why isn't some sunbathing on the beach featured?
Yes, the adds do capture many of the many of the attractions to be found in or adjacent to the city:
Skiing on the city's excellent nordic trails.
Snowboarding at the Alyeska Resort.
Mountain biking and hiking in Chugach State Park.
These are things the average Anchorage resident can do in a day without spending an entire week's pay, but then comes a leap that goes not just from coach to first class, but from coach to a private jet.
Personally, I just wish I could afford all the equipment featured in that Big Wild Life: Snowmachines (which one might note are largely illegal to ride anywhere in Anchorage), four-wheelers, that jet boat for waterskiing in Cook Inlet (something we all do), river rafts, kayaks, single-engine airplanes, mountain bikes, not to mention the various paraphernalia dry suits, climbing gear, parkas, etc. that go with each of these activities.
If you live here, it gets pricey fast.
Trust me, I've got an overstuffed gear room, and I shudder to think how much money has gone into filling it over the years.
outdoors
resize text 
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters
