Alaska fun Time! – Fact or Fiction

This photo has nothing to do with article. I just wanted to show you how awesome my dog is.

I like games. Today we are starting a new series called Alaska Fun Time! Every installment will feature a fun game you can play at home. Invite the whole family! Invite your neighbors! Unless you don’t like them. Today’s game is called Fact or Fiction. I am going to list 20 so-called “facts” about Alaska and you have to decide whether they are truly fact… or fiction. The answers are at the bottom of the page, so no cheating! You would only be cheating yourself, anyway.

Alaska is known for its tall tales

Tall tales are stories about tall people who are good at basketball. Ha! Fooled you! A tall tale is an exaggerated story. Say I went fishing and caught a 20-inch trout and then on the way home I saw a bear on the side of the road. I could tell that story and people would say, “So what? That story sucks. Nice hair by the way.” However, if I said that I caught a 40-inch trout and narrowly missed being attacked by a giant grizzly bear, then I’ve created a tall tale. It’s a far more interesting story, you see. Please note that a tall tale is also called a big fat lie.

Are you ready to play Fact or Fiction?

I sure hope so, or this was a big waste of my time. Here we go!

1. There are more than 3,000,000 lakes in Alaska.
2. “Alaska” is derived from an indigenous word meaning “Covered in ice.”
3. Alaska is the least populated state in the US, even though it’s the largest.
4. Alaska is the westernmost, northernmost, and easternmost state in the US.
5. Northern lights can be seen in Barrow 365 days a year.
6. Juneau has no road because it is an island.
7. Five percent of Alaska is covered in glaciers.
8. It is illegal to whisper in a hunter’s ear when they’re moose hunting.
9. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Alaska was -90 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Alaska’s state bird is the mosquito
11. There are only 3 Southeast Alaska towns with a road.
12. There are more than 500 volcanoes in Alaska.
13. Glacial ice can be thousands of years old.
14. Bald eagles are evil thieves.
15. It is illegal to photograph a sleeping moose but you can shoot one.
16. There is a famous bar in Alaska where you drink a shot of whiskey with a human toe in it.
17. There are no snakes in Alaska.
18. Skagway is the best place to visit in Alaska.
19. Alaskans used to make beer with pine trees to prevent scurvy.
20. Winter lasts for 6 months in Alaska.

Okay! Let’s see how you did.

1. Fact! I fished in most of them.
2. Fiction! “Alaska” is derived from an indigenous word meaning “The Great Land.”
3. Fiction! Fewer people live in New Hampshire and Wyoming.
4. Fact! The Aleutians stretch over the International Date Line, which is considered east.
5. Fiction! Northern lights cannot be seen in daylight.
6. Fiction! Juneau has no road connecting it to another town because they just haven’t built one.
7. Fact! Five percent of Alaska is covered in glaciers.
8. Fact! There are all sorts of stupid laws in Alaska.
9. Fiction! The lowest temperature ever recorded in Alaska was -80 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Fiction! Although it should be!
11. Fiction! Most towns have at least one road. What a silly question.
12. Fiction! There are more than 100 volcanoes in Alaska but not 500. Get real!
13. Fiction! Glacial ice is always moving and seldom reaches 100 years of age.
14. Fact!
15. Fact! What is it with weird moose laws and Alaskans.
16. Fiction! That bar is in the Yukon Territory in Dawson City.
17. Fiction! There are snakes in the Anchorage zoo.
18. Fact!
19. Fact! They still make it, but now it’s to get drunk.
20. Fiction! Winter lasts for 3 months everywhere.

If you scored a perfect 20, you are a true sourdough. If you scored 10 to 15, you are a Cheechako. If you scored less than 10, you need to read more!