Adak Island Edition

🌋The Aleutian Islands, one of the most remote regions in Alaska, are rarely mentioned in travel guides. Over the past two decades, I’ve visited Alaska 13 times, with 5 trips dedicated to exploring the Aleutians. Today, I’m starting with Adak Island — the westernmost inhabited area in the United States! 🌄 Introduction: Adak Island is located at the western end of the Aleutian Islands, with a population of around 100 people. 🏔️ Though winters aren’t extremely cold and summers are cool, the island experiences very limited sunlight year-round, with frequent rain and overcast skies. Its climate is subpolar oceanic — similar to the Faroe Islands or Iceland. If you’ve driven in Iceland during winter, you’ve felt those strong winds and sudden weather changes. Adak’s winter is just like that — wild and unpredictable! 🌬️❄️ ✈️ Transportation: Adak Island is the westernmost point in the U.S. with commercial air service. Alaska Airlines operates flights from Anchorage to Adak every Wednesday and Saturday noon. The flight takes about 3 hours. After landing, the same plane and crew return to Anchorage. This route uses a Boeing 737 and is rarely fully booked — especially in winter, when there might be fewer than 10 passengers on board! Most people traveling here are researchers, meteorologists, or military personnel. This is pretty much the only realistic way to get to Adak. 🛩️🧳 🏨 Accommodation & 🚗 Car Rental: Options are extremely limited on Adak. I remember there being only 2-3 small lodges. A recommended choice is The Adak/Aleutian Experience. No matter the season, make sure to contact them at least one month in advance. These lodges aren’t listed on third-party booking sites — you have to call or message them directly. Renting a car? Also arrange it through your lodge. You’ll likely get a pickup truck or SUV — necessary since most roads on Adak are unpaved. 🛻💨 🎣 Things to Do: Adak isn’t a typical tourist destination. Most visitors come for the raw, end-of-the-world atmosphere and stark beauty. If the weather permits, you can drive to the Loran Station to explore military ruins. 🏚️📸 In summer, you can enjoy: Fishing 🎣 (famous for halibut!) Bird watching 🦅 Hiking at Mountain Moffett or around Clam Lagoon 🥾🌅 ⚠️ Important Tips: Stock up on supplies as soon as you land! The weather can change suddenly. 🍫🥫 Bring dry food, canned goods, and windproof jackets. Dress in layers — warmth and wind protection are essential in every season! 🧥🧤 Download maps offline — service is extremely limited. 📵 #US #Alaska #Adak