First and foremost GRAND scenery of an indescribable scale & friendly people.

Road conditions: You have to drive here, not set the cruise control and forget it.  Roads are actually not as bad as many of the stories you may have heard.  We drove 800+ miles of the infamous “haul road” to Prudhoe Bay of Ice Road Truckers fame.  Many locals asked why and were amazed, then admitted they had never been there themselves.  We drove the “Top of the World” highway to Dawson City and Chicken AK.  As Lynn noted we also drove the McCarty Road to Wrangell-St Elias NP, another legendary “bad” road.  Those who have skipped these highways, have missed beautiful parts of the state.  To travel here you should be well prepared and self-reliant.  Conditions dictate your travel speed.  We have driven roads suitable for 80 mph to only 5 mph, sometimes in very close proximity and changing weather.

My favorite thing, kayaking among the icebergs right after they calved off a glacier.  Not something you can do in very many places.