Best Camera Gear for Alaska: A NatGeo Cameraperson’s Guide
What actually survives Alaska’s cold, boats, and aurora — camera gear tested on real network shoots by working filmmakers.
Best Bug Spray for Alaska: What Actually Works (No Magic Bullet)
There’s no spray that makes Alaska mosquitoes disappear — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something. Here’s the unpopular truth about what actually works, backed by research instead of wishful thinking.
Shipping Fish Home from Alaska: What Cooler You Actually Need (Not a Yeti)
Everyone’s instinct is to buy the toughest cooler they own. That’s actually the wrong move for flying fish home from Alaska — here’s what actually works, from someone who’s done it more times than he can count.
Alaska Deckhand Jobs: What It Actually Takes
Ten years on Alaska’s boats — Deadliest Catch, Port Protection, Bering Sea Gold, and more. Here’s how deckhand hiring, pay, and crew share actually work, from someone who’s actually been on deck.
Best Backpacks for Alaska: A NatGeo TV Crew’s Field-Tested Picks
The real backpacks worth bringing to Alaska — tested on boats, trails, and a backcountry goat hunt in Sitka — from a working TV crew.
Bush Planes in Alaska: What Years of Flying For TV Taught Us
We’ve made a career out of flying into the Alaskan bush — McCarthy glaciers, Cordova islands, ANWR, Port Protection. Here’s what flying bush planes in Alaska is actually like, the good and the genuinely terrifying.
Port Protection Alaska: The Real Place Behind the Show
Port Protection, Alaska is where Paul Taggart and I met. We shot every episode of the show for National Geographic. Here’s what the place, the cast, and the community are actually like — beyond what made it to air.
Tide Pooling in Alaska: Where to Go, Creatures, & What to Harvest
Gary Muehlberger wanted to make octopus fritters. That’s how my Alaska tide pooling obsession started. Here’s where to go, what you’ll find, and what you can actually eat.
Is Alaska Safe to Visit Right Now? An Honest 2026 Answer
A couple of years ago, an article asking “is Alaska safe to visit” would have been about bear spray and life jackets. In 2026 it’s a more complicated question — and this is the honest answer.