Untitled

Dear Suntrekker!
Welcome
among the
SUNTREK-
Friends.
You have
booked an
extraordinary
adventure
trek. We have prepared this booklet which provides
you with important information about your trek.
Please read it carefully before your departure as it will
help you make the most of your holiday.
Your trek will involve seeing and doing many new,
exciting and adventurous things. Your trek leader will
supply you with further details en route. We have put
a lot of effort into organizing your holiday, but its
final success will depend on you. Remember your
desire for adventure, an open minded spirit and a
positive approach to team work – you will be sure to
have a holiday of a lifetime.
Thank you once again for booking a SUNTREK holiday.
We know you will have a fantastic time in America!
Kind regards,
The SUNTREK Team
Passenger Name
Trek Name
Departure Date
2

Table of Contents
I. General Information
before Your Tour
1. Insurance 4
2. Visas and Passports 4
3. Medical Supplies 4
4. Baggage 5
5. Spending Money 5
6. Music 5
7. Mail 6
8. Early Arrivals 6
9. Packing List 6
II. During Your Tour
1. The Suntrek Travel Style 8
2. Welcome Meeting and
Trek Start 8
3. Language 8
4. Travel Information /
Sightseeing 8
5. Overnight
Accommodations 9
6. Equipment 9
7. Meals and Cooking 9
8. Trek Distances 9
9. Flexible Itineraries 10
10. Problems 10
11. Teamwork 10
12. Trek Program 11
13. Options and Activities 11
14. Drugs, Smoking and
Alcohol 11
15. Tipping 11
16. Shopping 11
17. Restaurants 11
18. Time Zones 12
19. Telephone 12
III. Traveling in the U.S.
1. Culture 14
2. Country 14
3. Climate 15
4. Special Hints 15
5. American English 16
6. American Measurements 16
7. American Clothing Sizes 16
8. Special Hints on Alaska 17
9. City Information 18
10. National Parks and Sights
Information 30
IV. Traveling in Canada
1. Culture 46
2. Country 46
3. Climate 46
4. Special Hints 47
5. City Information 47
6. National Parks and Sights
Information 50
V. Traveling in Mexico
1. Culture 52
2. Country 52
3. Climate 52
4. Special Hints 53
5. City Information 53
6. National Parks and Sights
Information 56
VI. Emergency Contact
Information
1. SUNTREK 60
2. Police and Ambulance 60
VII. Personal Notes
1. Fellow Suntrekkers 62
2. My Tour 63
VIII. Mileage Chart
Mileage Chart 65
IX. Map of North America
Map 66
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I. General Information before Your Tour
1. Insurance
Insurance is the traveler’s own responsibility and it is compulsory. You
should be insured against accident, sickness, emergency return trip
expenses, cancellation expenses, lost/damaged baggage and theft. An
insurance policy is not included in the trek price. Please talk to your
travel agent, who can suggest and arrange suitable coverage.
2. Visas and Passports (applicable at time of printing)
USA and Canada
Since the US and Canadian governments are currently in the process of
revising visa and passport requirements, we recommend that you contact
your travel agency or American and Canadian consulates in your
country to ensure that you are in possession of the required documents
prior to traveling. You can also get further information from the
US Department of State's and the Canadian government's websites:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors.html
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/gtc/Going_To_Canada-en.aspx
Mexico
A valid passport is required. To enter Mexico a visa is required except
for: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, USA and holder of U.K. passport endorsed "British Citizen"
provided you are travelling for strictly touristic purpose, holding your
national passport and a Tourist Card, which can be obtained on arrival
from ground staff. All above not listed nationalities must contact a
Mexican embassy or consulate for further visa information.
3. Medical Supplies
Medical prescriptions written outside of the U.S. and Canada are often
not accepted. Therefore, we recommend you bring along your personal
Arches N.P., Utah (USA)
4

Grand Canyon, Arizona (USA)
medications (antibiotics, aspirin, etc.) in the necessary quantities and
your first aid kit. Remember, certain medications should not be
exposed to sun and heat.
4. Baggage
All baggage is transported on the van’s roof rack. Please bring tough
bags as small scratches and minor damages can occur. Remember, do
not bring too much baggage – only solid bags, suitcases and rucksacks
(traveling light is recommended). You will find numerous opportunities
for doing laundry while on trek. Luggage limit for our tours: 1 medium
sized suitcase/backpack, 1 sleeping bag and 1 piece of hand luggage
(max. weight limit: 20kg in North America and Mexico).
5. Spending Money
Take approx. US$ 100/CAN$ 150 in cash and the rest in smaller
US$/CAN$ traveler’s checks. Traveler’s checks can be cashed in shops
and restaurants. Please note: Your change will always be in cash! Do
not bring foreign currencies as it is almost impossible to change them
into US$.
You will need about US$35-40/CAN$ 55-60 per week for the “Food
Kitty”. Your individual budget will depend on your personal plans.
Think about how much you want to spend on souvenirs, shopping,
entertainment, food, drinks, excursions and attractions, that are not
included in the trek price (example helicopter flight, etc.). Please bear
in mind that North America has endless things to do and see. For
safety reasons credit cards are especially comfortable. They are accepted
in major department stores, supermarkets and in some restaurants.
6. Music
Do you play the harmonica or guitar? An instrument that can easily
be transported? Bring it along on your trek. It adds a lot of fun –
especially around a campfire in the evening. Why not bring along your
favorite tapes or CDs? – All vans have a stereo radio/tape player or
CD player.
5

7. Mail
Would you like to receive mail during the trek? Have it sent to the
hotel address. Do not send money by mail. Allow three weeks from the
time of posting to the tours arrival date at the mailing address. All
letters should be sent air mail, addressed to you, c/o SUNTREK, with
the appropriate tour name and departure date. (Example: Mr. Paul
Williams, c/o SUNTREK, “American Pioneer” June 9th). Please write
”to await arrival” on the front of the envelope, and sender’s name and
address on the back.
8. Early Arrivals
Do you plan to arrive in the U.S. more than three weeks before your
tour’s departure date? If so, please advise us of your American contact
address, telephone number or e-mail address.
9. Packing List
This list makes packing easy:
Jeans / trousers
Socks / shorts / underwear
T-Shirts / cotton shirts / dresses
Casual evening “out”clothes
Warm anorak / rain coat / sweater
Comfortable walking shoes
Jogging shoes / sandals
Swim wear
Sunglasses / sunhat
Warm sleeping bag (required for all Suntrek tours
incl. Lodging Tours USA)
Toiletries / towels / soap
Shaver
First aid kit / Insect repellent
Suntan lotion / lip-salve
Personal medications
Sewing kit
Flashlight
Plastic bags (for laundry)
Travel plug
Binoculars
Camera / films / batteries / filters
Mini-alarm clock
Scissors / army knife
Writing material / address-book
Air mattress and pillow for extra comfort (insulation pad supplied)
Tissues / toilet paper
All you have to take with you is your sleeping bag and your personal
belongings. If you do not want to take along your own sleeping bag,
one of a good quality can be bought at around US$ 35 in the U.S.. As
we will be traveling in changing climate zones, we advise you to
carefully choose your clothing. Comfortable, suitable pieces for cold
and warm days. Please bear in mind that nights can be very cold even
in the otherwise hot or warm states.
6

II. During Your Tour
1. The SUNTREK Travel Style
SUNTREK tours are an extraordinary way of traveling, for enthusiastic
people of all ages, from all over the world – who love to travel. Our
trips cannot be compared to traditional trips. An adventurous spirit
and frank uncomplicated behavior are vital. Such attitudes will help
you experience valuable moments. Many things you would probably
never discover on your own.
The trek leaders will help you a lot, they are responsible for making
you feel at home on your trek. You may remember this and
acknowledge them at the end of your trip with a small tip. Enjoy your
adventure, take advantage of all opportunities offered to you. Use your
imagination. You may be on tour, but do not lose your self-reliance.
Everyone has opportunities for time away from the group. When we go
to cities or parks, get out and explore. Take subways, trams, and
buses. Go for a hike, get to know the place. Make the most out of your
trek, the success of the holiday is up to you!
2. Welcome Meeting and Trek Start
On the first day of the tour there will be a welcome meeting / briefing.
This gives everyone a chance to meet the trek leader and the
fellow Suntrekkers and get more information and details about what
the trek will be like. The meeting point is at a selected hotel in the
departure city and the date printed on your SUNTREK trek voucher.
Please refer to SUNTREK’s most recent “Welcome Meeting and Hotel
Information” for further details on time and location for the meeting
point / trek start in your respective departure city. If you are too late
and miss the departure – do not panic. Call the toll free SUNTREK
contact number 1-800-SUNTREK (1-800-786-8735), leave your name,
trek name, location and phone number where you can be reached and
we will tell you how to catch up with the trek (at your own expense).
3. Language
SUNTREK carries passengers from over 40 different countries. It is
important that you realize that other Suntrekkers may speak other
languages than yourself. Our official trek language is English and we
encourage you to use your English skills as often as possible.
4. Travel Information / Sightseeing
Your trek leader will give you as much information, oral and written as
possible, about the sights you will be visiting. In the national parks a
visit to the information center with a slide show and film is planned.
It goes without saying that you may also visit museums, see
attractions, explore parks, etc. on your own. Your trek leader will
provide you with all the important information. Free maps and leaflets
will often be available. Feel free to use them.
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5. Overnight Accommodations
Campsites are either selected for their scenic beauty, their convenient
location to places of interest, their environment and/or their facilities
available. We aim to offer you a selection of different types of campsites.
You will find the necessary facilities, toilets and in most cases
showers (sometimes a charge), washing machines and tumblers at
many campsites, so please do not take too many clothes with you. If
you have never camped before – no problem! You will find it great
with our modern easy-to-pitch tents. Your trek leader will show you
how to pitch a tent on the first day. On many treks we also spend a
few nights in reasonably priced hotels/motels for your convenience.
Furthermore, SUNTREK offers a variety of tours with added comfort. On
these specially marked tours all overnights are spent either in cabins,
hotels, motels, hostels or ranches (sleeping bag required for all
SUNTREK tours). For more information on hotel nights, please refer to
the trek itinerary in our SUNTREK catalog.
6. Equipment
We provide a complete set of camping and cooking equipment. This
includes roomy tents, which are shared by only two people and are
equipped with foam rubber mattresses and thick vinyl floors. We
provide two burner stoves, efficient camp kitchen equipment, dishes,
coolers, food storage boxes, a water container, lamps and last but not
least a sun and rain roof. Please take good care of all the equipment;
if you are in doubt your trek leader will help you. You will be assigned
a specific tent so please look after it well. The equipment has to be
returned clean, complete and in the same condition as you received it.
7. Meals and Cooking
Buying and cooking the food, washing up, etc. are shared chores of
the trek participants. Teams of two people will carry out the camp
duties on a rotating basis. We usually cook our evening meals together
on our own stove, or barbeque food over the camp fire. We keep our
food costs as low as possible by sharing the expenses. Each participant
who wants to contribute needs about US$ 35-40/CAN$ 55-60 per
week. Breakfast and dinner are paid from this food kitty, while lunch is
not included. Sometimes we will go out for dinner and eat at restaurants
at everybody’s own expense. Your trek leader will participate in
the food kitty as well.
8. Trek Distances
On driving days we like to be on the road by about 8:00 a.m. This
means a good day’s driving, with time for sightseeing and activities on
the way. We aim to pitch our tents in the late afternoon / early
evening. It is essential that all trek members are very punctual, in the
morning and during the day. Waiting for people, who are late can
cause anguish among the group and jeopardize planned sightseeing
tours. Since you want to experience as much as you can in the time
you have available, it is necessary to cover longer distances between
the various points of interest on some of the days. Your trek leader
will make these as rewarding as possible.
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Monument Valley
9. Flexible Itineraries
We’ve allowed plenty of room for freedom and flexibility in our trips.
In fact, flexibility is one of the ingredients, that makes each of our
trips so exciting. However, we do everything possible to avoid the
kind of surprises that you might encounter, if you travelled on your
own. Surprises like not having a place to sleep at your destination or
wasting your time driving forever trying to find an attraction.
Adventure travel offers us some unexpected circumstances at times, for
example, bad weather and road conditions, technical defects of transportation,
inconveniences caused by local operators and authorities,
and other circumstances beyond our control. Changes in the program
may be required to make the best of the unique situations that we
encounter. Your spirit of adventure and flexibility will help make your
adventure trip an exciting and unforgettable experience!
10. Problems
If problems or difficulties arise that cannot be solved by your trek
leader – please bring them promptly to our attention. Do not let them
spoil the enjoyment of your holiday. For serious matters call
1-800-SUNTREK (1-800-786-8735), toll free in the USA and Canada.
11. Teamwork
Our trek leaders will do everything possible to make your holiday the
best you have ever had, but total success will depend on your own
enthusiasm and cooperation. Each SUNTREK tour is unique. Much of
your enjoyment will come from the team spirit in your group and the
fun you will have together, as well as from the American, Canadian and
Mexican settings. We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of
your own positive thinking and attitude. Have the right approach and
you will be assured a great time. Participants who severely disrupt the
group will be excluded from the trek.
10

12. Trek Program
You will find the detailed trek program in our respective catalogs or on
our Internet website: www.suntrek.com.
13. Options and Activities
Ultimate fun. On all our tours you can participate in a wide variety of
thrilling optional activities such as hiking, horseback riding, rafting,
water sports, scenic flights, mountain biking, etc. Since not every
passenger wants to participate in the same activities, they are not
included in the trek price. All these activities are offered by local
operators and as such are not an integral part of our treks – you just
book and pay for them ‘on the spot’.
14. Drugs, Smoking and Alcohol
Possession of drugs without a proper medical prescription or excessive
drinking of alcohol will not be tolerated. Anyone found with illegal
drugs will be instantly excluded from the trek. If you require any
special treatment or medication, please inform your trek leader before
the trek departs. Minors (under 21 years) are by law not allowed to
consume alcohol in America and in a number of U.S. states they are
not even allowed to enter bars and nightclubs (for example California).
Smoking is not permitted in the van, and in many U.S. states smoking
is also not permitted in restaurants, bars and all public buildings and
public transportation. Please be aware that heavy fines are due, if you
do not comply with the law.
15. Tipping
Tipping for service is common practice throughout the United States,
Canada and Mexico. As a general rule tip as follows:
Airport porters, bellhops, doormen: 1$ per bag.
Taxi: 20% of the fare.
Restaurant: 15% of the bill
If at the end of your trek you are satisfied with the job your trek
leader did, feel free to give him a tip.
16. Shopping
America is famous for its many big shopping malls. Factory outlet
stores are real shopping villages where you can usually purchase brand
names like Levi’s, Nike, Calvin Klein etc. for less than in regular malls.
Ask you trek leader for factory outlet stores on your trek. Other great
locations for shopping are Indian and Mexican markets, famous for
handcrafted pottery, jewelry and clothing. Especially jeans, sneakers
and many electrical appliances are less expensive than in many other
countries.
17. Restaurants
There are lots of restaurants, fast-food and family diner chains in
America with inexpensive full meals such as: McDonald’s, Burger King,
KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Denny’s, Lyon’s, International House of
Pancakes (IHOP) etc. Portions are usually quite big and tap water is
always free. As typical American food is regarded for instance steak
and french fries or burgers in all variations. Many restaurants and fast
11

food chains also offer free refills on soft drinks. If you are looking for
something special you will also find a large variety of Mexican, Asian
or European restaurants, which serve typical regional and ethnic
specialities. Don’t forget that in most restaurants “you have to wait to
be seated” by a servant and that taxes and service charges are not
included (15% of the bill should be added for service).
18. Time Zones
Eastern Standard Time, for example New York (MEZ -6 hours)
Central Standard Time, for example New Orleans (MEZ -7 hours)
Mountain Standard Time, for example Denver (MEZ -8 hours)
Pacific Standard Time, for example Los Angeles (MEZ -9 hours)
Alaska Time, for example Anchorage (MEZ -10 hours)
Hawaii Time, for example Honoululu (MEZ -11 hours)
The “Daylight Savings Time” (+ 1 hour) begins every year on the last
Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October.
19. Telephone
Phone numbers in the USA/Canada consist of a”1”, an area code with
three digits and a telephone number with 7 digits. Only use the “1”
and the area code, if you are outside of the area code that you want
to reach.
Public telephone boxes are operated by a variety of phone companies
and systems. As a rule of thumb you should first put money into the
phone and then dial the phone number when you are dialing short
distance. For long distance phone calls you usually have to dial the
country code and number and then wait for the operator to tell you
how much money you have to put into the telephone. The operator
will keep on interrupting you to tell you to depose more money.
In most cases it is much easier and more cost effective to use phone
cards. Unlike with European phone cards, you don’t have to look for a
special phone box for cards, since you don’t insert the card into the
phone. You merely type in the number on your card and link it to your
credit card or pay by travelers checks. There are also precharged phone
cards available. Just ask your trek leader.
Many companies in the service industry provide toll free telephone
numbers for customer service. You can dial these numbers beginning
with 1-800 or 1-888 without inserting any money into public telephone
machines. Many of these toll free numbers are listed in letters
instead of numbers to help memorize the telephone number (for
example: 1-800-SUNTREK (1-800-786-8735)). Every American
telephone features letters as well as numbers.
12

Niagara Falls, New York (USA)
13

III. Traveling in the US
1. Culture
The best way to handle the culture shock is with adaptability, humor
and a lot of common sense. Take your time to get used to new ways of
living, different mentalities – you will find they make a pleasant
change from the every day situations at home. The more you accept
things as being merely different, neither better nor worse than at
home, the more you will be able to enjoy your adventure. Do not
compare and you will make new important experiences. Gather as much
information as possible on the areas you will be traveling in, read and
talk to people who have already been there. Remember, you will not
just be discovering America. On your holiday you will have the chance
to learn from your fellow-trekkers about other countries and customs.
The US is a melting pot of nations. People with European, Native
American (Indian), Latin, African and Asian heritage live in this vast
country. Although English is the dominant language everywhere, you
will also hear and see the Spanish language in the southern states
such as California, Florida, New Mexico and Texas. Of course, Asian,
African or Native American communities also use their own tongues to
communicate among each other. The typical American is easy going
and friendly. Since Americans live in a country, which is one of the
leading world powers, they have a healthy national pride and the
average American has not traveled very far outside of the United
States. Being a society of extremes, the US shows more striking
differences between the lower and upper social classes than most of
the European countries. The old myth of the poor dish washer who
becomes a richman is still very true for those who work hard,
accumulate knowledge and show courage.
2. Country
The USA consist of 50 states, represented by the fifty stars on the
American Flag, whereas the 13 red and white stripes represent the
former 13 colonies. The United States (not considering Alaska and
Hawaii) count about 250 million inhabitants living on 8 million square
kilometers land. Most of the people live either in the big metropolises
of the East Coast, such as New York, Washington and Boston or at the
West Coast in the cities Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and
Oakland. In the Midwest you can find many farms and ranches. In
striking contrast to those big metropolises stand the vast, almost
untouched prairies, deserts and mountainous terrains. The country
offers so many incredible and unique natural phenoma that you can
find nowhere else on the planet. All of these beautiful areas are
preserved by the US government through a national park system.
Yellowstone NP, Yosemite NP, Arches NP and Grand Canyon NP, just to
name a few, consist of fascinating rock formations, geysers or
waterfalls.
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3. Climate
These indications are the average daily temperatures, not the maximum
temperatures.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Chicago 25 27 36 47 58 68 73 72 65 54 40 30
Gr. Canyon 27 30 36 43 51 60 66 64 59 47 36 30
Las Vegas 43 48 55 65 74 83 90 87 80 87 53 45
Los Angeles 54 55 57 59 62 65 69 69 69 65 61 57
Miami 68 68 71 74 77 80 82 82 81 78 72 69
New Orleans 55 57 61 68 74 80 82 82 78 70 60 55
New York 31 31 39 49 60 69 74 73 67 56 45 35
S. Francisco 50 53 54 56 57 59 59 60 62 61 57 52
Seattle 38 41 44 49 56 60 65 64 60 52 44 41
Yellowstone 18 22 27 38 47 54 63 61 52 42 29 22
(Temperatures in Fahrenheit)
Temperature conversion scheme:
(°F-32) : 1,8 = °C
(°Cx9)
+ 32 = °F
5
Equivalents
Celsius Fahrenheit
100 boiling 212
37 95
35 95
32 90
29 85
27 80
24 75
21 70
18 65
16 60
13 55
10 50
7 45
4 40
2 35
0 freezing 32
- 4 25
- 7 20
- 9 15
-12 10
4. Special Hints
Electrical Appliances
Make sure before you leave that your electrical appliances, hair dryer
or shaver are adaptable to 110 voltage.
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5. American English
American
British
elevator
lift
traveler
traveller
color
colour
restroom or bathroom toilet
subway
underground / tube
french fries
chips
chips
crisps
downtown
city centre
drugstore
chemist
sidewalk
pavement
gas
petrol
check
bill
truck
lorry
6. American Measurements
Liquid Measure
1 gill (gl) = 0,118 l
1 pint (pt.) = 4 gills = 0,473 l
1 quart (qt.) = 2 pints = 0,946 l
1 gallon (gal.) = 4 quarts = 3,785 l
Weight Measure
1 once (oz.) = 28,35 g
1 pound (lb.) = 16 oz = 453,6 g
1 stone (st.) = 14 lbs = 6,35 kg
1 quarter (qt.) = 2 stones = 12,7 kg
Linear Measure
1 inch (in.) = 2,54 cm
1 foot (ft.) = 12 inches = 30,48 cm
1 yard (yd.) = 3 feet = 91,44 cm
1 mile (mi.) = 1,609 km
7. American Clothing Sizes
Women’s Clothing
American 8 10 12 14 16 18
European 38 40 42 44 46 48
British 10 12 14 16 18 20
Shoes
American 4½ 5 5½ 6 6½ 7 7½ 8 8½ 9 9½ 10 11
European 35½ 36 36½ 37 37½ 38 38½ 39 39½ 40 40½ 41 41½
British 3 3½ 4 4½ 5 5½ 6 6½ 7 7½ 8 8½ 9
16

Men’s Clothing
American 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
European 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58
British 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
Shoes
American 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
European 41 42 43 44½ 46 47 48
British 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
8. Special Hints on Alaska
When Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867, no one knew it would
turn out to be a gold mine as only its borders had been explored by
Europeans. When gold was first discovered in 1880 it attracted a
multitude of fortune seekers and created the city of Juneau. Alaska
became part of the United States of America in 1959. Alaska is twoand-a-half
times the size of Texas, and covers 586,400 square miles.
Its coastline is longer than that of the continental United States, and
it contains five mountain ranges, one of which is the highest peak in
North America, 20,320-foot Mount McKinley. Arctic Alaska is populated
almost entirely by Eskimos and is a barren region of tundra and
mountains. These extend from the Arctic Ocean to the Brooks Range,
the major east-west chain in northern Alaska. Expansive plateaus and
lowlands scored by the Yukon River system extend across the Alaskan
interior between the Alaska and Brooks ranges. Fairbanks is the major
population center in this region. Coastal Alaska stretches from the
Alaska Range to the Gulf of Alaska. These lands are fertile and rich in
mineral deposits, while the panhandle of southeastern Alaska is known
for its copious rainfall and mild temperatures. The principal port in
this area is Anchorage. The capital city of Juneau is one of the settlements
clinging to the coast of the Inside Passage.
Important note: Many roads in Alaska consist of only mud and gravel
and sometimes take us through dusty and swampy areas. Campgrounds
do not always have showers, and we will at times camp in the wilderness.
Due to the lack of services available, technical defects of transportation
and other incidents cause more inconveniences.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Anchorage -6/-16 -3/-12 1/-10 7/-2 12/3 17/6 18/10 17/9 13/4 16/-2 -2/-9 -6/-14
Barrow -23/-31 -25/-31 -22/-30 -14/-22 -4/-11 2/-2 7/1 6/1 1/-3 6/-11 -15/-22-21/-27
Fairbanks -22/-30 -12/-26 -4/-21 6/-8 15/2 22/8 22/9 18/6 12/1 2/-8 -11/-21-17/-27
Juneau -1/-7 0/-6 3/-4 7/-1 12/3 16/7 17/9 17/8 13/6 8/3 4/-2 1/-4
Kotzebue -17/-25 -16/-24 -14/-24 -5/-16 3/-4 10/3 15/8 13/7 8/2 -1/-7 -11/-17-16/-24
Nome -11/-19 -11/-19 -9/-18 -2/-10 5/-2 11/4 13/7 12/7 9/2 2/-4 -5/-12 -11/-19
Average Temperatures (max/min in Celsius)
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9. City Information
Anchorage, Alaska
Identified by a modern skyline, Anchorage is Alaska’s largest and most
sophisticated city and home to more than half of the state’s
occupants. Established in 1914 as the construction headquarters for
the Alaskan Railroad; today it is the transportation and business hub
of south-central Alaska.
Atlanta, Georgia
In 1837 Atlanta began as a railroad surveyor’s interest in a pine clearing.
The town quickly grew into an significant railway and manufacturing
center. It became the Confederate arsenal during the Civil War. Cut
down to a smoldering ruin after Sherman’s occupation in 1864, the
city drew upon its unconquerable spirit and the canny use of carpetbagger
money to become once again a booming commercial center.
Atlanta, capital of Georgia, is now the envoy of the “New South”.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
in 1854, Atlantic City was incorporated with what began as a fishing
village at the north end of Absecon Island. It became a leading east
coast resort, an ideal vacation spot. When trains first arrived in 1854 ,
the railroad’s land company was selling lots and there was a hotel. By
the 1880s two rail lines were carrying an abundance of passengers to
the numerous hotels of a town that had taken the shape and character
it was to exhibit, regardless of the decline that began in the 1930s.
This decline lasted until the casino law was passed. Since the first
8-foot wide section of planks was laid directly on the sand in 1870,
the Boardwalk has been the city’s most noted attraction. Five miles
long and 60 feet wide, the current steel and concrete structure is surfaced
with planks arranged in a herringbone pattern that is a handsome
foundation for a hubbub of stores, amusements, concessions and
thousands of visitors. Since 1977 roughly a dozen casino-hotels have
opened or are being finished along the Boardwalk.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston was founded by Puritans in 1630 and soon became a major
seaport as well as the largest British colony on the continent. In 1768
Colonial resentment of Crown rule swelled as unpopular taxes induced
military occupation to Boston. In 1770, British soldiers fired on a
hostile crowd, killing five townsmen in what became known as the
Boston Massacre. In the year of 1773 the patriots loosely disguised
themselves as Indians and dumped three shiploads of taxable tea into
Boston Harbor. This is known historically as the Boston tea party.
Furious, Parliament retaliated by shutting the city’s port. Patriots
under the command of George Washington surrounded Boston, and in
March 1776 the British vacated the city.
Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
History is still in the making at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and
Kennedy Space Center as this is the site for all manned-flight launchings.
They are the country’s hub of space operations and the
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launch/landing site for the shuttle program. When the center was
known as Cape Canaveral, Navy Comdr. Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was
propelled into suborbital space flight on May 5, 1961. This was
followed by America’s first staffed orbital flight by Marine Lt. Col. John
H. Glenn, Jr., on July 20, 1962. After the name change to Kennedy
Space Center, moon bound U.S. space capsules blasted from these
immense launching pads. And on July 20, 1969, Neil A. Armstrong and
Edwin E. Aldrin became the first men to tread the moon’s surface.
Charlottesville, Virginia
Historic Charlottesville, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, was the home of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. The
University of Virginia, established and fashioned by Jefferson and first
governed by a board whose membership consisted of Thomas Jefferson,
James Monroe and James Madison, enhances the city. Many aged
homes and estates in the encompassing countryside reveal Jefferson’s
architectural style; the Old Courthouse is a significant example.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago was home to the first skyscraper which was 11 stories high.
Today many architectural landmarks are located on Dearborn Street in
Chicago’s Loop. Chicago’s financial district is highlighted by Burnham
and Root’s Rookery Building, it is the world’s oldest remaining steel
skeleton skyscraper, with an inner court designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright. Famous for their dizzying heights are the Sears Tower, the
world’s tallest building standing at 1454 feet, and the John Hancock
center, with 110 stories of shops, offices and apartments. The famed
first moving wall sculpture, “Universe,” fashioned by Alexander Calder,
can be viewed at the Sears Tower Building.
Cody, Wyoming
Founded by Col. William “Buffalo Bill” F. Cody in 1898, Cody is close to
the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The territory around
Cody, distinguished by many dude and working ranches, also offers
ample recreational opportunities. Downtown is host to several historic
buildings dating from the beginning of the 20th century.
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach was more raceway than beach in the initial days of the
automobile. Between 1902 and 1935 some 13 speed records were
establish by Barney Old field, Sir Henry Seagrave, and Sir Malcolm
Campbell. The tradition lives on at Daytona International Speedway. At
low tide the beach is 23 miles long and 500 feet wide; during the day
cars may drive on the firm-packed sand along the water’s edge. For
safety, beach driving should be done only during low or outgoing tide
and never in the water, no matter how shallow.
Delta Junction, Alaska
Big Delta State Historical Park and Rika’s Roadhouse and Landing, is
located at milepost 275, Richardson Hwy. This is a living-history
homestead with a museum, roadhouse, barn, garden, and livestock and
poultry pens.
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Denver, Colorado
in 1861 Denver became capital of the new Colorado Territory. It survived
the usual frontier catastrophes of fire and flood, forever rebuilding
better than before. The vicinity grew rapidly when the railroad tied
it to the rest of the country. Gold, then silver, produced millionaires.
The fall of the silver market in 1893 drove Denver into bankruptcy, but
the finding of gold at Cripple Creek the next year rapidly revived the
city’s drooping economy. The city is more than a manufacturing, distribution
and transportation nucleus-it is on the energy frontier. Denver
is the headquarters for many companies that research and produce the
known reserves of fossil fuel, as well as alternative energy sources.
Durango, Colorado
Durango started as a mining and smelting center during the gold and
silver booms. It is now a juncture for local industry, ranching, commerce,
and culture. Fragments of the past accent Durango’s Victorian
downtown, where visitors can still enjoy the essence of that colorful
era.
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is a chief lumber and wood products hub in the southern end
of the Willamette Valley. The region produces a substantial amount of
the nation’s softwood plywood.
Eureka, California
The primary port between San Francisco Bay and Columbia River,
Eureka is a lumbering, industrial and commercial metropolis on
Humboldt Bay. Such decorated Victorian dwellings as the Carson
Mansion reveal the days of the lumber barons. Fort Humboldt was
headquarters of Gen. U.S. Grant in 1853. Humboldt Bay is also a noted
fishing port, boasting generous catches of crab, salmon, shrimp,
albacore, and bottom fish.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks first appeared in the U.S. census in 1910 with an occupancy
of 3,541. Miners living next to their claims on creeks north of town,
brought the area population figure to about 11,000. Tourism and
pipeline production have contributed many new buildings, and visitors
from the Lower 48 states will today find modern housing just like at
home. Alaskaland is also a place of interest, being a pioneer theme
park with attractions including many turn-of-the-century buildings,
some of which were relocated from other parts of Fairbanks, the sternwheeler
Nenana, a slim gauge railroad, a tram train, and a pioneer
museum. Interesting visits also entail the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline and
the city of Ester.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Honeycombed by rivers, bays, inlets, and canals, Fort Lauderdale is a
city of islands where the boat vies the automobiles as a mode of transportation.
One-tenth of the city is water surface with 165 miles of
navigable water in the corporate limits providing temporary port for
boats of all sizes. Almost all hotels, motels, and stores are west of
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Atlantic Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The beach on the east bears a
3-mile strip of sand that has proven to be one of the city’s paramount
attractions to natives and visitors alike.
Galveston Island, Texas
Renamed Galveston in 1836, the former pirate stronghold became the
Republic’s base of naval operations against Mexico and the temporary
Texas capital. By the Civil War broke out, Galveston was Texas’ principal
seaport and leading commercial hub. By 1890 it was Texas’ largest
and wealthiest city. Some of the country’s most celebrated buildings
housed the banks, shipping companies and cotton brokers that lined
the Strand, Galveston’s main street. Galveston lost everything to the
hurricane of 1900, including the lives of some 6,000 people. Galveston
remained in Houston’s shadow until the 1970s, when the Galveston
Historical Foundation began reconditioning some of the city’s Victorian
buildings. These efforts and such natural resources as the island’s
32 miles of sandy beaches have made Galveston Island a leading Gulf
Coast resort.
Grants Pass, Oregon
Named when settlers constructing the main road heard of General
Grant’s capture of Vicksburg in 1863, Grants pass was a resting place
on the California stage route. Today the town is a mid point in the
Rogue River region.
Haines, Alaska
Haines lies in a dramatic setting on the Chilkat Peninsula close to the
northern end of Lynn Canal between the waters of the Inside Passage
and the Chilkat River. From late October through December, nearby
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, located between Mileposts 9 and 31 on
the Haines Highway, is haven to one of the largest congregations of
bald eagles in the world. 3,500 or more of the birds gather to feed on
the salmon in the Chilkat River; sometimes as many as 20 eagles nest
in a single tree.
Houston, Texas
Since the flood of the petroleum market Houston has become a boomtown,
forever growing and changing. In 1940 the city ranked as the
country’s 27th most populated; 20 years later it had climbed to 6th
and presently is exceeded only by New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Houston – Nasa Space Center
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is a large research and development
facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is also
a focal point for the Nation’s manned space-flight program. The visitor
center exhibits crafts that have flown in space, photographs, paintings,
moon rocks, a lunar roving vehicle and a lunar module; NASA
films are played daily in the auditorium.
Kenai, Alaska
Established as Fort Saint Nicholas by Russian fur traders in 1791. Kenai
is one of the aged permanent communities in Alaska. Kenai is the
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nearest settlement to the south central region’s most promising oil
development fields and is the location of major petrochemical plants.
Las Vegas, Nevada
The neon shrine to tinseled affluence, Las Vegas blares 24 hours a day
with a high-flying atmosphere of get-rich-quick. The lure of easy
money entices more than 12 million visitors yearly, and the revolving
wheels and gambling tables, as well as numerous posh hotels, furnish
ready entertainment. Las Vegas was once an oasis on the route to
California. It began as a Mormon community and boomed fleetingly
during the silver rush. However, unlike towns that went bust and
stayed bust, the city revived with ranching in the late 1800s and the
coming of the railroad in 1905. The Union Pacific successfully sold off
1200 settlements in one day, these lots were to become the breeding
ground for saloons, businesses and gambling houses. Almost overnight,
casinos were built downtown and gamblers flooded the city, Las Vegas
was on its way. After World War II the big resort hotels sprung up, and
with them big entertainment. The purpose was simply to lure the
people in where they could sample the exhilaration of gambling. Now
Las Vegas is one of the prominent gambling capitals of the world.
Los Angeles, California
California’s largest city is Los Angeles, both in population and territory
(465 square miles). The city also numbers second in metropolitan area
population in the United States. The region was first visited in 1769
by a Spanish expedition in search of the port of Monterey. In 1781
Governor Felipe de Neve, along with 11 families, pioneered El Pueblo
de la Reina de Los Angeles (the village of Our Lady the Queen of the
Angels). After Mexican independence from Spain in the early 19th
century, Los Angeles erratically served as capital of the Mexican
province of Alta California. It was the last location to surrender to the
United States in 1847. More currently the city’s swell has been due to
the development of a multiplicity of industries. More than threefourths
of all motion pictures made in the United States are produced
in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This tremendous amount of film
production, along with the major radio and television broadcasting
companies here, have made Los Angeles the entertainment hub of the
West.
Memphis, Tennessee
The obvious southern flavor and history of Memphis are personified in
a music that still haunts the city – the blues. The blues – a blend of
the mournful ballads sung by slaves and the Dixieland jazz of New
Orleans, is what distinguishes Memphis from other cities of equal size.
Music legend W.C. Handy developed this originally American art form at
the turn of the century on garish Beale Street – the city’s most
renowned landmark. In 1977 Congress paid homage to the musical
heritage of Memphis with an official act declaring the city “Home of
the Blues.” The man who followed W.C. Handy fused Memphis’ place in
music history: Elvis Presley, known simply as “the King.” Elvis, who
relocated to Memphis from Tupelo, Miss., when he was 12, rode into
stardom on the wave of rhythm and blues. He was a white man croon-
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ing a black sound – the Memphis Sound – which soon inflamed the
world and the record industry. Studios moved into town, and fans and
fortunes followed. Memphis still profits from Elvis’ association with the
city as thousands from around the world come to see his home, grave
and recording studio.
Mendocino, California
Mendocino, a former lumber port, is now an artists’ haven as well as a
popular vacation colony. The town is full of quiet shops and an
unhurried atmosphere. The Mendocino coastline is a setting for many
movies as it is a spectacle of nature.
Miami – Miami Beach, Florida
The twin lures of luxury and sun make the southern coast of the Gold
Coast – Miami and Miami Beach – a magnet for fun seekers. Opulent
hotels and motels, gleaming palm-line beaches and endless recreational
activities fuse with the subtropical climate to spell vacation
enchantment to millions each year. The modern port of Miami, reputedly
handling more passengers than any other in the world, serves as a
primary gateway to Central America, South America, and the
Caribbean. A profusion of sunshine has also been a significant factor
in the city’s rise to prominence. Recast from a remote mangrove
swamp to the manifestation of lavishness in just under 70 years,
Miami Beach is one of the most outstanding of all American success
stories. At the turn of the century the city was still a timberland
inhabited mostly by snakes and mosquitoes. After two agricultural
endeavors failed, John Collins turned his efforts to fostering the
islands as a residential locale. By the early 1920s the land rush was in
full swing. Barring wartime depression and a setback which began in
1926, building has been on the up-swing ever since.
Monterey, California
The Monterey Peninsula varies in altitude from sea level to 360 feet.
The town was the capital of Alta California under the Spanish, Mexican
and American flags. The peninsula is a favored all-year playground
with numerous golf courses. On Cannery Row, the colorful district of
John Steinbeck’s novel, galleries and restaurants have succeeded all
but one of the fish canneries. Along Fisherman’s Wharf, an art gallery,
handicraft shops and the Wharf Theater have replaced the commercial
fishing bustles of a half-century ago.
Nashville, Tennessee
Though Nashville has much to offer, it is the effigy of the Country
Music Capital of the World that governs in the hearts of many. The
truth is that most benefactors of the Grand Ole Opry come from
Arkansas, Alabama and other encompassing states, leaving many
natives surprisingly indifferent to their own acclaim to prominence. As
the recording and television industries continue to expand, the country
music scene becomes more imbedded. When we think of Nashville,
superstars such as Dolly, Loretta, Chet, Tammy, Johnny and Hank
spring to mind.
23

New Orleans, Louisiana
In 1718 Bienville scored a rough square in the soil with his sword, and
there, Nouvelle-Orleans was pioneered. France sent vagrants from its
prisons to dwell in the area, vagrants who, however, balked at work.
As if in defiance with the uncharitable surroundings they preferred to
create a Creole society after the patterns of Versailles. In 1762, after
years of disregard by France, Louisiana was relinquished to Spain; the
ornate style of life conveyed by the French was upheld by the
Spaniards who additionally introduced the sugar and cotton plantations
and industry to the territory. In late 1803, ownership of
Louisiana had proceeded from Spain to the United States. Today New
Orleans is the grandest city in the state and is popular for jazz and
honkytonk music.
New York, New York
New York City is the business, entertainment and publishing capital of
the United States. As the Nation’s largest city, it is teeming, busy and
always charged. New York is a 314 square mile city of contradictions.
Although it has about 26,303 people per square mile, greater than 17
percent of the entire land area is dedicated to parks and playgrounds.
The Empire State Building is only minutes away from the prolific farmlands
of Staten Island and the glitter of Broadway is only a short ride
from the desolation of the South Bronx. New York’s harbor is one of
the most superior in the world. Its mile-wide entrance is called the
Narrows. It lies between Fort Hamilton on the east and Fort Wadsworth
on the west. Commanding the port is the Statue of Liberty.
The port of New York, the most active in the world, clears more than
26000 crafts a year and ships 40 percent of the total foreign trade of
the United States. New York is made up of five boroughs – The Bronx,
Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Richmond (Staten Island). In most
cities, bridges and tunnels are simply means of accelerating vehicular
traffic. In New York these monuments to a growing megalopolis are
themselves attractions worthy of note. Among these are the Verrazano-
Narrows Bridge, the longest single span bridge in the world; the
Holland Tunnel, a wonder of engineering skill at the time of its completion
in 1927; the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, second longest in the
world; and the Bayonne Bridge, longest steel arch bridge in the world.
The Brooklyn Bridge is indisputably the world’s most famous bridge.
The Empire State Building is one of the world’s tallest office buildings
New York
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eaching 1472 feet, it has 2 million square feet of office space.
Elevators run to the observatory on the 86th floor as well as to the
observation tower on the 102nd floor. Central Park offers 840 acres of
wooded and landscaped grounds, lake, two outdoor skating rinks, a
swimming pool and a merry-go-round.
Orlando, Florida
Between 1970 and 1980 Orlando’s metropolitan population increased
54 percent. After Walt Disney World’s opening in 1971, many other
significant attractions followed. Lured by accessibility and activity,
private industry also set up offices here. Today the city is both a
vacation utopia and business center.
Panama City, Florida
Panama City is a leading anchorage on St. Andrew Bay off the Gulf of
Mexico. It is the eastern terminus for a picturesque portion of US 98,
stretching 98 miles to Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola. Once a
drowsy fishing village, Panama City is now a progressive industrial and
resort town as well as a popular spring break destination for college
students. A marina at the base of Harrison Avenue includes municipal
buildings and berths for about 400 boats. Fishing boats may be chartered
on St. Andrew Bay.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The United States was born when the Declaration of Independence was
signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The
Constitution drafted here in September 1787, laid the groundwork for
the Nation’s future. The city Penn pioneered became known as
Philadelphia, Greek for “city of brotherly love.” Despite British
occupation in 1777, the city preserved its leadership role throughout
the grapple. After the war it became an assembly point for the
bankrupt colonies. Philadelphia’s star began to fade in 1800 and the
seat of government was moved to Washington, D.C.
Portland, Oregon
Chinook Indians were the first people to use Portland as a port, and it
was at the site they had cleared for tying up their canoes that Lewis
and Clark stopped in 1806. With the imposing Cascade Mountains to
the east and Coast Range to the west, Portland resolved not to
compete with the heights of nature by passing an ordinance forbidding
buildings over 40 stories tall. This way future generations could enjoy
the city’s backdrop of snowcapped peaks and forested hillsides. Today
Portland is recognized throughout the country as “the city of the
roses.”
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown was the locate of the first landing of the Pilgrims. A
monument stands on Town Hill honoring this event. Isolated at the tip
of cape Cod, the community always depended upon the sea for its
sustenance. Once a whaling port, the town now is an art colony.
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Reno, Nevada
Liberal state laws allow the amusements of an open town. The varied
stage shows and gaming activities operate on a 24-hour basis, and its
neon lights give it the same excitement as Las Vegas. The metropolis
is also an important distribution and merchandising area. Reno is also
a residential city whose courthouses see more couples married than
divorced.
Sacramento, California
Capt. John Sutter, a Swiss immigrant, settled at the junction of the
American and Sacramento Rivers in 1839 on a 50,000 acre grant from
the Mexican government. On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall
discovered gold near a mill he was constructing for Sutter on the
South Fork of the American River. Despite their plan to keep the find a
secret, word leaked out, and the great California gold rush was on. It
was selected as the state capital in 1854. A deep-water channel to San
Francisco Bay was finished in 1963, making the city a major inland
port. Sacramento has a distinctive historic old town that lures many
tourists.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, with Great Salt
lake to the northwest and Great Salt Lake Desert to the west.
Pioneered in 1847 by the Mormons under Brigham Young, the city first
became the capital of the Mormon colonization and then of the state.
Its grandest buildings are ecclesiastical, and some of its most interesting
houses were occupied by Brigham Young and his family.
Salt Lake City
San Antonio, Texas
The city’s military history dates from the days of the Spanish conquistadors
and San Antonio’s founding as a fort. Once the capital of the
Spanish province of Texas, it was the hub of their mission work with
the native Indians. Just a few blocks from the San Antonio River is the
Alamo, the oldest mission instituted by the Spaniards. They named it
San Antonio de Valero for the viceroy of Mexico when the city was
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pioneered. Later the building was renamed from the Spanish word for
“cottonwood tree.” The Alamo became the cradle of Texas liberty
when its 187 defenders courageously fought to the death against
5,000 attacking Mexicans.
San Diego, California
Deemed the birthplace of California, San Diego was first discovered in
1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. He landed at Point Loma and claimed
what is now California for the Spanish Crown. The locales of the
original mission and the fort can still be seen in Old Town San Diego.
Today San Diego is the second largest metropolis in California.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco is comparatively young, yet rarely is there found a
greater passion for preservation of the past with all its colorful legends
and architecture. This spirit is unmistakable in the preservation
of historic buildings as well as the renowned cable cars. Joined with
this love of the city is the great determination and courage that
rebuilt the city not once but seven times after catastrophic fires. Six
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
of them came within a
period of two boomtown
years; the last one,
which ravaged fourfifths
of the town,
blazed for days after the
1906 earthquake broke
the water mains and
rendered firefighting
equipment all but useless.
Perhaps it is the
beauty of San
Francisco’s setting that
commands such loyalty.
Varying in altitude from
sea level to 929 feet,
the city rests on 40 hills
at the tip of a slender
peninsula, bound on
one side by the Pacific
Ocean and on the other
side by the San
Francisco Bay. It is one
of the World’s largest
land-locked harbors in the world. It was the city’s bayside location
that lured its earliest colonizers. Today’s San Francisco, still fun
loving, is also a significant financial and industrial center. Its financial
district, located at the lower end of Montgomery Street, is often called
the “Wall Street of the West.” Additionally, the city port handles
millions of tons of cargo annually.
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Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the location of one of Father Junipero Serra’s 21 historic
California missions. Santa Cruz beach boardwalk is amusing with its
arcade, rides, saltwater taffy, corndogs, cotton candy, shows on the
outdoor stage, and “Neptune’s Kingdom”, an entertainment center.
There are various museums and art galleries to be visited.
Santa Barbara, California
Resting on a slender shelf between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the
Pacific Coast, Santa Barbara is one of southern California’s leading
vacation areas. Stearns Wharf, a landmark in Santa Barbara, was constructed
in 1872, to serve cargo and passenger ships. In the 1930s it
was the farewell point for people trying to get aboard floating casinos.
Today the wharf is the location of specialty shops, restaurants and
a fishing pier. It also offers lovely views of the harbor and the mountains
behind Santa Barbara.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The past was unmistakable at the site that newly appointed governor
Don Pedro de Peralta chose for the new provincial capital in the winter
of 1609-10: Remnants of a Tano Indian village bordered the spot near
the Santa Fe River. The Spanish penchant for long titles did not fail
Peralta, who named his town La Villa Real de Santa Fe de San
Francisco de Asis -the Royal City of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of
Assisi. By late 1610 the plaza, governor’s palace and some city walls
were discernible proof of the beginning of what would become the
oldest continuous seat of government in the United States.
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah was contrived by Gen. Oglethorpe and Col. William Bull. Laid
out on a expansive scale, the city derives much of its charm from the
cobblestone riverfront, broad avenues and squares shaded by noble
oaks. At the waterfront is the Waving Girl, a statue of a woman beckoning
a cloth toward the ship channel. The statue is in remembrance
of Florence Martus, who became known to seamen all over the world
for waving at every ship entering the harbor between 1887 and 1931.
Seattle, Washington
Vigorous growth followed the 1897 Klondike gold rush, for which the
city served as a starting point. Seattle’s population grew sixfold
between 1890 and 1910; tideflats were filled and steep slopes were
leveled to develop more livable areas. The Space Needle, which is 605
feet high, has been Seattle’s most notable landmark since it was built
as the centerpiece for the 1962 World’s Fair. An observation deck on
the highest platform provides panoramic views of the city.
Seward, Alaska
Named for William H. Seward, who negotiated the buying of Alaska,
Seward is an ice-free port in a setting of great loveliness. At the
northeast end of Resurrection Bay, named by the Russians who first
arrived in its waters on Easter, the city is surrounded by high mountains
and ice fields. Seward also is the principal access point to Kenai
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Fjords National Park which includes one of the few accessible glaciers.
The railroad to Alaska’s nucleus began in Seward. Charter boats and
planes can be employed for fishing, hunting, and sightseeing trips.
Seward is the southern terminus of the Seward Highway, a picturesque
highway that extends north to Anchorage through an alpine terrain of
glaciers and lakes.
Skagway, Alaska
During the icy winter of 1897-98, swarms of enthusiastic would-be
prospectors who had heard of the Klondike gold strike pressed ashore
at Skagway, assembled their gear and began the arduous trek over the
treacherous mountains and months of the first gold strike, the settlement
at Skagway grew from one cabin into a prospering city of more
than 20,000 people. The gold rush terminated as suddenly as it had
begun, and those who had come to Skagway moved on. Boardwalks,
false-front buildings and old stores, all colorful reminders of a tempestuous
past, line the main street. Broadway is now a member of the
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
St. Augustine, Florida
As the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine has played
varied and prestigious historic roles. It was in this region that Juan
Ponce de Leon, in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth, landed
on April 3, 1513, and took possession of the region for Spain. Still
maintaining strong evidence of its Spanish origin, the Old City is being
restored to a likeness of its colonial days; much of the historic area
north of the plaza de la Constitucion is complete. Typical Spanish
houses, with walled patios enclosing Old World gardens, line the many
slender streets.
Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
Booming, diverse Tampa has long contrasted with St. Petersburg, its
more sedate sister city across the Tampa Bay.The concurrent arrival of
the Cuban cigar industry and Henry B. Plant’s railroad in the 1880s
confirmed the city’s future importance. Tampa Bay and the
Hillsborough River have played a chief role in the city’s development.
Tampa’s port is the seventh leading in the Nation and home to one of
the world’s largest shrimp fleets.
St. Petersburg is one of the largest cities in the state as well as on the
west coast; it basks in its renowned sunshine on the southern half of
the Pinella Peninsula. Tampa Bay borders it on the east; Boca Ciega
Bay separates it from the Holiday Isle.
Tok, Alaska
Tok began as a construction camp on the Alcan Highway in 1942. The
name is believed to be derived from Tokyo Camp, patriotically shortened
during World War II to Tok. But there exists at least three other
versions of how Tok (pronounced to rhyme with joke) got its name. 54
miles from the Canadian border, Tok is a trade center for nearby
Athabaskan villages and claims the title “Dog Capital of Alaska.” It is
one of the oldest and largest sled dog races in the states, the Tok Race
of Champions.
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Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is in a high desert valley which at one point was the floor of
an ancient inland sea. It is encompassed by four mountain ranges: The
Santa Catalinas, The Rincons, The Santa Ritas, and the Tucsons. The
Native American name for the ancient settlements vaguely translates
into “spring at the foot of the black hill”. Tucson’s Native American
and Mexican origins are ever present. Mexican-Americans make up a
substantial share of the population. Spanish is widely spoken and
Native American dialects are randomly heard. In the 1950s, dude
ranches were Tucson’s foremost attractions. Although a Western atmosphere
has been preserved, Tucson has emerged as a cosmopolitan city.
Valdez, Alaska
Called the “Switzerland of Alaska,” Valdez is circled by snowcapped
mountains. The state’s northernmost ice-free port, it was settled in
1873 as an outfitting point for miners taking the hazardous pack trail
over Valdez Glacier to the northern gold fields. Because of the heavy
damage from the seismic wave following the 1964 Good Friday earthquake,
the town was relocated 4 miles west to the site of Port Valdez.
The port city now boasts an $8 million convention center, a $45 million
pier, and grain and oil terminals. Valdez is the southern terminus
for the Alaska Pipeline; crude oil is loaded onto tankers at the port
terminal and sent to refineries.
Washington, District of Columbia
After the Revolutionary War and nearly seven years of argument,
Congress finally agreed that the young nation’s “Federal Town” would
be somewhere on the east bank of the Potomac River, notched out of
the State of Maryland at the union of the Anacostia and Potomac
Rivers. Washington, D.C., is the Capital of the United States of America
and is home to multiple federal offices and national organizations. The
medley that characterizes the capital politically, socially and economically
is perhaps best portrayed by its architectural variety. Almost any
mixture of Greek Revival Museums, Victorian townhouses, federal-style
office buildings and baroque churches can be found within the same
square inch on a city map. Modern steel and glass buildings provide
chic contrast, but none overshadow the sky; a city ordinance prohibits
new buildings from being more than 13 stories tall. Way above all
rooftops stands Thomas Crawford’s 19 1/2-foot statue of Freedom, on
the crest of the 258-foot dome of the U.S. Capitol. At the opposite
end of the Mall is the Washington Monument; taking 36 years, 5
months and 2 days to construct, the monument, like the city, was slow
to rise to its current prominence.
10. National Parks and Sights Information
Acadia National Park, Maine
Acadia National Park possesses a unique combination of ocean and
mountain scenery. The park embraces more than 50 square miles of
Mount Desert Island, the largest rock-based island on the Atlantic
coast. Dominating the park are the ancient, rounded crests of the
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Mount Desert Mountains, worn down by countless centuries of erosion.
Great granite cliffs, thwarted by the pounding surf at their bases, rise
from the ocean. Nowhere along the Atlantic seaboard is the “stern and
rockbound coast” more artistic. More than 15 peaks, mostly bare at
their summits, are forested with spruce, fir, pine and northern hardwood
trees. Some 500 varieties of wildflowers, consisting of many
Arctic species, grow in the park environs. Acadia National Park also is
a sanctuary for a multiplicity of birds, animals and plants.
Adirondack Park, New York
Adirondack Park encircles about two-thirds of upstate New York,
embracing some 6 million acres of both private and state land, nearly
half of it is wilderness. Physical features range from craggy mountains
and sheer cliffs to low rolling uplands, beaver meadows, swamps and
grassy plains.
Amistad Reservoir, Texas
The 67,000-acre expanse and reservoir of the Amistad National
Recreation Area is northwest of Del Rio via US 90. Amistad is an
outgrowth of the Amistad Dam water-storage project a collective venture
of the United States and Mexico. The boundaries of the region
extend 74 miles up the Rio Grande and portions of the Pecos and
Devils rivers. More than 6 miles in length, the dam creates
85-mile-long Lake Amistad.
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, a rugged wilderness, contains the largest number
of natural stone arches in the country. More than 1,800 arches and
many redrock canyons, spires, fins, and balancing rocks. The erosion of
the Entrada Sandstone, a 300-foot-thick layer of rock that was deposited
as sand 150 million years ago, created these formations. The arches
were formed by the weathering of openings in vertical slabs of sandstone.
It is particularly photogenic in the morning and evening light,
when the sandstone formations take on a fiery radiance. Many high-
Arches N.P., Utah
31

lights can be seen from the road, but short foot paths lead to some of
the most grand features.
Badlands National Park, Wyoming
Between the White and Cheyenne Rivers in southwestern South
Dakota, the territory known as the Badlands contains sensational
examples of weathering and erosion. Irregular ravines, fantastic ridges,
low hill and cliffs of varied color alternate with grayish-white sediment.
Beneath this scenery lies one of the world’s most exceptional
Oligocene fossil beds. Bones of mammals that thrived here 25 to 30
million years ago, when the region was a semitropical marshland, can
be viewed.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, Colorado
Covering 20,766 acres, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National
Monument has12 miles of the deepest portion of the Gunnison River
gorge. Some of the Earth’s oldest support rocks have been cut by the
river to a depth of 2,700 feet. The zenith of the canyon narrows to
about 1,100 feet, but down by the river the canyon narrows in places
to about 40 feet. The name Black Canyon comes from the drearycolored
schists, granites and other Precambrian rocks. Descent into the
canyon is laborious and hazardous; do not attempt it without consulting
a ranger. Back-country licenses are required.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Bryce Canyon National Park contains in its 36010 acres some of the
earth’s most colorful rocks, which have been shaped by erosion into
phenomenal forms. Bryce is not a true canyon, but a series of horseshoe-shaped
amphitheaters carved in the edge of the Paunsaugunt
Plateau by rivulets of the Paria River. The Indian name for the expanse
translates as “red rocks standing like men in a bowl-shaped canyon.”
The park is unique for its brilliant coloring and its intricately
sculptured formations. Iron oxides give red, yellow and brown casts
to the limestone, while manganese oxides lend a lavender hue.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
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Canyonlands National Park, in southeastern Utah, encompasses deeply
eroded canyons peppered with sheer-sided mesas and a variety of
spires, arches and unusual rock formations. The Green and Colorado
rivers meet and continue in a series of powerful rapids through the
multicolored recesses of Cataract Canyon. The park has numerous
opportunities for back country hiking and travel by four-wheel-drive
vehicle, mountain bike, horse, canoe, kayak, or white-water raft.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Named for reef-like cliffs capped by white sandstone formations resembling
the U.S. Capitol, the park contains a sensational section of the
Waterpocket Fold. The fold stretches approximately 100 miles southeastward
from Thousand Lake Mountain to Lake Powell and graphically
illustrates the way the Earth’s surface was built, folded and eroded.
Numerous eroded basins or “pockets” that can hold thousands of
gallons of rainwater are held in this uprising. Near the visitor center,
brightly tinted tiered cliffs-called sleeping rainbows by the Navajosrise
1,000 feet above the Fremont River. Pre-Columbian Indian petroglyphs
can be seen on the encompassing canyon walls. In the midst of
Capitol Reef’s red rock are orchards where fruit may be harvested in
season.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park lies at the rugged base of the
Guadalupe Mountains. Located its 73 square miles is Carlsbad Cavern, a
series of enormous rooms that form one of the world’s largest caves.
The cavern was created in a limestone reef by percolating ground
water, thought to have begun some 3 to 5 million years ago.
Attractive effects range from small, delicate growths resembling plants
to massive stalagmites, stalactites and columns. Many are dyed by iron
and other minerals in the limestone. A marvel occurs each evening at
dusk from approximately May through October, when bats emerge from
the uppermost chamber of the cavern. Winding through the entrance,
they pour southward over the rim, later to disperse in search of food.
The flight outward may last up to an hour, the mass of bats return
near dawn. The number of bats changes with the availability of nightflying
insects upon which they feed. When insects are abundant nearly
a million bats may be present. During the day they hang head down
from the walls and ceilings in a portion of the cavern closed to visitors.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
On the crest of the Cascade Range, Crater Lake National Park is known
for its natural beauty. The most extraordinary feature is Crater Lake,
outstanding for its deep, brilliant blue color. The lake is 6 miles long,
4 ½ miles wide and 1,932 feet deep. Its 20 mile shoreline is encircled
by lava cliffs that rise 500 to 2,000 feet over the lake. Many years
ago, Mount Mazama, a 12,000-foot volcano, occupied the site of Crater
Lake. Vicious eruptions emptied the magma chamber beneath the
mountain and caused the mountain top to collapse, creating the
caldera which now contains the lake. Including three zones of vegetation,
the park has more than 570 species of plants and a variety of
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trees.
Death Valley National Park, California
Death Valley was molded millions of years ago when folding and faulting
of the earth’s crust uplifted the surrounding mountains and
depressed the area between them to 8,000 feet below sea level.
Erosion subsequently wore away at the mountains and permeated the
valley somewhat. Following the ice ages large lakes intermittently
inhabited the basin; their evaporation left alternating layers of mud
and large salt deposits that are still perceivable today. A place of
unexpected contrasts, Death Valley varies from less than 4 miles to
about 16 miles in width and is about 120 miles long. Elevations
fluctuate from 282 feet below sea level, near Badwater (the lowest
point in the United States) to 11,049 feet above sea level at Telescope
Peak. One of the hottest territories in the world, the valley swelters
under daytime temperatures as high as 126 degrees. Although summer
thunderstorms recurrently send flash floods tearing down narrow
canyons, the average yearly rainfall on the valley floor is less than two
inches. Of the more than 1,000 species of plants and trees found here,
21 are unique to the valley, consisting of the Panamint daisy, the
Death Valley sage, and the Death Valley sandpaper plant. The area also
has a wealth of geological phenomena: large sand dune formations,
sculpted rocks, isolated valleys and volcanic craters abound. The
canyon and mountain walls change color with the changing sunlight.
Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
Devils Tower National Monument, which occupies 1,347 acres in the
area between Sundance and Hulett, contains Devils Tower, the most
prominent landmark in northeastern Wyoming. The tower, a immense
monolith resembling a colossal stone tree stump, rises 867 feet from
its base and 1,267 feet above the Bell Fourche River. The 1 ½-acre
crown has a growth of sagebrush and grass, and the almost
perpendicular sides are fluted columns. The tower was formed when
many sedimentary layers eroded from around a volcanic intrusion that
had cooled in a teardrop formation.
Everglades National Park, Florida
The Everglades are primarily a slow-moving fresh-water river, 50 miles
wide and a few inches deep, fed by Lake Okeechobee. Much of the
region is a convolution of mangrove waterways and sawgrass marsh
dotted with hammocks and salt prairies. In rainy seasons even the
driest sites can become swampland, with the exception of pinelands
and the higher hammocks. The land tracts are not more than 8 feet
above mean sea level, and bay bottoms are not more than 16 feet
below mean seal level. The Ten Thousand Islands area camouflages a
strange kind of beauty and tranquillity within its tideswept maze of
islets, oyster bars and mud shallows. Beaches in the park consist
almost completely of shells. Trees and flowers are much the same as
those located in Cuba and the West Indies. At least six species of palm
grow inside the park. The park is a breeding ground for nearly 300
kinds of land and water birds. This is one of few enduring places where
the manatee, or sea cow, and the rare American crocodile are assured
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a permanent sanctuary. Alligators, snakes and sea turtles are typical.
More than 600 specimens of fish are located here.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana, embraces a million
acres of the finest mountain scenery in America. Geologic processes
have fashioned and sculpted the peaks and left about 50 glaciers and
200 lakes. The mountains to the east are a outcome of an overthrust
of the Earth’s crust. Rock layers about a billion years old lay aloft layers
millions of years younger. The U-shaped canyons, as well as most
of the lakes, are the legacy of the last ice age. Most of the glaciers are
attainable only by trail; a few can be viewed from the road. Though
Glacier is a refuge for nearly every large mammal species native to the
United States, most of the animals venture to the undisturbed areas,
and few are seen along the roads during the travel season. The park
also is a refuge for 235 species of birds. The splendor and diversity of
its floral life is one of Glacier’s outstanding features; early July marks
the height of bloom for the 1,000-odd-species of flowering plants. In
the valleys on the east side are thick stands of Englemann spruce, subalpine
fir and lodgepole pine. The western valleys present a distinct
picture with their many dense stands of western red-cedars and other
conifers.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is one of the world’s renowned
spectacles. In form, size, luminous color and geological significance, it
is unsurpassed. The canyon is 277 miles long and averages 10 miles in
width, from rim to rim; it is 5,700 feet deep assessed from the North
Rim which averages about 1,200 feet higher than the South Rim.
Elevations on the former range from 7,450 to 9,000 feet, and the
latter has altitudes of between 5,750 and 7,400 feet. The park’s
eastern border is constrained by towering, multicolored walls; beyond
that lies the Painted Desert. The western portion of the canyon
includes the immense Havasu Canyon, part of the Havasupai Indian
Reservation. This small agricultural tribe was here before the first
European explorers arrived in 1540. Today some 250 tribal members
still dwell in the canyon. The Grand Canyon maintains five of the seven
life zones ascribed to the Northern Hemisphere. The geological aspect
Grand Canyon, Arizona
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of the Grand Canyon is of immense scientific importance. At no other
place in the world is such a vast panorama of time displayed so
crystalline. Each stratum of rock distinctly marks an era of the earth’s
history from two billion years ago to the most recent formations,
which are 200 million years old.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park’s 485 square miles include the major section
of Wyoming’s Teton Range and the valley of Jackson Hole. Together the
mountain range and valley frame a noble landscape with 8 large lakes
and many smaller bodies of water, 12 glaciers, numerous snowfields
and extensive pine, fir, and spruce forests. The Tetons are among the
youngest peaks on the continent. Few mountain ranges have a greater
assortments of glaciated canyons than the Tetons. The block-faulted
mountains of this alpine park are a type uncommon in this country –
isolated peaks with sheer, sometimes concave sides. Part of the region
lies above the treeline, which is at above 10,000 feet.
Great Salt Lake, Utah
Excluding of the Dead Sea, the Great Salt Lake is the saltiest body of
water on earth. Occupying a large section of the northern part of
Utah, the lake is 72 miles long and as wide as 30 miles, but only 10 to
28 feet deep. The only bridge over the lake is the 102-mile Southern
Pacific Railroad cutoff between Ogden and Lucin. Due to change in
climate or a volcanic diversion of contributing streams, the huge lake
fell below its lowest outlet and shrank to what is now known as the
Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake’s salinity ranges from 15 to 25
percent (at least six times saltier than the ocean) according to the
water level. This salt content can only be endured by blue-green algae
and brine shrimp. The lake owes its excessive saltiness to the mineralladen
fresh-water streams that feed into it and find no outlet. The
evaporation of their waters leaves so much salt behind that the lake
can buoy a human body. The water trapped in open diked lakes near
the shores of the larger lakes leaves inches of almost pure salt, which
is collected annually for commercial purposes. A few of the islands in
Great Salt Lake are occupied by such wildlife as pelicans and gulls. The
largest island, Antelope, grants a refuge for several American bison.
Hoover Dam, California
Hoover Dam at 726 feet high, is one of the tallest dams ever constructed.
Begun in 1931 and finished in 1935, it is considered one of
the engineering wonders of the United States. The dam confines Lake
Mead, one of the largest man-made lakes in the Western Hemisphere.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole, a lofty mountain valley about 50 miles long and 6 to 12
miles wide, is completely encircled by mountains and bisected by the
Snake River. The wilderness encasing this valley provides a habitat for
many large mammals.
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Joshua Tree National Monument, California
Joshua Tree National Monument contains more then 870 square miles.
This California desert terrain contains striking granite formations and
mountain ranges rising
from flat valleys of about
1,000 feet above sea level
to elevations of nearly
6,000 feet. The many
spectacular desert plants
include Joshua trees,
cactuses, ocotillos, smoke
trees, palo verdes, pinon
pines, Mojave yuccas, and
a fine assortment of
spring wildflowers. The
desert also supports a
wide collection of
wildlife, including many
resident and migratory
Joshua Tree N.P., California
birds.
Keys, Florida
Linked to the mainland by the 113-mile Overseas Highway, the Florida
Keys – descended from the Spanish word cayos meaning “small isles” –
are a series of low-lying tropical islands made up largely of coral and
mangroves. A section of the Overseas Highway is a unusual drive
through marshlands, on islands and over water and is one of the
longest of its kind in the world. Besides a means of transportation, the
highway acts as a locator as well. Mile Zero is in Key West, the final
marker is on Key Largo just before the mainland.
Key West, Florida
To its rocky shores, sandy beaches and weathered homes reminiscent of
a coastal New England hamlet, Key West adds a distinctive twist: its
subtropical climate, which nourishes lush vegetation, especially palm
trees, hibiscus, and bougainvillea. Of Key West’s many natural attractions,
its sunsets are among the most prevalent. Every night, weather
allowing, more than two dozen street vendors and performers gather at
Mallory Square Dock in Old Town off Duval Street. Jugglers, palm
readers, contortionists and other entertainers vie for the attention and
donations of the many onlookers who begin gathering about an hour
before sunset.
Lake Havasu, Arizona
Fed by the Colorado River and impounded by Parker Dam, Lake Havasu
furnishes water to Los Angeles and intermediate cities. This 46-mile
long lake has a maximum width of three miles. In what started as a
motor-testing site at an abandoned World War II U.S. Army landing
strip, Lake Havasu City has developed into a year-round resort district.
The town captured the world’s attention when its founder, Robert P.
McCulloch, Sr., purchased the famous London Bridge and had it
relocated here. Adjacent to the bridge is London Bridge English Village,
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which accommodates a variety of shops and boutiques housed in
English Tudor-style buildings. London Bridge, once the renown
crossover on the Thames River, now spans a manmade channel of the
Colorado River in the Arizona desert.
Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area stretches along the Colorado
River from Grand Canyon National Park in north central Arizona to
Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah. It contains the
186-mile-long Lake Powell, which is impounded by Glen Canyon Dam.
One of the tallest in the United States and part of the Colorado River
storage project, the dam generates hydroelectric power that is distributed
to cities and industries throughout the West. Stretching out to
hidden canyons, coves, and inlets and winding through towering red
cliffs, Lake Powell presents an ever-changing array of scenery. Sandy
beaches, water skiing, boating and fishing provide opportunities for
investigation and enjoyment.
Lake Tahoe, California
Lake Tahoe is in a high dale between the Sierra Nevada and the Carson
ranges and is one of the premier U.S. winter sports areas. Between
1860 and 1890, Tahoe’s forests were nearly ravaged. Lumber was
needed for fuel and to support the web of mines assembled beneath
Virginia City.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Mammoth Cave National Park has 52,000 acres of land. Much of the
park is in its natural state, providing habitation to a large variety of
birds. The scenic Green River navigates this well forested, rugged
terrain for 24 miles, 70 miles of woodland along the river’s bluffs,
ridges and valleys afford lovely vistas. Along the western edge of the
park flows Nolin River. Both of these rivers are tributaries of the Ohio
River. Within the park is Mammoth Cave, which was found about 1798
by a Mr. Houchins while chasing a wounded bear. During the war of
1812 the cave furnished saltpeter that was used to produce 400,000
pounds of gunpowder. Mammoth Cave encircles 300 miles of underground
passages charted on five levels. One of the lengthier cave
systems known, it was hollowed out of stone by the seepage of rain
water and the flow of underground streams.
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
In southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is one of the
Nation’s leading archeological preserves. Mesa Verde, Spanish for
“green table,” is so called due to its comparatively level top, heavily
forested with juniper and pinon trees. The first known inhabitants of
Mesa Verde were the Modified Basketmakers, descendants of earlier
people who farmed in the Four Corners region. They constructed subterranean
pithouses about A.D. 500 to 750. Between 750 and 1100 the
Indians polished their living quarters, building kivas (ceremonial
rooms) and stone masonry dwellings around open courts (pueblos).
From 1100 to 1300 arts and crafts reached their peak; pottery and
cloth were often intricately decorated. About 1200 they relocated into
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the alcoves for reasons that remain a mystery. The cliff dwellings were
constructed during the 13th century. In 1276 a drought hit and lasted
24 years. The resulting crop failures, in addition to other environmental
problems, sent the Indians from Mesa Verde in search of a more
reliable water supply.
Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, California
Tufa is a calcium-carbonate rock created by the mingling of freshwater
springs under the lake with the alkaline lake waters. The
lowering of the lake has exposed these very peculiar tower formations
that can be admired at Mono Lake.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Utah and Arizona
A colorful territory covering several thousand square miles, Monument
Valley Navajo Tribal Park lies inside the Navajo Reservation in Arizona
and Utah; it is near Four Corners, the intersection of Colorado, New
Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. The park contains Mystery Valley, where
isolated monoliths of red sandstone tower as much as 1,000 feet
above the valley floor.
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Mount Rainier, a towering, ice-clad volcano rising 14,410 feet, is a
impressing landmark in the Pacific Northwest. The cap of glacial ice
that hides all but a few crags and ridges makes it doubly impressive.
Although Mount Rainier is currently dormant, it is considered active. It
belongs to the class of exploding volcanoes, much like recently awakened
Mount St. Helens, and might one day blow its zenith in a similar
manner. Although only remnants of their former size, Rainier’s 34
square miles of glaciers constitute the largest single-peak glacial
system in the contiguous United States: 26 glaciers extend down the
mountainside. Six of which originate in the summit icecap. Numerous
other major glaciers are born of snows in valley heads, or cirques,
between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. Forests cover the mountainsides up
to 5,000 feet where alpine meadows of wildflowers and grass conflict
with masses of ice at higher elevations.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
About three miles southwest of Keystone are the massive heads of
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore
Roosevelt. Constructed under the direction of the late Gutzon Borglum,
it is one of the largest pieces of sculpture ever completed. The
immense outcropping of granite from which the memorial was carved
is at the top of the mountain, about 1400 feet from the visitor center.
The face of each president is sixty feet high and carved with an complex
perfection of detail and expression. Specific terraces and marked
observation points permit viewing. Mount Rushmore signifies the
distinctive achievements of the United States as symbolized by four
distinguished national leaders. Washington represents the founding of
the Union, Jefferson the Declaration of Independence and the
Louisiana Purchase, Lincoln the continuance of the Union, and
Roosevelt the expansion of the country and the conservation of its
natural resources.
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument covers a territory of
110,000 acres. Until May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens was one of
Washington’s snowcapped wonders, an elegant cone about 48 miles
northeast of Vancouver. Then at 8:32 a.m. an explosion of unimaginable
force blew the summit 1,313 feet and much off the bulging north
face of Mount St. Helens, shot a dense plume of smoke and ash 80,000
feet into the air, liberated a mile-wide avalanche which raised Spirit
Lake by more than 200 feet and laid over forests as if they had been
combed. Mud and logs rushed down the Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers,
temporarily clogging the Columbia River shipping lanes with silt. The
pall of ash turned morning into midnight as it fell, stopping traffic for
a hundred miles and covering parts of three states with a fine grey
powder.
Mt. McKinley National Park (Denali National Park), Alaska
Denali National Park and Preserve (formerly Mt. McKinley National
Park) is located on the north flak of the Alaska Range. The park’s most
known attraction is Mount McKinley, North America’s highest mountain
at 20,320 feet, which has two peaks: the South Peak – the actual
summit -, and two miles away, the 19,470 foot North Peak. On a clear
day, Mount McKinley is apparent from Anchorage. However, cloudy,
rainy summer weather recurrently obscures the mountain, and travelers
have about a 40 percent chance of seeing it. First mention of Mount
McKinley was in 1794, when English explorer Capt. George Vancouver
spotted a “extraordinary snow mountain” from Cook Inlet. Early
Russian explorers and traders called the apex Bolshaia Gora, or “Big
Mountain.” The Tanana Indian name for the mountain is Denali, said
to indicate the “high one.” More than 155 species of birds and 37
kinds of mammals live in the park; brown bear, moose, Dall sheep,
wolf, and caribou are a few of the larger mammals.
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Napa Valley, California
Napa Valley, one of California’s most renowned wine-producing regions,
began in the 1850s as a gold rush center. Some industrious settlers
who didn’t put all their cache in minerals planted the vineyards that in
time would become a gold mine of their own. The initial cuttings for
the vineyards were supplied by priests from the missions at Sonoma
and San Rafael. Today Napa Valley is a forerunner in the American
table wine industry.
New River Gorge, West Virginia
The New River Gorge contains 52 miles of the New River and its narrow
gorge that wind through the Appalachian mountains from Hinton to
the New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville. Contrary to its name, the
New is thought to be one of the oldest rivers in North America; it was
part of the ancient Teays River system, which began more than 65
million years ago. Unlike most of the world’s rivers, it flows northward.
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and New York, U.S.A.
The cities of Niagara Falls, Ont. and Niagara Falls, N.Y., are adjoined by
bridge across the Niagara River about midway along its 56-kilometer
course from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The river, bisected by the international
boundary, is really a strait that acts as a spillway conveying
the drainage from the Upper Great Lakes to Lake Ontario; at Niagara
Falls its abrupt drop creates one of the most spectacular waterfalls on
the continent. Among the slightest rivers in the world, Niagara is also
one of the wildest: its rapids reach speeds of 48 kilometers per hour.
The Canadian Falls, 54 meters high, have a peak of more than 675
meters, outlining a deep curve and earning them the name Horseshoe
Falls. The river beneath the falls is as deep as the cataract is high. The
American Falls are higher, at 56 meters, but are only about 328 meters
broad in a fairly straight line. They are somewhat less dramatic
because a rockslide in 1954 left many boulders at their base.
Ocmulgee National Monument, Georgia
Included in Ocmulgee National Monument’s 683 acres some of the most
impressive Indian mounds and archeological remains in the southeast
can be found. Six different Indian cultures are known to have lived in
the area between about 10,000 B.C. and 1825. They were Paleo-
Indians and Archaic hunters and gatherers, Woodland hunters and gardeners,
Early and Late Mississippian farmers and noted Creeks. Indian
farmers migrated to central Georgia in about A.D. 900 and constructed
a large village and ceremonial center high on Macon Plateau.
Redwood National Park, California
Containing 106,000 acres, Redwood National Park lies along the
northern Californian Coast. Within its boundaries are the 27,468 joined
acres of redwoods, salt marshes, beaches, rugged coastline, rivers and
streams.
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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
The park contains about 265,753 acres of the Front Range of the Rocky
Mountains. This particular section, one of the highest territories in the
country, is truly representative of the grandest in American mountain
scenery. This park is a wildlife sanctuary. The towering rocks are the
natural home of the Rocky Mountain, or bighorn, sheep. There are
loads of Elk and deer. Coyote and black bear reside in the park, but
they, like the mountain lion, bobcat, and smaller carnivores, are rarely
seen by visitors. Birds also can be observed.
Saguaro National Monument, Arizona
Saguaro National Monument is split into two districts. The Rincon
Mountain District is east of central Tucson via Old Spanish Trail; and
the Tucson Mountain district is west of Tucson via Speedway
Boulevard. Each typify the Sonora arboreal desert and contain stands
of saguaro cactus. The Tucson Mountain district has rock formations
ornamented with Native American petroglyphs and designs. The
saguaro cultivates only in southern Arizona, in California along the
Colorado River and in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. It is more
than 200 years, reaching heights of 30 to 40 feet; a few exceptional
ones exceed 50 feet. Its blossom, the state flower, appears in May and
June. The Indians use its fruit for sustenance and as a beverage base.
Sequoia National Park, California
Here the scene is studded with the largest of living things, the giant
sequoia trees. The park reaches from the foothills of the San Joaquin
Valley to the crest of the High Sierra. Mount Whitney (14,494 ft.),
highest point in the contiguous United States, is inside Sequoia
National Park. Although the sequoias sparked the formation of these
parks, extraordinary forests of sugar and ponderosa pine, white and red
fir and incense cedar also exist. Sugar pines are known to grow a base
diameter of 11 feet. Its changing climate has endowed this region
with a significant variety of plants. About 1,700 different trees,
shrubs, plants, and flowers have been cataloged. Mule deer, black
bears, marmots, chipmunks and squirrels are frequent. Giant Forest is
one of the most grand sequoia groves. The General Sherman Tree is
approximately 275 feet high and 103 feet in girth, with a maximum
diameter of 36 ½ feet at the base. The volume of this trunk alone is
52,500 cubic feet; it is the greatest known sequoia.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
In one of the most attractive and historic regions of the East,
Shenandoah National Park embraces one of the highest and most
scenic portions of the Blue Ridge. Shenandoah, an Indian name, is
thought to mean “Daughter of the Stars”. The park reaches approximately
80 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, from
Front Royal on the north to near Waynesboro on the south. The park
is a wildlife sanctuary harboring about 40 varieties of mammals, from
chipmunks and groundhogs to deers and bears.
42

Silver Falls State Park, Oregon
Silver Falls State Park, 8,502 acres, is Oregon’s most immense state
park. Of its ten waterfalls, five are in excess of 100 feet high.
Universal Studios, California
Universal Studios has of two parts. The first part is a narrated tram
and walking tour explaining where and how movies are made. Guests
see costumes and props, sound stages and sets, dressing rooms and
demonstrations of special effects, including an “attack” by a giant
King Kong. The second part is a self-guided tour of the Entertainment
Center where five live shows are performed: a Stunt Show, an Animal
Actors Theater, a Comedy Screen Test Theater, the Adventures of Conan
and the A-Team Live Action Show, which spotlights stunt demonstrations
with pyrotechnics and special effects.
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
Cloaked with forests and trimmed with streams, the White Mountains
rise in dramatic relief north of New Hampshire’s central plateau.
Among the ranges and ridges are the highest peaks in the Northeast,
the Presidential Range, which culminate in the bare granite summit of
6,288-foot Mount Washington. Some 770,000 acres of the territory lie
within the White Mountain National Forest, which extends into Maine.
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
The 146,535-acre White Sands National Monument holds the source of
the rare gypsum sands, as well as the snow-white dunes that rise up to
40 feet above the Tularosa Valley floor. Water from rains and melting
snow transports tons of gypsum from the mountains into Lake Lucero
in the southwestern portion of the monument. Dry winds evaporated
the lake and encompassing alkali flats and carry the broken pieces of
crystalline gypsum (selenite) to the northeast, gradually reducing the
fragile pieces to sand and piling it into dunes. Much of the wide sea of
dunes is naked of vegetation However, a few species of plants exhibit
uncommon adaptation to their peculiar surroundings in resisting burial
under the constantly shifting sands. Plants with root systems more
than 30 feet long have been discovered in the area.
Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska
The country’s biggest national park, Wrangell St. Elias National Park
and Preserve is a place of overwhelming dimensions, embracing an
area larger than Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut combined;
glaciers five times the size of Manhattan; and nine of the 16
highest peaks in North America. In this almost 13-million-acre park,
the impact of two continental plates has produced some of the world’s
highest coastal ranges. Forming a barricade along the Gulf of Alaska
are the Chugach Mountains, and paralleling them to the north are the
Wrangell Mountains.
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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park, the first national park to be instituted
(1872), is also one of the largest and best known. The park was titled
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
from the Minnetaree
Indian word mi tsi
a-da-zi (Yellow Rock
River).The most
outstanding of
Yellowstone’s natural
phenomena are wonders
that compose the
world’s largest thermal
basins. Bursts of scalding
water spout high
into the air from some
of these, while others
bubble and spit in
murky depths.
Multihued pools born
from misting springs
mark the land’s surface.
Algae and bacteria dye
the formations in areas
of vigorous geyser activity, while not far away ancient volcanic steam
vents emit uncanny sounds.
Yosemite National Park, California
A mountainous zone of unusual beauty, Yosemite National Park lies in
central California on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The
Merced River flows through Yosemite Valley, and the Tuolumne River
cleaves a magnificent gorge through the northern half of the park.
Though gorgeous through most of the year, many of the park’s famous
waterfalls are often dry during the late summer months.
Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park encircles Zion Canyon, a spectacular gorge in dramatic
desert and canyon country. The Virgin River has carve its valley
through this strangely colored land of sandstone, shale and limestone.
The southern entrance to the park is in between the gigantic snow
masses of The West Temple and the Watchman. From a multicolored
stairway, the red-brown Watchman soars 2,555 feet above the canyon
floor. West Temple (7,810 feet) is the most flagrant formation in the
southern section of the park. The Kolob Canyons section of the park
holds finger like red sandstone canyons at the edge of Kolob Terrace,
narrower but almost as deep as Zion Canyon. Also here is the Hurricane
Fault, where layers of rock from the time of the Kaibab configuration
are clearly exposed.
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IV. Traveling in Canada
1. Culture
Similar to the USA, Canada has a rich cultural assortment. Since the
17th century when the British and French pioneers immigrated to
Canada, many other immigrants from Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe,
Scandinavia, China and India have followed. 4% of the 27,4 million
occupants are natives. This unique ethnic heritage can be found in
Canada’ s art, music, literature, local customs and food. French is the
primary spoken language in Quebec, whereas the rest of Canada speaks
English. Although Canada is an independent, parliamentary federal
state, the British Monarch is still the official head of state.
2. Country
Canada’s landmass includes 9.976.185 square kilometers and the
distance between the Atlantic in the East and the Pacific in the West
is 7000 km. Because of this extensive landmass it is not surprising
that there are many topographical dissimilarities. Lush forests, vast
prairies, the breathtaking Rockies, deep blue lakes all form Canada’s
unique character.
3. Climate
It goes without saying that a broad country like Canada does not have
just one climate. Although all regions experience four seasons, there
are considerable differences in toughness and duration. It is almost
everywhere warm and sunny in June, July and August with temperatures
ranging from 17 to 27 degrees Celsius. The September is warm in
most regions, however in the North the temperatures go down to 11
degrees Celsius. Hudson Bay begins to freeze in October and from
November to February winter reigns everywhere. Springtime begins at
the Pacific Coast in February and slowly makes its way eastward. The
temperature is usually measured in Celsius unlike in the USA where
Fahrenheit is used.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Banff -6/-16 -2/-14 3/-10 10/-4 15/1 18/4 23/6 22/5 16/5 10/-2 1/-8 -4/-13
Calgary -3/-15 -2/-14 3/-9 11/-3 17/3 20/7 25/10 24/8 18/4 12/-1 3/-8 -2/-13
Jasper -6/-16 -1/-13 4/-8 11/-3 16/1 20/5 24/7 22/6 17/3 11/-1 2/-8 -4/-13
Kamloops -2/-10 4/-5 10/-1 16/3 22/7 26/11 29/13 28/12 23/8 14/3 6/-1 1/-6
Vancouver 6/1 8/1 11/3 15/6 18/8 21/11 24/13 24/12 20/10 15/7 10/4 7/2
Winnipeg -13/-22-10/-21 -2/-13 9/-2 18/5 23/11 27/14 26/12 19/7 11/1 -1/-9 -10/-17
Montreal -5/-15 -4/-13 2/-6 10/1 18/8 24/14 26/17 25/16 20/11 13/5 5/-1 -4/-10
Quebec -7/-15 -6/-14 0/-8 7/-1 16/6 22/12 25/15 24/14 18/10 11/4 3/-3 -4/-11
Halifax 0/-8 -1/-9 3/-4 8/0 15/5 20/10 24/13 23/14 20/11 14/6 8/1 2/-5
Average temperatures (max/min in Celsius)
46

4. Special Hints
There are six different time zones in Canada that travelers encounter:
Pacific Standard Time (Vancouver) 12 am
Mountain Standard Time (Calgary) 1 pm
Central Standard Time (Winnipeg) 2 pm
Eastern Standard Time (Ottawa) 3 pm
Atlantic Standard Time (Halifax) 4 pm
Newfoundland Standard Time (Newfoundland) 4.30 pm
5. City Information
Barkerville, British Columbia, Canada
Barkerville was a gold rush town that once boasted the largest population
on the continent north of San Francisco and west of Chicago.
Named after Billy Barker, the deserter from a British merchant ship
who first found gold in large quantities here in the 1860s. Barkerville
became a virtual ghost town a few years later when the gold ran out.
The park contains 75 buildings, including most of the prominent
structures of the era. Board sidewalks and dirt streets help preserve
the flavor of the original town.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary, once considered a cowtown, is now a city of skyscrapers, rail
transit, shopping complexes and contemporary houses. The city’s economy
began with and still includes ranching and the consequent meatpacking
industry, but the discovery of oil just south of the city in
1914 and just north in 1947 fueled a growth spurt that turned an
agricultural community into a thriving metropolis. Calgary’s modern
sophistication is balanced by a romantic perception of the past. The
Calgary Stampede, a week-long Western wingding, is attended by
thousands who relive the era of chuck wagons and lassos. Calgary also
distinguished itself by being a host city of the 1988 Winter Olympic
Games.
Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada
Dawson City was the center of the excitement caused by one of the
world’s most marvelous gold strikes. On August 17, 1896, George
Washington Carmack and his comrades Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie
made the first strike on Bonanza Creek, a tributary of the Klondike
River. In the summer of 1897, miners from Dawson City arrived in
Portland and San Francisco with nearly $2 million as they carried word
of the strike to the United States, then in the midst of a depression.
By the next spring more than 60,000 men and women had traveled
through Seattle and Alaska’s Chilkoot and White passes on their way to
the Klondike. The Dawson settlement, which sprang up at the confluence
of the Yukon and Klondike rivers, blossomed into a thriving city
with some 30,000 citizens by the summer of 1898, making it the
largest city west of Winnipeg and north of San Francisco.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Founded in 1811 as depot of the North West Company, Kamloops
developed where the north and south branches off the Thompson River
47

meet to form Kamloops Lake. Kamloops was so named for the Indian
word cumcloups, “the meeting of the waters.” During the gold rush of
the 1860s the Overlanders reached the town by rafting down the North
Thompson. Steamboats which originally explored the Thompson River
in the 1880s also brought rails for the construction of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, but the completion of this railway in 1885 assured the
demise of the steamboats.
Montréal
Montréal, founded in 1611, is situated on the Island of Montréal at the
confluence of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. As Canada's
second largest city, Montréal is an industrial, commercial and financial
center of considerable power. Although 1,600 km from the ocean, it is
one of Canada's major seaports. Despite of its multicultural heritage,
Montréal is essentially French. Two-thirds of the city's residents speak
French. The French atmosphere holds a strong attraction for visitors,
mixing Old World Style and the charm of well-preserved 18th- and 19th
century mansions with a modern environment of high rise buildings.
Underground walkways lined with restaurants, shops and cafes extend
from some of the city's major subway stations and connect with stores
and office buildings on the surface.
Ottawa
Ottawa used to be a meeting place for fur traders, explorers and
lumbermen. The first settlers moved into the area in 1796. In the 19th
century pulp and paper mills rose and created a prosperous lumbering
village eventually called Ottawa, after the Outanouac Indians. In 1857,
Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada. Since the
government is the biggest employer in Ottawa, the city is noted for its
aesthetic inclinations, beautiful parks and non-industrial environment.
Québec City
Québec, capital of the province Québec is a proud, complex city and
the only walled city north of Mexico. The old European bastion-style
"Upper Town" district from the 17th century with its narrow winding
streets and historical buildings is separated by aging walls from the
21st century Québec. The French city, which was established as
strategic trading post in 1608, fell to Great Britain in 1763. However,
after most English-speaking settlers have moved to other cities,
Québec still remains a predominantly French-speaking city. Québec's
points of interest include Le Château Frontenac, the Citadel and countless
museums and historic churches.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
Smithers, at the foot of 2,621 meter Hudson Bay Mountain, is a yearround
skiing center. Its location also makes it handy for fossil hunting,
fishing, mountain climbing and trail riding. Bulkley Valley Days, held
from late August to early September, supplies 12 days of festive
activities and exhibitions.
48

Toronto
Toronto, the former site of Fort Rouille (established in 1749), began to
boom with increased lake travel and the coming of the railroad in the
latter part of the 19th century. Following World War II an infusion of
more than 400,000 European attracted by the economic opportunities
changed Toronto into a cosmopolitan city. Among its neighborhoods
representing 80 different countries is the largest Italian-speaking
community outside Italy.
Toronto is one of Canada's most important financial, industrial and
cultural centers. The Toronto Stock Exchange is among the largest in
North America in terms of volume. Toronto is a very modern city, where
glass-walled skyscrapers rise cleanly from geometric plazas. The renovated
Harbourfront has become a cultural, educational and recreational
showcase with upscale shops, museums and a waterfront promenade.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As British Columbia is a young province, so is Vancouver a young
town. Though tiny Spanish ships may have plied southern British
Columbia waters in the mid-18th century, the first recorded venture of
the Strait of Georgia and English Bay was made by Don Jose Narvaez in
1791. The second was by Capt. George Vancouver, who sailed into
Burrard Inlet in 1792 while looking for the legendary Northwest
Passage. Vancouver’s flavor is predominantly British with a liberal
oriental seasoning. The city’s Chinatown is second only to San
Francisco in proportion on the west coast. The city has much that is
lacking of other parts of Canada and Europe as well as the Orient and
the United States.
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Whistler, a popular year-round resort city, is cradled by Whistler and
Blackcomb mountains, both of which have developed trails for downhill
and cross-country skiing.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Whitehorse was born during the Klondike gold rush when thousands of
prospectors traveled by boat to Skagway, then climbed the rugged
mountain passes to the beginning of a natural waterway. Here they
built nearly anything floatable for the more than 1,805 kilometer trip
to Dawson City via Whitehorse. Above Whitehorse many prospectors
lost their lives in the perilous Whitehorse Rapids. When the sternwheeler
service to Dawson became accessible, the trip from Whitehorse
took 2 ½ days; the return trip against the current took 5 days. The
first rails of the White pass and Yukon Railway were laid out at
Skagway in May 1898, and the line to Whitehorse unveiled in 1900.
During World War II, four decades after the gold rush, Canadian and
American Army personnel who were building the Alaskan Highway
flocked to Whitehorse, which was made the capital of the Yukon
Territory in 1953.
49

6. National Parks and Sights Information
Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
The imperial beauty of Banff National
Park, stretching over a 6,666 square
kilometer section of the Canadian
Rockies, is Canada’s oldest national
park. The territory’s peaks and valleys
were formed about 75 million years ago
by geologic upheaval and glacial movement.
Evidence implies that prehistoric
people thrived here as many as 11000
years ago; remnants of the more recent
Banff National Park, Alberta,
Canada
50
Cree, Assiniboine and Kootenay Indian
settlements have also been discover in
the park. White men did not arrive until
the 1800s, and when they did they argued over the land’s resources,
causing the government to establish the park in 1885. Banff National
Park is a wildlife shelter and is inhabited by elk, deer, bighorn sheep,
mountain goats, moose, bears, wolves, coyotes, lynx and others.
Glacier National Park, British Columbia, Canada
The 1,350 square kilometers of Glacier National Park and its diminutive
counterpart Mount Revelstoke National Park encompass portions of the
rugged Columbia Ranges, which lie west of the Rocky Mountains. The
hard rock presents a jagged outline of angular mountains with narrow
steep-walled valleys. The steep mountain slopes, immense snowfall and
mild winter temperatures make this region a breeding ground for
avalanches. History is only share of the park’s attractions. Twelve
percent of the park is continuously covered by snow and ice; more
than 400 glaciers are scattered throughout the park. The contrast of
the deep green forests and meadows with the glacial whites of these
crags make the park especially picturesque.
Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Jasper National Park, founded in 1907, was named after Jasper Hawes,
who trapped there in the early 1800s. Its 10,878 square kilometers of
imposing mountains, valleys and lakes offer equally spectacular views
of the Rocky Mountain wilderness. The area that is now Jasper
National Park was once the floor of the sea that covered a portion of
North America millions of years ago. The earth’s internal pressure
pushed the rock above the water, where it was later carved into its
present peaks and valleys by a series of glaciers. The park’s wildlife is
as assorted as its peaks and valleys. Mountain goat, bighorn sheep,
deer elk, moose, coyote, lynx, bears, and other predators abound.
Kluane National Park, Yukon, Canada
Kluane National Park contains13,673 square kilometers of wilderness.
Although its southeastern boundary was near a minor gold route
during the Klondike Rush of 1898, the park remained isolated. The
park is dominated by the St. Elias Mountains. They run through the
park in a southeasterly direction. Mount Logan, Canada’s highest apex

(5,950 m), and Mount Kennedy dominate the range. The St. Elias are
also known for their far-reaching icefields, which date from the last ice
age and constitute one of the largest nonpolar glacier systems in the
world. Dall sheep, wolves, moose, grizzly bears, caribou, and mountain
goats reside in the park.
Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Located 58 kilometers west of Banff at an altitude of 1,731 meters is
icy, blue-green Lake Louise. About 2 kilometers long, 0.6 kilometers
wide and 69 meters deep, it was found in 1882. Lake Louise springs
from Victoria Glacier, whose meltwater carried the silt and rock floor
that gives the lake the opaque turquoise color common to most of the
region’s waters. The upper fragment of the glacier is 61 to 91 meters
thick; the lower part ranges from 122 to 152 meters. Lake Louise’s
waters, about 6 degrees, are too cold for swimming but ideal for
boating; although motors are not permitted.
Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada
Revelstoke is at the western end of Rogers Pass, the section of the
Trans-Canada Highway that traverses Glacier National Park. Rogers Pass
is one of the world’s most picturesque mountain roads.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
The enchantments of Vancouver Island, the largest island off the west
coast of the Americas, range from its rugged wilderness to the grand
rooms of its provincial legislature. The island is 450 km long and has a
population of over 500,000 people, most of whom reside along the
south-eastern coast. The central north-south mountain chain divides
the island into two distinct sections. The scantly populated west coast
is rugged, hilly, forested and cut by deep inlets. The gentle eastern
side is more suitable for farming. The island’s industries – forestry,
mining and fishing – and nearly all of the primary towns are found
along this side of the ridge. However, don’t imagine the whole coast to
be urban sprawl. It’s still quite rural in places. The island has the most
calm climate in the country. It’s specifically moderate at the southern
end, where the northerly arm of Washington state protects it from the
ocean. There is considerably less rain in Victoria than in Vancouver,
and August and September, when the sky is usually blue, are excellent
months during which to visit.
Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada
Wells Gray Provincial Park, north off Hwy.. 5, offers a vast variety of
scenery, particularly with regard to water. Scattered throughout its
boundaries are five large lakes two river systems, many streams and
waterways and a throng of waterfalls. Extinct volcanoes and lava beds
hint at the region’s fiery past.
51

V. Traveling in Mexico
1. Culture
The relics of pyramids, palaces and temples all show witness to the
Olmanec, Toltec, Maya and Aztec cultures’ highly developed skills in
astronomy, mathematics, art and language. The architectural ruins of
these civilizations can be found in various parts of the country. In the
16th century, Mexico was conquered by Spain and the last Aztec
emperor, Chuautemoc, was killed under Cortes in 1521. Today’s Mexican
people are a diverse and complex group, yet visitors to the country
still come with unique misconceptions, expecting to see these people
snoring under cactuses or, sombrero-clad, involved in pistol-packing
duels. In reality, Mexicans are the product of historical fame, that is
in many ways devastating and divisive. And just as the country is a
land of extremities there are extremities among the people as well.
Travelers are likely to encounter ostentatious wealth and unnerving
poverty, impeccable politeness and stony indifference, gracious
manners and leering “machismo”. Spanish is the official language, and
Mexico is the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking country
(90,000,000 people). Indian dialects are still spoken, mostly in the
Yucatán Peninsula and in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz,
Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Sonora. The SUNTREK
trekleader who will accompany you on your inspiring trek through
Mexico speaks English as well as Spanish.
2. Country
Mexico, while part of North America, also marks the transition from the
vast continent’s topographic and climatic extremes to the more uncommon
tropical features of Central America and the Caribbean basin. Most
of the country consists of hills and mountain ranges detached by level
plateaus; the plateaus in turn are carved into many canyons and
valleys. Central Mexico is a vast elevated landscape dominated by high
mountains to the east and west, many of which are of volcanic origin.
Mexico has four distinct coastal regions. The Baja California Peninsula,
bathed by both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes (Gulf of
California), is marked by many bays and coves, as is the northwestern
mainland coast. Further south, Pacific breakers crash against the feet
of the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre del Sur. Fine
natural harbors are located at Manzanillo and Acapulco. Powdery white
sands and clear, aquamarine waters are the Yucatan’s greatest natural
resource.
3. Climate
The highland in Mexico is situated between the two Sierra Madre
mountain ranges, 1500 – 2000 meters above sea level. The climate
here is comfortable all through the year. Along the coastal areas the
climate is tropical, in higher altitude subtropical, which means remarkably
hot summers and comfortable winters. The dry season lasts from
October until May.
52

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Acapulco 88/72 88/72 88/72 88/73 90/76 90/77 91/77 91/77 90/76 90/76 90/75 88/73
Chihuahua 64/36 69/39 75/44 82/53 89/59 93/66 89/66 88/65 85/60 80/52 72/42 65/36
Cancun 83/67 84/67 86/69 89/72 90/73 90/75 90/75 91/75 89/75 87/74 85/71 83/69
Cuernavaca 78/55 81/56 85/59 86/62 85/63 81/62 79/60 79/60 77/60 78/58 79/57 78/55
Guadalajara 74/44 78/46 82/49 86/53 88/57 84/61 79/60 79/59 78/59 78/54 77/48 74/46
La Paz 73/55 76/55 79/56 85/59 88/65 93/66 96/74 96/75 94/74 90/69 83/62 76/57
Mazatlan 73/63 73/62 74/63 77/66 81/71 85/77 86/78 87/78 86/78 85/76 80/70 75/65
Merida 82/64 84/64 89/68 92/70 92/72 91/73 91/73 91/73 89/73 86/71 83/67 82/65
Mexico C. 70/42 74/44 78/48 80/51 80/52 77/54 74/52 74/52 72/52 72/49 71/45 69/43
Monterrey 68/48 73/52 79/56 86/64 89/68 92/71 94/72 93/72 87/69 81/63 74/55 70/50
Puebla 71/44 73/46 77/51 79/53 78/55 75/55 74/54 74/54 73/54 74/51 73/47 71/44
Average temperatures (max/min in Fahrenheit)
4. Special Hints
The Mexican currency is the Peso. It is wise to carry plenty of lowdenomination
bank notes with you. We recommend that you take a
bank debit card or credit card with PIN code also. Adventure travel in
Mexico offers some surprises at times. Changes in the program may be
required to make the best of the unique situations that we meet here.
Due to the lack of services available, technical defects of transportation
and other incidents cause more inconveniences. Campgrounds are
not always equipped with hot showers, and they are not up to US
standards. Your spirit of adventure and flexibility will help make your
journey through Mexico a memorable experience!
5. City Information
Acapulco
Located on the southwestern Pacific coast, Acapulco is a perennially
popular playground of sunny days and fun filled nights. In 1530 ships
for explorations were being built where Acapulco lies now and, because
of its harbor, Acapulco became the main west coast seaport for the
Manila galleons and their treasures from the Orient in the late 16th
century. It wasn’t until 1599 that it was established as a city and
authorized trading port between the Americas and the Orient. The
average temperature of 81F is perhaps the main attraction as Acapulco
contains neither sober historical monuments nor venerable colonial
architecture.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula,
indicates the convergence of the Gulf of California and the Pacifica
Ocean. In the 16th and 17th centuries, gulfside Bahia San Lucas as a
preferred hiding place for pirates who plundered Spanish galleons.
Cabo drowsed away the years until 1950s, when the private yachs of
well-to-do Americans began anchoring the bay. In the process, the
town changed from an unassuming cannery village to an international
resort. Collectively with neighboring San Jose del Cabo, the region
53

known as Los Cabos is one of Mexico’s quickest growing resort areas
and a Baja hotspot famous for excellent sport fishing.
Cancún
Cancún is Mexico’s most preferred tourist destination. It is a regular
port of call for cruise ships making the Caribbean circuit and a getaway
for honeymooners and tourists from all around the world. The
resort also is an advantageous base from which to explore some of the
Yucatan Peninsula’s best-known archeological sites as well as Quintana
Roo’s Caribbean coast.
Cuernavaca
Capital of the state of Morelos, Cuernavaca is one of the most appealing
spots in Mexico. Pink, blue and yellow houses with red-tilted roofs,
extravagant vegetation and brilliant flowers add to its charm. Many
affluent Mexico City residents have second homes here, with swimming
pools and lavish gardens.
Guadalajara
In 1530, just 38 years after Christopher Columbus first reached North
America and 9 years after the conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes,
another explorer, Nuno Beltran, established Guadalajara – named for
his hometown in Spain – on the site of present-day Nochistlan in the
state of Zacatecs. Early settlers moved numerous times after Indian
attacks before migrating to the Valley of Atemajac, where the city has
been since 1542. It is said that Guadalajara possesses the essence of
Mexico. The charro tradition, tequila, mariachi music and the cult of
machismo came to flower in the state of Jalisco, of which Guadalajara
is capital. This active metropolis is the largest distribution center in
western Mexico. Guadalajara is a tourist and commercial center, noted
for flowers, honorable buildings and hospitality. Progressive and
modern, it is the second most populated city in the republic. At the
same time Guadalajara is a place that maintains much of its colonial
architecture and Old World charisma.
Mazatlán
Mazatlán, “The Pearl of the Pacific”, is both a vital commercial port
and a leading international resort destination. The name originates
from the Nahuatl Indian word, mazatl, meaning “place of deer”. Strung
along miles of scenic Pacific shoreline, the city is northwest Mexico’s
major beach destination. A year-round resort, Mazatlán mixes colonial
charm with the modern attraction of high-rise hotels. The mixture of
sun, sea and sand draws more than 500,000 visitors each year, augmenting
a resident population also estimated at half million.
Mérida
Mérida, which is on the Maya Route, was established in 1542 by
Francisco de Montejo at the site of T’ho, ancient Maya city. Mérida
became the commercial, governmental and religious center of the
Yucatan, with the Spaniards living in style built by Indian toil. Today,
the city has an undeniably exotic appeal. Behind dense, weathered
walls are glimpses of sun-dappled patios lush with potted plants and
54

flowering vines. Passers-by are likely to be short, dark-skinned descendents
of the Maya, for Mérida is one of the final strongholds of the
Yucatan Peninsula’s indigena population. Many inhabitants speak Maya
dialects in addition to Spanish.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the country’s sprawling, all-encompassing, essentially
beating heart: political, cultural and economic axis, national capital
and historical center for nearly 700 years. More than one in five of
Mexico’s citizens dwell in or around Mexico City (10 million in the city;
20 million in metropolitan area), among the world’s most enormous
metropolis. Mexico City lies in the Valley of Mexico, or Anahuac, a
great basin about 60 miles long and 30 miles wide, secured by mountains
on all sides except the north. The most evident landmarks are the
snowcapped peaks of Popocatepetl and Itztaccihuatl to the southwest.
The whole city is a national historic monument, and the immense
Zocalo, or main square, is its centerpiece. It is the world’s second
largest public gathering place after Moscow’s Red Square. Major
industries are construction and the production of textiles, chemicals,
plastics, cement, iron and steel. Joining the city’s own force of
factories are assembly plants established by large U.S. and other
foreign companies. Although Mexico City is in a tropical latitude, the
city’s altitude makes it always seem like spring. Days are comfortable,
and nights, even in the middle of summer are cool.
Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro, built in the hills sloping back from Lake Pátzcuaro, has a
16th-century atmosphere. Along with its red and cream-colored
churches, mansions and other buildings erected 1521-1810, the city
boast one of Mexico’s loveliest colonial plazas.
Puebla
Puebla, capital and commercial hub of the state of Puebla and Mexico’s
fourth largest city, lies in a large valley that is surrounded by four
volcanoes. A product of the Conquest, Puebla was founded in 1531 by
colonists to whom Spain had granted lands and Indian slaves.
Strategically located between the Gulf of Mexico coast and Mexico City,
the city became a favored stop-over for rich and famous as well as a
major religious location. Together, these two factors resulted in a magnificent
architectural legacy, and Puebla is designated as a national
historic monument.
Taxco
Probably the oldest mining town in North America, Taxco was an
Indian village named Tlacho (place of ball game) when Hernan Cortes
captains unearthed rich gold deposits. Sprawled over a rugged hillside
in the heart of the Sierra Madre, Taxco has changed little in looks
since the old days. The Mexican government has designated it a
national historic monument and forbids the building of modern
structures. Older ones mushroom, although in various stages of
preservation. Whitewashed houses, red-tiled roofs and cobblestone
streets lend Taxco an air of colonial appeal.
55

Tijuana
Tijuana is a main port of entrance to the Baja California peninsula.
A diversified economy urged by manufacturing, commerce and tourism
has helped to transform this once tawdry town into a bustling metropolis
and a growing commercial center. Shoppers will find a lot to do in
Tijuana. A 7-block stretch of Avenida Revolution, is full of nightclubs,
cafes, stores and curio shops.
6. National Parks and Sights Information
Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon)
The Barranca del Cobre territory of northwestern Mexico is comprised
of interconnected canyons developed by more than 60 million years of
erosion, volcanic eruptions and faults. The whole canyon complex is
almost four times larger and some 280 feet deeper than the Grand
Canyon in the United States. Elevations in this region range from
7,500 to 9,500 feet (2,285 to 2,900 m), with a few peaks reaching
12,000 feet (3,650 m). The Copper Canyon is the empire of the
Tarahumara Indians. Of all Mexico’s native peoples, they have perhaps
been the most prospering in preserving their centuries-old culture by
dwelling in the shadow of vast mountains and in the isolation of caves
set in deep canyons. Traveling across the craggy Sierra Madre
Mountains, the Chihuahua-Pacifico Railway offers rails excursions from
Chihuahua to Los Mochis and Topolobampo through the spectacularly
rugged scenery of this outstanding natural area.
Cacahuamilpa Caves N.P.
Explorers have burrowed more than 8 miles through the caves’
passageways and still haven’t located the end. About half a mile of
the vast labyrinth can be seen from wide, paved pathways. Large
chambers – 100 feet high, 200 feet long and nearly as wide – hold an
array of fantastic formations which are amplified by dramatic lightning.
Casas Grandes Ruins
The Casas Grandes Ruins (Paquime Ruins) are about 4 mi. (7 km) s.w.
near the aged town of Casas Grandes. Fragments of the Pueblo culture
of the American Southwest, as well as of the Mesoamerican cultures
dwelling in the vast Central Plateau to the south, suggest a wider mix
of civilizations here than was thought. The ruins were most likely
founded around the middle of the 11th century.
Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá, the Yucatan Peninsula’s most known and visited ruins,
are the remains of a great Maya city and one of the archeological
wonders of the world. Lavishly carved pyramids, temples and shrines
cover a 3.75-square-mile (9.7-sq.-km) area. Of the several hundred
buildings occupying the site, about 30 have been fully reconstructed.
The others have been partially restored, remain as they were found or
are merely rough mounds hidden under tangled underbrush. Chichén
Itzá is located on the Maya Route.
56

Mitla Ruins
The Mitla Ruins consist of intricate cut-stonework ruins, considered to
be one of Mexico’s most important archeological sites. The mud and
stone dwellings are inlaid with small cut stones arranged in geometric
patterns. The site was started by the Zapotecs but taken over by the
Mixtecs, and the architectural style reflects the latter group. Some
buildings stayed in use after the Conquest. Unlike many Maya ruins,
Mitla was never overtaken by consuming jungle, and the structures are
well preserved.
Monte Alban
The Monte Alban Ruins, one of Mexico’s prominent pre-Columbian sites,
presides over the valley of Oaxaca from a mountaintop location about
6 miles (9 km) southwest of Oaxaca via a narrow, winding road. This
major religious hub was built by the Zapotecs around 600 B.C. on the
deliberately flattened apex of a mountain. At its peak around A.D.
300, Monte Alban supported 40,000 occupants. By the 10th century
the city had been taken over by the Mixtecs, who essentially used it as
a opulent burial ground. The Mixtecs were in turn defeated by the
Aztecs, and Monte Alban fell into ruin around the time of Conquest.
Palenque
Palenque
These Maya ruins are among the most renowned and best preserved in
Mesoamerica. Discovered by Spaniards in 1750, the archeological zone
encircles the remains of one of the most highly developed ceremonial
centers of the Classic Maya Epoch. Similarities between this architecture
and that of palaces in the Orient point to a possible connection
between Mexico and Asia. The styles of different buildings and
carvings indicate that maximum development occurred between A.D.
600 and 700. Only the middle area has been cleared.
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan, meaning “place where the gods are created”, is the most
known and easily accessible of Mexico’s major archeological areas.
Once a religious nucleus thought to have been built before 700 B.C. by
57

an ancient people called Teotihuacanos, the 35-square-mile site was
later inhabited by the Toltecs. The structure has majestic pyramids,
temples and courts. The hallowed area was once paved with volcanic
stone and mica slabs, and buildings were plastered with lime and mortar
and decorated with bas-relief sculptures and murals. The pyramids
were begun at some time between 350 and 100 B.C. Archeologists
estimate that up to 200,000 individuals lived in Teotihuacan, making
it one of the largest cities in the world at the time. The Pyramid of the
Moon is the oldest structure in the region and was built of river rock
and is faced with volcanic rock slabs. The Pyramid of the Sun rules the
ruins. It rises five levels to more than 200 feet (60m); each side of its
base measures about 735 feet (225 m). Built of adobe brick faced with
volcanic stone and covered with plaster or pre-Conquest cement, it is
visible for some span.
Tulum
Once the local of four Maya cities – Soliman, Tankah, Xel-ha and Tulum
– the ruins of Tulum are a legacy of Maya greatness. The Tulum ruins
are whats left of one of the later Maya outposts which was constructed
during the 13th century as a fortress overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
While unimpressive architecturally when compared to the sites of
Tulum
Chichén Itzá or Uxmal, Tulum is notable for its dramatic setting – the
only significant Maya site on a coast – and for its walled shield. Some
60 well-preserved buildings show the Toltec architectural sway. The
most imposing building is El Castillo (The Castle), a clifftop pyramidal
building capped by a small temple.
Uxmal
One of Mexico’s most significant archeological sites, it rose to
prominence concurrently with the great civilizations at Palenque and
Tikal in Guatemala. Unlike the striking structures at Chichén Itzá, the
architecture of Uxmal is more purely Maya, with horizontal contours
and richly ornamented stone facades.
58

VI. Emergency Contact Information
1. SUNTREK
In case of problems, questions or concerns, please call our SUNTREK
customer service in Santa Rosa, California: +1 707-523-1800
(fax: +1 707-523-1911) or toll free within the USA and Canada:
1-800-SUNTREK (1-800-786-8735)
2. Police and Ambulance
911 – this is everywhere in the USA the toll free phone number for
the police, fire department and the ambulance. In case of doubt,
please call the operator: 0
Yosemite N.P., California (USA)
60

VII. Personal Notes
1. Fellow Suntrekkers
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Name
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2. My Tour
63

Washington
D.C.
Toronto
Ont.
Seattle
Wash.
San Francisco
Calif.
Salt Lake City
Utah
St. Louis
Mo.
Portland
Or.
Phoenix
Ariz.
Philadelphia
Pa.
Omaha
Nebr.
New York
N.Y.
New Orleans
La.
Nashville
Tenn.
Montreal
Que.
Minneapolis
Minn.
Miami
Fla.
Mexico City
Mex.
Los Angeles
Calif.
Kansas City
Mo.
Indianapolis
Ind.
Houston
Tex.
Detroit
Mich.
Denver
Colo.
Dallas
Tex.
Cleveland
Ohio
Chicago
Ill.
Boston
Mass.
Birmingham
Ala.
Atlanta,
Ga.
VIII. Mileage
Chart
Atlanta, Ga. 153 1108 708 728 823 1430 732 791 527 822 2191 1768 663 1121 1181 246 480 854 1010 748 1827 2664 564 1934 2483 2625 925 618
Birmingham, Ala. 153 1226 657 732 635 1325 756 701 478 725 2052 1618 754 1068 1270 188 346 978 882 868 1677 2586 512 1791 2365 2540 950 735
Boston, Mass. 1108 1226 994 657 1753 1998 799 1830 929 1435 3017 2783 1520 1390 318 1092 1507 222 1469 315 2670 3144 1207 2376 3128 3016 539 448
Chicago, Ill. 708 657 994 348 921 1021 279 1091 105 542 2048 2045 1397 410 828 466 919 809 479 785 1742 2117 289 1417 2173 2052 492 709
Cleveland, Ohio 728 732 657 348 1189 1362 172 1306 318 819 2382 2251 1252 758 561 533 1055 471 825 428 2032 2432 579 1762 2483 2391 287 360
Dallas, Tex. 822 635 1753 921 1189 784 1156 276 892 505 1399 1138 1346 494 1705 659 517 1559 662 1443 1002 2043 655 1257 1752 2131 1369 1307
Denver, Colo. 1430 1325 1998 1021 1362 784 1283 1034 1063 606 1301 1746 2107 920 1815 1184 1277 1794 541 1739 813 1261 863 534 1255 1341 1479 1616
Detroit, Mich. 732 756 799 279 172 1158 1283 1276 284 769 2288 2243 1385 685 562 543 1070 649 734 609 2008 2384 534 1671 2399 2327 226 516
Houston, Tex. 791 701 1830 1091 1306 246 1034 1276 995 743 1541 979 1190 1183 1827 780 353 1610 864 1511 1164 2243 839 1442 1911 2369 1491 1365
Indianapolis, Ind. 527 478 929 185 318 892 1063 284 995 501 2063 1965 1186 593 840 283 802 731 613 659 1725 2237 246 1566 2289 2245 504 575
Kansas City, Mo. 822 725 1435 542 819 505 606 769 743 501 1577 1627 1481 443 1305 578 839 1233 189 1170 1235 1820 256 1105 1861 1858 969 1042
Los Angeles, Calif. 2191 2052 3017 2048 2382 1399 1031 2288 1541 2063 1577 1917 2716 1857 2873 2011 1858 2794 1569 2703 376 976 1836 691 387 1134 2537 2646
Mexico City, Mex. 1768 1618 2783 2045 2251 1138 1746 2243 979 1965 1627 1917 2169 2074 2805 1747 1335 2587 1782 2487 1549 2785 1757 2016 2291 2852 2469 2354
Miami, Fla. 663 754 1520 1397 1252 1343 2107 1385 1190 1186 1481 2716 2169 1769 1645 910 860 1334 1636 1230 2348 3257 1226 2566 3093 3303 1509 1057
Minneapolis, Minn. 1121 1068 1390 410 758 949 920 685 1183 593 443 1857 2074 1769 1163 833 1346 1217 380 1195 1677 1724 630 1312 1979 1653 897 1090
Montreal, Que. 1181 1270 318 828 561 1705 1815 562 1827 840 1305 2873 2805 1654 1163 1074 1591 378 1278 449 2519 2755 1075 2209 2961 2685 336 579
Nashville, Tenn. 246 188 1092 466 533 659 1184 543 780 283 578 2011 1747 910 833 1074 532 900 764 787 1674 2369 321 1703 2325 2442 754 659
New Orleans, La. 480 346 1507 919 1055 517 1277 1070 352 802 839 1858 1335 860 1346 1591 532 1335 1026 1229 1496 2536 698 1775 2278 2590 1271 1099
New York, N.Y. 854 978 222 809 471 1559 1794 649 1610 731 1233 2794 2587 1334 1217 378 900 1335 1252 101 2445 2914 967 2189 2830 2841 469 237
Omaha, Nebr. 1010 882 1469 479 825 662 541 734 864 613 187 1569 1782 1636 380 1278 765 1026 1252 1204 1352 1692 444 936 1691 1692 942 1135
Philadelphia, Pa. 748 868 315 785 428 1443 1739 609 1511 659 1170 2730 2487 1230 1195 449 787 1229 101 1204 2374 2859 904 2154 2902 2816 453 143
Phoenix, Ariz. 1827 1677 2670 1742 2032 1002 813 2008 1164 1725 1235 376 1549 2348 1677 2519 1674 1496 2445 1352 2374 1268 1481 645 762 1465 2183 2300
Portland, Or. 2664 2586 3144 2117 2432 2043 1261 2384 2243 2237 1820 862 2785 3257 1724 2755 2369 2536 2914 1692 2859 1268 2057 763 637 174 2566 2784
St. Louis, Mo. 565 512 1207 289 579 655 863 534 839 246 256 1836 1757 1226 630 1075 321 898 976 444 904 1481 2057 1362 2118 2135 739 862
Salt Lake City, Utah 1934 1791 2376 1417 1762 1257 534 1671 1442 1566 1105 691 2016 2566 1312 2209 1703 1775 2189 936 2154 645 763 1362 752 848 1873 2048
San Francisco, Calif. 2483 2365 3128 2173 2483 1752 1255 2399 1911 2289 1861 387 2291 3093 1979 2961 2325 2278 2930 1691 2902 762 637 2118 752 810 2625 2843
Seattle, Wash. 2625 2540 3016 2052 2391 2131 1341 2327 2369 2245 1858 1134 2852 3303 1653 2685 2442 2590 2841 1692 2816 1465 174 2135 848 810 2496 2721
Toronto, Ont. 925 950 539 492 287 1369 1479 226 1491 504 969 2537 2469 1509 897 336 754 1271 469 942 453 2183 2566 769 1873 2625 2496 456
Washington, D.C. 618 735 448 709 360 1307 1616 216 1365 575 1042 2646 2354 1057 1090 579 659 1099 237 1135 143 2300 2784 862 2048 2843 2721 456
65

IX. Map of North America
66

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