The Panhandle, frequently referred to as Southeast Alaska, is a narrow strip of coastal territory dominated by the thousands of islands that make up the Alexander Archipelago, as well as the towering peaks of the Coast Mountains. Massive icefields, deep glacial fjords, and incredibly steep terrain make traditional highway construction essentially impossible. Because people cannot easily pave roads through this geography, the communities of the Panhandle have had to adapt to a completely different mode of transportation.
This geographic reality gave rise to the Alaska Marine Highway, a state-owned ferry system that effectively serves as the region's interstate highway network. The ferries are the lifeblood of the Panhandle. They transport everything from commercial freight and daily groceries to families relocating with their vehicles and moving boxes. High school sports teams even use the ferry system to travel to away games, sometimes pitching tents and sleeping on the open decks during inter-island journeys that can take over twenty-four hours.
Surrounding these isolated, maritime communities is the Tongass National Forest, which dictates the character of the entire region. Encompassing nearly the entirety of the Panhandle, the Tongass is the largest national forest in the United States. More remarkably, it is the largest intact temperate rainforest on Earth. Instead of the snow-barren tundra often associated with Alaskan geography, the Panhandle is defined by relentless precipitation. This constant rain and coastal mist nourish towering stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock, creating a dense, emerald landscape. This rich environment supports some of the highest concentrations of brown bears, humpback whales, and bald eagles found anywhere in North America, thriving in a region where the ocean and the forest are inextricably linked.