Chelsea Miller’s Tongass Story

"My home is deep in the forest at the roots of the mountains. — Treebeard/J.R.R. Tolkien"

From Chelsea Miller:

“I grew up in Juneau hiking in the Tongass and appreciating its steady presence in all aspects of Juneau life. It holds a certain mystique and air of ancient times. I often tell people it is what I imagine Middle Earth to look like, when Frodo and the Fellowship are on parts of their incredible journey. The lush undergrowth of ferns and moss, devil’s club taller than any man (or Orc!) and trees that could be Treebeard’s great-grandfather.

I think one of the most magical thing is how it is home to the steady sentinels that border our southeastern villages and cities. How where the city ends the Forest begins. One of my favorite pastimes is driving to the End of the Road in Juneau and entering the forest. How much more magical, mystical and stirring to the imagination could a place get? Locals and visitors have the distinct and glorious pleasure to slip into a story of old every time they cross that wooded threshold.

There is no place on Earth quite like the Tongass National Forest and we must protect it at all costs. No road is worth damaging its beauty and no development should dare to touch this precious resource. Alaska is made better for its presence and the denizens of this wondrous forest are privileged to be responsible for its continued survival.

Read more stories…

Douglas Edward’s Tongass Story

Douglas Edward’s Tongass Story

Since my first trip to Alaska, I have returned to walk the land I have grown to love… After 20 years, the Tongass is part of my life.