Everyone knows that Alaska is the largest state, but there are some other reasons that Alaska is the roughest, toughest, most amazing state in the union. Alaska just has to be different and epic all the time. The great land is vast and chock full of wildlands and endless mountain ranges, adorned with glittering glaciers and gorgeous vistas. Check out these tidbits that make Alaska the biggest, baddest, most extra state of all.

1. Alaska has the highest mountain in the United States.
farmboyted | Flickr
Denali stands at 20,310 feet high from sea level, by far the highest mountain in North America!
2. Alaska has the only capital not accessible by road
John Cook | Flickr
Alaskans must fly or take the ferry to access the center of Alaska's government, but it's so incredibly beautiful, you'll understand why the capital is in this difficult to reach place.
3. Alaska has the northernmost point in the U.S.
arctic_council | Flickr
Point Barrow, just north of the community of Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), is the northernmost point in the U.S. The city has a population of about 4000. It has an extreme climate where the sun sets in the winter and it is dark for 65 days.
4. Alaska also has the westernmost point in the U.S.
Paxson Woelber | Flickr
Amatignak Island, Alaska is technically the westernmost point in the U.S. by longitude. The long chain of the Aleutian Islands heads out into the Bering Sea and crosses the international dateline.
5. Alaska also has the easternmost point in the U.S.!
Kim F | Flickr
For the triple crown, Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska on the Aleutian chain is on the other side of the east-west divide, making it the easternmost point in all U.S. territory by longitude.
6. Alaska has the highest Male-to-Female Ratio of any state
SandyK29 | FLickr
According to the U.S. Census, there are 3% more men than women in Alaska. That makes Alaska the most male state in the union. Like they say, the odds are good, but the good are odd.
7. The largest national forest in the U.S.
Kevin Harber | Flickr
Covering most of Southeast Alaska, and surrounding the famous Inside Passage, the Tongass National Forest is over 16,700,000 acres.
8. Alaska is the only U.S. soil to be invaded during WWII
Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Starting on 3 June 1942, a small Japanese force occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands, part of the Alaska Territory, in the Pacific theater of World War II. The remoteness of the islands and the challenges of the climate delayed a larger U.S.-Canadian force for nearly a year, but eventually the Japanese were ejected.

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9. Santa actually lives here
Jimmy Emerson, DVM | Flickr
In North Pole, Alaska lies Santa Clause House, widely accepted as the actual residence of Santa. At least, he gets his mail here and millions of letters are replied to from this address.
10. You can see Russia (hypothetically)
Andrew Petersen | Flickr
In the Bering Sea lie two tiny islands. Little Diomede, a part of Alaska, and Big Diomede, a part of Russia, are just 2.5 miles apart. So probably, technically, you could be in a house in Alaska and see Russia, if the fog and clouds ever cleared.
11. The midnight sun grows the biggest cabbages ever!
Travis | Flickr
The heaviest cabbage EVER weighed 138.25 lb and was entered at the Alaska State Fair by Scott A. Robb (USA). It was weighed in Palmer on August 31, 2012. Pumpkins and zuchinni grow to enormous sizes, too.
12. Alaska the most coastline of any state
Joseph | Flickr
In fact, Alaska has more coastline than all other 49 states, combined!
13. Alaska has the lowest recorded temperature in the U.S.
JLS Photography - Alaska | Flickr
Still holding steady, the coldest day in recorded U.S. history was in Fort Yukon on January 23, 1971 where the mercury dipped to −80 °F/−62 °C.
14. Dog mushing is the Official State Sport
Markus Trienke | Flickr
Everyone plays baseball and soccer, but in Alaska we hitch a bunch of dogs to a sled and head out over the open tundra for hundreds of miles, just for fun.
15. The Hammer Museum has over 2000 hammers
Sean Hoyer | Flickr
The Hammer Museum in Haines has thousands of hammers for you to peruse, and there are rumored to be thousands more in storage. For only $5, you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about hammers. Now that's metal!
16. There are several laws related to moose
JLS Photography - Alaska | FLickr
There are laws against viewing a moose from a plane, pushing a moose from a plane, and giving a moose beer.
17. All of the Top 10 Highest peaks in the U.S. are located in Alaska
Giggs Huang | Flickr
The top ten tallest peaks in the U.S. are Denali, Mount Saint Elias, Mount Foraker, Mount Bona, Mount Blackburn, Mount Sanford, Mount Fairweather, Mount Hubbard, Mount Bear, and Mount Hunter.

If you love Alaska and are thinking about moving, Here Are 20 Benefits Of Living In Alaska That We Shouldn’t Ever Take For Granted. Check out these 23 Things Alaskans Do That Seem Insane To Everyone Else.

Anything else to add? Tell us why you love Alaska in the comments below.

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