When people find out I have been to all 50 US states, the first question is always “what is your favorite?” I usually re-phrase it to “what state do I most want to return to?” and the answer is always Alaska. I have only been once, and it was in January for work, but we turned it into something much more. From a frozen rental truck and pulling a stranger out of a ditch on our first hour in Anchorage, to nearly disappearing into the snow at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska had a way of making every moment feel like an adventure. The short daylight hours, the vast wilderness, and the warmth of the local community made it a trip that is impossible to forget and hard not to repeat.