Tim Stallard headed to Alaska from his home in Northern California for a summer of adventure when he was just eighteen. That was sixteen summers ago. “I just got hooked and never left,” Tim explains. As owner and chief guide of Out in Alaska, an adventure tour company in Alaska catering to the GLBT traveler, this avid outdoor adventurer enjoys everything Alaska has to offer like skiing, hiking, kayaking, and rafting. When Tim is not out enjoying Alaska’s endless wilderness, he can be found at home with his partner, Robert, a wildlife biologist. “We spend quite a bit of time working on our house,” says Tim. “While I wouldn’t call that fun, it is very satisfying. And we’re doing it the Alaskan way, meaning we’re living in the house as we build it!”

Tim says there are many reasons he loves living in our 49th state. At the top of the list is the sense of adventure that’s always waiting for him right outside his front door. “There are so many amazing places to explore in this vast state that it’s not possible to experience them all in one lifetime,” he notes. Another reason Tim chose to make Alaska his home is the “friendly, unique characters” that inhabit our least densely populated state. “Alaskans are very resourceful and creative,” he says. “I also believe Alaska is the closest thing to a classless society anywhere in the USA; one expression of this is that you can wear jeans to the opera!” Contrary to what gay travelers might presume, Tim says Alaska is not as redneck or gay-unfriendly as some might think. He is quick to note, “Alaskans are fairly open-minded and support others’ right to privacy. We are a state of odd-balls so Alaskans give each other a lot of latitude in regard to lifestyles.”

Tim notes that there are still many subtle misconceptions on the part of those of us in the lower-48. “Sarah Palin raised a lot of awareness of Alaska, but I am not sure if she cleared up any misconceptions or created new ones!” he says. “The biggest general travel misconception is that it’s hard to visit Alaska. In fact the cruise options and tour operators, such as Out in Alaska, make it very easy to visit. The second common misconception about Alaska travel is that the large cruises are the only way to visit. The large cruise ships are a great introduction but they include very little time on land and are thus a bit removed from the ‘real Alaska.’ The ultimate way to experience the destination is to spend time in the remote wilderness, either on a small boat, at a remote lodge, or on a camping expedition.”

How did you get into the travel guide business?
As a student, I was hired to run the outdoor recreation program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They were pleased with my management of the program and turned that job into a full-time staff job after I graduated. Over the years, my student trip leaders and I took thousands of students, faculty, and staff on various adventures all over Alaska, in every month of the year. It was a dream job, but after nine years there, I decided I wanted to work for myself and share the wonders of Alaska with gay travelers.

Why did you choose to cater to LGBT travelers?
Because LGBT travelers have a reputation for being avid, adventurous, and discerning travelers. However, straight travelers (especially Europeans) have gay travelers beat for recognizing Alaska as a world-class destination. No one was serving the gay market for real travel experiences in Alaska so I saw an opportunity to do that. Also, many gay people love nature and animals, but a majority of gay people live in highly urbanized cities, so gay Alaskan adventures seemed the obvious antidote! As I later realized, operating a gay travel business in Alaska also allows us to promote equal rights for gay Alaskans through our business networking and supplier connections.

Is there an interesting story from one of your group tours that stands out in your mind?
Two years ago my partner Robert and I guided an eight-day wilderness raft trip in Gates of the Arctic National Park (www.nps.gov/gaar). A bush plane dropped us off on a gravel bar by the side of the river. After the plane left, the guests (none of whom were experienced campers) quickly realized they were heavily dependent upon us for their survival. We were the only group on this remote river the entire time. The next day we were taking a snack break below the mountains known as the “Gates of the Arctic,” and I asked my partner and the guests to line up on the raft for a picture. As I was preparing to take the picture, they all started jumping up. “Hold still!” I begged, not having taken the picture. “Wolf!” they shouted, “Right behind you!” Indeed, a white female wolf was pacing about thirty feet away! She slowly circled around, checking us out for several minutes. Eventually she got downwind from us, recognized our scent, and ran off.

Where do you take your clients and what do they find there?
We take our clients all over Alaska. Many of our tours visit Seward and Denali in addition to Anchorage and Fairbanks. From Seward we take a fabulous day-cruise to Kenai Fjords National Park where we typically see orcas, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, otters, puffins, eagles, and glaciers! Sometimes we stay at the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge (www.kenaifjordslodge.com), an island eco-lodge next to the national park. The accommodations are basic, but comfortable, and the talented chef there cooks fresh salmon and other delights. At night the only sounds are the waves lapping on the stone beach and occasional birdcalls. Last year a guest showed us the guestbook from his cabin signed by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter!

We generally spend two nights visiting Denali National Park. We head into Denali to explore the unique tundra habitat and look for moose, bears, caribou, and Dall sheep. There are a number of great hikes in the Denali area and on some trips our entire group joins an exciting whitewater rafting trip. In Denali, we typically stay in locally-owned cabins that are surrounded by old-growth forest, mountains, and a rushing alpine stream.

What would you recommend for a same-sex couple’s romantic experience in Alaska?
Getting out in the wilds of Alaska is very romantic and gives you a great perspective on our modern life. For adventurous couples I would recommend one of our weeklong wilderness rafting expeditions on the Copper, Yukon, and other Alaskan rivers. These trips are thrilling and guests do not need any prior camping experience; they only need to be ready for adventure. The Copper River is one of our favorite expeditions. This river cuts one hundred miles through the Chugach Mountains and has two glaciers that dump icebergs into the salmon rich water.

For couples that do not want to rough it, a trip to a scenic remote lodge would be a fabulous way to mark a birthday or anniversary. There are many great lodges in Alaska. My favorite is Silver Salmon Creek Lodge (www.silversalmoncreek.com) on the coast of Lake Clark National Park below Iliamna Volcano. You have to take a bush plane to get there. As we flew in, there were bears digging for clams on the beach (we landed on the same beach a safe distance away). The lodge staff picked us up in all-terrain-vehicles and hauled us to the lodge. The setting, scenery, and remoteness were breathtaking. The biggest draw of the lodge is viewing brown bears in the wild. Although we only stayed one night, we saw 24 grizzlies, up close in the coastal meadows adjacent to the lodge. After seeing our first dozen bears, we needed a break so we spent a few hours canoeing a beautiful lake with wild swans behind the lodge. The accommodations were very comfortable and the food was excellent. Despite being a jaded local, I was thrilled by my time at this lodge.

The North Face Lodge in Denali National Park (www.campdenali.com) is another choice that provides solitude and a close experience with nature, without sacrificing any comforts. As an added bonus, many of Alaska’s remote lodges require a small plane flight to get there. While you can take a bus to Denali’s North Face Lodge, I highly recommend the small plane flight past the massive north face of Mt. McKinley with Kantishna Air Taxi (www.katair.com).

What are some of your favorite big-city or even small-town restaurants around the state?
In Anchorage you’ll find some very diverse restaurants, and of course lots of terrific seafood. Sacks (328 G St. Anchorage. Tel: 907-276-3546. www.sackscafe.com) has excellent fresh seafood and great pastas plus a noteworthy weekend brunch; it’s one of the top restaurants in Alaska. Glacier Brewhouse (737 W. 5th Ave. Anchorage. Tel: 907-274-BREW. www.glacierbrewhouse.com) is a brewery pub, very popular with the locals. Beer snobs will be in heaven. They are open for lunch and dinner, but I suggest making reservations several days ahead, especially for dinner. Ginger (425 W. 5th Ave. Anchorage. Tel: 907-929-3680. www.gingeralaska.com) is located in the heart of downtown. They serve delicious Asian fusion cuisine including fresh Alaska seafood options.

Practically in the shadows of Mount McKinley (North America’s highest peak), the Denali area has some surprisingly great places to eat. One of the best restaurants in the state is also one of the most remote. 229 Parks Restaurant and Tavern (Milepost 229.7 Parks Highway. Tel: 907-683-2567. www.229parks.com) changes their menu often to reflect the fresh, seasonal Alaska-grown, and organic ingredients. The Perch (Mile 224 Parks Highway, Denali National Park. Tel: 907-683-2523. www.denaliperchresort.com) has excellent salmon, halibut, and crab in a scenic setting, along with delicious homemade bread. This restaurant is run by a fun and quirky, Alaskan, gay-friendly family.

Although Alaska’s capital is also its third largest city, Juneau only has about 20,000 residents. When the cruise ships dock the city’s population can increase by 50 percent. If you find yourself in Juneau for a day or overnight, plan to visit Silverbow Inn and Bakery (120 Second St., Juneau. Tel: 800-586-4146. www.silverbowinn.com). They offer comfortable accommodations and a popular bakery. They also host the local PFLAG chapter meetings.

In Fairbanks you might just experience some of the best Thai food of your life. Thai House (412 5th Ave., Fairbanks. Tel: 907-452-6123) is a very popular restaurant for its excellent and authentic food and friendly staff. Lavelles Bistro (575 1st Ave. Fairbanks. Tel: 907-450-0555. www.lavellesbistro.com) is another place that could take a first-time visitor to Alaska by surprise. Not only does this upscale restaurant serve some excellent food, they probably also have the most extensive wine list in all of Alaska.

As Anchorage often serves as the gateway to Alaska, what hotels and other businesses would be of interest to gay travelers there?
There is not a lot of gay travel infrastructure in Alaska other than several wonderful gay-owned or operated bed and breakfasts in Anchorage. That is partly why I started Out in Alaska. Passport readers should know that generally, places in Alaska are gay-friendly, although in smaller communities, a locally-owned lodge might not initially understand why two men would want a room with one bed.

Innkeeper Glen Hemingson welcomes you to the Copper Whale Inn (440 L Street. Anchorage. Tel: 866-258-7999. www.copperwhale.com), a charming and friendly bed and breakfast conveniently located in downtown Anchorage. Proprietors Larry and Allan of A Wildflower Inn (1239 I St. Anchorage. Tel: 877-693-1239) invite you to their homey and quaint bed and breakfast, also in downtown. Larry and Allan also offer vacation rentals for groups large or small at their Arctic Fox Inn (326 E. Second Court, Anchorage. www.arcticfoxinn.com). City Garden (1352 W. 10th Ave. Anchorage. Tel: 907-276-8686. www.citygarden.biz) is another gay-friendly bed and breakfast downtown. Also of note is Mad Myrna’s (530 E. 5th Ave. Anchorage. Tel: 907-276-9762. www.alaska.net/~madmyrna) in Anchorage. It’s the main gay bar for all of Alaska. They feature drag shows on Friday nights with a mixed crowd of men, women, gays, straights, etc. Meanwhile, Kodiak Bar and Grill (225 E. 5th Ave. Anchorage. Tel: 907-258-5233. www.kodiakbar.com) is a gay-friendly bar in Anchorage, self described as Anchorage’s newest alternative nightclub. It’s quite popular, especially later at night after other bars close.

With our state’s great natural beauty, there are open-minded artists and artistic outposts across the state. Both Fairbanks and Anchorage have busy “First Friday” circuits as the local galleries host open houses the first Friday of each month. Visit www.anchorage.net/events and www.fairbanks-alaska.com for more information.

[Published: August, 2009]