We felt the wind that fell off snow peaked fjords, across the waters and towards us on the shore. We heard the breathing of sea lions and humpback whales swimming beside us while kayaking to the nearest islands. We listened to sounds of nature uninhibited by the noise of humanity. It was hard to believe this place was real.

In April I called my friend and old Seattle roommate Griffin Lamb to see if he would potentially be into the idea of going on a trip to Alaska. And without any hesitation he was in. A week later our tickets were booked and the cabin search was on.

I had no real idea of what I wanted to do there other than to experience the place my dad was born. I grew up hearing stories from him about this place where the sun never fully goes down in the summer, where mountains come straight from the sea and bears and moose can commonly be seen by the roadside. Many times I have a problem with setting my expectations too high before a trip, but this one was different. The stories I’ve heard and the pictures I’ve seen don’t even come close to encapsulating the true beauty of this place.

We traveled about 2000 miles yet we only saw a glimpse of what this beautiful state had to offer. From the little town of Homer down south to Denali National Park up north and plenty of stops in between, I have never experienced a more pure and enlightening place than Alaska.

Written by Marshall Columbia. Photos by Marshall Columbia and Griffin Lamb.