Alaska Urban Legends, Myths & Folklore: Not Your Average Bucket List Season 2
Marisa Roman
Author
For our second-to-last episode of Local Lore and Legends for Not Your Average Bucket List, we’re heading up north to the great state of Alaska. Alaska has a ton of unexplored wilderness that already causes trouble for missing people, and we cover other unexplained phenomena in this episode. For instance, did you know there was such a thing as an Alaska Triangle? Or how about the fact UFOs might be hiding away in Mount Hayes? We cover all this and more Alaska urban legends in Episode 13.
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Alaska Urban Legends We’ll Cover
- What are the Kushtaka?
- Is The Alaskan Triangle real?
- Is there an Alaska UFO Base in Mount Hayes?
- Let’s Discuss the Alaskan Vortex.
Kushtaka – An Alaskan Cryptid
Kushtaka are shape-shifters capable of assuming human and otter forms. Their behavior varies in different accounts. Some depict them as cruel beings tricking sailors to their deaths, while others show them as friendly creatures saving lost individuals from freezing. They employ otter-like illusions of family and friends to distract and transform the lost into fellow Kushtaka, enabling survival in the cold. However, Kushtaka legends also have dark aspects. They mimic baby cries or women’s screams to lure victims to rivers, where they either kill and tear them apart or transform them into Kushtaka.
The Alaskan Triangle or Alaskan Vortex
The ‘Alaska Triangle’ in northwest Alaska has witnessed over 20,000 disappearances in the past 50 years, prompting speculation about its causes. The treacherous landscape and local predators are often considered responsible. However, the region’s rich folklore suggests that urban legends hold the key to unraveling this enigma.
Similar to the infamous Bermuda Triangle, the Alaska Triangle encompasses Juneau, Anchorage, and Barrow, where numerous individuals and planes have vanished without a trace. The Tlingit tribe attributes these disappearances to demons and malevolent spirits, while others blame the Keelut, black hairless dogs. Regardless, caution is advised when venturing into the wilderness.
Alaska boasts a significant concentration of magnetic anomalies, leading to a theory that the Alaska Triangle might harbor a space vortex capable of transporting objects to another dimension. This hypothesis provides a possible explanation for the frequent occurrences of people and items going missing within the triangle’s boundaries.
Take a look at this incredible episode of The Alaskan Triangle on the History Channel YouTube Page:
The Alaskan UFO Base In Mount Hayes
Mount Hayes is the highest mountain in the eastern Alaskan range and is speculated to house numerous extra-terrestrials and UFOs. UFO sightings began during the 1940s and were soon numerous enough to gather the attention of the FBI, who started investigating the area. Experienced military personnel continued to report strange phenomena throughout the following years and in the late ‘90s Pat Price, a former CIA remote-viewer, claimed the mountain “housed one of the aliens’ largest bases.”
History Channel, Travel Channel, everyone has talked about this place. I watched an episode of the History Channel Missing in Alaska to prepare for this episode, and it had some pretty compelling visuals and a video of a UFO directly over Mount Hayes. I highly recommend Missing in Alaska. It covers everything from a Lake Dragon to Arctic Mermaids, Demon Wolves, and more.
Not Your Average Bucket List Podcast Timestamps:
(04:00:00) Cryptids In Alaska
(05:45:00) Legend Of The Otter Man (Kushtaka)
(08:45:00) Alaskan UFOs
(15:40:00) The Alaskan Triangle
Thanks for taking this Local Lore & Legends journey with us! As mentioned, here are a few of our OnlyInYourState articles for you to keep reading!
The Creepiest Alaska Town With Paranormal Activity
Are you ready to tune into the episode? Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Get In Touch!
If you have personal experiences with any of the local lore and legends mentioned above, call or text 805-298-1420! We’d love to hear your thoughts on these creepy, potentially haunted places and maybe even share your clip on the show! You can also reach out to us via email at podcast@onlyinyourstate.com.
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