Once a bustling city of 6000 residents, today only an estimated 77 year-round residents remain. Once home to one of America’s most important Naval Air bases during the Cold War thanks to its strategic position at the edge of Asia (closer to Tokyo, Japan than Seattle, WA!) the city of Adak, Alaska now lies in ruin; its buildings forlorn and empty. The whole place feels like a dystopian ghost town right out of “The Last of Us” or “I am Legend”.

In 1997, the United States Navy officially pulled out of Adak, closing this important Naval Air Base that was set up to monitor Soviet aggression during the Cold War. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the decision was made that the base was no longer necessary or viable, and the military abandoned its buildings and infrastructure here, recalling its servicemen and servicewomen to other stations. The land of Adak and its many buildings were then turned over to the local indigenous tribe for future stewardship.

Today, the mostly crumbling ruins of this once-massive military base dot its beautiful landscapes, which offer some of the best Caribout hunting, fishing, and hiking in the world. Adak is truly a bizarre place: a once-thriving society frozen in time and scattered with unexploded ordnance, its gritty military infrastructure juxtaposed against some of the most brilliant volcanic mountains and almost Jurassic Park-like scenery this side of Hawaii.

There are no hotels or other mainstream tourist services here. To help me explore this complex and nuanced island, I partnered with the amazing folks at Aleutian Outfitters to help me with the logistics of where to stay (their excellent lodges), how to get around (one of their trusted Ford Expeditions) and how to explore the land and the many historic buildings safely (they offer excellent guide services).

If you want to experience one of the most interesting places in North America, join me as I take you on the journey of a lifetime around this once-bustling city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Legal Disclaimers: The views expressed in this video are the sincerely-held, candid beliefs of the Producer and are not necessarily claimed to be objectively true or factually accurate, and may differ from the viewpoints of other entities who may disagree with their accuracy. As always, do your own research and form your own conclusions. Furthermore, the Producer of this video does not endorse or encourage urban exploration of Adak’s buildings. Please ensure you seek permission and local advice before undertaking any urbexing in Adak, as doing so is at your own physical and legal risk.

00:00 Intro & Trip Overview
02:46 Flying to Adak
04:27 Aleutian Outfitters
07:42 Adak Townsite
09:58 Old Recreation Complex
14:25 Old McDonald’s
16:16 Old Hospital
20:50 General Store
22:57 Tundra Tavern
25:01 Seven Doors of Doom
35:49 Bering Hill & Chapel
49:09 Finger Bay & Lake Betty Hike
54:14 Adak’s “National Forest”
57:19 Clam Lagoon & Lake Andrew Recreation Area
58:21 NSGA Adak Radio Monitoring Station
62:54 Parcel 4 (Off-Limits)
63:39 Ptarmigan Hunting
64:33 Adak’s Coastline
65:12 Thankyou Aleutian Outfitters!
65:58 Flying to Anchorage / Outro

Vlog Number 190 | #NorthAmerica #Alaska #Adak

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Special thanks to the sponsor of this video:

Aleutian Outfitters – https://aleutianoutfitters.com

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Future Vibes by Qeeo
Morning Mist by Staffan Carlen
Not Blue (Instrumental Version) by Kylie Dailey
Stillness Within by Roots and Recognition
Through the Clouds by By Lotus.mp3
When We Were Friends by Amaranth Cove

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