About Ground Truth Alaska

About Ground Truth Alaska

Ground Truth Alaska (known as Ground Truth Trekking before 2020) is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit founded in 2007, which seeks to advance public understanding and engagement in climate change, wilderness, energy, hazards, and natural resource issues in Alaska and to share the teaching that natural systems can provide. We engage in a wide range of activities, ranging from scientific research, writing, and data analysis, to wilderness adventure, trail building, and making maps.

The story of Ground Truth Alaska began with human-powered expeditions across Alaska. Those journeys took us through the middle of mining and logging controversies, places seeing dramatic impacts of climate change, and other key issues. What we saw with our own eyes and learned from locals, gave us a “ground truth” which we combined with “researched truth,” using our scientific backgrounds to create comprehensive and accurate articles on key issues across the state. Since then, our scope and methods have broadened. Our techniques range from physical building of trails to improve the public’s access to and engagement with the wilderness, to using remote sensing to characterize geohazards, to analyzing electricity production and consumption data. At any given time, we try and focus on the intersection of issues that are critically important, and where our expertise can have the most impact.

Ground Truth Alaska works largely through our volunteer effort and donations from our supporters, but as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we also are the recipients of some grants. Help out by making a tax deductible donation or buying a book or movie.

A rolling tundra ridge gives way to steep cliffs above Grewingk Lake.
LOOKING OVER THE EDGE — A rolling tundra ridge gives way to steep cliffs above Grewingk Lake. — Get Photo