Alaska Trivia | Dorky Geeky Nerdy Podcast

Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia

188 | Alaska Trivia

00:00 / 13:48

We’re heading up North this week. Like all the way up North with some Alaska Trivia in our one-hundred-eighty-eighth episode of Dorky Geeky Nerdy.

It’s cold and it’s big, but it’s also rich in natural resources and natural beauty. What’s your favorite part about Alaska?

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Episode Transcript/Quiz

Episode Intro

We’re heading up North. Like…all the way up North.

Hey gang, this is episode 188 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. I’m your host, Brian Rollins, and this week we’ve got Alaska Trivia on tap.

If you’re new, welcome. We feature three rounds of ten questions every week. You can get more trivia, content, rules, and score cards at our website, DorkyGeekyNerdy.com.

This week’s shout-out is to Matthew. Matthew’s a long-time listener that posts his scores on Twitter every week. He’s also the show’s first subscriber. That’s right, you can help the show and become a patron. So thanks, Matthew. Now I no longer have an excuse to keep from making bonus content for my supporters. But seriously, if you see him on Twitter, say hi and compare scores.

Speaking of scores, let’s get this show started.

The Dorky Round

What Governor of Alaska was a last-minute addition to John McCain’s presidential ticket?
Sarah Palin
In order of admission to the union, where does Alaska rank?
49th.
What 1903 Jack London novel featured a kidnapped dog named Buck?
Call of the Wild
From whom did the United States purchase Alaska?
The Russian Empire in 1867. The purchase was derided as Seward’s Folly.
What race runs from Anchorage to Nome, AK?
The Iditarod Sled Dog Race. It’s about 1000 miles long.
How many states share a border with Alaska?
None. Alaska’s entire land border is shared with Canada.
What is the name of the string of islands that run from southwest Alaska to just east of Russia?
The Aleutian Islands. They are made up of nearly 70 islands, stretching 1200 miles, and sit in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres
By size, where does Alaska rank in the US?
First. It’s by far and away the largest state.
Most of the land in Alaska is owned by who?
The US Federal Government. About 65% of the state is federal land.
What 1990s comedy-drama was set in the fictional town of Cicely, AK?
Northern Exposure

The Geeky Round

What is the capital of Alaska?
Juneau
What is the largest city in Alaska?
Anchorage. It has about 40% of the state’s population.
What 2002 movie, directed by Christopher Nolan, starred Al Pacino and Robin Williams?
Insomnia
The 1952 film, Lost in Alaska, starred what comedy duo?
Abbot & Costello
What 1906 Jack London novel is named after its titular wolfdog?
White Fang
What two Canadian provinces border Alaska?
Yukon and British Columbia
What is the highest peak in North America?
Denali. The name was restored to its original in 2015. It used to be called Mount McKinley
What body of water is south of Alaska?
The Gulf of Alaska
What constellation and star are on the Alaskan state flag?
Ursa Major (or the Big Dipper) and Polaris (the North Star)
In 1989, what tanker spilled over 10 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound?
The Exxon Valdez. At the time, it was the worst oil spill in US history

The Nerdy Round

What singer/songwriter who performs only using her first name, grew up near Homer, AK?
Jewel
Charlie Chaplin’s plays a prospector in Alaska seeking his fortune in what 1925 movie?
The Gold Rush
What body of water separates Alaska from Russia?
The Bering Strait
Formerly known as Barrow, what is the northernmost town in the United States?
Utqiagvik, Alaska. It’s only 1300 miles south of the North Pole
What pair of islands are sometimes referred to as Tomorrow Island and Yesterday Island?
The Diomedes Island. They straddle the International Date Line. One is controlled by Russia, the other by the US.
What is the largest national park in the US?
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It’s over 8 million acres in size
What is Alaska’s official nickname?
The Last Frontier
The largest Brown Bears in the world can be found on what island?
Kodiak Island (hence their name, Kodiak Bears)
Born in Anchorage, what pitcher won the World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox?
Curt Schilling
What does ‘Alaska’ mean in the Aleut language?
It means the Mainland or the Great Land

Episode Conclusion

And that’s it for Alaska. Here’s some bonus trivia:

No kidding Alaska is huge. It’s ⅙ of the United States’ total land mass.
The second, third, and fourth largest states could all fit inside Alaska.
The state is the 12th wealthiest state, sitting on some literal gold mines along with oil and gas.
The state leads the nation in missing persons. People go missing in Alaska at twice the national average.
Seven of the ten largest national parks are all in Alaska.

I’d love to see the wilds of Alaska at some point. It looks beautiful. If there are any Alaskans listening, what do I have to do whenever I make it to your home state?

We’ll be back again next week with another thirty trivia questions. Here’s a clue for what to expect:

What state is broken up into two parts, often referred to as the upper and lower peninsulas?

Not a super hard hint, but I can’t be brutally hard all the time, right? See you back here next Wednesday.

This has been episode 188 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. The music has been by Jason Shaw at Audionautix.com.

I’m your host, Brian Rollins. You can find me at TheVoicesInMyHead.com.

Thanks for listening.