Whittier, Alaska isn’t a town for the feint of heart. Situated on the brink of the Alaskan coastline, the entire town consists of a 14-story high-rise. The only way into the town is a two-and-a-half mile tunnel through the mountains. Jake Halpern traveled to this remote outpost to visit with some of the residents there. He shares a story from his travelogue, Braving Home: Dispatches from the Underwater Town, the Lava-Side In, and Other Extreme Locales.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?