editor’s note: emily’s piece kicks off our weeklong series, the stories of alaska: sustainability and resilience on a grand scale, from our storyfest 2018 winners, who traveled to alaska with lindblad expeditions and alaska airlines this summer. in emily’s story, you can explore alaska in storybook-like wonder, as she shows off the southern coastline that dances along the edges of its mountain ranges and ensconces temperate forests teeming with wildlife. see her full story — and her gorgeous photos — by clicking on the image below. we dare you to not fall in love with alaska’s beauty.