Arts >> Movies & TV >> Movies

Where Was North to Alaska Filmed?

The Twentieth Century-Fox classic Western "North to Alaska" (1960) featured John Wayne in rare comedic role. The film was primarily shot at a variety of locations throughout the state of California, passed off as Alaska through the magic of Hollywood.

  1. History

    • Lone Pine, Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear Lake and Point Mugu comprised the California shooting locations for "North to Alaska." A handful of vista shots were done in the Yukon in Canada for added authenticity.

    Geography

    • Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear and Lone Pine feature high mountain landscapes that the production used to simulate the wilds of Alaska, circa the Gold Rush era. Point Mugu, on the California coast between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, stood in for Alaska for the film's beach scenes.

    Other Movies Shot at the Same Locations

    • Big Bear, California, has been the site of dozens of other films including "Doctor Dolittle" and "Communion." Among other Westerns of note shot at Mammoth Lakes, California, was 1969's "True Grit."

    Other Significant History of the Filming Locations

    • Apart from being a filming location for some Hollywood films, Point Mugu, California, is also the site of the Naval Weapons Air Station, Point Mugu. The location supports weapons research and evaluation for the military.

    Fun Fact

    • "North to Alaska" marked John Wayne's fifth decade of making movies in Hollywood.

+:
+:

Movies

Related Categories