President Obama is in the middle of a historic three-day visit to the Alaskan Arctic, in a bid to highlight the issue of climate change in a state where the physical effects are evident.
And just like countless other travelers squeezing in their final weeks of summer vacation, Obama is documenting his trip on Instagram.
The photos offer more than just a look at how Obama's historic trip played out, but also give Instagram users a window into the stunning natural beauty at risk of being seriously disturbed by climate change. The key word there is natural; none of the photos he uploaded used any Instagram filters (Iconosquare tags all Instagrams with the filter used).
Obama started off his travel snaps with a view from Air Force One as the plane approached Anchorage.
Hey everyone, it's Barack. Incredible view as we near Anchorage. I'll be spending the next few days touring this beautiful state and meeting with Alaskans about what’s going on in their lives. Looking forward to sharing it with you. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Aug 31, 2015 at 2:32pm PDT
The president then hopped aboard Marine One on Tuesday for a trip to Seward, where he visited the Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. While he was there, Obama also met with members of the media to talk about the scale of the global warming crisis. He took a minute to reflect on the beauty of the natural surroundings, shouting to reporters: "How's this? Beats being in the office!"
One more from Marine One. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Sep 1, 2015 at 4:51pm PDT
Obama's Instagram posts would not be complete without the obligatory outdoorsy selfie, which the president snapped alongside television survivalist Bear Grylls. (The president will be appearing in an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, a show where Grylls takes a different celebrity into the wild to learn survival skills.) The pair hiked Alaska's Exit Glacier, which shrunk by 1.25 miles in the past 200 years as temperatures have risen.
Glad this was the only Bear I met in the park. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Sep 1, 2015 at 10:39pm PDT
Obama also posed alongside one of the glacier markers that shows how much it has receded over the years.
Markers throughout Exit Glacier show how much it's receded over time. The impacts of climate change are real, and the people of Alaska are living with them every day. It's never been more important for us to work together to address this challenge. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Sep 1, 2015 at 5:43pm PDT
Obama ended day two of his visit with a boat trip on Resurrection Bay, on the Kenai Peninsula.
"Resurrection Bay is one of those places that reminds you of all the beauty this country has to offer. It's home to whales (I got to see one!), sea lions, and dozens of other species. Surrounded by jagged cliffs and alpine glaciers, this is a place that's worth protecting," Obama wrote.
Resurrection Bay is one of those places that reminds you of all the beauty this country has to offer. It's home to whales (I got to see one!), sea lions, and dozens of other species. Surrounded by jagged cliffs and alpine glaciers, this is a place that's worth protecting. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Sep 1, 2015 at 11:30pm PDT
A spectacular end to day two in Alaska. -bo A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Sep 1, 2015 at 11:51pm PDT
White House photographer Peter Souza is well aware he might have some competition.
My new competition. A photo posted by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Sep 1, 2015 at 10:51pm PDT