Alaska 7Days - Need Help
Jul 13th, 2009, 07:05 PM
#1
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Alaska 7Days - Need Help
Hi
My wife and i are going to a 7 days trip in alaska in August.
This is our plan and i will love to hear any comments or/and suggestions.
I also wrote in some of the days our un closed issues.
We are both around 30 years old, ready to do many hikes.
Day 1 - Sat - Arrive to ANC around noon and get the rented car.
Drive to Denali and make stops in the way.
QUESTIONS: What are the better things to see in the way to Denali
Arrive to denali in the late evening, go to hotel (We booked), dinner and bed.
Day 2 - Sun - hotel is located 10 miles north to Denali. we have a shuttle at 6:30 AM in the park.
QUESTION: How long will the drive take, is there traffic? we need to be for the 6:30AM Shuttle.
Come back to Hotel late night
Day 3 - Mon - Spend another day in Denali park, focusing on the entrance area.
QUESTION: Is half a day is ok for Denali entrance?
Afternoon - NO IDEA YET!!!
Day 4 - Tus - No Plans for now. This is an open day we have.
Options:
1. We want to do Glacier Hike, where??? St Elais? i saw it 7 hour from ANC.
2. Drive the Glenn HWY
3. Drive the Denali HWY. is it ok to compact car?
Day 5 - Wed - drive to Seward, make stops all over the way. we will sleep in Cooper Landing.
QUESTION: What the best things to do in cooper landing area?
Day 6 - Thu - Seward - Half day cruise in morning
Afternoon - Spend in the town.
Day 7 - Fri - Seward - Exit galchiar. and drive to Anchorage.
Day 8 - Anchorage - Spend the day in downtown. easy day, close attractions. drive only around 10PM to air port back home.
Any suggestion will be more then welcome
My wife and i are going to a 7 days trip in alaska in August.
This is our plan and i will love to hear any comments or/and suggestions.
I also wrote in some of the days our un closed issues.
We are both around 30 years old, ready to do many hikes.
Day 1 - Sat - Arrive to ANC around noon and get the rented car.
Drive to Denali and make stops in the way.
QUESTIONS: What are the better things to see in the way to Denali
Arrive to denali in the late evening, go to hotel (We booked), dinner and bed.
Day 2 - Sun - hotel is located 10 miles north to Denali. we have a shuttle at 6:30 AM in the park.
QUESTION: How long will the drive take, is there traffic? we need to be for the 6:30AM Shuttle.
Come back to Hotel late night
Day 3 - Mon - Spend another day in Denali park, focusing on the entrance area.
QUESTION: Is half a day is ok for Denali entrance?
Afternoon - NO IDEA YET!!!
Day 4 - Tus - No Plans for now. This is an open day we have.
Options:
1. We want to do Glacier Hike, where??? St Elais? i saw it 7 hour from ANC.
2. Drive the Glenn HWY
3. Drive the Denali HWY. is it ok to compact car?
Day 5 - Wed - drive to Seward, make stops all over the way. we will sleep in Cooper Landing.
QUESTION: What the best things to do in cooper landing area?
Day 6 - Thu - Seward - Half day cruise in morning
Afternoon - Spend in the town.
Day 7 - Fri - Seward - Exit galchiar. and drive to Anchorage.
Day 8 - Anchorage - Spend the day in downtown. easy day, close attractions. drive only around 10PM to air port back home.
Any suggestion will be more then welcome
Jul 13th, 2009, 07:28 PM
#2
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We did a Glacier Hike in Girdwood, just behind Alyeska Hotel, which is nicest place to stay in Alaska. We also did a Helicopter/Glacier Landing/Dog Sledding in a really isolated area. Helicopter leaves from Seward. The hike was probably our least favorite thing we did in Alaska, but it is worth doing. I would try to take the train from Seward back to Anchorage. Hertz is the only rental in Seward. Do not do the Half Day Cruise. You want to do the Full Day. You will not see the calving glaciers or half the wildlife on the half day. Kayaking in Seward is interesting as well. Wrangel/Elias looks cool to me as well. I think you would want to spend at least 3 or 4 days there, however. I would do the Glacier Airplane Landing on McKin.
I haven't been to Denali.
I haven't been to Denali.
Jul 13th, 2009, 08:00 PM
#3
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Day 1 - Sat - Arrive to ANC around noon and get the rented car.
Drive to Denali and make stops in the way.
QUESTIONS: What are the better things to see in the way to Denali
Stop in Talkeetna.
Arrive to denali in the late evening, go to hotel (We booked), dinner and bed.
Day 2 - Sun - hotel is located 10 miles north to Denali. we have a shuttle at 6:30 AM in the park.
QUESTION: How long will the drive take, is there traffic? we need to be for the 6:30AM Shuttle.
Come back to Hotel late night
Not sure which drive you mean. If you are staying in Healy, it will take 15 minutes, and there is very little traffic.
Day 3 - Mon - Spend another day in Denali park, focusing on the entrance area.
QUESTION: Is half a day is ok for Denali entrance?
Denali entrance? If you are talking about a 6-hour bus tour, that is a good introduction to the park.
Afternoon - NO IDEA YET!!!
Day 4 - Tus - No Plans for now. This is an open day we have.
Options:
1. We want to do Glacier Hike, where??? St Elais? i saw it 7 hour from ANC.
2. Drive the Glenn HWY
You are driving the Glenn Highway (and Parks Highway) from Anchorage north to Denali
3. Drive the Denali HWY. is it ok to compact car?
Day 5 - Wed - drive to Seward, make stops all over the way. we will sleep in Cooper Landing.
From where? From Denali, it is a loong drive.
QUESTION: What the best things to do in cooper landing area?
Day 6 - Thu - Seward - Half day cruise in morning
Afternoon - Spend in the town.
Day 7 - Fri - Seward - Exit galchiar. and drive to Anchorage.
Day 8 - Anchorage - Spend the day in downtown. easy day, close attractions. drive only around 10PM to air port back home.
Drive to Denali and make stops in the way.
QUESTIONS: What are the better things to see in the way to Denali
Stop in Talkeetna.
Arrive to denali in the late evening, go to hotel (We booked), dinner and bed.
Day 2 - Sun - hotel is located 10 miles north to Denali. we have a shuttle at 6:30 AM in the park.
QUESTION: How long will the drive take, is there traffic? we need to be for the 6:30AM Shuttle.
Come back to Hotel late night
Not sure which drive you mean. If you are staying in Healy, it will take 15 minutes, and there is very little traffic.
Day 3 - Mon - Spend another day in Denali park, focusing on the entrance area.
QUESTION: Is half a day is ok for Denali entrance?
Denali entrance? If you are talking about a 6-hour bus tour, that is a good introduction to the park.
Afternoon - NO IDEA YET!!!
Day 4 - Tus - No Plans for now. This is an open day we have.
Options:
1. We want to do Glacier Hike, where??? St Elais? i saw it 7 hour from ANC.
2. Drive the Glenn HWY
You are driving the Glenn Highway (and Parks Highway) from Anchorage north to Denali
3. Drive the Denali HWY. is it ok to compact car?
Day 5 - Wed - drive to Seward, make stops all over the way. we will sleep in Cooper Landing.
From where? From Denali, it is a loong drive.
QUESTION: What the best things to do in cooper landing area?
Day 6 - Thu - Seward - Half day cruise in morning
Afternoon - Spend in the town.
Day 7 - Fri - Seward - Exit galchiar. and drive to Anchorage.
Day 8 - Anchorage - Spend the day in downtown. easy day, close attractions. drive only around 10PM to air port back home.
Jul 17th, 2009, 10:51 PM
#4
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You need to be in line at least 30 minutes prior for Denali Park shuttle buses. Earlier, if you have a particular seat you want to get. Add another 15 mins. for the drive. There is NO "traffic".
IF you want to glacier hike, you would be better off, leaving Denali park, the prior night and get nearer to Matanuska, etc. No, you won't be driving the Denali Highway in a compact car, UNLESS you have a specific special rental, that allows you to do so. A 4 WD is "necessary" in my opinion, to have the clearance. It's a rough road. Few of the major rental companies will allow you to drive this, and if they do, be certain to verify all insurance. Some are void on these road, where you would have full libility. You also need to be well comfortable with changing tires etc. There is no "AAA", and in some areas, no cell service, if there was someone to call.
Not much in Cooper Landing, Fishing is about it. This isn't the place to stay, if your touring plans are in Seward. It's an hour away and you are far better off staying closer.
IF you are looking at a bay cruise of Kenai Fjords, forget it. You need at least 6 hours on the water, nothing less. Take motion sickness precautions, if the slightest bit prone. Very common for sick passengers, which I've seen every trip.
Have a 2 hour window at Anchorage airport, a very congested airport in season.
IF you want to glacier hike, you would be better off, leaving Denali park, the prior night and get nearer to Matanuska, etc. No, you won't be driving the Denali Highway in a compact car, UNLESS you have a specific special rental, that allows you to do so. A 4 WD is "necessary" in my opinion, to have the clearance. It's a rough road. Few of the major rental companies will allow you to drive this, and if they do, be certain to verify all insurance. Some are void on these road, where you would have full libility. You also need to be well comfortable with changing tires etc. There is no "AAA", and in some areas, no cell service, if there was someone to call.
Not much in Cooper Landing, Fishing is about it. This isn't the place to stay, if your touring plans are in Seward. It's an hour away and you are far better off staying closer.
IF you are looking at a bay cruise of Kenai Fjords, forget it. You need at least 6 hours on the water, nothing less. Take motion sickness precautions, if the slightest bit prone. Very common for sick passengers, which I've seen every trip.
Have a 2 hour window at Anchorage airport, a very congested airport in season.
Jul 19th, 2009, 08:39 AM
#5
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Matanuska - is there a big difference between the self hike and guided hike? were not sure if to take a guided hike or not.
Another question - Homer spit - is it worh a day trip from Seward?
Another question - Homer spit - is it worh a day trip from Seward?
Jul 19th, 2009, 09:00 AM
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"Another question - Homer spit - is it worh a day trip from Seward?"
Short answer: No! It will take you about one day to drive round trip from Seward to Homer and back. The Homer spit is not what you want to see. It is Homer itself that is the attraction. Time permitting, it is a pretty town & area and the drive itself is nice. If you do go, allow more time and make sure you stop to see the Russian church in Ninilchik.
Short answer: No! It will take you about one day to drive round trip from Seward to Homer and back. The Homer spit is not what you want to see. It is Homer itself that is the attraction. Time permitting, it is a pretty town & area and the drive itself is nice. If you do go, allow more time and make sure you stop to see the Russian church in Ninilchik.
Jul 19th, 2009, 09:01 AM
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"Another question - Homer spit - is it worh a day trip from Seward?"
Short answer: No! It will take you about one day to drive round trip from Seward to Homer and back. The Homer spit is not what you want to see. It is Homer itself that is the attraction. Time permitting, it is a pretty town & area and the drive itself is nice. If you do go, allow more time and make sure you stop to see the Russian church in Ninilchik.
Short answer: No! It will take you about one day to drive round trip from Seward to Homer and back. The Homer spit is not what you want to see. It is Homer itself that is the attraction. Time permitting, it is a pretty town & area and the drive itself is nice. If you do go, allow more time and make sure you stop to see the Russian church in Ninilchik.
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