Alaska Trip Report
Jul 20th, 2005, 12:18 PM
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Alaska Trip Report
Here is my trip report from a recent trip to Alaska. Just wanted to say thanks for the help I received directly and indirectly from those on this forum!
I arrived in Anchorage in the evening. I met up with my friend, picked up the rental car and checked in to the Holiday Inn Express. We went out in search of dinner and found Rumrunners, in the downtown area. It is kind of a bar/restaurant. We ordered the halibut basket and it was really quite tasty.
Day 1: The next morning we got up early and drove to Seward. It was pretty cloudy most of the drive down, but so beautiful! The road along the Turnagin Arm was amazing. We took the 6-hour Kenai Fjords cruise with the company Renown. Our captain, Erik Olsen (I think that was his name) was amazing. He gave great information on the history and natural features of the area but didn’t just jabber on the entire time. In fact, he sells a DVD of his tour, which I bought, but haven’t had a chance to watch yet. We saw humpback whales, porpoises, black bears, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions. We made it all the way to Aialik Glacier. The creaking, popping and rumbling of the glacier was incredible. There was some small calving, but nothing huge. Still, it sounded thunderous when the ice hit the water! I would definitely go with Renown again, particularly with Captain Erik Olsen. Stayed in a B&B that was the front/top of a home. The owners were very nice. It was a large room with a deck outside. Had nice breakfast items in the room that we fixed ourselves…room had small refrigerator, microwave and toaster. We ate dinner at Rays Waterfront and had delicious salmon.
Day 2: The next morning we went to the Seward Historical Museum, which was a small, interesting collection of local items. Then went to the Sea Life Center. We did the Behind the Scenes tour, which was enjoyable. I took advantage of the “touch tanks” upstairs, with starfish sea urchins and anemones. After a few touches, my hands were so numb from the cold water I couldn’t feel anything else! Did a little walking around the main street of the town, then headed back to Anchorage. Dinner at the Moose’s Tooth pizza place. I think I had the “Backpacker” pizza…a veggie pizza, which was very good! Spent night at The Voyager hotel.
Day 3: This was a Saturday, so we went down to the Saturday market and looked around. It was sunny and fairly warm. Also went to some of the shops around the downtown area. Downtown seemed very fun and lively. Later that day we met up with another friend who lives in Anchorage and drove to Talkeetna. We stayed at the little apartment above the historical museum. The Museum used to be a school and the apartment was where the teacher lived. It was very cozy and comfortable and convenient. We ate dinner at Mountain High Pizza Pie. After dinner we walked down to the river, then walked over to the airfield and to the cemetery, where there is a climber’s memorial. Don Sheldon, a famous bush pilot, is buried there. I bought a book on him at the museum. This was my first experience with Alaskan mosquitoes. They were pretty ferocious! After a while, we ran from them.
Day 4: Ate breakfast at the Roadhouse-good pancakes! I went to a gift shop and got a cross-stitch pattern of the state. We then drove the rest of the way up to Denali. The drive is very beautiful. At one point I saw a little fox sitting alongside the road. We stopped at a few overlooks to see if Denali was out, but it stayed hidden in the clouds. We got to the park and took the road to Savage River. Saw caribou in a dry riverbed and a snowshoe hare, but no Denali. We ate dinner at the restaurant at the Black Diamond Golf Course. Had a good halibut dish. Bought some gifts for golfing family members. Checked in at the Denali Park Hotel, which was very pleasant. Since the weather was clearing a little, and was, of course, still light, we drove back down to the park to take the road to see if Denali might be out. We got lucky! You could see the top part of the mountain rising above some pinkish/bluish colored clouds! We were so excited! It was a beautiful sight. Also saw some ptarmigan (Alaska’s state bird). Also saw more caribou. But the mountain was definitely the highlight!
Day 5: Denali Shuttle Bus Day! I had really been looking forward to this and wasn’t disappointed. We took the shuttle to Wonder Lake. There were maybe 15-20 people total on the bus. We saw moose, Dall sheep, grizzlies, foxes (adults and young kits playing around their den), more ptarmigan (adults w/ young chicks) and more caribou. Ate our packed lunch at Toklat River rest stop. Polychrome is absolutely amazing-some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen. By the time we got to Wonder Lake a real storm was brewing – thundering loudly a few times. We walked from the lake back up to the bus and once again, the mosquitoes were fierce and numerous. We didn’t see Denali on the bus trip, just too cloudy. Ate dinner at Lynx Creek pizza, which was really good after the long bus trip! We then drove up to Stampede Road and drove down the road until it turned to gravel. Saw two cow moose right beside the road.
Day 6: Went to the dog sled demonstration in the park, which was interesting and a lot of fun. It made me laugh to see how the dogs were - barking and jumping - so anxious to get picked for the demonstration! They went crazy when they realized the sled was out! Also went to a new visitor center at the park, which has exhibits on wildlife, environment and native people in the area. Exhibits were very well presented. There is also a theater that runs a film with footage of the park in all four seasons. After that, we drove back to Anchorage. Spent the night at the Voyager.
Day 7: Spent the morning in downtown, just took it easy and enjoyed the nice weather again. Early to mid afternoon we dropped off the rental car and headed home.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip! I would love to go back and do a flightseeing tour. I would like to go back in the fall to see the leaves changing colors and the Northern Lights. If anyone has any questions about anything we did, I’m happy to answer them.
I arrived in Anchorage in the evening. I met up with my friend, picked up the rental car and checked in to the Holiday Inn Express. We went out in search of dinner and found Rumrunners, in the downtown area. It is kind of a bar/restaurant. We ordered the halibut basket and it was really quite tasty.
Day 1: The next morning we got up early and drove to Seward. It was pretty cloudy most of the drive down, but so beautiful! The road along the Turnagin Arm was amazing. We took the 6-hour Kenai Fjords cruise with the company Renown. Our captain, Erik Olsen (I think that was his name) was amazing. He gave great information on the history and natural features of the area but didn’t just jabber on the entire time. In fact, he sells a DVD of his tour, which I bought, but haven’t had a chance to watch yet. We saw humpback whales, porpoises, black bears, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions. We made it all the way to Aialik Glacier. The creaking, popping and rumbling of the glacier was incredible. There was some small calving, but nothing huge. Still, it sounded thunderous when the ice hit the water! I would definitely go with Renown again, particularly with Captain Erik Olsen. Stayed in a B&B that was the front/top of a home. The owners were very nice. It was a large room with a deck outside. Had nice breakfast items in the room that we fixed ourselves…room had small refrigerator, microwave and toaster. We ate dinner at Rays Waterfront and had delicious salmon.
Day 2: The next morning we went to the Seward Historical Museum, which was a small, interesting collection of local items. Then went to the Sea Life Center. We did the Behind the Scenes tour, which was enjoyable. I took advantage of the “touch tanks” upstairs, with starfish sea urchins and anemones. After a few touches, my hands were so numb from the cold water I couldn’t feel anything else! Did a little walking around the main street of the town, then headed back to Anchorage. Dinner at the Moose’s Tooth pizza place. I think I had the “Backpacker” pizza…a veggie pizza, which was very good! Spent night at The Voyager hotel.
Day 3: This was a Saturday, so we went down to the Saturday market and looked around. It was sunny and fairly warm. Also went to some of the shops around the downtown area. Downtown seemed very fun and lively. Later that day we met up with another friend who lives in Anchorage and drove to Talkeetna. We stayed at the little apartment above the historical museum. The Museum used to be a school and the apartment was where the teacher lived. It was very cozy and comfortable and convenient. We ate dinner at Mountain High Pizza Pie. After dinner we walked down to the river, then walked over to the airfield and to the cemetery, where there is a climber’s memorial. Don Sheldon, a famous bush pilot, is buried there. I bought a book on him at the museum. This was my first experience with Alaskan mosquitoes. They were pretty ferocious! After a while, we ran from them.
Day 4: Ate breakfast at the Roadhouse-good pancakes! I went to a gift shop and got a cross-stitch pattern of the state. We then drove the rest of the way up to Denali. The drive is very beautiful. At one point I saw a little fox sitting alongside the road. We stopped at a few overlooks to see if Denali was out, but it stayed hidden in the clouds. We got to the park and took the road to Savage River. Saw caribou in a dry riverbed and a snowshoe hare, but no Denali. We ate dinner at the restaurant at the Black Diamond Golf Course. Had a good halibut dish. Bought some gifts for golfing family members. Checked in at the Denali Park Hotel, which was very pleasant. Since the weather was clearing a little, and was, of course, still light, we drove back down to the park to take the road to see if Denali might be out. We got lucky! You could see the top part of the mountain rising above some pinkish/bluish colored clouds! We were so excited! It was a beautiful sight. Also saw some ptarmigan (Alaska’s state bird). Also saw more caribou. But the mountain was definitely the highlight!
Day 5: Denali Shuttle Bus Day! I had really been looking forward to this and wasn’t disappointed. We took the shuttle to Wonder Lake. There were maybe 15-20 people total on the bus. We saw moose, Dall sheep, grizzlies, foxes (adults and young kits playing around their den), more ptarmigan (adults w/ young chicks) and more caribou. Ate our packed lunch at Toklat River rest stop. Polychrome is absolutely amazing-some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen. By the time we got to Wonder Lake a real storm was brewing – thundering loudly a few times. We walked from the lake back up to the bus and once again, the mosquitoes were fierce and numerous. We didn’t see Denali on the bus trip, just too cloudy. Ate dinner at Lynx Creek pizza, which was really good after the long bus trip! We then drove up to Stampede Road and drove down the road until it turned to gravel. Saw two cow moose right beside the road.
Day 6: Went to the dog sled demonstration in the park, which was interesting and a lot of fun. It made me laugh to see how the dogs were - barking and jumping - so anxious to get picked for the demonstration! They went crazy when they realized the sled was out! Also went to a new visitor center at the park, which has exhibits on wildlife, environment and native people in the area. Exhibits were very well presented. There is also a theater that runs a film with footage of the park in all four seasons. After that, we drove back to Anchorage. Spent the night at the Voyager.
Day 7: Spent the morning in downtown, just took it easy and enjoyed the nice weather again. Early to mid afternoon we dropped off the rental car and headed home.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip! I would love to go back and do a flightseeing tour. I would like to go back in the fall to see the leaves changing colors and the Northern Lights. If anyone has any questions about anything we did, I’m happy to answer them.
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