Looking at the huge snow storm off the east coast, my previous trip to Alaska immediately came to mind. It was there that I expected to see constant snowfall with no escape from the cold. Surprisingly, even in early June alongside icy landscapes, there were plenty of sunny days that hit 60 degrees.
America’s fiftieth state, admitted only in 1959, Alaska is full of wildlife, rugged terrain, and an independent spirit. Whatever the temperature, Alaskans still find a way to be outdoorsy. The famous Iditarod sled dog race began in 1973 with an Alaskan woman, Susan Butcher, the best-known competitor, winning four times. More than twice the size of Texas, its population is less than 1 million. From the state’s largest city, Anchorage, with around 300,000 residents, the population rapidly drops to around 30,000 in Fairbanks and the state capital, Juneau.
Alaska has a colorful history. In the 1800s, a large and colorful influx of fortune hunters invaded the state during the gold rush. A different type of “gold rush” was repeated in the 1960s with the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay. Alaska still has a pioneer flavor of the Old West.
With its rugged terrain, many areas can only be reached by air or sea. If you plan to drive to the capital in Juneau, you’ll soon discover that you may need to take the ferry, as there are no direct roads from points like Anchorage. With a limited highway system and vast distances to cover, many Alaskans choose to fly their own planes. Having flown small planes only under clear African skies, I wasn’t quite sure how they would fare in a sudden Alaskan blizzard.
Planning to see as much of Alaska as possible, I ruled out driving or flying and hoping for weather delays. Although I generally prefer small-ship river cruises, I chose an ocean cruise through Alaska’s heavily traveled Inside Passage. That solved the problems of sailing in challenging weather and trying to access remote regions. This route provided daily stops and is known for its calm sea. I decided to balance the week’s cruise with an active first week in the national parks as there were so many options from hiking to canoeing to rafting to kayaking to fishing.
Flying from the US East Coast to Seattle, my final destination was Fairbanks. I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival to find bright sun and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the first things I noticed was the long daylight hours. Around 4 or 5 in the morning, I pulled up the blackout blind in my hotel room to find sunlight as bright as a Miami Beach day. At that early hour, I made my way to what I assumed to be an empty hotel lobby. To my surprise, it was already full of fellow travelers having breakfast. After an early start, I got my first taste of Alaskan wildlife as seen from a stern-mounted boat. Caribou with velvety antlers like candelabras grazed on the riverbank.
The rest of the week, it was to Denali National Park and a view of Mount McKinley. Again I was surprised by the long sequence of daylight. I was determined to photograph the sunset behind “the Mountain”. The only problem? Even then, it still wasn’t a true sunset, so I only have a twilight photograph. A local add-on that I recommend is a day trip to the small town of Talkeetna. With only a few hundred residents, it’s about a short 10-mile drive from Denali. Their local draws included the fiddlehead fern featured on Talkeetna menus which we diligently sampled. In addition, it provided additional opportunities for biking, hiking, fishing, or whitewater rafting.
Although roads were sparse, the local railways were a great way to make the next leg of the journey, eventually connecting by bus to reach the ship headed for the Inside Passage. Sailing south towards Vancouver, one of the most memorable first stops was Glacier Bay. In the hours of our approach, visibility was almost non-existent. When the fog cleared, I saw small but abundant icebergs go by. Apparently, having seen the movie Titanic one too many times, I had some concerns, but was soon distracted by the glaciers. They were a blue-green hue and could easily be seen “splitting”, partially dissolving into the sea. In this, the coldest part of the trip, I couldn’t resist going up to the open upper deck and jumping into a heated pool. The only two other occupants and I had a lively chat. The bad news was finding out that the only way out of the soaking wet was through a very cold open deck. At the time, it seemed like a real milestone.
As we headed south, from a tourist’s perspective, we had the best day ever in Skagway. The main streets looked like the Old West with colorful stories to boot – a tour of a local graveyard revealed a cast of 19th century characters, including some resting there after taking part in local gunfights. However, it was impossible to tell who the real villains were. A very special highlight of the visit to Skagway was the capture of White Pass. This famous railway that is suspended over a deep gorge connects Skagway with Whitehorse and Canada’s Yukon (so remember your passport!)
Sailing once again provided the opportunity for multiple whale sightings. Having slept with one eye open as we made our way through scattered icebergs, I left that view behind by the time the ship reached the climes south of Juneau. There was no gold-domed state house in sight. The biggest draw was the nearby Mendenhall Glacier, accessible for the first time by car or bus. Juneau itself is also a hub for day trips and extended trips to destinations like Sitka, which can only be reached by boat.
The last stop before Vancouver, but very intriguing, was Ketchikan. Although totem poles can be seen throughout southern Alaska, Ketchikan had some of the largest moved to local parks with tours explaining their history and significance. Not to be limited to just one draw, Ketchikan is also the self-described “Salmon Capital of the World.” Before leaving Alaska, hardy travelers still looking to spot wildlife can hike through the nearby Tongas National Forest.
Surprises I found in Alaska:
• The enormous size of the flowers: the reason? The long daylight hours in summer create additional hours of growth.
• The temperature: Although typical Alaskan photos show glaciers/snow-capped mountains, it actually wasn’t much colder than a summer trip to Maine.
• The shortage of roads: How could there be such limited access to the capital!
• The length of sunny days: Instead of a dim twilight in the middle of the night, the sunlight rivaled an afternoon at the beach.
Alaska provides the opportunity to find adventure while sea kayaking, canoeing, sailing Class III/IV whitewater, or flying over glaciers in small planes. For a quieter option, you can view wildlife ranging from humpback whales to bald eagles, sea lions, grizzly bears, wolves, foxes, and the abundant caribou.
The only downside is that the weather largely limits tourist travel to the three summer months. On the plus side, the accommodation is moderately priced and the local residents are very welcoming despite the rush of inbound travellers. Alaska will provide you with a contrasting view of the “Lower 48”, so make your plans now and start packing!