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Be Still Our Beating Heart – In Alaska

By Rita Cook

Alaska is the largest state in the United States and probably the one that most people have on their list of “must sees” before they die.  At least we felt that way as we planned out trip to this smorgasbord of the great outdoors.  Whether it is because Alaska is just so beautiful with tourist spots such as Denali National Park, Glacier Bay and Mt. McKinley is hard to say, but it’s a sure bet that if you want to see wildlife, enjoy nature and just get away from it, Alaska is the place to be.

Anchorage is actually the perfect base camp to begin any Alaskan adventure.   You can step on a glacier, take a sea kayak along the Prince William Sound, hike a mountain or just stroll along one of the many scenic trails in the area.  Alaska has two scenic trails for those driving and in Anchorage you can begin both of them. First of all there is the Seward Highway, which is a 125-mile road that follows the shores of Turnagian Arm, past Portage Glacier and through meadows dotted with moose and other wildlife finally ending up in the seaside town of Seaward.

The Glenn Highway is another scenic drive north through the Matanuska Susitna Valley with rugged landscapes, crystal clear waterways and the home to both moose and bears in abundance.  Anchorage itself is encircled by six mountain ranges and warmed by a maritime climate so that during the summer the days are endless for adventure, beauty and outdoor activities. 

However, we decided that we wanted to find a richly romantic place that would make this a trip to never forget and out-of-the-way, that was another prerequisite.

First stop – Juneau!  Other than being the state capital, the city (if you can really call it that) is the only state capital in the nation that can’t be accessed by road.  That’s right, you can only get there by air or water.  Sounded remote to us, we liked it and flew in on a blistery summer day that felt more like the beginning of fall where we come from in the lower 48.   

Juneau also offers some of the most spectacular wildlife viewing in the entire state.  In Juneau you can view the whales on one of the many whale watching tours offered such as Alaska Fjordlines Whale Watching or Sailing Expeditions/Natural History Tour offering a look at the Inside Passage and Outer Coast of Southeast Alaska aboard the 49-foot ketch Kirsten Anne.

After telling Russell repeatedly he wasn’t going to get a shot of the whales he showed me and caught one looking right into the camera – that and catching a fish (a big salmon to be exact) and giving it to the a girl who insisted she wanted to turn it into lox. 

Not only can you view whales, but also bears, sea lions, otters and mountain goats.

There are also plenty of brown bear and eagles sighting right in the town Juneau and for viewing Alaskan glaciers the Juneau giant bergs are the best.  One of the most popular is the Mendenhall Glacier located just 13 miles from downtown and one more added bonus.

While we were in Juneau we discovered a couple who were off to get married on the Mendenhall Glacier – Russell went and took some pictures while the other option was lounging at Pearson’s Pond.  Indeed, we almost decided to get married ourselves – the trip was so romantic.  However, If the cold, biting temperatures aren’t to your liking there are a few other landmark options such as Glacier Gardens (in the Rain Forest – did you know there were Rain Forest in Alaska) or the Shrine of St. Therese, in existence for over 60 years and truly romantic as it looks out over the water, yet is hidden snugly within the great trees that call Juneau home.

For even more iceberg and wildlife viewing taking a float plane to Taku Glacier Lodge for dinner. It’s remote – just ask Diane at Pearson’s Pond where we stayed on our final night (www.peardsonpond.com).

Juneau is also a great starting point to visit Glacier Bay National Park. In Glacier Bay National Park visitors will find the ebb and flow of the glaciers with snow-capped mountains that are over 15,000 feet, coastal beaches, deep fjords and coastal or freshwater lakes.  You can also expect to find all matter of wildlife in the area as the park is connected to two other large National Parks – Kluane in British Columbia and Wrangell/St. Alias in Alaska making it the largest contiguous road-free area left on Earth.

Just a fast ferry ride away from Juneau is the quant little town of Skagway.  Tucked away, but never asleep Skagway has a historic red light district with the Red Onion Salon and Brothel Museum.

Other must-sees in the town include Jewell Gardens for a lunch break regardless of the time of day.  There are quite a few modes of transportation in Skagway and the Streetcar Tour is a fun way to get around (a two-hour tour highlighting Skagway points of interest) as is the Skagway Classic Cars, chauffeur-driven with a fleet of cars from the 30s to the 70s to choose from so take your pick.

Take a glacier tour in Skagway on Temsco Helicopters and go for a glacier “walk” you won’t forget.  Lakes, icefalls and vistas for as far as the eye can see will welcome you or, want to stay on the ground – the White Pass and Yukon Scenic Railway is a 40-mile round trip up 2,865 with a fully-narrated tour.

Still haven’t had enough of Alaska, stop in at Fairbanks, which sits at a latitude of 64 and is a land of many contrasts.  During the summertime daylight hours are over 21, but winter can be unforgiving with darkness lasting for weeks.

However, the good news is that the Northern Lights are exceptionally easy to spot in the Fairbanks area since the town sits under what is known as the auroral oval or a ring-shaped region around the North Pole offering a balance of occurrence, frequency and activity.  Some Northern Lights excursions even offer a sighting from a heated “aurorium” cabin or you can opt for an overnight dog sled trip.

Fairbanks is the beginning of Alaska’s interior and the Arctic.  The White Mountains National Recreation Area is just north of the town with a great river and an extensive trail system.  You can also head north to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.  Finally, Fairbanks is the place to be for an excellent beginning to your trip to Denali National Park.

Denali is indeed one of Alaska’s most popular destinations and just two-hours from Fairbanks.  With six million acres of wilderness and the powerful Mt. McKinley sitting in the confines, Denali is a vast and “must see” stop on any Alaskan vacation.  In fact, Mt. McKinley is actually the highest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet high and it rises above the snowline at least 16,000 feet.  The coldest mountain outside of Antarctica, Mt. McKinley is climbable, but the height, latitude and bad weather (not to mention the fierce wind that lashes the peak continuously) makes it hard.

Finally, if you are interested in getting around Alaska by train the Anchorage and Fairbanks Rail Tour departs to Denali National Park and Talkeetna often and you can be sure to see grizzly bears while also catching a glimpse of Mt. McKinley from the train window.

No matter how you arrive in Alaska be it car, train or cruise ship, there is sure to be more than you can ever see for your first time.  However, this will only serve to make it mandatory that you return yet again to explore nature’s unspoiled land.

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