Roadtrip #7: Alaska and the Arctic Frontier

Today was a light day (at least compared to the first 5 days). The only planned event was a trip up our resort's famous Alyeska Tram, which takes you up over 2,000 feet in 7 minutes, near the peak of Mt. Alyeska. Normally there's a bunch of ski runs, but in summer time, only the roundhouse museum and restaurants are open. We ate lunch at the Glacier Express where there were booths with views looking down the mountain. We were back on the valley floor an hour later.

Soon after, we continued down Seward Highway, which turned from Hwy 1 to Hwy 9 before crossing over onto the Kenai Peninsula. More snow-capped peaks continued to guide us further south, with mini scenic points along the way. Before long, we arrived in Seward, AK where we are staying 2 nights at the Holiday Inn Express.

On our way in, we had seen the sign for the Exit Glacier, to which our dedicated RTA forum advisors had suggested. So after our check-in (and a quickie snooze) we headed back up and over the 8.4-mile road to see this glacier, which is nicely tucked in a corner of the Kenai Fjords National Park. A nature center greets you at the trailhead with exhibits and the usual NPS information desk.

To get up as close as you can to the glacier, it was a 0.9 mile-hike (one way). Along the path, signs were posted with the year the glacier was at that location (there's also a few of these on the highway as you come in). Unfortunately the last half of the hike is uphill and over a rocky path. My folks braved as hard as they could but they could only make it 85% of the way there before their abilities were spent. Upon seeing the next round of difficult stairs ahead, they figured best to make do with what they could see there and rest at the viewing benches on the hill. I went the remainder of the trail to see the glacier up close. The winds here were ferocious, which I didn't mind because it kept the mosquitos at bay. While the glacier looked big, it was only a fraction of what it used to be. Who knows if it will keep receding or make a come back. I snapped my photos and we all headed back. We topped off the evening with a delicious pizza at Apollos in the old historic downtown.

We'll see if tomorrow's event can top the glacier landing flight. It should definitely be another highlight.

On our 2nd trip to Exit Glacier, we saw the sign where the glacier had been in the late 80s (which had been our 1st trip there). We were amazed at how far it had receded in that (relatively) short length of time!


Donna

This sounds like a fabulous adventure and I'm enjoying your report, thanks.

Dave.

Finally, a hotel with a continental breakfast! You can't even begin to know how much we've missed them on this trip.

No driving again today. In fact, our event check-in location was so close, we just walked 1,000 feet south to the Kenai Fjords Tour office to get the tickets for our 8.5 hour cruise that embarked at 11:00am on the Tanaina.

This cruise starts off by taking you through Resurrection Bay, towards the Gulf of Alaska and north Pacific Ocean. We were hardly gone an hour before our captain informed the 120 passengers aboard it was going to be a great day. A pod of Orca killer whales greeted us in the bay. We spent a great deal of time circling the pod so everyone could take pictures. We would go on to see 2 more pods of Orcas, which is almost unheard of. Once out on the open sea, it was prime conditions, with minimal wind and wave height. There were more species to observe, including a host of Puffins, Dall's Porpoises, Bald Eagles, Sea Otters, and several Humpback Whales. We saw so many that it was starting to put us behind schedule. You'd think our luck would run out sometime on this trip, but it continues to hold.

We rounded the thinly sliced Aialik Peninsula, over into the west adjacent Aialik Bay (officially part of Kenai Fjords National Park), known for their famous Aialik Glacier, in which the wall of ice towers up to 700 feet above the ocean floor. This was the obvious highlight of the entire cruise. We were starting to pass huge chunks of floating ice as we approached the glacier. Once within a quarter mile, the captain shut off the engine and the crowd watched in silence for the next 30 minutes as you could hear pieces of the glacier buckling, pieces falling onto itself, or better yet, into the ocean. There were a few minor instances of calving, which was awesome in itself but nothing big that everyone was hoping for. I loved the silence with the occasional echoes of the glacier "talking" to us (but unfortunately no shouting). I was satisfied enough.

Leaving the bay, we headed back out into the open sea by the outer islands, where we saw additional wildlife including a bunch of fowl, as well as Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and more Otters. It was a little rougher seas at this point so we had to spend some time sitting and holding on while we braved the harsh waters. After a few hours, the boat reached Fox Island, where we docked and entered a huge center where a salmon and prime rib buffet dinner awaited us, all while being shown a presentation by a park ranger. There was an hour to explore the rocky beaches of this island and wonder about, until a blast of the horn alerted everyone to re-board the ship.

One more Humpback Whale was viewed prior to re-entering the Seward Harbor, finally getting in at 6:30pm. Wow, that was a long time to be on the water, but completely worth the journey. This needs to be a must-do on anybody's Alaska list.

This trip is coming to a close, but we're not quite finished yet. Our final day awaits.

Well look what we have here. After a week of 80-90°F weather, the rain, wind, and cold arrived outside as we awoke for our final day. I think Alaska finally showed up.

But that's OK, because our last event was indoors. Once again, luck keeps falling on our side. After our continental breakfast and re-packing once more, we headed south for a few miles through downtown Seward and to their very own Sea Life Center. Here were exhibits of every regional fish and sea creature imaginable. Not only that, but they had some fowl, harbor seals, and a HUGE sea lion swimming about in their two-story tanks. You can view the surface upstairs, or underwater downstairs. The whole thing is set up in a very educational manner (read: kids love it!)

We also participated in a 30-minute presentation about Exit Glacier (which we visited on Day 6) narrated by a ranger who gave the whole spiel about how it's been retracting for the past few hundred years. Had we come to Alaska when I was supposed to, it might have been a little bigger and a few less steps to walk! Oh well...

We spent a few hours here and then headed back north on Seward (Hwy 9), giving way again to Highway 1, and into Anchorage by 3:00pm AKDT. We had many more hours to kill before our red-eye, so we headed into downtown for final souvenirs. Then after getting some dinner and filling up the rental gas tank, we tried our luck by going to some of the regional parks, such as Kincaid (south of the airport). Unfortunately the wind was really strong no matter where we went, so it wasn't making walking around very pleasant. We decided to bite the bullet and just return to the airport at 8:30pm and wait out the rest of the evening.

Our roadtrip is officially over, as we're in the terminal as I write this. I'll be wrapping up on the next post with our flight home, and then all that extra goodness that comes with the conclusion of every trip we take. Stay tuned...

I have enjoyed reading your report -- you've done a marvelous job of reporting what you've seen, I have had memories of our own trips in mainland Alaska, and since we aren't doing a long trip this summer I have to "road trip vicariously" through others' trip reports! I'm looking forward to your wrap-up post!


Donna

This probably doesn't count, but I am still technically in Alaska when the new day begins, so the purist in me needs to tie up the loose ends.

Even though after midnight, a brilliant below-horizon sunset was still emanating pink and red. When I think of red-eye flights (and none of us have been on one before), I always had visions of quiet near-desolate airports with very few travelers straggling about, and maybe that happens elsewhere. But oh no, not here. Many flights leave between 12:00am and 2:00am, and there were HORDES of sleep-deprived people waiting to get on their planes. We left Anchorage precisely on time, at 1:05am AKDT. Our own flight was half-full, and I managed to get around 2 hours of sleep somewhere during flight. We landed a few minutes after 7:00am PDT back in Long Beach, CA. Our shuttle was waiting for us at the airport, where we arrived home 30 minutes later.

The end.

Still one more post left. This could take a few days, as there's lots to go through, catch up on and clarify. Patience, and ye shall be rewarded. :)

What a great trip report. It had me reliving my trips up there, all over again. Thanks.

Next thing, just like so many others, you will be first thinking of, and then planning your next trip(s) up there to explore all the places you did not get to this time. I am yet to meet anyone who, having taken the trip up north, isn't longing to go back to see more.

(Are we going to see the pics?)

Lifey

Wow.

That's pretty much the only word to describe it. My seventh major excursion definitely ranks among the top roadtrips ever taken. I'm not sure if we did something good in a past life, but we were so extremely fortunate with outstanding weather, an abundant generosity of wildlife, and virtually no issues at all with the tour schedule as presented to us. All the locals and tourists we encountered were very friendly (couldn't find a single grouch among them). We met loads of people and shared our stories.

For the first 7 days, it never rained, and the daytime temperature kept above 80°F, even way up in Fairbanks. (The locals were complaining about it but it's normal to us.) Not until Day 8 in the coastal town of Seward did Alaska revert back to its gloomy side. For those of you that plan to go, the weather can definitely be unpredictable. The views of Mt. McKinley or the tall mountains may be blocked for days or weeks at a time. Mid-June through mid-August gives you the best chance of unhindered scenery.

As other RTA members have pointed out, even with the "Best of Alaska" package (as our tour agency described it), we only covered maybe 5% of what the state has to offer. When you look at a map and realize you've only seen a tiny sliver, you can't even fathom how much more there is to experience. I have to come back and finish up more destinations. Some day I WILL get north of that elusive Arctic Circle.

Also, this has been by far our most expensive trip to date. Despite relatively cheap airfare and a package discount for booking way in advance, it easily broke records from anything else we've done. As avid budgeteers as we are, there were certain expenses that just couldn't be avoided. Not to say it wasn't worth it, because we had a marvelous time and brought home many memories as a result. It's just something to be noted if anyone ever asks how much it costs for an Alaskan adventure. It helps if you know someone or have a connection there.

For those curious as to how we came up with our schedule, you can check out the package we chose. Although you have the freedom to modify items in order to fit your needs, the only thing we changed was from "Wild" to "Mild" on the river raft trip so my folks wouldn't freak out. We also compared expenses using the tour agency vs. booking everything ourselves, and it was virtually the same amount. So all you really have to gain through using an agency is the convenience of them doing everything for you and delivering a book of vouchers to redeem, which is great for people who either don't have time/desire to research, or trust letting someone else choose what's best. If you're the typical tourist who has never been to Alaska before, a schedule like this would be perfect to start. You can also do bus tours, train tours, or cruises, but then it wouldn't be an authentic roadtrip now, would it?


Favorite Places: And the winner goes to… K2 Aviation and their Glacier Landing Flight. Maybe it was the strange feeling of being aboard a small bush plane for the first time and zigzagging our way through the canyons of the Alaska Range. Maybe it was standing on top of thousands of years of ice. Or having Mt. McKinley right in your face 2 miles away. Whatever it was, I have to highly recommend it if you are able. I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea (or even feasible if you have trouble exiting/entering smaller aircraft) but if you can, do the glacier landing. Do it now.

For the rest of the Top 5: Second place would go to the Kenai Fjords Cruise Tour. Seeing the oceanic wildlife and hearing the snap-crackle-pop-splash of a huge glacier is something everyone needs to partake. Third place would go to our Evening Raft Trip on the river. Fourth goes to the Denali National Park bus tour all the way to the end of the road and back. And finally, fifth would be the Gold Dredge/Riverboat Discovery in Fairbanks.


Least Desirables: As far as the planned events, we weren't disappointed by any of them. The agency could have picked a better lodge during our first stay in Denali, but that's being picky. (All the other resorts/hotels were excellent.) However in general, I do have three items to list, not that any of them can be helped.

1) FOOD PRICES. It must be expensive to have foods and raw materials shipped to Alaska, because you'll pay more than twice as much for a balanced meal than you would in the lower 48. Expect to pay around $12-15 per meal per person, even at little dinky places or fast-food chains. It adds up really quick if you eat 3 times a day. Even the grocery prices at Walmart were abnormal compared to what we're used to. The lack of free continental breakfast at all our hotels (save for the last one) did not help matters. If you're on a budget, make sure to allocate your funds appropriately. I blasted through my cash way faster than anticipated.

2) MOSQUITOS. People aren't kidding when they call them the state bird. It's the one downside of the "good" weather, and they are much bigger size here than I've ever seen before. It's even kind of freaky to watch them swarm around your car after you stop, sensing the emanating vehicular heat. They may not bother some people, but despite long-sleeved shirts, 100% DEETS repellant, Bounce dryer sheets, and whatever other remedies that were advised, it didn't prevent Mom and I from becoming part of the food chain. (Dad didn't get any bites, despite never using any counter-measures. Does that seem right to you???) If you're prone to being bitten and go up there in warm weather, you better prepare for the worst. To minimize exposure, do your activities when it's colder (60°F or less), hit a coastal town (they no likey sea water) or go some place that's really windy. Otherwise you'll just have to brave through the inevitable.

3) ROAD CONSTRUCTION. It wasn't too much of an issue with us this time, but it's worth noting, because it can and will happen, especially in a place where winters basically destroy the roads every year. It didn't critically interfere with our schedule, but there are many places where repair work is going on, so expect it between major towns/cities and always allow for extra time. Oh, and your car will get really dirty too.


What's Next? I've covered the Lower 48, and just finished #49. Which one do you think is next? :) The final state of Hawaii has been designated the new priority, and hopefully I can get over there in the next year or so (at least 2 islands, would be nice to cover the major 4). The parents have already been so they may not want to follow me on this adventure. I'll just have to see how that plays out. We may also try a Great Lakes or a Deep South roadtrip if everyone's feeling up to it.


Statistics:

Total Miles: 1,166 (not including shuttles or flights)
Total Stops: 10
Total Elapsed Time: 8 days, 2 hours (not including flight time or shuttle rides to/from the airport)

Total U.S. States: 1
Total National Parks: 2 (Denali, Kenai Fjords)

Type of Rental Vehicle: 2013 Chrysler 200
Gallons of Fuel: 42.276 (27.29 MPG)
Total Cost of Trip: $2,626 (includes my share of airfare, tour package, extra fees, food, gas, and souvenirs)
Total Mosquito Bites: 14


Pictures:

I added 973 more shutter clicks to the SLR, but only 713 pics made the cut. For the viewing audience, it's been narrowed down to the best 140 pics. (That includes some of mom's pics as well as the ones provided to us from certain venues.) It's also going to be a little different this time. Photos will no longer be constructed in my RTA profile. Instead I've posted the same pictures in 3 different places:

1) The RTA PhotoShare Galleries
2) Facebook (no account necessary)
3) Flickr (better for slideshows)

Many of the wildlife pics were taken far away, and my 300mm telephoto lens isn't the best quality. Despite some post touch-ups they won't quite be optimal photos, but you'll get the gist.

I have also migrated my previous roadtrips to the RTA Galleries and Flickr. If you're a Facebook member, all roadtrip albums are set to Public so you can freely view them there.


Until next time:

Thanks to all the advisors for their continued support and advice. The contributions have been vital for finding things to do and filling in the cracks when we're not busy. Hopefully my next trip updates will come while sitting on a beach next to some cute hula dancers at a luau. You never know!

Great pictures too Joey !

I have really enjoyed reading about your adventure and one day I would love to see it in the flesh myself. Thanks.

Dave.