Alaska circuit - itinerary advice please!

[Peter Thody]

Thanks again everyone. We’ve tied things down pretty nicely now and made most of the necessary bookings so we have a plan that might be helpful for anyone else embarking into the unknown. Our three week trip now looks like this:

• Day 1 – arrive in Anchorage and stay at an airport hotel
• Day 2 – collect rental, buy provisions and head east to Matanuska Glacier
• Day 3 – 3.5 hr glacier hike; then drive to Talkeetna
• Day 4 – Talkeetna / Hurricane Turn train
• Day 5 – Drive to Grizzly Bear Resort (thanks Rick); possibly Denali NP depending on visibility
• Day 6 – Denali Backcountry Adventure (a long day – 13 hours – in the National Park)
• Day 7 – Possibly Denali NP depending on visibility; drive to North Pole, AK (near Fairbanks) for 3 nights.
• Days 8-9 – possibly Fairbanks Riverboat, probably Chena Hot Springs, definitely Santa Claus House, but otherwise just taking it easy.
• Day 10 – drive south on Richardson Highway – overnight at Gilpatrick’s Hotel Chitina
• Day 11 – drive into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (rentals need specific approval for this drive – ours is) to explore the Kennecott mine – overnight at Ma Johnson’s Hotel
• Day 12 – McCarthy to Glenallen to Valdez (a drive that promises to be a highlight in its own right)
• Day 13 – rest day in Valdez
• Day 14 – ferry from Valdez to Whittier, then drive to Seward
• Day 15 – Kenai River Scenic Float
• Day 16 – Kenai Fjords National Park tour
• Day 17 – Drive to Homer
• Day 18 – Bear viewing flight
• Day 19 – Spare day in Homer in case flights not possible the previous day!
• Day 20 – Drive to Soldotna
• Day 21 – Not yet planned
• Day 22 – Alaska State Fair in Palmer
• Day 23 – Home time

[Lifemagician]

Day 19 – Spare day in Homer in case flights not possible the previous day!

If the flight was possible on day 18, and this is a free day, or if day 18 turns out to be a free day, it would be ideal to use it to take a trip to Seldovia, across the bay. It is only a half day or so all up, but well worth it. When I went the ferry left about 10am.

On your way down to Valdez, there is a short loop off the highway which takes you through Copper Center. There was a lovely old hotel there, which burned down a year or so later. The owner said they would rebuild, but I often wonder if they really did. Don't miss out on seeing old Valdez which was destroyed by an earthquake.

Can't wait to read the report.

Lifey

[Peter Thody]

Thanks for the tip - we'll look into it.

Here is a link to the field report from the Thody's Alaskan Adventure!