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PREFACE: Why we really traveled to Alaska
Alaska offers amazing sites especially to those of us who love to hike and to be absorbed in the bigger-than-life landscapes. In spite of this, our draw to Alaska was based on a personal reason. Our good friend, Richard White, was on a solo backpack trip in Denali when he was killed by a grizzly bear on August 24, 2012. On the one-year anniversary of Rich’s death we traveled to Denali to celebrate Rich’s life and find some closure. On our pilgrimage, we joined Silke (Rich’s wife), Mona (Rich’s two-year old daughter) and Rich and Silke’s friends from San Diego-- Mark, Talitha and their two year old son, Armin. August 24, 2013 is a day that we will always remember -- saying good-bye to our friend Rich, a bigger-than-life guy who is now part of a bigger-than-life wilderness.
August 13 – Tuesday – San Diego to Seward, Alaska
Terry picks us up at 5 am – what a good friend and neighbor he is!
Little do we know, but Bill and I will face many lessons in patience before the sun sets. We almost miss our first flight to Salt Lake City. Delta screwed up, making check-in a very difficult process. We beg to break up in the security line. Kind souls prevail – we take cuts in line and barely catch our flight out of San Diego.
We both watch part of “Iron Man 3” on the 5 ½ hour flight to Salt Lake City – what a stupid movie.
The next flight is uneventful – just what one wants on an airplane. We arrive in Anchorage at 12:30 pm and take a taxi to the High Country Car Rental agency where we learn more lessons in patience. Our car is not there – It hasn’t been returned yet. They assure us it’s only a couple of hours and then send us off in another car to explore Anchorage. A real car rental agency would never do this. Our main goal is to get on the road to Seward, but hey, what are we to do?
We head for Anchorage in a discombobulated state and have trouble along the way with our GPS. We find Humpy’s – a downtown eatery highly recommended by the Car Rental guys. Bill is not hungry – I am starving. I eat and have a beer to chase away my grumpiness. The place is loud – lots of drunk people and screaming kids. Our nerves are shot. First day on the trip and we are stalled in Anchorage in an obnoxious dive instead of moving on down the road to Seward.
We get our check as fast as possible and walk to Anchorage’s famed gardens. Several gardeners are deadheading flowers—just everyday flowers, nothing exotic – but the city is proud of their geraniums. We stop in the welcome cabin to pretend we’re really on vacation.
Humpy's in downtown Anchorage
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Anchorage's Log Cabin |
Our tolerance level diminishes. We don’t think much of downtown Anchorage. We finally say screw it and head back to the car rental agency to get our assigned car – that’s not asking too much. The good news, we get an upgrade – a Ford Escape, a decent car for a Ford. We negotiate the guy down to only an extra $5 a day. The bad news -- the car was in a fender bender and has a cracked windshield. Good news – no worry about purchasing insurance.
At about 3 pm, we finally leave Anchorage and travel to Seward, about 125 miles south. We drive along the Seward HWY (HWY 1 to HWY 9) with eye popping sights. We follow a waterway and see massive mountains topped with snow with glaciers tucked away. There are no billboards or trashy eye sores – nothing to divert the eye from Mother Nature’s grand beauty – that is except for one large, dirty white bus going 45 mph in front of us for about 50 miles. Bill has no guts to pass – which is a good. We suck it up and hope our lesson in patience will soon be over.
Closer to Seward, we stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center – a place run by a non profit organization to drive through and look at some animals. I have my doubts, but we pay the $9 senior rate (each) and hope for the best. What a disappointment. We see moose, reindeer, bear, musk ox, a porcupine – Sounds good, but all are caged in tall chain link fences and all looking very bored and captive. We see far more tour buses and people lingering on the road than we see animals. We are glad when the short drive is over and we can get back on the lovely highway to Seward.
We arrive at our Alaska Creekside Cabins and meet Jay, a very sweet guy. He shows us to our funky cabin, named appropriately “Burl” because of a tree near the porch with a couple of large burls attached.
Right outside our back porch we see salmon swimming upstream – they are big ones. The place is quiet. We break the peacefulness by unpacking and rattling bags about for an hour. It’s always tough getting into the “On-the-Road” mode.
Per Jay’s recommendation, we dine at The Salmon Bake, just down the road. We had a rough start trying to order a beer and get a table – but it was well worth the wait (and lesson in patience). The salmon sandwich was out of this world and the fries were perfectly done. (Bill liked his cold slaw.) The patrons help themselves to Dill Pickles in an old barrel. Something about all those hands dipping down into a pickle barrel seems so unsanitary.
On the way home we stopped at Safeway for supplies and beer, then head back to our cabin to rattle some more bags until bedtime.
August 14 – Wednesday – Seward – Harding Icefield Hike
I sleep in until 6:45. Bill is awake, waiting for me to stir. We pack sandwiches and prepare for our long hike along the Exit Glacier to the Harding Icefield.
We drive into Seward for breakfast. We eat in an old train car called the Train Rec. It takes a long time, but worth it and we need another lesson in patience to start our day. It is a cozy place where the locals gather to gab – just my cup of tea (oops – coffee).
After breakfast we drive to the office of the Kenai Fjords Tours and book our boat ride for the next day. We choose the $150-per-person-for-6-hours tour, including lunch, leaving at 7:30 am and returning at 2 pm. We walk across the street to the General Store and buy a cheap, throw-away Styrofoam ice chest to carry our beer for the duration of the trip. The weather starts to turn bad right before our very eyes – chilly and foggy. Of course I launch into rumination and worry. Do I have enough to keep me warm? Will the fog block our view of the glacier? Will we make it to the top? What if the sky is falling?
On the way to the trailhead, we make a stop by the cabin to gather another layer or two of clothing for the trek. By the time we get to the parking lot for the Exit Glacier Visitor’s Center and trailhead, the glorious sun breaks through bringing warmth and bright sunshine. Now I must rethink what to put in my pack and what to wear on my back. After much decision-making and bag rattling, we are good to go.
The hike to the Harding Icefield is a biggy – 9.5 miles. The first half is steep -- straight up along Exit Glacier to the Harding Ice field, then straight down. About 4 or 5 people warned us not to do it – including Jay at the Creekside Cabins. I think they are probably “age-profiling” and don’t think a couple of old grey haired folks could possibly make it. The trail did turn out to be a challenge, but boy are we glad we did it. It ranks up with the top ten hikes we’ve taken in the world – and we’ve had some good ones.
The first two miles are straight up through a forest. We emerge into Marmot Meadows with miles of wildflowers lining the trail – such beauty. We follow the ridgeline along the slopes overlooking Exit Glacier and on to the Harding Icefield. The last mile and a half is relentless. We cross dozens of streams and slippery rocks as we move close to the Icefield. We come upon a group of white Dall sheep grazing in the green meadow. Later, we also see some grosses. We cross a section of ice and see rushing water deep underneath the part of the glacier that covers the trail. The meadows and wildflowers with views of the glacier make it one of the most dramatic hikes I can remember. The sounds of the cracking glaciers add to the adventure. The glacier is a creeping, changing mass – how can something that large change so quickly and carve the world around it? The glacier reminds me I am in Alaska, not on Hurricane Ridge or in Yellowstone. These glaciers get your attention and scream at you – “Take a good look -- This is pure Alaska!”
Most of the hikers speak in foreign languages. They get the beauty of this country more than the rest of us Yankees. Most are young and in great shape and most are surprised to see old timers like us on the trail. Many are without backpacks or water. (We are packed and ready for any disaster.)
There were times on the trail that I thought we’d never get to the end. It did not help seeing hikers returning from the end and telling us only another half mile to go. When, it actually was closer to 1 or 2 miles. It’s not nice to mess with people’s expectations.
We finally pass the warming hut and know it can’t be much further. The end is nice and not a minute too soon because I am completely out of fuel. We find a nice rock with a view and have our peanut butter sandwiches and Fritos. I pop an Advil for my aching knee. We do not tarry long because we know we face 5 tough miles back to the parking lot.
The downhill steep rocks (especially the ones with rushing water) are difficult to negotiate. It is easier going up. I know one false move and the entire vacation is hosed. I am anxious for the Advil to kick in and anxious for the Advil to digest so my tummy will stop hurting.
In spite of the surrounding beauty, my two pals, Whining and Despair, join me. One step at a time, one small step, then finally, Eureka – The Parking Lot – a most welcome sight.
We complete the hike in 6 hours – stopping for lunch and a ton of photos. If you’re ever in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, no matter what people tell you (and no matter what I’ve reported), DO THIS HIKE.
We drive back to the cabin to lick our wounds and have a beer. Bill sits outside staring at the spawning salmon while I try to get the TV remote to work. Finally, with help from Bill, I get some news. After the news, I shower (a shared shower --- but nice and with “piped-in music”). We drive back to the Salmon Bake for more fresh salmon. This is the place!
August 15 – Thursday – Seward – Boat Ride
Except for the Galapagos, I always dread boat ride days – but in order to really see the Kenai Fjords National Park, a boat ride is an absolute requirement.
We get up at 6 am, drive to the outskirts of Seward, and park in the shuttle parking lot. Instead of being shuttled, we walk into town and go to the Bakery (only place open at this hour). Hoping for a piping hot bowl of oatmeal, but instead, we get the runny instant stuff. Way it goes sometime.
We walk across the street to the Kenai Fjords Tours. With 20 minutes before we load onto the boat, there’s plenty of time to take some photos of Seward’s bay. The morning light is just right
Finally, at 7:30 – loading time, the passengers get restless and take it on themselves to board the ship – much to the dismay of one Kenai Fjord employee. Her customer service skills are severely lacking so a most delightful funny guy takes over and gives us the warmest of welcomes.
The boat is nice and big and only half booked so we have lots of room to move about. We watch Seward get smaller and smaller as we head into Resurrection Bay. Captain Remmy is a real pro and has a honey of a voice making you hang on to her every word.
Leaving Seward
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On our way |
Our first viewing stop is along the steep cliffs busy with bird activity – birds chirping, pooping, driving for fish, squawking at one another, watching nests and all the other things birds do. The sounds and constant flapping motions make the cliffs come alive. We see gulls, puffins, and cormorants in the water and on the cliffs and one bald eagle perched on the top of a tree. I must say that I am jaded by the Galapagos where one really sees the birds and animals up close and personal. With my aging eyes, I can only imagine what these guys really look like. Oh how I wish I could really see how a Puffin darts along the top of the water. The movement makes me chuckle – how do they do that?
Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
 Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
Kenai Fjords Boat Trip |
We stop at Fox Isle to pick up a rich old couple who stayed at a very expensive, fancy lodge the night before. I figure they are rich because the old lady was dripping in jewelry. Who wears that stuff on a boat ride?
Of course we see groups of Sea Lions. They’re everywhere – like rats on water. One group is clamoring to get up on some rocks by the shore. Their bodies are perfectly designed for the water, but on land, they look so awkward with their struggling flippers moving about every which way.
We see a playful otter. Captain Remmy refers to otters as Sea Weasels. They are members of the weasel family. They were almost hunted to extinction because of their thick fur – 1,000,000 hair follicles per square inch – that’s more than all the hair follicles of all the passengers onboard. I adore Sea Otters and can’t get enough of their playful little spirits.
Sea Otter
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Sea Otter |
I am in the bathroom on the boat when the 4 or 5 Dall’s porpoises swim by the boat. You gotta be quick around here.
The boat travels around Resurrection Bay and up into the next inlet, passing the 3 Hole Point. Think I got some good photos.
3 Hole Point
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3 Hole Point |
We stop for about 30 minutes at Holgate Glacier to listen to the pops and cracks and hope for a big chunk to break off and tumble into the water – which didn’t happen.
Captain Remmy tells us that glaciers start as water and end as water – going through evaporation (from the sea) to snowflakes – falling on ice fields, then compressed into heavy, heavy ice, changing the entire molecular structure. The heavy glacier ice travels down the sides of mountains and crashes into the water, melting and then starting the process of evaporation all over again. We learn that glaciers are blue because only the smallest light wave is refracted through the ice structure – and the smallest light wave happens to be blue – Is that why the ocean and sky is also blue? (Oops, digressing again).
Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
 Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
Holgate Glacier |
The group of boat passengers has a good vibe, adding to the nice experience. Everyone is excited, taking lots of photos – and offering to take a lot of photos of you.
I start to get hungry (and a little grumpy). Bill forgot to pack the peanuts. Just as lunch time nears, the captain spots two humpback whales. We watch them from a distance between their occasional spouts. This delays lunch another 30 minutes. The birds dive bomb a school of fish. Apparently, the whales watch the bird activity and head to the feeding action. Poor fish are being hunted from above by the birds and below by the whales. Our captain tells us that these waters are a rich food source for the birds and whales who must pork out big time before they journey south. The whales go all the way to Baja and lose 1/3 of their weight along the way. Finally it’s lunch time for us. I feel like I’ve lost 1/3 of my weight – fat chance.
The chicken / Caesar salad burritos are healthy and good. The crew then bakes chocolate chip cookies. The smell is killing me – gotta have a cookie. Again, the captain spots some Dall’s porpoises circling and we’re off again. I really wish I could see these guys in the water – I can only imagine what they’re up to.
About 2:00, we’re back at Seward’s dock. We meander around town. I look for souvenirs – Bill’s favorite activity – ha ha. We buy some bear spray – just in case. We check out the restaurants downtown and then we walk back to the car. We are disappointed that most of our afternoon time is gone and we have to miss a 3-star Aquatic / Science center where I could get nose to nose with a Puffin. Maybe some things are better left unseen.
We drive back to our cabin for a beer and some down time. Bill relaxes (or tries to relax) outside on our little porch watching the salmon fight their way upstream. I stay inside and break the TV remote control again and disturb Bill’s relaxation. Tim, the owner, fixes it in a flash. I swear I’ll never touch that thing again.
We meet our friends from San Diego, Mike and Ann at 5:30 at Chinock’s in town. Mike and Ann are on a grand adventure -- touring for a couple of months in their A-Frame. We like hearing their stories. We share the halibut – wish I had a whole one – what is up with my eating?!! After dinner we stop by Mike and Ann’s RV Park to check out their A-Frame – very compact and cozy. Can you believe these photos were taken after to pm?
Mike and Ann's A Frame
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Ann, Mike and Bill |
Back at the cabin, with the remote working, but nothing worth watching on TV, it’s lights out – but only on the inside. Sun doesn’t go down until 10:00 so we just pull the thick drapes and pretend it’s dark outside.
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