14 Day Alaska trip: A Taste of Alaska

Day 1

Downtown Anchorage

• Public Lands Information Center – This information centre is a gold mine of information, including movies and other interesting facts about Alaska.
• Shopping in Anchorage if desired
• Visit Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane airport in the world

Private Dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse with Jody Overstreet (5:30-7:30pm) if she is available. Jody is a former executive of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, and today leads photo safaris in and around Anchorage. She will talk to us about the history and geography of Alaska, and take us to some of the most photogenic spots in the area.

Day 2

Potter’s Marsh

Our first stop will be Potter Marsh, one of the most accessible wildlife viewing areas in Alaska. This is a rest area for migratory birds, and we occasionally see beavers, moose and bald eagles. There is an elevated boardwalk with interpretative signs and spotting scopes

Turnagain Arm

After our stop at Potter Marsh, we follow the mountains of Chugach State Park along the dramatic shore of Turnagain Arm. The four-mile-wide flats of Turnagain Arm stretch to the opposite shores of Cook inlet, where mammoth sloping mountains meet the water. Each turn reveals another scenic wonder, and it is hard to drive this area without stopping at every scenic vista.

Homer slogan – ‘Life begins where the Road Ends.’

The Homer Spit is a geographical landmark located in Homer, Alaska on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula. The spit is a 4.5-mile long piece of land jutting out into Kachemak Bay, and is home to the Homer Boat Harbor. The harbor contains both deep and shallow water docks and serves up to 1500 commercial and pleasure boats during the summer peak. The Spit features the longest land road into ocean waters in the entire world, taking up 10–15 minutes to cover by car

Day 3

Once In A Lifetime Bear Viewing Opportunity

Alaska is definitely known for its wilderness and abundant wildlife. We will fly by bush plane to the remote wilderness grizzly viewing area of Katmai National Park, which has the highest concentration of protected brown bears in the world! The flight from Homer to Katmai National Park (or Lake Clark National Park) for bear viewing is an adventure by itself. There will be magnificent flightseeing including volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains all set against the backdrop of the azure ocean.

Day 4

Day 4 – Wildlife Sea Tour (or Halibut Fishing if you prefer)

Kachemak Bay, Seldovia, whales, seals, otters, puffins and whatever else comes our way.

We will have a fully narrated wildlife tour to the community of Seldovia. Departure is at 10:30 with our first stop at Gull Island seabird rookery, home to 15,000 seabirds. This island features eight pelagic seabird species that nest annually on the island. Bald eagles and other species can also be seen frequently.

Then we navigate the Eldred Passage where many sea otters, bald eagles and ducks can be seen. The captain and crew continuously narrate the history, geography and wildlife biology pertaining to Kachemak Bay, and please be sure to visit the wheelhouse to talk to the captain. From the passage we head to the quaint Alaskan community of Seldovia. There are restaurants and cafes for lunch, trails to hike, boardwalks to stroll and always shopping. We will leave Seldovia at 4pm with an arrival time back in Homer of 5:30

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Day 4:  Alternate Activity: Halibut Fishing

As an alternate to the Wildlife Sea Tour, this fun halibut fishing trip almost guarantees success! Check in is at 6:30am, and the trip lasts from 7am-1pm. The boat will travel 20-25 miles each way, and you are limited to two halibut (one no size limit, one less than 28”).
Note: Please remember to take food, and dress for the weather with a rain jacket or windbreaker. If desired, you can arrange for Homer Fish Processing to ship the catch back home (extra fee for shipping the fish).

Anyone fishing needs to purchase a one day fishing license (Licenses are available online from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website - adfg.Alaska.gov/store). This is best done before we leave in order to save time in Homer

Day 5

Day 5 – Travel to Seward; visit Alaska SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier

The Alaska SeaLife Center lies at “Mile 0” of the scenic Seward Highway on the shores of Resurrection Bay. Visitors to the “windows to the sea” have close encounters with puffins,

octopus, harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine life while learning about the work researchers perform both in the field and in the laboratories.

Kenai Fjords National Park Exit Glacier

At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age lingers. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords’ crowning feature. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate. We will visit Exit Glacier, one of the most accessible valley glaciers in Alaska.

Exit Glacier retreated approximately 187 feet from 2013 to 2014 and park scientists continue to monitor and record the glacier’s accelerating recession. It received its name because it served as the exit for the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield in 1968. We will walk from the visitor center along the trail to the Edge of the Glacier.

Day 6

Day 6 – Travel to Palmer with a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

AWCC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through public education. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center. Amateur photographers have the opportunity to take award winning photographs while animals display their natural, “wild”, behavior. Coyotes peer out from behind the brush while a bald eagle swoops in on the salmon remains left by a grizzly bear. Wood Bison plod through 65 acres of tidal flat terrain, as part of a program that will one day restore the species to the Alaskan wilderness

We will have a private presentation after arrival at the lodge. This fascinating session covers interesting and little know facts about the life of a professional musher and his sled dogs.

Day 7

Day 7 – ATV Thru the Backcountry

There’s no better way to explore the backcountry than with a local who knows it intimately and loves it just as much. You will ride an ATV, led by local experts, while driving over rocks, splashing through mud, and exploring Alaska terrain that’s otherwise inaccessible by roads. It’s an easy passion to share: Driving an ATV is something most anyone can do, from kids to seniors. After a short training session, you’ll be in command of your ATV, and the guide will lead us as you steer your machine through the Alaskan wilderness. You’ll drive through forested trails, across open valleys, up old mining claim routes, past waterfalls, and through streams. Your ATV powers through—and over—just about anything. 10am-2pm, lunch stop included.

We will have dinner this night with the owners of the ATV company at the Palmer City Alehouse.

Day 8

Talkeetna is exciting and fun to visit. Mountain climbers from all over the world come to Talkeetna to challenge Mount McKinley, adding an international flavor to the town. After registering with the National Park Service, most fly to the Kahiltna Glacier Base Camp (located at an elevation of 7200 feet) to start the climb. We will visit the Talkeetna Ranger Station, and learn the mechanics of these monumental climbs. Legends, lore and history abound in Talkeetna, and this little town is listed on the NaƟonal Register of Historic Places. It is a unique rural community similar to the town portrayed on the Northern Exposure TV program.

Day 9

The Roadhouse’s main log building was built around 1917, making it one of the oldest establishments sƟll in operaƟon on Main Street in “beautiful downtown Talkeetna.” Since the mid-40’s the kitchen has been puƫng out hearty home cooking at the big family-style tables. The bakery produces all sorts of treats each day such as pies, a variety of cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes and brownies as well as savory pastries, lasagna, mac-n-cheese, reindeer chili and soups...all made from scratch! They were recently featured in the Chicago Sun Times for the Pie Making classes and have been on two shows on the Travel Channel: Man vs. Food and 101 TasƟest Chowdown Places!

Talkeetna Flight Seeing

We will check-in at 7:30am for our 8:30 scheduled flight. This definitive flight seeing tour of Denali covers more of the Alaska Range than any other tour available. It is truly an unforgettable experience that includes the many faces of North America’s tallest mountain.

• Cross over the Alaska Range and witness the arcƟc alpine tundra of the north side of Denali NaƟonal Park’s remote interior
• The Wickersham Wall of Denali - the greatest continual verƟcal relief in the world

This flight will off er breathtaking views of the Alaska Range’s ice-age majesty, and we have added a glacier landing to your flight. You will step out onto a glacier at the foot of Denali and gaze up at the peaks rising thousands of feet over your head .

Day 10

We will check in at 8:15am for our 2 hour trip aboard the most technologically advanced jetboat in Alaska. These boats allow us to safely navigate rivers previously inaccessible. We will travel twenty miles of river, and the onboard naturalist will talk about the history and rivers in the area, as well as informaƟon about Denali. We will have opportunities to view nesting bald eagles and beaver activity along the way. Upon arrival at the Adventure Site you will take a 1/4 mile leisurely nature walk where you will see a Dena’ina Indian Encampment, who were the earliest native settlers in the area.

Day 11

We will board the bus early at our cabins for a full day, 92 mile journey into the heart of Denali. Our expert guide helps us keep watch for grizzly bear, moose, caribou, and Dahl Sheep. If the skies permit, we may also catch a glimpse of Denali, the highest peak in North America. The single-stretch gravel road curves through the rugged landscapes, and we will make several photo stops along the way. At the end of the road, we arrive at the idyllic frontier land of KanƟshna, a historic mining district in the heart of Denali National Park. We will have a hearty buffet lunch and meet Cubs fan Chris Hudson. Chris manages the Backcountry Lodge, and got a chance to see the Cubs in the World Series in 2016. We may even try a little gold panning before heading back to the park entrance.

Day 12

Denali Sled Dogs

The sled dogs of Denali have been important to the park for so long that they have become a part of the resource, and a cultural tradiƟon. The dogs, and the kennels where they live, represent important pieces of the American story. They have cultural significance, representing both the NaƟve Alaskan and the pioneer experience in the far north; and have a role in the history of Alaska’s first national park. These are the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a naƟonal park and the wildlife, scenery, and wilderness therein, and it has been this way nearly as long as there has been a park here. We will see a 30 minute demonstration and have an opportunity to meet the dogs in their home.

Denali National Park Visitor Center

Open in summer only, this is the main visitor center near the park entrance. Here, you can watch the 20 minute park film (Heartbeats of Denali), check out a variety of exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the Denali area, and join a variety of ranger walks or talks. We will have an opportunity to do some shopping outside the park before checking in at the Denali Train Station for our journey to Fairbanks.

GoldStar Service Denali to Fairbanks 4pm - 8pm

The Alaska Railroad’s premium class of service offers passengers an exceptional way to travel across Alaska. Glass-dome ceilings allow for panoramic views as Alaska unfolds along the tracks, and an outdoor, upperlevel viewing plaƞorm – the only of its kind in the world – offers fresh air and an excellent vantage point for photos. On the lower level of GoldStar railcars, passengers enjoy a full-service dining room; GoldStar Ɵckets include meals, all soft beverages and two complimentary adult beverages per trip for passengers over 21.

GoldStar Service features:

• Glass-dome ceilings
• Upper-level outdoor viewing platforms
• Inclusive dining at the lower-level full-service dining car
• Private bar and two complimentary adult beverages
• Comfortable forward-facing seats
• Alaskan tour guide providing narration

Day 13

Arctic Circle with the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline

The trek for the Arctic Circle begins at 5:30am, and we will travel the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot. We will see Arctic Tundra along the way, stopping to illustrate various features of the Tundra. We will also stop at the Alaska Pipeline, one of the world’s engineering marvels. The Yukon River and Arctic Circle Trading Post are additional stops, and after lunch at our destination (Coldfoot), we will catch a scenic flight back over the same region. Weather permitting, you will be able to see this unique landscape from the air. We will return between 4:30 and 6pm, and you will receive your certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle.

Just a few notes about the pipeline:

It took 70,000 construction workers and $8 billion of investment capital to build the famous 4-foot silver thread that snakes its way through 800 miles of Alaskan wilderness to reach the nation’s thirsty refineries, crossing mountain ranges, earthquake zones, permafrost, and rivers. Some 420 miles of the pipeline are elevated (with 554 animal crossings), and outside Fairbanks is the place to see it. As you watch, consider this: Every hour, more than a million dollars of black gold flows through it.

Day 14

Riverboat Discovery Tour and Museum of the North

This three-hour Riverboat cruise begins at 9am. It will take you into the heart of Alaska and introduce you to a family who has made the rivers of Alaska a way of life for five generations. You will see a bush floatplane takeoff alongside the boat, visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher and see her champion sled dogs in action. Be immersed into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture when the Alaskan Native Guides give us an insider’s account of their culture and traditions in a recreated fishing and trapping camp.