Monday, September 17, 2018

Alaska Trip Report, Days 1,2: Scenic Drive on Seward Highway

Day 1 Aug 30, 2018:


ARRIVAL INTO ANCHORAGE:


We flew in to Anchorage from Houston; here's the Texan cow astronaut proclaiming WE HAVE LANDED!


We boarded Delta Airlines at 2.12 pm from Houston and arrived a little past 11 pm at Anchorage after 2 transfers. We checked in 1 bag for $25, had the free carry on and personal item allowed for each. We carried home made tortillas and veggies for the trip and had great meals on board supplemented by the tomato juice, peanuts, water supplied by the airline. Even check in bag can be paid for at the airport for Delta without any extra levy... better than the practice of European budget airlines that charge more for airport check in.

ANCHORAGE:


Surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and commercial center (though much smaller Juneau is the state capital). A fairly modern style pervades the city, due to a devastating 1964 earthquake and tsunami. This is the airport moose welcoming visitors!

 There is plenty to enjoy in Anchorage itself like the Earthquake Park, Tony Knowles coastal trail, Eagle river nature center etc. We would have loved to spend a full day at least there but chose to skip it due to paucity of time

Our hotel near the airport sent in a shuttle when we rang them up after collecting our bag; we checked into our room and slept off.

ACCOMMODATION: 

Merrill Field Inn, Anchorage 1 night


Our hotel Merrill Field Inn, Anchorage had ALL BASICS IN PLACE.  
There were some nice Alaskan touches in the breakfast/reception area.. planes, fur, antlers et al...



Day 2 Aug 31, 2018:


Scenic Drive on Seward Highway:
To Seward & Kenai Fjords National Park:


SUMMARY: Spectacular drive on the Seward hwy, Girdwood Alyeska aerial tram to the top of the mountain, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Begich Boggs visitor center, Byron Glacier hike.

Seward boasts a gorgeous coastline against a backdrop of majestic mountain ranges. Located south of Anchorage at the northeast end of Resurrection Bay, Seward is the last stop on the Seward Highway. Seward, a fishing port, is also the terminus of the Alaska Railroad.

It is a major access point to Kenai Fjords National Park, and a great base from which to explore the surrounding area. The beautiful forests and the hiking trails are all part of the Seward experience.

The town is named for William H. Seward - the man responsible for negotiating the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

is the first part of our drive till the Begich Boggs visitor center at Portage.



Had the hotel breakfast at 7.30am. 

Car rental guy picked us up at hotel at 8 am when their office opened up. [The car had 3998 mi on the odometer... when we returned it after our trip, it was 5800 mi]

 After collecting car, we stopped by at Walmart to buy provisions [it had as much variety of fresh produce at slightly higher prices than Houston, it was a reverse sticker shock as we had expected higher prices and lower quality] 

 Bought Bear spray [yes, we checked the expiry date but our small scissors did not rise to the occasion of being able to cut off the seal. I'm ashamed to say the can remained sealed till Sep 3 night we reached Talkeetna. We never saw our Seward cabin hosts, check in and check out were automatic, so no help possible from them regarding the BEAR spray can situation!]. 

 We picked up souvenirs and gifts too at Walmart as they were prominently displayed, again at decent prices.

We started off on our Seward highway drive enjoying some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery along the Chugach mountain range cliffs and surging ocean waters of Turnagain Arm, and through the towering mountains of the Kenai Peninsula.

We knew that a picturesque journey awaited us on the Seward highway, and it certainly did not disappoint. We stopped at so many places to enjoy the views One of the best drives, reminding us repeatedly of our fabulous drives in New Zealand, Norway, Canada etc.

Chugach State Park: 


One of four largest state parks in the United States, Chugach State Park covers 700 square miles. A terrain of mountains, rivers, lakes, and glaciers is home to wolves, moose, bears, beavers, lynx, and other wildlife. It is a popular area for hiking, skiing, and camping. The park meets the saltwater at various points along the Seward Highway, traveling along the shores of Turnagain Arm.

Potter marsh was our first major stop. We enjoyed the scenery, the resident ducks, the magpies, loved the several boardwalks with aesthetic wood grills incorporating bird images.







aesthetic wood grills incorporating bird images



Sighted some white beluga whales at the Beluga point. 

The famous Alaskan rail thundered by near us, parallel to the road and we recorded a nice video.









GIRDWOOD:

has Girdwood video

 The weather was fabulous and we decided to detour into Girdwood. A prosperous gold mining and railroad town until the 1930s, Girdwood now finds its wealth in the mountains. After mine closures it became a virtual ghost town and then faced the devastating blow of the 1964 earthquake. Girdwood relocated inland. Today, the town is primarily a recreation area and is known as one of the premier Alaska ski resorts. Mount Alyeska Resort offers skiing throughout the year.

 It was a pretty neighborhood. 

We drove up to the resort, parked there




 Bought tickets for the Aerial tramway. If you eat at the restaurant above, you get a discount.

Waited 5 minutes or so and were loaded on to the cable car. 


 We had stunning views when we reached the mountain top. 








We visited the small museum also






then came down.

 Had our lunch, joined the Seward hwy and drove on.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center:


Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center was our next stop. We made it there by 3 pm, it closes by 4.  This animal sanctuary is a nonprofit organization adopting injured or orphaned wildlife from the Alaska area, sometimes providing them with a permanent place to stay. 200 acres of spacious habitat is open for visit throughout the year, enabling up-close views of bison, bears, moose, owls, elk, eagles, wolves, and a lynx.

We chose to drive through and thoroughly enjoyed the animals. 

has the video of Alaska wildlife conservation center

 Male moose (females don't have antlers)



 Musk ox






 Female moose... only males have antlers

Grizzly



Caribou/reindeer. Both sexes have antlers

Wolves


 Cabbage patch

 Lavender

 LOVED their artistic gates with animal silhouttes and the close up views of the animals.

PORTAGE VALLEY:


We entered Portage valley. 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y3bcRYHsGi8fYPHE8
has our video of Portage valley, Begicg Boggs visitor center, Byron glacier



 detoured on to the Begich Boggs visitor center road. Lovely center and the ranger enthusiastically showed us animal skins and let us touch them with the back of our hand.









The view of the Portage lake was stunning and we spent some quiet moments there.








The lands adjoin Chugach National Forest, with attractions like the Portage Glacier. We could see the first tunnel cars go through to come to the Whittier tunnel

BYRON GLACIER HIKE:


Then we drove on in search of Byron glacier trailhead. We reached the cruise pier. 


 Then we were at some tiny trail. Thankfully we did not hike there, though a Chinese couple were parked there and were trying the trail. 

 We reached the real car park for the trail. It was getting late and I was becoming a little scared bears will be more active. In South Africa, when we did our safari in Kruger once day light starts fading the whole place becomes totally animal territory.



We hiked, met several hikers on their way back. It was a very pretty hike along a blue gurgling stream. 

We made loud talk to deter any grizzlies and reached the end of the trail. Lovely glacier. 






 A French couple was sitting there, with nary a thought about bears.. We enjoyed the view for a few minutes and started back. 

 We drove off toward our cabin for the night.



is our drive to our cabin from the visitor center


The weather turned murky as we reached Seward and it was drizzling when we dragged our bags in to our cabin. 

ACCOMMODATION:


Seavey's Ididaride cabins, Seward 2 nights, 10 minutes drive to the Seward Cruise Pier on The old GLACIER ROAD.

has the video of Alaska Hotels

We stayed 2 nights at Seavey's Ididaride Abode well cabins owned by Three-time Iditarod Champion Mitch Seavey. Dog sledding is the state’s favorite sports, whether riding a wheeled sled through the Alaskan wilderness or a ski sled in Glaciers. The Seavey family has raced the Iditarod for 3 generations. We did not do the sled tours but loved our stay in the comfortable cabins in rustic rain forest setting.

They had already sent us instructions on email to collect the key for our cabin 2 and when checking out after 2 days, to leave the key on the table and leave the door open.

LOVELY stand alone wood cabin. There were welcome chocolates arranged tastefully on the dining table. Had a fridge and microwave. There are hundreds of trees around the cabin, all rustling in the wind. And we could hear the wolves howling in the night. The Huskies were barking too. They had put up a notice saying it was bear area! How thrilling! 






  There were lots of windows, we could see trees all round and we could open the one above the bed and it could be left open. It had a screen. The cabin was cozy and we drifted off to sleep very happy with our first day in lovely Alaska.

 There was a beautiful skylight above the bed.  And Venus sent out a powerful beam Early morning and woke me up as if a headlight was flashing at me!

 HOW UTTERLY AWESOME!!

 Report on our cruises on Day 3 and 4 continues here:

 http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2018/09/alaska-trip-report-day-3-kenai-fjord.html

 VIDEO LINKS:
All Alaskan videos are at:

Portage valley, Begicg Boggs visitor center, Byron glacier

Alaska wildlife conservation center


Matanuska glacier

Antique car museum, Fountainhead, Fairbanks

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y4spBBSGQjSqEvoFA
Girdwood

SANTA CLAUS HOUSE, NORTH POLE, FAIRBANKS

Alaska Hotels

Palmer and Fairbanks (Hatcher pass, independence mine, Alaska state fair, Pioneer park, Morris Thompson cultural and visitor center, Georgeson Botanical garden, Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary)
Seward highway drive:

Seward Highway 2 (Dir: From Seward) and Glenn Highway:

Seward Whittier drives:


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