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Haines and Korschel Wildlife Park
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August 12: Ferry to Juneau: Stayed at the ferry terminal last night. Got loaded OK, the guys that help load did a good job. We were on the Mairweather, which is the fast ferry. Two hours to Juneau instead of the normal 6. The ferry travels 40 knots and is very nice. There is an AK Wildlife person on board and they point out things of interest. Traveled the Lynn Cannel, which isn't really a cannel, it's glacier made. Passed by several glaciers, a couple of 100+ year old light houses, passed over a "mud line", where the glacier water goes over the bay water. Off loading was simple, just drive forward.
August 13 - Aug 16: Juneau: It has very narrow streets and old buildings. It resembles Key West with mountains. Ate at El Somberero, a family owned Mexican restaurant, good food. Mendenhall Glacier has a nice campground, 9 sites, full hookups, we didn't know about it so didn't stay. Mendenhall Glacier is 13 miles from downtown, the face is 100 ft tall, 1.5 miles wide and just over 6 miles long. It's part of the Juneau ice field, 5,000 square miles on interconnected glaciers that sits just behind the mountains next to Juneau. The visitor center has a video on glaciers that's worth seeing. We asked a ranger how many acres Alaska has. He said it is 591,004 sq miles, that equals 388,242,560 acres. Guess that's why the forest fire this summer that burned 4.5 million acres didn't get anyone very excited. Mike Curry, they guy we met on the Talkeetna train took us to Glacier Gardens. The gardens are 50 acres of Alaska's lush rainforest, plus 4 acres of the Tonges Natl Forest. The flowers in the park are amazing and the trip through the forest is fascinating. Cost is $17.50 each and the tour is great. From the gardens we went to the N. end of Juneau and stopped at the Shrine of St. Therese, a place of special beauty, overlooking the Lynn Canal. The chapel was hand built and completed in 1939. If Mike hadn't taken us to the Shrine we probably wouldn't have known about it. The drive N from Juneau is spectacular and we enjoyed Mike showing us his town. While we were there they had a major fire in town, a huge 100+ year old building almost a block long burned down. They were putting a new tar roof on and it got away from them. The library has good WIFY hookups and there is no charge if you bring your own computer. |
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Ferry to Juneau
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August 17 - August 19: Sitka: No problem again with the ferry, the trip was neat, saw several whales. Things to see in Sitka: St Michaels Cathedral (Russian Orthodox), it's a replica of the 1840's church that burned in 1966. It has an onion dome and spire topped by a gold Russian cross. Most of the treasurers were saved and it's a beautiful church. Castle Hill: The site of the ceremony transferring Alaska from Russia on Oct. 18, 1867, also the site of the raising of the 49 star US flag shortly after midnight July 4, 1959, when Alaska became a state. Prospector Statue: In front of the Pioneer Home, a home for Alaska Senior citizens. The statue has stood in front of the home since 1949. O'Connell Bridge: 1225 ft long, connects Sitka and Japonski Island, it's the first cable style girder bridge in the US, built in 1972. Sitka National Historic Park: Est. in 1910, it's the site of the battle between the Tligit Indians and the Russians in 1804. The park is part of the Tongass National Forest, which is a rainforest. On the trail along the river there are numerous Totem Poles. A Ranger told us to go up Harbor Mountain Road, one of Sitka's best kept secrets. It's over 6 miles long, gravel, steep, winding and pretty rough, best have an SUV for this road. It was a radar site built in 1942 and abounded in 1944. Evidence of the old plank road still remains. There are beautiful views of the bay and great examples of mountain tundra. The Alaska Raptor Center is an interesting place to visit. It's a pioneering project that combines veterinary expertise and volunteer efforts to nurse back injured or sick birds of prey.
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Keani - Soldotna - Ninilchik |
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August 20: Ferry to Prince Rupert: Long trip, we had a cabin because we would be on the Ferry two nights. The cabin was so cold we couldn't sleep so that made the trip less than enjoyable.
August 21 - August 22: Stewart BC - Hyder AK: No problem getting off the ferry, had to stop and put the tow bar back on the coach, took it off because the added legnth would have cost us more. Took the Yellowhead Hwy to Kiwanga, then got on the dreaded Cassier Highway to Meziadin Junction where we picked up the Glacier Highway to Stewart BC. The Glacier Hwy to Stewart is a beautiful drive, you go by Bear Glacier, then through Bear River Canyon. Stayed in Stewart, Hyder is very small. In Hyder there is a bear viewing area with a wooden walkway, however the salmon are starting to die, don't smell good and no bears. We took the self guided Salmon Glacier tour, Stewart/Hyder has a rich history of mining, mostly for silver and copper. The road follows Salmon Glacier, the fifth largest in Canada. At mile 22.9 the road you reach the summit viewpoint and look down on the glacier. WOW!! From this point on the road maintenance ends but you can go on another 10 or 12 miles, go on if you have a high profile vehicle. It goes past mines, tunnels and through the mountains to the Grandduc Mine, a huge concrete structure that closed in the 70's. |
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Stewart BC - Hyder AK |
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As we leave the North Country, we do so with sadness and a deep appreciation of it's beauty and people. While driving down the road toward Kalona BC, our next stop, we looked at each other, and both had tears in our eyes. You must make this trip!! The last page of this log takes us to Kelona BC, Spokane, Yellowstone and home to Kansas plus gives total miles and costs. |
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