Once More in Vancouver

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Vancouver

After six amazing days in Anchorage it was time to return to Vancouver, and a departure late in the afternoon meant we arrived right on sunset.

We had a whole day to fill in before our 11 pm flight home to Australia, so once again we explored on foot, visiting some of our favourite places. At Canada Place we watched enviously as excited passengers boarded two cruise ships bound for Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Inside Canada Place, we went to the Port of Vancouver Discovery Centre. In a room filled with historic photos, artefacts and a fabulous interactive display we learned about the port’s operations, trade and transportation. The statistics about Canada’s busiest port were fascinating.

Equally as fascinating but also quite gruesome was the story of The Sourtoe Cocktail.

While I wasn’t keen on earning a Sourtoe Certificate, I was very happy to have lunch at another of our favourites, the Steamworks Brewery in Gastown.

After lunch we continued our gentle walk around the city, passing some more familiar sights along the way.

Vancouver Lookout

Victory Square Cenotaph

Dominion Building

It was the perfect way to spend the last day of our holiday in Canada and Alaska.

Joining Jo for Monday Walks

Alaskan Beer, Alaskan Food

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Anchorage

On four of the six days we were in Anchorage, we visited a local brewery. At each one, Glen sampled their beer and we enjoyed great food.

On our first day we separated our visits to the two museums in downtown Anchorage with a lunch break at 49th State Brewing. With rain showers and a maximum temperature of just 12°C outside, both the warm greeting as we entered and the interior heating were very welcome.

Glen chose the Classic Flight tasting paddle and his favourite was the Solstice IPA.

Loaded with Alaskan King salmon, Kachemak Bay halibut and baby clams, our lunch of Alaska seafood chowder with a warmed crusty bread roll was delicious.

Another day, after spending several hours at the Alaska Native Heritage Centre, we called into the Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage. This time Glen selected five beers for his tasting paddle and his favourite was the Amber.

Feeling peckish, we chose a Thai pizza to share. While it looked a bit different with its toppings of sweet chili sauce, pickled carrots, cucumber and toasted peanuts, the pizza was very tasty and we left nothing on the plate.

Our first day trip to Denali National Park and Preserve included a lunch stop at Denali Brewing Company in Talkeetna.

We must have been very hungry after our walk on Ruth Glacier because, while we took photos of Glen’s Flanders Red Ale, we were too busy eating our pizza topped with caramelised onions and shitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms to record any images of it.

Our second day trip to the Mount Alyeska Aerial Tram and Portage Glacier also included a lunch stop, at Girdwood Brewery on the Alyeska Highway outside Girdwood.

Glen chose a Hippy Speedball oatmeal coffee stout and I had a Seltszki, a refreshing pineapple and lemon flavoured hard seltzer.

Food vans in the beer garden offered a range of lunch options. We ordered sandwiches from The Hungry Deckhand. Filled with bacon, pork, and coleslaw, all topped with a pineapple barbecue sauce, my generously sized sandwich was aptly called “The Pig Pen”. With lots of filling and oozy sauce, it was literally finger-licking good.

Local breweries are always high on our list of places to visit and all of these lived up to our expectations. Glen loved the beer and we both loved the food!

One More Day, One More Glacier

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Portage Glacier

From our very first experience at Athabasca to our last afternoon in Alaska we were fascinated by glaciers. It seemed fitting to end our Alaskan holiday at Portage Glacier, one of the most popular and accessible glaciers in the state.

Portage Glacier was named for its role as an historic route between Turnagain Arm and Prince William Sound. For thousands of years, indigenous people carried goods and canoes across the glacier from one waterway to the other, while 19th century miners carted their equipment and supplies, in a method known as “portage”.

Located on the Kenai Peninsula in the Chugach National Forest, Portage Glacier can now only be reached by boat. We went on a 60 minute cruise across Portage Lake on the MV Ptarmigan.

As we sailed the length of Portage Lake, we were once again awed by the stunning Alaskan scenery. The mountains of the Chugach Range surrounded the lake, their peaks and upper slopes still covered with snow. Icy waterfalls tumbled down the lower slopes into the water.

Portage Glacier is 9.66 km long and its terminus, where the frozen river meets the lake, is 33 metres high. We sailed close enough to see the jagged crevasses in the terminus, formed by the slowly moving ice.

But we did not go as close as these kayakers, who seemed to us to be taking unnecessary risks. Huge chunks of ice often calve away from the terminus, creating massive waves as they crash into the water.

While seeing ice calving would have a highlight of our visit to Portage Glacier, we were relieved it didn’t happen while these people were so near.

High Rise

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Aleyska Aerial Tram, Mount Alyeska

With annual winter snowfalls of 1650 centimetres, Mount Alyeska is Alaska’s premier skiing destination. There was still snow on the slopes when we visited in summer but we weren’t there for the skiing. We went up the mountain in the Alyeska Aerial Tram to see the beautiful views.

In winter, when the tram is full of enthusiastic skiers, it takes just three minutes to rise 711 metres from Alyeska Resort to the upper tram terminal. In summer the journey is slower – we had time on the seven minute ride to take in the spectacular scenery as we rose above Glacier Valley.

Ski season was definitely finished; the chairlifts and snow ploughs were all at a standstill.

From one viewpoint we looked across the valley, dissected by Glacier Creek, to the Chugach Mountain Range. We were intrigued to learn that the forest covering the lower slopes of the mountains is the world’s northernmost temperate rainforest. In what seemed like a contradiction, we could also see several hanging glaciers high above the tree line.

In another direction we looked over Turnagain Arm, named during Captain James Cook’s 1778 voyage in search of the North West Passage, to the northern end of the rugged Kenai Mountains on Kenai Peninsula.

It was worth going up high in the aerial tram to see these spectacular views.

Day Trip to Denali Part 3

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Denali National Park and Preserve

Denzil wasn’t far off the mark when he suggested one of us might fly the plane back to Talkeetna! Glen didn’t actually fly the plane, but he was the lucky one chosen to sit up front for our return journey.

He had a great view as we said farewell to Ruth Glacier.

We flew back through the national park along the glacial valley, passing low over the glacier’s rugged moraine.

Eventually we left the Alaska Range behind, returning to Talkeetna over the mighty river systems and dense coniferous forests of the preserve.

Our 90 minute journey may have ended as we taxied along the airstrip, but the memories of this amazing  adventure on the ice will last for a very long time.

A Day Trip to Denali Part 2

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Denali National Park and Preserve

Remember those waterproof snow boots we put on before our flight? They weren’t just for show. They kept our feet warm and dry when we walked on Ruth Glacier!

The Great Gorge, the steep narrow valley in which Ruth Glacier lies, is the deepest gorge in the world; the ice is 1,128 metres thick and, on both sides, the gorge’s granite cliffs rise up another 1,500 metres.

Where we entered the gorge the surface of the glacier was marked by deep crevasses and meltwater lakes but the landing strip on the ice, higher up in the Don Sheldon Amphitheatre, was firm and smooth.

For 30 minutes we walked on the glacier, staying close to the plane in our designated area. While the temperature was 2°C the air was still, so there was no wind chill factor and we felt comfortable in our warm clothes and boots.

In that vast open space it was hard to comprehend the distances. The lakes behind us, which looked so close, were actually about eight kilometres away.

1,500 metres above us, massive shelves of ice on top of the walls of the gorge were clearly visible against the leaden sky.

From where we stood on the landing strip, we could see all the way up to the end of the amphitheatre.

12 kilometres in the opposite direction was Denali, North America’s highest mountain. On this day cloud obscured the mountain but we weren’t disappointed. We were standing on 1,000 year old ice in the deepest gorge on Earth!

To be continued

Joining Jo for Monday Walks

A Day Trip to Denali Part One

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Denali National Park and Preserve

Our first day trip out of Anchorage began with a two hour journey to Talkeetna, gateway to Denali National Park and Preserve. Tourists far outnumbered the 1,000 residents, filling the streets of the historic town, but we didn’t join them. Instead we drove to the local airport where a custom built de Havilland Canada DHC-3 plane stood waiting. We were going on a scenic flight high into the Alaska Range.

After being fitted with special waterproof snow boots we boarded the plane with 8 other passengers. Each person had a window seat and a headset so we could all listen to our pilot’s expert commentary.

We left the airfield behind and headed north, flying over the Susitna Valley, shaped by the Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna Rivers and covered with stands of dense spruce forest.

Soon the snow covered peaks of the Alaska Range came into view.

The national park contains more than 400 glaciers and it wasn’t long before we saw the first of many on this flight.

We flew further into the range over rugged mountain peaks and steep ridges, huge glaciers and massive walls of ice, and pools of bright blue meltwater.

While the first 30 minutes spent flying over this spectacular scenery were incredible, the next part of this amazing adventure would leave us speechless.

To be continued

A Walk into Tradition

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Anchorage, Alaska

After learning about the Indigenous peoples of Alaska on our cruise and at the Anchorage Museum we were keen to see more at the Alaska Native Heritage Centre.

The centre, located on Dena’ina land, represents all eleven Alaskan native cultural groups: Iñupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik, and Cup’ik. Displays of singing, dancing, story telling and crafts complement a village of traditional native buildings.

We arrived in time for a demonstration of dancing and singing performed in the Gathering Place by a group of talented youngsters. In the Hall of Cultures, we watched local craftspeople creating beautiful objects using skills handed down from past generations.

Outside we had a stunning lunchtime view from the deck at D’eshchin Café, of the woods reflected in Lake Tiulana.

After lunch we walked to the Native Village, following the winding path around the lake. At each building youth interns known as Culture Bearers waited to greet us. They explained the construction and purpose of the building and demonstrated the use of the artefacts on display.

Up to 50 people lived in an Eyak clan house made of cedar and spruce. The small door was designed to keep bears out.

House posts represented the philosophies of the four peoples of the Northwest Coast.

Haida – Respect for Family

Eyak – Respect for Culture

Tlingit – Respect for Self

Tsimshian – Respect for the Environment

Ulax Long Huts were constructed by the Unangax people. Covered by a thick layer of earth, the huts were designed to withstand harsh winter conditions.

The back exit of a Iñupiaq Qargi or community house doubled as an escape route, with a sloping floor which bears could not negotiate leading to a very small doorway.

This men’s house, known as a Qasgiq, had a skylight made from seal or walrus intestine and separate entrances for summer and winter. Young boys would learn survival and hunting skills from their elders.

The Athabascan family Qenq’u had a food cache nearby, raised up on stilts to keep the contents safe from animals.

As we reached the end of the walk, I turned for one last look at this peaceful domestic scene. It seemed as if we’d walked out of the past back to the present.

Joining Jo for Monday Walks

Two Museums ~ The Same Story, Different Themes

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Anchorage, Alaska

Early in our Anchorage stay we visited two museums highly recommended by the lady at the Tourist Information Centre. Both focused on Alaska, with different themes which left us well informed about what we would see on our day trips. 

First we visited the Alaska Public Lands Information Centre, located in the Federal Building. This excellent free exhibition focused on Alaska’s national parks and public lands, with an emphasis on safe recreation amidst the rugged landscapes and abundant wildlife.

The large room was filled with a fascinating combination of models, information boards and incredible videos and photographs. 

A video of the Northern Lights played continuously on one large wall. While we knew we were unlikely in summer to see this natural phenonema, standing in front of this display felt like the next best thing. 

This Alaskan version of social distancing guidelines left us chuckling. I’d rather measure with a yoga mat than a moose or a bear! 

After learning about Alaska’s landscape and wildlife at the Public Lands Information Centre, we went next to the Anchorage Museum.

Here we visited the three permanent exhibitions, which concentrate on Alaska’s geology and First Nation peoples.

In the Alaska exhibition we learned about the formation of the state’s landscape and how change, through volcanic and earthquake activity, is constant. 

The Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First Peoples of Alaska gallery displayed more than 600 artefacts representing the eleven cultural groups of Alaskan Native peoples. The detailed exhibits were complemented by historic photographs, videos and story-telling. We were intrigued by the beautifully handcrafted garments, both functional and decorative.

The most interesting garment was this raincoat. Skilfully made from seal intestines, parkas like this one are highly effective and durable.

In the Art of the North gallery we were captivated by stunning artworks depicting Alaska’s parks and wildlife. 

And despite the warning sign at the Public Lands Information Centre, we felt quite safe up close to these bears, created with wire and feathers!

Welcome to Anchorage

In June 2023 we travelled through Canada and Alaska on a month long adventure. Come along with me on a driving tour through the Canadian Rockies, a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and a side-trip across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. 

June 2023

Anchorage, Alaska

Welcome to Anchorage, home to more than half of Alaska’s population and gateway to some of the state’s most amazing wilderness.

We stayed six days in Anchorage, exploring independently and on two guided tours. Our visit began as it often does in a new location, at the information centre. This one was different to any other we’ve been to. The Anchorage Visitor Information Centre, in the middle of Downtown, is a sod-roofed log cabin.

We hadn’t bothered with a hire car and spent our time in the city walking. We discovered fabulous street art in the form of murals and sculptures, and memorials commemorating people who shaped Alaska’s story.

We saw a 400 metre long Wyland Whaling wall, one of 100 around the world, depicting beluga and bowhead whales; an inspirational mural at Seed Lab, part of the Anchorage Museum; and, on a shop wall near our Airbnb, a quirky mural featuring Alaskans enjoying outdoor activities.

In Delaney Park we spent time at the Anchorage Veterans Memorial, which commemorates Alaskans lost in wars around the world.

Also in Delaney Park we saw the Martin Luther King Jr. Living Memorial.

At Resolution Park, a statue of Captain James Cook looked out over Cook Inlet. In 1778 he explored the inlet on board HMS Resolution, during his search for a north-west passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic.

A map, including both Indigenous and English names, described the mountain range across the water. Clouds obscured much of the range but we could clearly see Mount Susitna, known as “The Sleeping Lady”.

Next to Anchorage Fire Department Station 1 was the emotive Alaska Fallen Firefighter Memorial.

Bears featured in many of the artworks we saw. On E Street we stopped to admire The Bear and Raven. In keeping with tradition we rubbed the bear’s tummy, worn smooth by many before us.

We came across two of the 15 brightly coloured Bears on Parade, titled Seasonal Aurora Bearealis and This Land Was Made for You and Me.

The World Championship Sled Dog Races are held in Anchorage during the Fur Rendezvous Festival every February, while in March the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins with a traditional ceremony. The Iditarod Mural showed us the route of the race.

Nearby a statue of the famous sled dog, Balto the Wonder Dog, commemorates the 1925 journey which delivered serum to Nome to fight an outbreak of diptheria.

Of all the art works we saw in our walk around Downtown Anchorage, my favourite was this one, tucked away in a side alley. It tells the story of Alaska’s flag and the Alaska Flag Song.

In 1927, 14 year old Benny Benson won a competition to design an Alaskan flag. He chose a blue background to represent the sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan native wildflower, with the North Star for Alaska and the Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major, for strength.

A poem titled Alaska’s Flag was set to music and officially adopted as the state song in 1955. While the first verse describes the flag’s representation of Alaska, a newer second verse composed in 1987 pays homage to Benny.

These murals, titled More Travelers and Morning Travelers, signified to me the reason we’d come to Anchorage. We wanted to see much more of beautiful Alaska.

Joining Jo for Monday Walks