Alaska

**Dr. Ogba** · 25/02/2008, 1:07 PM

Anyone been? Planning on being there for a couple of weeks at the end of the summer (driving from Toronto across and then prob getting a flight from Seattle to Anchorage).

Any info/advice would be muchos appreciated!

**jmurphyc** · 25/02/2008, 1:29 PM

Yeah, I've been but I was quite young so can't give too much advice that I remember. Rent a car as it's so big (twice the size of Texas) and try to get out of the cities (obviously). Go to the National Park where Mount McKinley is (can't remember the name of it) and obviously try to see some glaciers whilst you're there. If you try to head up to the Arctic Ocean, be warned it's a very, very long journey with just one main road and there is very little human life. There's a gap of 300 miles between the last village (and petrol station) before you get there, and when I went up there we got within 2 miles of the ocean only to be told we couldn't go any further, so I don't know whether that's changed. Also from what I recall there wasn't 24 hour daylight in Anchorage, but at that time of the year there will be 24 hour daylight if you go far enough north (possibly in Fairbanks).

All in all it's a beautiful place and definitely worth a visit. Yukon is also almost as nice and worth a visit if you have the time.

**paul_oshea** · 25/02/2008, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by jmurphyc

Yeah, I've been but I was quite young so can't give too much advice that I remember. Rent a car as it's so big (twice the size of Texas) and try to get out of the cities (obviously). Go to the National Park where Mount McKinley is (can't remember the name of it) and obviously try to see some glaciers whilst you're there. If you try to head up to the Arctic Ocean, be warned it's a very, very long journey with just one main road and there is very little human life. There's a gap of 300 miles between the last village (and petrol station) before you get there, and when I went up there we got within 2 miles of the ocean only to be told we couldn't go any further, so I don't know whether that's changed. Also from what I recall there wasn't 24 hour daylight in Anchorage, but at that time of the year there will be 24 hour daylight if you go far enough north (possibly in Fairbanks).

All in all it's a beautiful place and definitely worth a visit. Yukon is also almost as nice and worth a visit if you have the time.

be careful of the trukers in the big black truks who try to run you off the road as well

**HarpoJoyce** · 25/02/2008, 8:02 PM

Only travelled in the S.E. area, the archipelago and strip of land below the main bulk of Alaska.

Started in Vancouver and then Vancouver/Victoria Island and got a BC Ferry (Queen of .........) from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert (BC mainland). Alaska ferry from Prince Rupert to Wrangell,Sikka and Ketchikan. Another Alaska ferry to Juneau.

The ferries are very resonable, but berths need to be booked well in advance for the short tourist season, even walkon places are limited. There is some amazing scenery and wildlife (bears on the shoreline, whales) travelling between the islands and the mainland. Alot of areas nothing but trees. There are only 100 miles of road around Juneau and no roads in. But there is a glacier nearby and flying boats can take you out to more wilderness areas. There are also trips looking at other glaciers south of Juneau.

Alaska Ferries run services on the south shore of Alaska also. They are used almost like buses.
Ketchikan is a town in a rainforest so it gets a lot of rain and is also built on the side of a hill with a lot of wooden steps. But walking out of any of these towns into the countryside is easy and there are National Forest huts and shelters along the way (which have to be booked well in advance).

Took one flight with Alaskan Airlines Juneau to Seattle, plenty of other passengers checking in their fish catch. Plane was delayed as part is replaced but easy going, no problem. Vancouver and Seattle are nice stopover cities. We used them with BA Outward and Return from LHR.

Be aware of the different rules of the particular authority that control the land you are on. And follow local advice, its wild out there.

I imagine Denali National Park and the Katmai peninsula read like interesting places.
Lonely Planet have a Walking/Trekking in Alaska (Kayaking routes included) and a regular Alaska tourist guide. But there should be plenty of local information on the outdoor sports.

**Dr. Ogba** · 28/02/2008, 10:39 AM

Cheers lads, good info there!

One more question though, it looks like we may be there for the last week in August and first couple of weeks in Sept now (one of the lads has new work commitments) - is this too late to be heading there?