Wildlife Viewing in Alaska

Posted on Friday, December 03, 2010

There are many ways to view wildlife in Alaska, but don't expect bears and moose at every turn. It is a matter of timing whether or not you'll be in the right place at the right time.

• Black bears are frequently seen around Juneau. You might be lucky enough to spot one near Mendenhall glacier where there is a salmon stream or in town on of Mt. Roberts as you go up the tramway. (With the addition of bear proof garbage cans in town, sightings on the downtown streets have been reduced.)
• Excursions to view bears generally take you to salmon streams where you observe them feeding.
• Bear and Mountain Goats are often seen on flightseeing tours as they feed and roam in the mountains.
• When cruising the fjords, you may see brown bear on the meadows around streams.
• Eagle sightings are frequent even in town where they are attracted to fish canneries. At Sitka there is a Raptor Rehabilitation Centre where you can see eagles, owls, hawks and other birds close up as they recover from injury for their return to the wild.
• Keep an eye out for Mountain Goats which precariously manoeuvre the steep mountain sides and moose which may suddenly appear at the road side.
• The area between Juneau and Hoonah (Icy Strait Point) is the best for observing whales, Steller sea lions, Dall porpoise and harbor seals on excursions by catamaran.
• You may see whales from your cruise ship so be alert as you look out to sea. The onboard naturalist should make an announcement of any sightings.
• The Kenai Peninsula is one of the best places to see Caribou in the wild.
• Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary near Ketchikan is a safe way to learn about the forest and its wildlife. See reindeer (domestic Caribou), a salmon hatchery and eagles, bears, seals and shorebirds during spawning season.

10 Exciting Places to Visit in Alaska

Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2010

1.  Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in Anchorage

2.  Alaska Zoo in Anchorage

3.  Anchorage Museum of History & Art in Anchorage

4.  Elmendorf State Hatchery in Anchorage

5.  H20asis Indoor Waterpark in Anchorage

6.  The Imaginarium in Anchorage

7.  Juneau Trolley Car Company in Juneau

8.  Mount Robert Tramway in Juneau

9.  Pioneer Park in Fairbanks

10.  St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Juneau

Alaska Travel

Posted on Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Exciting adventures abound in Alaska where visitors are taking advantage of thrilling opportunities like never before. This great wilderness provides a playground for adventurers of all levels and interests. In our readers poll, flightseeing by helicopter or float plane came in first as the favourite Alaskan adventure followed by wildlife viewing and hiking. Be thrilled by the many adventures Alaska has to offer on your next vacation.

Alaska is a place where wondrous beauty and breathtaking stillness can be overwhelming at times. Majestic, snow capped mountains rise from deep fjords, glaciers flow to the sea, the Midnight Sun gives lengthy day light while silent hemlock and cedar forests with crystal clear streams are home to abundant bird and wildlife. This pristine paradise is the perfect place to get away from it all and experience nature at its finest.

Alaska Flightseeing

Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2010

Flightseeing

Taking a flight by helicopter or fixed wing plane in Alaska is an unforgettable thrill. This is the best way to appreciate the vast expanse of the 49th State and get close to the mountain peaks, glaciers, tundra and wildlife.

Several types of flightseeing trips are offered by air tour operators. Here are the categories with some examples:

• Scenic flights (see mountains & glaciers up close. See Misty Fjords National Monument by floatplane from Ketchikan)
• Heli-hiking (where you touch down and leave the aircraft for a hike on the tundra or a glacier.)
• Dogsledding (your helicopter lands on a glacier where you visit a camp and take a dogsled team for a ride.)
• Enjoy a salmon bake with your flight. (The flight from Juneau to Taku Glacier Lodge, gives you time to wander and enjoy a salmon bake at this remote spot. It has been one of the most popular excursions in Alaska for many years.)

Infrastructure is limited in this land with so many natural barriers and small population so plan ahead. You are likely to be disappointed if you show up the day you arrive wanting to book a seat.

These tours are the most expensive in Alaska but the experience is unmatched.

History of Anchorage Alaska

Posted on Saturday, August 22, 2009

Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city and home to approximately fifty percent of the entire population of the state. The city is situated on a triangular peninsula bordered on the east by the rugged Chugach Mountains, on the northwest by the Knik Arm, and on the southwest by the Turnagain Arm. Anchorage can trace its origins to the railroads, as it began as a tent city in 1915 for construction workers on the Alaska Railroad. In its first year, Anchorage grew to a population of 2,000; most of them railroad workers.

By 1920, the town site became incorporated and future growth came in spurts punctuated by farming in the 1930s and military build-ups in the late 1940s. The discovery of oil from the 1960s to the 1980s gave rise to Anchorage as we know it today. Suffering extensive damage during the earthquake in 1964, the city was rebuilt and is the focal point of Alaskan business and social life now. Blessed with the surrounding natural beauty, Anchorage is a modern city on the edge of the old frontier.