Alaskan Cuisine

Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Alaskan Cuisine

Alaska's delectable cuisine depends on local produce, meat and fish.

• Try Valdez Moose Stew, Roast Caribou, Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Cakes and a wide range of recipes using oysters, salmon and halibut.
• One good Alaskan feast is Wild Salmon grilled on an open fire served with salads and rice which you'll find offered at Salmon Bakes around the state.
• Berries are very popular for jams, jellies and cooking with meat and fish. Wild Salmonberries, Lingonberries, Blackberries, Rhubarb, High Bush Cranberries and Black and Red Currants are just some of the 50 species of wild fruit that grow here.
• Be sure to try some Alaskan sourdough bread, made famous during the Gold Rush.

Alaska certainly offers a wide range of exciting things to see and do. It's unique in the world, an amazing and wild place which should be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

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 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.

Juneau Hiking Trails

Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010

Did you know Alaska has one mile of road for every 42 square miles of land, compared to the US average of one to one?

Juneau is also home to 262.2 miles of hiking trails.  Compare that to just 41 miles of roadways from Thane at the South to Echo Cove at the North, and there are only 22 miles of roads on Douglas Island. 

If you go on a hike, please remain on marked trails.  It’s important to tell someone where you plan to go and when you plan to return, to carry along food and water and to have good information and a map along with you.  Check the weather before you leave or better yet travel with a cruise or tour group for safety.  Never approach or feed wild animals or birds.