Day 69: Tuesday, July 23, 2013. Alaskan Angler RV Park to Deep Creek Beach State Park, Ninilchik, Alaska. About 3 miles traveled.
We broke camp and moved to Deep Creek Beach State Park on the beach in Ninilchik. From our campsite we can see volcanoes, the ocean, and hear the waves crashing on the beach at high tide. I think I’m in heaven!
Our campsite at Deep Creek State ParkView of Mount Redoubt from our campsiteCamping at Deer Creek Beach, Ninilchik, AlaskaMount Redoubt erupted in 2009
The campground is located a short walk down the beach from the boat launch area in one direction and Deep Creek in the other direction. We spotted an eagle in a tree on the bluff across from Deep Creek so I headed down there to get a few pictures. He did a great job of posing for me.
Bald Eagle on Ninilchik BeachThis eagle was perched in a tree on the side of the bluff overlooking Deep CreekSame eagleAnother pose
After I got my fill of watching the eagle we noticed the fishing boats were starting to come in so we walked down to the launch area for a few photos and videos.
We watched them bringing in the boatsSkidders were bringing in the boats non stop
Here is a video of the skidder taking a boat out of the water.
Right after we got back to the campsite I got a call from Ruth Ann that Ted was going out on an afternoon charter so I walked back down to the launch area to see him off.
Ted waiting to board for his Halibut fishing tripTed boarding for his fishing trip. He caught his limit of 2 HalibutHeading out to the fishing grounds
Our Alaskan Journey continued in Seward, Alaska where we spent three nights in the Seward Waterfront Park.
Day 63: Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Palmer to Seward, Alaska. Seward Waterfront Park, Resurrection Campground Site R5. 132 miles traveled.
Our drive took us through downtown Anchorage and then south along the Seward Highway. There were spectacular views of Turnagain Arm and mountains most of the way.
Turnagain Arm at low tideTurnagain Arm south of AnchorageHenry and Blondie enjoying the viewGorgeous scenery every where we wentResurrection Campground City of Seward Waterfront ParkSmall boat harbor in Seward, Alaska
We arrived in Seward and searched the city campgrounds for a waterfront site but had no luck so we picked a site in the fourth row from the water and then took a walk to the small boat harbor to check things out.
Day 64: Thursday, July 18, 2013.
A van picked us up at 9:45 and drove us to the harbor for our 7 1/2 hour sightseeing cruise on the Spirit of Adventure with Major Marine Tours. Our trip took us through parts of Kenai Fjords National Park and there was a park ranger on board to tell us information about the wildlife and glaciers we were seeing. We had comfortable seats inside a cabin where we stored our gear and then went outside to see the sights. As we traveled through Resurrection Bay we could see our RV when we cruised by the campground. There were sea otters in the water and we stopped to watch a mother and calf humpback whale.
Our campground from the water – we’re in the middle on the back rowThe buildings on the top of this rock are bunkers from WWIIWe saw sea otters all daySea otters enjoying the daySo relaxedHumpback WhaleThere were Puffins in the water
The cruise continued thorough Ailiak Bay to the Holgate Glacier for a close view of the half mile wide Holgate Glacier and Surprise Glacier. Captain Nicole turned off the engines so we could listen for the sound of ice breaking loose from the glacier before falling into the sea. When the ice breaks loose and falls it is called calving. We heard and watched about four or five calvings before moving on to the next glacier.
Henry and Beth at Holgate GlacierHolgate GlacierSurprise GlacierIce fallen from the glacier floated all around us
Our next stop was at the mile wide Ailiak Glacier where we witnessed more spectacular calvings. There was complete silence on the boat as we waited for the roar of ice. We were fortunate to see several more chunks of ice fall into the water including what our captain said was one of the biggest ones she has ever seen. Take a look at the next sequence of pictures to get an idea of what the ice falling looks like.
Calving on Aialik Glacier oneCalving on Aialik Glacier twoCalving on Aialik Glacier threeCalving on Aialik Glacier fourCalving on Aialik Glacier fiveSeeing ice calving on Aialik Glacier on the Kenai Fjords trip from Seward
Hearing and seeing the ice fall was simply amazing. I could have sat there all day but the cruise continued as we traveled through the Chiswell Islands and saw more humpback whales, puffins, and other wildlife. Captain Nicole got us back to the dock right on time at 5:30. What a great day.
It was our anniversary so we drove about four miles out of town to the Salmon Bake restaurant for a Salmon dinner to celebrate. I just can’t get enough of this salmon!
Day 65: Friday, July 19, 2013
After a day at sea, some of it being in very rough waters, we were both sore and exhausted. I think 2 months of travel and sightseeing tours finally caught up with us. We both slept late and took it easy all day. We took a last drive around Seward in the afternoon.
View across Resurrection Bay from SewardThe Iditarod Trail starts in SewardThe tiles on the Seward library are designed to look like the Northern Lights
I’m sure many of you are getting bored to tears with all my posts and photos so I will condense our three nights in Palmer into one post.
Day 60: Sunday, July 14, 2013. Talkeetna to Palmer, Alaska. Big Bear RV park, Site 56. 145 miles traveled. We are actually closer to Wasilla but the RV park has a Palmer address.
Moose cow and calf crossing the road
After all the excitement and fun we had in Talkeetna we hated to leave but there is still more of Alaska to see. The drive was uneventful except for seeing a moose cow and her calf cross the road in front of us.
Our first order of business after getting set up was to go to Walmart a mile down the road to get some much needed supplies. When we got back we met some fellow Titanium owners from Missouri who were parked in our row.
Day 61: Monday, July 15, 2013
Our plan for a drive on Hatcher Pass Road was shortened by fog but we enjoyed our drive as far as the Independence Mine
Henry and Blondie at the Little Susitna RiverWildflowers by the riverIt was foggy all dayMarmot on top of one of the old buildingsIndependence Mine State Historical SiteOld Mine TrainHenry and Blondie exploring the Independence Mine in AlaskaWildflowerIndependence Mine
Day 62: Tuesday, July 16, 2013
A trip to the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska and then a shopping trip to Fred Meyer for our final grocery shopping before heading to the Kenai Peninsula.
At the Iditarod Trail Headquarters in Wasilla, AlaskaDog sled team running down the trackTwo of the Alaskan Husky puppiesIditerod dog team taking a breakBeth with one of the puppies
Our search for wildlife continued as we boarded our bus at 9:40 am. The 120 mile round trip to Kantishna and back took us all day. Our bus driver and tour guide Wayne kept us informed about each area we went through. The weather was overcast and rainy all day.
Our first two wildlife sightings were Grizzly bears. The first was close to the road, the second farther away.
Our first wildlife sighting was a Grizzly BearSecond Grizzly sighting of the day
Next, we saw two different herds of Caribou before stopping at the Toklat River rest area. There we saw Dall Sheep on two different mountains. The Dall Sheep look like white dots on the mountain without binoculars or a telephoto lens. The pictures aren’t too good but you can tell they are sheep.
Caribou grazing in Denali National ParkWe watched this Caribou herd as they moved quickly through the fieldBeautiful view from Toklat River rest areaThree Dall sheep. The two rams are butting headsFour Dall SheepClose up of one of the rams.
There were Caribou grazing on top of a ridge before we stopped at the Eileson Visitor’s Center for a stroll in the rain on the Tundra Loop Trail.
Another group of Caribou up on a ridgeEielson Visitor’s CenterWildflower on the Tundra Trail at the Eielson Visitor’s CenterAnother wildflower on the Tundra TrailArctic Ground Squirrel, otherwise known as suicidal ground squirrels because they run out in the road right in front of vehicles.
And then there were moose.
Our first moose sighting was this cow by a pondA big bull moose in the bushes
The Denali Park Road ends in Kantishna where several gold mines once operated. One of the mines was owned by the Quigleys. When the couple got divorced, Fannie Quigley built a cabin and lived there alone. When the national park expanded its boundaries the several privately owned lodges located there were allowed to continue to stay open.
Fannie Quigley’s cabin at KantishnaWe were on the bus for almost 10 hours
As we began our return trip we stopped at Wonder Lake where on a clear day there is a view of Mt. McKinley. In Denali National Park the chance of seeing Mt. McKinley is only 30% and the chance of seeing a bear is 90%.
A young bull mooseMoose in a pond in Denali National ParkWe stopped at Wonder Lake where on a clear day you can see Mt. McKinley
Other than stopping to watch some Dall Sheep far off on the side of a mountain we didn’t make many stops to view wildlife on the return trip.
Total wildlife count for the day: 13 Caribou, 12 Dall Sheep, 2 Grizzly Bears, several Arctic Ground Squirrels, and a Ptarmigan (the state bird of Alaska) flying low to the ground by the bus. A great day!
Day 51: Friday, July 5, 2013. North Pole, Alaska to Denali. Denali RV Park and Motel, Site 5. 194 miles traveled.
With all our chores and shopping in Fairbanks completed it was time to continue our Alaskan adventure. We left North Pole behind and traveled the Parks Highway to our RV park 8 miles outside the entrance of Denali National Park. Our reservations at Teklanika River Camp inside the national park aren’t until Monday so we will be exploring different areas of the park until then.
Denali at last
As soon as we were set up in our campsite we drove to Denali National Park. A quick stop at the Visitor’s Center to get our National Park Passport stamped and to purchase my Senior Pass or Geezer Pass as it is often called. I officially became a senior when I turned 62 a couple of weeks ago. The National Park Service offers a Senior Pass to those of us who have reached that ripe old age. For $10 you receive a lifetime pass which gets you into any national park or monument for free and a discount for camping in many of the federal campgrounds.
With that chore completed, we stopped at the bookstore to search for a guide book to the plants and animals of Denali so we’ll know what we are looking at.
It was finally time to go explore the park. In Denali, private vehicles are only allowed on the first 15 miles of the Denali Park Road. To travel beyond that point everyone must travel on a shuttle or tour bus. The only exception is campers going to Teklanika River Camp where we will be going on Monday. More about that later.
As we traveled along the highway marveling at the beauty around us we had to stop a few times when a shuttle bus in front of us stopped. If the shuttle bus stops there must be something good to see.
When the shuttle bus stopped, we looked all around to see what they saw
The shuttle bus was stopped to look at this moose
At the 15 mile mark we stopped at the Savage River overlook to enjoy the view and then turned around to make our way back to the park entrance. We were hoping to get a glimpse of Mt. McKinley. Like most days, clouds were covering the peaks. At one of the overlooks we got out binoculars and searched along with a couple from Texas and a couple from Toronto. Henry spotted the peaks above the clouds first. As he pointed out where to look the excitement grew among the crowd. One by one we heard “I see it!”.
At Savage River overlook at the end of the 15 miles
View from overlook on Denali Park Road
Beauty everywhere you look
We could see Mt. McKinley with binoculars. One of the peaks is just above the clouds in the middle of this picture
On our way back out of the park, we stopped again as the shuttle bus in front of us stopped. A moose was right beside the road not bothered by us at all.
The green shuttle bus stopped to look at the moose
Moose beside the road on the way out of the park
Moose beside the road as we were leaving Denali
Mt. McKinley and two moose on our first visit to Denali! What a great introduction to the park!
We stopped at the Wilderness Access Area to find out information about what to do when we check in on Monday. The lady helping us was from Georgia. She told us we could go ahead and check in so we did. With all the necessary parking and shuttle passes in hand we headed back to our campground.
I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to make some crab stew with some of our Dungeness Crab from Haines. The weather here is windy and cold and it was a perfect night for stew. Out of this world delicious if I do say so myself.
Wandering Dawgs 