- Connard Hogan
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
Bottom line: Traveling is always about experiencing something new!
Janet and I pose as our cruise ship leaves Vancouver, BC.
Janet and I recently cruised the Inside Passage, then visited a small portion of Alaska’s interior. Though the climate there is notorious for cloudy weather (and rain), we had good fortune. Most days the sky was clear or only partly cloudy, while the temperatures hovered in the mid-fifties, though had climbed to the mid-seventies in Fairbanks.
Sunday – We passengers, 2262 in all, boarded Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam in Vancouver, BC, joining the 864, or so, crew. (Visiting entertainers and musicians are considered crew, though they come and go at different ports.)
Monday – Janet and I settled into a hectic self-imposed routine of eat, drink and attend lectures during our first "sea day." Challenged to avoid over-indulgence, we managed a slight degree of restraint. Daily lecturers onboard, and comments as we toured by bus, provided cultural enrichment. (Interesting tidbits are numbered and sprinkled throughout this blog.)
1) Sea life abounds in colder waters. The temperatures allow the water to hold more saturated oxygen, hence, a more diverse ecosystem, e.g. more plankton resulting in whale migrations.
Tuesday – Our ship docked at our first port, Ketchikan, Alaska's most southern city.
2) Ketchikan is located on an island, and is not connected by bridge to the mainland, or the US road system.
3) Some “streets” are mere wooden walkways and staircases, as there were no motorized vehicles present when the city was originally developing.
A narrow, wooden staircase
"street" in Ketchikan.
4) The iconic “scream” of the Bald Eagle in American film is actually the call of a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagles don’t have a fierce or shrill call, which wasn't considered dramatic enough, apparently. That's Hollywood for ya'.
We visited the Totem Bight State Park, where we learned about the native Alaskan practice of carving totem poles for storytelling, clan identification, and shaming stingy neighbors.
5) The poles tell stories (such as of the creation) as the native Alaskans had no written language. The poles didn't serve as idols for worship, however.
Two "older" totems and clan markings on
the buildings at Totem Bight State Park .
Totem at downtown Ketchikan waterfront.
6) Having a pole carved today could cost $5K-10K per foot!
Janet and I visited the Red Dog Saloon, where we each enjoyed a “Duck Fart,” a delicious shot of a three-liquor combo. (Don’t ask me which liquors, however.)
Janet poses before we consumed our Duck Farts.
Wednesday – By bus from Juneau, we visited Mendenhall Glacier. Though we kept our eyes open for bears, we saw none.
7) Yesteryear lumberjacks built floating houses (even “cities”) in order to move to various logging sites along the coast or harbors.
8) Alaska’s capital is located on Juneau Island–D’you know the capital of Alaska?–and isn’t connected by road to the mainland.
9) The island has two horse crossing signs, but no horses. The climate is not conducive to maintaining horses year-round, as they develop weather related illnesses. So, the horses that had been there were removed, though the signs were left behind.
10) There are almost as many bald eagles (30K) as humans (35K) on Juneau Island.
Thursday – From Skagway (“Gateway to the Klondike” gold fields) we rode by bus into Canada and to the high plateau just beyond White Horse Pass, over which many gold rushers traversed on their way to the Yukon.
11) The gold rushers were forced by Canadian authorities to trek one ton of supplies with them. That requirement necessitated several trips, and/or use of pack animals, to carry sufficient supplies over the pass, an arduous trek, even without gear. In addition, due to rocky terrain, where legs could easily get broken, it proved easier to portage through snow during the winter. As a result of the hazards, including mistreatment from their handlers, some 3,000 horses died making the trip through the pass, earning it the nickname "Dead Horse Trail."
12) Few gold rushers became wealthy, and tens-of-thousands died during the Klondike Gold Rush, though exact numbers are unknown.
13) As lucrative, even more so, than heading into the backcountry for gold, many people, such as the case in Skagway, went to Alaska to “mine” the gold rushers, e.g. saloon/hotel operators, prostitutes and purveyors.
14) We visited the original cemetery where a number of notable Skagway characters were buried ... and appear to remain so. I took note of several comments on a cemetery sign. (Read the first lines for Frank Reid and Ella Wilson.)
15) Skagway got electricity before Manhattan!
Janet and I visited the Red Onion Saloon (originally serving as a brothel, as well), where we enjoyed “Reindeer Farts,” (another three-combo liquor shot, though different than the Duck Fart). Again, I don’t know what they were made of, though mine tasted great.
Janet poses at the Red Onion Saloon.
Friday – In clear weather, we sailed into Glacier Bay and cruised to Margerie Glacier at the bay's head.
Margerie Glacier.
16) Alaska has more glaciers than anywhere else in the world!
Saturday – We proceeded to College Fjord. Clear weather continuing, we cruised to the head of the fjord and observed some “minor” calving from Harvard Glacier.
Sunday – Our ship docked in Whittier. We disembarked, and boarded a bus for Anchorage. On the way there, we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which rehabilitates rescued Alaskan animals.
Two bears observed from
a safe viewing platform.
17) Porcupines are phenomenal tree climbers, though poor at remaining perched. Warning: always check before standing under a tree, least you get impaled by a falling porcupine.
In Anchorage, Alaska’s most populous city, Janet and I strolled a short distance from our hotel to Ship Creek, in a quest to spot spawning salmon, though saw none. Along the way, we enjoyed ice cream at Wild Scoops , then passed the train depot.
Monday – We headed around Turnagain Arm by bus for a look at Cook’s Bay (Yes, that Captain Cook!) and distant view of downtown Anchorage.
18) Cook’s Bay doesn’t have deep water. Large portions of the bay turn to mudflats during low tide, and the fine silt in the bay (about the consistency of baby powder) has been estimated to be 90 feet deep or more. Dredging efforts produce only temporary results.
On our return into downtown Anchorage, we visited the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where we examined artifacts of traditional tribal Alaskan life.
19) One in five Alaskans have pilot’s licenses. (Bush planes being the primary transportation mode.)
20) It’s illegal to drop moose from planes ... or their droppings. (Okay, I realize this needs some explanation.) At one point, some people, otherwise bored, and with a surplus of moose poo about, would bet on how close to a target they can get moose droppings ... and perhaps a moose occasionally. Hence ... the current law.
That evening, thrilled about, and wanting to take advantage of our two-room hotel suite, Janet and I decided to take cocktails to our room from the hotel bar, Fletcher’s. However, we were informed that would require a hotel security escort. Though Janet was somewhat reluctant, I was all in. Why not? (In the end, our security guard carried our drinks, and we weren’t required to be hand-cuffed!) Though I initially speculated that the hotel didn’t want us to steal their glasses, I concluded that the hotel wanted no liability in serving alcohol that could be carried onto the streets of Anchorage.
Tuesday – We boarded the train for Denali National Park, taking seats in an observation car. On our journey north, we were served lunch.
Glimpse of Denali, 20,310 feet tall, from the train.
21) We passed a line of telegraph poles (protected historical monuments) aside the highway. Some years after the telegraph went the way of the dodo in Alaska, the copper wires were removed, though the poles were left standing. Some citizens thought it unnecessary to pay for their removal, and also thought that they were of some historical value. So, today those poles are like totems … left untouched on purpose, to fall and decay at will.
A "historic monument" telegraph
pole along the highway.
Wednesday – Following our first night's stay at the Holland America Denali Lodge, we were taken on the Denali Natural History Tour, riding by park bus along a portion of the one maintained road. Again, though we scanned the terrain for large animals, such as moose and bear, our efforts were fruitless. Two moose were spotted a a great distance, though they were difficult to see without binoculars. I did see a mated-pair of ptarmigan with several chicks foraging just off the road.
22) Largest of the US National Parks, Denali was established to protect Dall Sheep, the only park established for the purpose of protecting animals.
That evening, Janet and I enjoyed a great meal at the Denali Lodge.
Janet shows off her order of crab cakes, while I
ogle my order of Canadian candied bacon.
(Appetizers, mind you!)
Thursday – We boarded a bus for our transfer to Fairbanks, farther north.
23) “Frost heave,” quite noticeable and a result of permafrost thawing and refreezing, creates a roller coaster effect along portions of the highways.
24) Forest fires are common in Alaska, a natural and necessary process for forest regeneration, e.g. spruce trees require fire to release seeds from their cones. We were required to wait about 20 minutes near one such fire (though we saw no evidence of flames, nor smoke) where the road traffic was escorted and limited to one direction of travel at a time. As I understood the explanation, aspen trees have extensive root systems which can burn/smolder underground for some time, despite the absence of flame above ground. As a result, another outbreak of fire can occur later.
Friday – We visited a portion of the famed Alaska pipeline on the outskirts of Fairbanks.
25) Completed in 1977, it’s still working well, despite an expected lifespan of 20 years. “Pigs” keep the pipe’s inside cleared and the oil flowing. As the pigs move along, they sound like the squeaking and scrapping when glass is cleaned … or so we were told.
Display of a "pig" in a pipeline.
(Note the original spelling of Alaska.)
Following a short walk and train ride, we visited the nearby Dredge 8, the one remaining river dredge maintained for viewing. I imagined the dredge's operation an odd sight, indeed, only requiring enough water to float, as it backfilled its way along.
There, everyone received a fist-sized "grub bag" (sample of alluvial debris) and taught how to pan for gold. My sample yielded $18 worth of gold specks and Janet’s produced $12. What a haul! But it was easy to see how mere small amounts of the glittery yellow mineral could generate a stampede.
From there, we lunched at the Riverboat Discovery dock near the Fairbanks airport, then boarded the paddle-wheeler, Discovery III, for a short ride down the Chena River.
Along the way, our boat paused so we could watch a dog sled demonstration at Trail Breaker Kennel, currently run by Susan Butcher’s daughter.
A demonstration of dog sledding
performed by the daughter of Susan
Butcher. (Note: Susan was a four
time Iditarod winner.)
26) The famed Iditarod Dog Sled Race stems from the need to deliver diphtheria medication to treat an outbreak in Nome in 1925, as there was no other option. Fewer people have finished that race than have climbed Mt. Everest. Generally, there are 26 or 27 checkpoints (depending upon the route selected), and situated 30 to 80 miles apart, over the race length of 1,100+ miles. The sled dogs, huskies, are generally “trotted” at 9 miles per hour, a sustainable speed for them.
The paddle-wheeler continued downstream to the junction with the Tanana River, where we turned upstream.
On our boat's return to the dock, we stopped at the Chena Village Living Museum for several more demonstrations.
Modeling a traditional Alaskan native
dress made of various animal furs.
We learned about about native Alaskan
life and indigenous animal furs.
Saturday – Our trip ending, Janet and I headed to the airport.
Though disappointed about not seeing bears and moose in the wild, or running salmon, during the land potion of our trip, Janet and I wre thankful of the pleasant weather … and the absence of mosquito hordes. Moreover, we took pleasure in availing ourselves of food, drink and the entertainment/lectures on board the cruise ship.
I remain grateful that traveling widens my world view, and brings me great pleasure and spiritual renewal.
Walk in beauty.
