A Break in Posts

A short message to all of you following the blog. Unfortunately our laptop cord liked Juneau so much that it decided to stay there while we went up to Anchorage.  So the laptop is dead and we can't post. We are in Seward and the Kenai Peninsula for the next few days and the Juneau innkeeper is shipping the cord to our place where we'll be in Anchorage on June 3. I know,  I know, how will you ever survive? In the meantime, we'll be off the grid until then. Headed to a wilderness lodge tomorrow until the 3rd with no internet anyway! Farewell!

The Sights and Sounds of Sitka

What a difference a 35-minute flight can make. Last night, after a great start to our vacation, we took a short hop over to Sitka from Ketchikan. It had been a Plan B decision to take a detour to Sitka after the ferry we were supposed to take from Ketchikan to Juneau was cancelled (we learned from locals that it needed a complete engine overhaul) – so a few weeks ago, I changed things up and booked us a flight to Sitka for a night. It turned out to be a great decision.

We lifted up out of the clouds of Ketchikan and all of a sudden, miles of amazing snowcapped mountains were below us. The colors were breathtaking – the blues of the ocean, the grays of the mountains and the white snow covered peaks. On the plane we were sitting next to a man from Colorado Springs who was headed to Sitka for a weekend fishing trip. We shared notes on favorite Colorado spots and all looked out the plane window hungrily together, practically giddy about the scenery unfolding beneath us.

The plane dropped down to the short runway on the water and quickly rushed to a stop. We had arrived in Sitka, and I was in love with it already. Blue skies, warm sun and towering peaks surrounded us. We picked up our bags and rental car and headed into town. Looking around it felt like someone had combined the craggy, rocky shores and seaside villages of Maine with the large peaks of Colorado. The weather was stunning and we felt small surrounded by all of the views.

The B&B, Raven’s Peek,  was about four miles out of town, on the only road on the island. We turned onto a long gravel driveway and drove straight up to the front entrance of the large log cabin style chalet that was to be our home for the night. When we stepped out of the car our senses were overloaded. Directly above us were three bald eagles circling and calling out, and when we turned to take in the view we realized we were on top of the world looking out over the ocean, islands and mountains. The sun was glistening and we were stopped in our tracks. I have a feeling our jaws were dropped to the dirt, because the next thing we knew, Marilyn Wise from the B&B came running out to greet us yelling “I thought I heard a car, honey our guests are here!” as she reached in for big hugs. “I’m Italian,” she explained. “I hug people.”

We were immediately whisked up into the house and into Marilyn’s stories. Marilyn is a very special lady. She and her husband Mike moved to Sitka about 11 years ago. Before that, they lived in a small village above the arctic circle, and before that they lived in Washington, D.C. She is still a practicing physician at a health clinic in Sitka and Mike is retired, but runs the B&B and his own coffee roasting company that supplies beans to shops in town. They also love art, and a local artist Keith and his wife and daughter were visiting that day, and we got a full tour of all of Keith’s beautiful and unique sculptures that adorned Marilyn and Mike’s home.

We got a full wing of the house to ourselves, with a separate entrance. The bedroom had big windows overlooking that jaw-dropping view. And we had our own private deck with a hot tub, sauna and fire pit. I was already regretting our decision to only stay a day.

We had dinner reservations at the Channel Club restaurant right down the road from the B&B. We made it at 7:30 p.m. and after spending a few minutes playing with the two resident dogs, we were seated at a front row table overlooking the ocean, the dormant volcano Mt. Edgecomb and the golden, not-quite-yet setting sun. Dinner was fabulous. I had an incredible Alaskan King Salmon on mushroom risotto and Dave had blackened cod on bok choy with a fried risotto cake. After being thoroughly stuffed with dessert and wine, we rolled back to the B&B just in time for the amazing 10 p.m. sunset and a dip in our private hot tub – all while watching bald eagles soaring over the island below and listening to the humming birds buzzing on the deck. And to think, that morning we woke up in a hotel in downtown Ketchikan.

***

This morning we woke up early again at 7 a.m., the east coast jet lag is really helping us max out our days. We looked out the window and gorgeous blue skies were there to meet us. Breakfast by Mike was ready for us early, and we sat and chatted with him and Marilyn for about an hour while we enjoyed delicious food with a sweeping view of the ocean and islands.

By 10 a.m. we were off down the road and heading to the trailhead for the Harbor Mountain trail. We had researched it in advance, and Mike and Marilyn confirmed that it was a spectacular choice. To get to the trailhead, we had to drive up a 5-mile gravel fire road. Around every switchback, there were fantastic views over the ocean. We were surrounded by towering Sitka Spruces, draped in pale green moss.

We arrived at the start of the trail and there were three other cars in the parking lot – which was a perfect number – not too crowded, but other people on the trail so we knew it wouldn’t just be us and the bears today. After making some adjustments with camera equipment and the day pack, we were off up the trail. Our goal was to summit the Harbor Mtn section and head back down, a simple 5 mile round trip.

The first few switchbacks meandered through shrubs and evergreens, but it didn’t take long before we were up on a ridgeline with spectacular views. In fact, except for a few wooded sections, we were basically out of the trees for most of the hike. When we reached the first clearing, we truly felt like we were on top of the world. We were surrounded by mountains and ocean in every direction. The trail followed along a wooden boardwalk along the ridge. The mountain swept steeply down on either side of us, and snow capped mountains came into view as a constant backdrop. We had to keep turning around to remind ourselves that there was ocean there too.

About a mile in, we reached a high-point and the trail began to wrap its way round the mountain to the back side. From there it opened up into huge sloping meadows and boulder fields. High above us, dozens (no exaggeration) of eagles swooped and called. Their cry was beautiful and it cut through the silence. If you stood very still, you could hear the eagle wings swooshing in the wind overhead.

Speaking of silence – we did our very best to make sure there wasn’t much of it. We were not in the mood to sneak up on any bears. So we had our bear bell ringing as we hiked (best $3 we’ve ever spent) and Dave and I were chatting away on the trail. If there was a bear out there, he was going to hear us approaching a mile away. Now and then, we would pass other hikers and it would calm our nerves a bit. But as soon as they were out of ear shot, out came the bear bell and the silence was no more.

About two hours into the hike, after going up and up and up, we reached the summit. I was channeling my friend Jon White and running up the steep slopes. I couldn’t help myself. Rocks were used in the trail to create stairs and I just started leaping up them toward the sky. Amazing views were in reach, and so I took off! When I crested the top ridge and came to a stop, the panorama around me took my breath away. I truly believe it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stood. There we were, on a mountain top in Sitka, Alaska.

Dave and I sat on a rock and shared a granola bar and took a lot of photos. We could see all around us, and so we weren’t concerned with bears. Instead we were quiet for once, taking in the serenity of the moment. Then, all of a sudden, we hear a tremendous low grumble. It sounded like a major thunder boom – but the skies were completely blue. It was a massive avalanche off in the mountains. We couldn’t see it, but it thundered through the valley and echoed all around us. I’ll never forget that sound.

And with that, we headed back down the mountain – singing, chatting, ringing our bell and chasing those bears away. It was just as beautiful going down, and we kept taking long lingering looks at the views to try to imprint them on the mind forever. By the time we got back to the car, I wanted to go back up the hill and soak up more of it. But instead, we reluctantly made our way back down the fire road and on to pavement and back into downtown Sitka.

I had researched a small brewery, Baranof Brewing Company, and so we went to check it out. Everything in town was either very sleepy or closed because of Memorial Day, but Baranof was open and serving snacks and beer. Dave was happy having a few pints, and we ended up talking to the bartender. She had just taken a trip to New Zealand, so we were comparing notes on our trip.

Then we spent our last hour in town seeking out some lunch – which proved to be difficult because of the holiday. We found some chowder on a deck in the chilly sunshine and started dreading the fact that we would soon be leaving this awesome island in Southeast Alaska.

Our flight took off at 6:30 p.m. from the tiny airport with two gates and one flight scheduled. It would be a 20-min hop to Juneau where we would be meeting up with Chelsea Good later that night.

As I started to doze on the plane, the sights and sounds of Sitka were running through my head. Closing my eyes I saw those sharp and snowy volcanic peaks and the miles and miles of hazy blue ocean. And I thought about the crashing avalanche, the swooping eagle wings, the bouncing bear bell (and my singing that would scare off any bear) and the funny buzzing humming birds the night before.  Sitka was a very wild place full of different textures. I wish I had more time there, but I guarantee that I won’t be forgetting the sights and sounds of Sitka anytime soon. 

Misty Fjords and New Friends

One of my favorite parts of any trip is meeting new people. And today, our first full day of the trip, we met a lot of them. There is just something very special about meeting like-minded travelers who are also in the middle of their journey to share tips and stories and to spend some time slowing down and talking with the people who live in a place.

Despite the fact we were dead to the world last night, we both woke up at 6 a.m., eyes wide open, ready to go for the day. It had rained overnight and the clouds had lowered into town. Ketchikan gets 14-15 feet of rain every year – and so a day like today with a few patches of blue is considered a very good day. While I was getting ready, Dave wandered out into town to get some photos before the three cruise ships parked across the street started letting people loose. Everything was quiet and still in the morning drizzle.

At 7:45 we headed downstairs to the café to have breakfast. We were the only people there so the guy manning the bar, West, befriended us. He liked the fact that we weren’t off one of the cruise ships and that we were kicking off a three-week journey across the state. West is 20 years old and was born and raised in Ketchikan. He’s traveled to most every state in the country, but hasn’t made it any further North in Alaska.

Pretty soon a few more people wandered in. They were off a boat, but not one of the cruise ships. The early morning Alaska Maritime Ferry had arrived in town and these guys had a short stop before taking off again at 11 a.m. We all started chatting. Matt just retired after nine years in the coast guard based in Seattle. He was on day one of a two month adventure through all of Alaska – a retirement gift to himself. He was traveling with his truck – in which he built a bed – and was planning on kayaking, backpacking and living out of his car the whole time. As he ran through his itinerary, Dave and I were definitely jealous. And then we met Penelope. She was heading up to spend the next few years living in the Talkeetna mountains working on building float planes while going to a medical school. She had been living in the French Alps flying planes and also recently bought a house right outside of Vail, Colorado – a house she barely uses and said we could use sometime if we wanted. Within in a few minutes we were all pulled up in chairs next to each other, deep in conversation, sharing notes about adventures we’ve had. Penelope told us how she learned to love flying as a little girl growing up on a farm near an airfield, Matt talked about his dream of being a rock climbing and white water rafting guide and Dave and I shared stories about our love of travel and hiking. When the time came for us to go, we all shared contact information and promised to look for each other in Juneau in a few days to see if we could meet up again.

Then it was time for today’s adventure. A little after 9 a.m., Laura from Carlin Air arrived to pick us up to take us to meet our float plane. We were headed up for a two-hour flightseeing tour of the Misty Fjords National Wilderness area. The cloud ceiling had lifted, it was only drizzling a little and, according to our pilot, it was one of the nicest days they had in awhile. We wandered down on the floating dock and watched our plane getting fueled up for our trip. The pilot, Luke, saw Dave with his camera and told him to take the backseat, because it had windows on each side for the best views. There were six of us on the tour that piled into the tiny plane. We buckled up and started gliding forward with water flying up on either side of us – and with a smooth lift, we were airborne!

We left Ketchikan beneath us and very quickly rose up into the miles of rolling green mountains and waterways Southeast of town. It was absolutely incredible. Wilderness as far as they eyes could reach. The entire region is a designated wilderness area and untouched by humans. There’s no way in except by boat or floatplane. Our tiny plane felt out of place in the massive landscape. We crossed large saltwater channels as we worked our way back into the mountains. Larger snow-capped peaks loomed on either side of us and the plane dipped down and lifted up between valleys, lakes, waterfalls and sheer rock walls. The clouds were breaking and sun streamed through hitting the wet rock faces of the cliffs, and the Misty Fjords sparkled all around us. It was breathtaking.

About halfway through the tour, our pilot landed us gently down onto a lake in the middle of the wilderness area. We climbed out onto the pontoons and hopped onto a little island to take in the fresh air and wonderful quiet. Then after about 10 minutes we took off again and spent another 45 minutes flying and dipping into beautiful spaces. The pilot would take us low along the water and then up high and over and down rock walls. It was a rollercoaster ride in the remote wilds of nature.

By the time we landed back in town, the rain had picked up. But the fresh air felt good, so we walked back to the city center and back to the hotel. We had about two hours to burn before we needed to leave to the airport, so we found a spot for some lunch and wandered around the little town for awhile. What was once a quiet place was now swimming with thousands of people with rain coats and cameras.

We ended up back at the bar where we had breakfast to hang out with West some more. He treated Dave to a latte and we sat and chatted for a bit. We exchanged contact information and thanked him for all the Ketchikan insight.

To tell you the truth, Ketchikan is not much of a town. It’s tailored to fit the needs of cruise ship tourists – jewelry and knick knack shops and a few cheesy restaurants. The little New York Café at our Inn and the new friends we met there was the best part. It was fun to explore briefly, but it really just  acts as a gateway to the extreme beauty of the almost inaccessible Misty Fjords to the Southeast. One day in town was definitely enough. We were  already anxious to escape the cruise crowds and get on our plane to Sitka for our next adventure.

(And just as I finished typing that and shut down the computer at the airport to board the plane, someone came running into the bar saying – “a school of Orca are headed this way!” We all (and by all, I mean the five of us) ran to the windows – and sure enough the dorsal fins broke through the surface of the water and there were six huge killer whales making their way down the channel and out of town. It was a beautiful sight. And despite the tacky stores and tiny town, I now realized that we were definitely in another world up here and that Alaska was going to be something special.)

Off to Sitka!

Touchdown Alaska

We made it! And wow, it took a lot of different forms of transportation to get us here. In order, van, train, bus, plane, plane, train, plane, ferry and car. It felt good to end the long day getting to dinner in Ketchikan on our own two feet.

For a full day of traveling, several thousand miles, it all went off surprisingly well. Not a single delay or misstep all day. We spent a lot of time on the plane rides napping, reading and catching up on my favorite magazines.

As plane number three headed North of Seattle, and we could start seeing the miles and miles of islands and waterways beneath us, I could finally feel the stress starting to leave my body and vacation brain settling in. The views flying into Ketchikan were gorgeous. It was cloudy, but very green. And the white peaked mountains seemed to go on forever into the distance.

Only about 15 or 20 of us got off the plane in Ketchikan. We made our way down to the ferry because the Ketchikan airport is on a small island apart from the city. In fact, remember the infamous "bridge to nowhere?" Apparently that bridge was supposed to connect Ketchikan to the airport. But instead we paid $10 and waited 30 mins for a ferry to take us on a five-minute ride across the channel. So I can now confirm, that the bridge wouldn't have quite been to nowhere. However, they seem to be handling it okay without it.

We were picked up by a nice man from the hotel. He was from Puerto Rico. Eight years ago he came to Ketchikan for vacation and never left. We learned a lot about the history of Alaska's fourth largest city from him during the 10-minute drive to the Inn.

We're staying in the New York Hotel and Inn at Creek Street. It is a 1920s building, right in downtown Ketchikan. It has a lot of charm and is right near the heart of the town, on the water front. Apparently by the time we wake up tomorrow morning, we'll have several large cruise ships parked outside our hotel windows, blocking out the sun.

We wandered into town and had a very nice dinner at Annabel's Famous Keg and Chowder House. At least, I think it was a nice dinner - because it was actually past 1 a.m. eastern time for us, so we were in a bleary-eyed daze.

Now, after the planes, trains and automobiles, we are ready for bed. It feels so good to be here and we can't wait for our adventures to start tomorrow. (I promise better pictures tomorrow, Dave passed out asleep before we could download any shots from his camera tonight!).

Exciting day tomorrow! Touchdown Alaska.

The One Where We Stayed Up All Night Packing

Well, we weren't up all night. Just until about 2 a.m. But we were very productive. And technically we didn't start packing until after 9 p.m. So, all in all, I think we did an excellent job squeezing in 4.5 hours of sleep.

But we're officially ready to go! It was a busy afternoon. In addition to our leaving, Dave's parents will be staying here at our home while we are away. We've left the house in B&B quality for them when they arrive. Yesterday we were mowing the lawn, cleaning the fridge (it had to be done) and washing sheets. But it was all for a great cause. I love that they'll be here exploring this great city and taking care of our lonely kitty Annie!

Meanwhile, packing for this trip was a little more complicated than other trips in the past. The good news is that we're such experienced packers by now that it wasn't a big deal. We were outside in the afternoon pre-treating our clothes with bug spray. That was an interesting experience. I'm not quite sure what we sprayed on our clothes - anything that binds like that and stays on for more than two weeks, even through multiple washing, can't be natural. But if it does the trick and keeps those pesky mosquitoes away, the chemical spill in our backyard may have been worth it.

While I was upstairs sorting clothes and not narrowing down the number of hiking boots I'm bringing, Dave was tackling priorities downstairs - his photo gear. It may seem a little crazy now, but trust me, as soon as you start seeing his photos in our blog, you'll know that lugging all that extra equipment around will have been worth it.

Now we are up, bleary-eyed, and totally excited. In a little over an hour, our friends will be picking us up and taking us to the train station. Then we have a full day of travel ahead of us. Tonight, we sleep in Ketchikan, Alaska! Here we go!

The Next Big Adventure is About to Begin!

It has been 18 months since Dave and I enjoyed our last big adventure to New Zealand. Now we are days away from heading North on our next journey to the Last Frontier: Alaska! We have been planning the details of this trip for the last few months -- pouring over guide books, travel sites, hiking forums and grilling friends for information. We have pieced together an incredible itinerary that spans most of the major wilderness areas of the state. There is no way that we'll be able to see everything we want to, but I'm confident that the greatest hits are all covered. It's been a complicated trip to plan with many different towns, hikes and modes of transportation. But at this point, we're down to the last tiny details and we're ready to pack our bags and get out there!

Here is our grand (and complicated) schedule. It does't cover the details, but just the general locations:

Saturday, May 24: Flight to Ketchikan
Sunday, May 25: In Ketchikan, Flight to Sitka
Monday, May 26: In Sitka, Flight to Juneau
Tuesday, May 27: In Juneau
Wednesday, May 28: In Juneau (Glacier Bay)
Thursday, May 29: Flight to Anchorage, Drive to Seward
Friday, May 30: In Seward
Saturday, May 31: Boat to Kenai Lodge
Sunday, June 1: In Kenai
Monday, June 2: In Kenai
Tuesday, June 3: Boat to Seward, Drive to Anchorage
Wednesday, June 4: In Anchorage
Thursday, June 5: Drive to Talkeetna
Friday, June 6: Drive to Denali
Saturday, June 7: In Denali
Sunday, June 8: In Denali
Monday, June 9: In Denali, Drive to Anchorage
Tuesday, June 10: In Anchorage, Flight home
Wednesday, June 11: Arrive home

We've also been frequenting R.E.I. and buying all of the extra supplies that we'll need for this trip. Rain gear! Base layers! Bug sprays (for our skin and to treat our clothes)! Yaktrax to give us grip on snowy hikes! And even a bear bell, in case our singing voices aren't enough to scare them away on the trails! We'll buy some bear spray once we get up to Alaska, since we can't travel with it. Hopefully it'll be a $50 purchase that we'll never need to use.

This week, we'll be busy finishing everything up at work and with life - and the packing will begin. On the morning of Saturday, May 24, we'll be boarding our plane to the wilderness.

To those of you who have followed my travel blogs in the past, this one will be a little different. We will not have internet access in many of the places we are traveling. I'll still try to write entries most days (mostly to act as my own trip journal) but I may not be able to post them often. I highly recommend that you sign up on the top right corner of the page to receive e-mail notifications for when I post, since they won't be regular.

Check back soon. Dave and I are thrilled that we'll be able to take this amazing trip and share it with all of you. We can't wait to have you join us on another epic adventure!