Life in Alaska

Did you know…

the Icy Strait Zip-Rider is the longest and highest zip line tour in North America.

(Click small pics to see larger)

For those who like the panoramic vistas afforded by traveling to the heights but aren't quite ready for the zip line, the Mt. Roberts Tram in Juneau offers adventure with a lower white-knuckle factor.

Visitors get great aerial views of Juneau, Douglas Island, and Gastineau Channel.

There's lots to do at the top, including hiking or having a meal with a great view.

From our Gambell correspondent:
I am truly happy doing village medicine, but emergencies can occur at any time. There are some unexpected benefits -- Coming home from the clinic in the wee hours this morning, I was able to see a beautiful sunset backlighting the Russian mountains some 35 miles distant. I sat for a long time on the beach listening to the waves come in and watching the last reflections of the sunset fade from the ocean.

Gambell coast at dusk:

A picture of a form--a likeness of a lion?

Up close and from the other side, the lion disappears. -- Cecelia
(This whale bone may be part of a jaw or skull -- Cecelia is trying to find a hunter to tell her exactly what it is.)

Date 7/24/08

Anchorage Temperature
Low 50 °F, High 62°F

Daylight 17 hrs 48 mins

map

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Life in Alaska

Over the 4th of July, my family and I flew from Anchorage to visit family in Juneau and celebrate my aunt's 50th birthday. We took out my uncle's boat, the M/V Glacier Seal, and made our way through the Inside Passage, ending up in a little town called Hoonah. On the way we did some kayaking, halibut fishing, skeet shooting, clamming, and exploring. We saw humpback whales, porpoises, seals, eagles, deer, and endless amounts of breathtaking scenery. At Icy Straight Point near Hoonah,we rode the ZipRider Zip-Line, which is 5,400 feet long and drops 1,300 feet, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph. It is usually booked all day with cruise ship passengers, but we were able to arrange an early morning ride. The view was spectacular from the top and the crew was joking that because of the light drizzle, we would have a fast ride. I'll admit to being a little scared, but once the gate opened and the cliff dropped away, I was racing my cousins to the bottom. The spring-loaded ending sneaks up on you, but thankfully brings you to a bouncing stop. It was one of the many highlights of the trip. - Kyla (YouTube)

Top row: 1) the zip line riders 2) the zip line apparatus 3) feet up and goggles on at the starting gate 4) even in bright orange I couldn't see them reach the bottom
Middle row: 1) the zip line foundation 2) freestanding eroded rock on Chimney Island 3) Chimney Island 4) kayaking in Couverton Bay 5) my uncle's boat: M/V Glacier Seal
Bottom row: 1) Icy Strait Point historic cannery (now a cruise dock mall) 2) cruise ship at anchor 3) totem pole 4) sunset frisbee on the beach in Hoonah (Click small pics to see larger)
Below: view of Hoonah from the water

Last week, my son Jameson sent pictures of his recent trip from Anchorage to King Salmon on PenAir's Grumman Goose. Grumman manufactured 345 Gooses from 1937 to 1945 and about 50 of them are still flying. Originally designed to be a shuttle for rich folks from New York to Miami, the Goose soon found it's true calling as a versatile work horse during World War II. PenAir's Goose was on its way to Dutch Harbor (of Deadliest Catch fame) so Jamey rode back in a Saab 340. The Dutch Harbor Fisherman had a story about a new Super Goose being built, and the Anchorage Daily News photo is credited to Jack Jefford, bush pilot and father of the family that owns Once in a Blue Moose. (Click small images to see larger.) --Carmen

We went camping near Eureka Summit on the Glenn Highway and saw participants in the Fireweed 400 bicycle races on Saturday, July 12th. The 400 mile race was on Friday; these cyclists were probably in the 50 or 100 mile races. Pictures were taken near Gunsight Mountain not too far from the finish line at Sheep Mountain Lodge. (Click to see larger.) --Carmen

Organize pictures of your own Alaskan adventures in our most popular map embossed album (which holds 208 standard pictures) or display them in a photo mat made in Alaska.

From the back of Wild Alaska:
"Award-winning professional photographer, author and biologist Matthias Breiter has traveled throughout Alaska for over twenty years. Wild Alaska is an intimate portrait of the entire state, covering it from the rainforests of the Panhandle to the windswept islands of the Bering Sea and to the Arctic plains in the far north. Both through images and words, this stunning and inspirational book pays homage to the state's immense diversity in landforms and wildlife. Wild Alaska is a celebration of the beauty of nature and a declaration of love for the state." Well worth the hefty price tag.