This is a “Going  BIG Adventure”.  Do you know how BIG Alaska is?  Twice the size of Texas!  Do you know where you’ve got a very good chance of seeing the BIG 5 (bears, moose, wolves, dall sheep and caribou?  Yup, Alaska!  Do you know where you can see BIG, BIGGER and the BIGGEST Glaciers?  You got it! Alaska!
Making travel arrangements for this adventure was an adventure.  Lots of planning and making choices was required.  Booking and flight arrangements were made through Friendship Tours, a Connecticut based agency.  The Land and Cruise Tours  were all Holland America.  Getting to the airport and on the plane we were on our own.  Throughout the entire trip, there was no one Tour Guide, there were many.  At times is was a bit unorganized and chaotic, but  it somehow always seemed to work out.

Note:  The Travel package (June 16 – July 1, 2024), included air, land transportation, cruise, government fees, taxes and an optional Cruise On Board Package ($350) that included free Wi-Fi, up to 15 alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages per day, $100 off excursions, One specialty dining and free gratuities),  balcony room on the cruise, Total $6,624.  There was a very BIG list of optional Excursions to choose from everyday.  Also,  many add ons.  Big Bucks! BIG Adventure!

Day 1  Sunday  (Travel Day)  Leave BDL – Hartford, CT  11:45 a.m. Arrive Gateway Air Fairbanks, Alaska 8:48 p.m.  I had a BIG smile on my face after a long but, problem free day of flying. (Hartford, CT to Minneapolis, MN to Fairbanks, AK).

Alaska’s three BIGGEST cities are Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau.  Their skyscrapers are spruce, evergreen and pine trees.   No concrete jungles in Alaska!   Lakes,  rivers,  glaciers  and mountain ranges galore.

Westmark  Fairbanks Hotel, 813 Noble St.  Fairbanks, Alaska … our two night stay is not luxurious by any means, but by Alaska standards its stars are where you want them to be. Note: BIG kudos here for Westmark (Holland America). All of their hotels provide free distilled water for guests.  Anyone traveling with a CPAP machine knows how BIG a deal this is.  Alaska is not all  about  the warm chocolate chip cookie before bed,  it’s about providing what you need to get to bed.  Air conditioning is provided by Mother Nature.

We are here at the peak of the summer solstice (2O plus hours a day of sunlight).  This is BIG time strange!  Weirder than jet lag

Day 2. (Monday)  Riverboat Discovery Cruise along the Chena and Tanana Rivers in the morning.  BIG Wheel Keeps On Turning.

As we cruised down the Chena River,  we were thrilled to see a herd of reindeer come running out of the woods.  Then we realized it was all staged.  They live in Chena Village an Alaskan fishing village we were about to stop at and tour.

A BIG Furry Alaskan Fashion statement!

One of the primary means of transportation in Alaska are float planes.

A delicious all you can eat lunch served family style  at the riverboat landing was included.

Next stop, Tanana Valley Railroad for a  train ride to Gold  Dredge 8 to pan for gold .  Didn’t strike it rich, but I panned $18 dollars worth of gold.  Not BIG BUCKS, but BIG fun!

No bag pipes in Alaska, but 800 miles of BIG pipes!

We were on our own for dinner and had booked an Excursion: Alaska Salmon Bake at Pioneer Park and “The Golden Heart Revue at the Palace Theater ($94.95, 2 1/2 hours).  The food was disappointing, but the venue was not.  Pioneer Park is a must visit and the Golden Heart Revue a do not miss!  Walking out of the theater at 9:00 at night into bright sunshine was freaky.  What wasn’t freaky was the evening ending on a BIG Note!

Day 3 (Tuesday) Fairbanks to the  McKinley Chalet Resort Mile 238.9 Denali National Park and Preserve.
Originally, I had signed up for the Guided Rock Creek Trail – Interpretive  Hike ($99.95 3 1/2 hours, 4 mile loop starting at 6:00 p.m.).    This was a very ambitious choice for day 3 at 4,000 ft elevation.  After much procrastination,  I opted for  the Black Diamond Covered Wagon Adventure with Back Country Dining  Excursion ($109.95, 3 1/2 hrs.)    Chili and Barbecue vs Granola Bars and Trail Mix;  Horsepower vs Me  Power;  I made a good choice.

I hiked a little on my own in Denali National Park,  but stayed close to the Visitor Center.  After attending several talks on the dangers of encounters with grizzly bears and moose  I was overly cautious.  I’ve put a Ranger led hike on my list of “next times”.

Day 4  Wednesday   5:30  a.m. Exploring Denali National Park on the Tundra Wilderness Tour (included).  We had hoped  the early morning start would  increase the possibility of wildlife  sightings.  No such luck.  Four Dall Sheep on a mountainside  was the best we could do.  I’m not sure that 4 white dots on a mountainside should be counted as a sighting.  The tour guide had the capability of magnifying the BIG Blurry “sighting” .

Our Tour Guide tried to convince us that we should count the couple of dozen Arctic Ground Squirrels that he kept pointing out as “wildfife”.  Sorry, they’re cute, but not in the BIG 5.

Denali is very fickle. Approximately 30% of visitors to the park are treated to beautiful views.  We were lucky to be in that  elite 30%.  No luck spotting wildlife, but we are having great luck with the weather.

The park provides a free shuttle, from the Bus Depot,  near the Visitor Center, to and from the Savage Run Trailhead at MM 15.  This is one of the best places to view Denali.  This is also where there is a heavy population of Arctic Ground Squirrels.   They live in little holes in the ground and if you get too close they’ll pop up and bark at you.  Kind of like the game “whack a mole”.

The park service also provides a free Sled Dog demonstration.   A free shuttle is available from the Bus Depot to the kennels.  The demonstration is about 1/2 hour, but you can arrive early or hang out after and interact with the dogs.  If they choose to interact.

Prospectors Pizzeria and Alehouse MM 238.9 Parks Hwy offers a great menu with BIG flavors . Both indoor and outdoor seating.

5:45 p.m. Excursion: Wilderness Wave Tour ($134.95  3 hours).  BIG! BIG! Thrills!   Eight of us “Riders” and our “Paddler Guide” Kyle,  put on dry suits, helmets and life jackets and hopped into a big rubber raft on the glacial  fed Nanana River. (very cold 30 degree-ish water).  Usually, the rapids run  category 1-3  in this part of the River.  Due to exceptionally warm weather,  the Nanana Glacier is melting  faster and the river’s water level  is higher and running faster than usual.   Our Eleven mile  wave tour is now 3 and 4  category rapids.  It is one BIG thrill after another with panoramic views of Mount Fellows and Nenana Canyon.

Kyle, our guide, worked his butt off keeping us safe.  Not so dry, but that was part of the fun.
Day 5 Thursday  9:15 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.  Travel on the McKinley Explorer (Dome Train) from Denali to Talkeetna then Talkeetna to Anchorage. This is luxury train travel  providing the BIGGEST of viewing opportunities.

Summit Lake

View of Denali from the Dome Train in Talkeetna.

One night stay at the unremarkable  Westmark Anchorage Hotel 720 West 5th Ave  Anchorage, Alaska. One nice thing about the room is we have a balcony and can leave the door open for fresh, fresh air conditioning.

Day 6  Friday 9:30 a.m.  Excursion: Anchorage Trolley ($26.95 1 hour). 15 miles through Lake Hood area and Earthquake Park in search of the “Mighty Urban Moose” a famous resident.  We are striking out on wildlife sightings.
Noon – 3:00 travel by coach to the 5 Star Hotel Alyeska  100 Arlberg Ave  Girdwood, Alaska.  2 night stay

On our way we take a little detour to Potter Marsh Boardwalk to see an eagles nest with recently born babies in it.   I am striking out BIG time on photos of wildlife.  Binoculars are really needed for close ups.

Day 7   Saturday – Day At Leisure!   We take the free shuttle into the not BIG city of Girdwood. Crow Creek Merchantile is as BIG as it gets!  Have I mentioned how BIG Alaska is and its cities are not?   It’s taking me awhile to realize that Alaska is true wilderness.

5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Nordic Spa Hydrotherapy Twilight Soak ($80.00)  was  an add on.  This was a happy reprise for weary travelers.  Hot, cold,  relaxation pools, saunas and steam rooms and an exfoliation room, all while enjoying  beautiful scenery and once again unbelievable weather.

Day 8  Sunday –  Noon –   Portage Glacier Cruise,  1 hour on My Ptarmigan to the face of Portage Glacier.  This was an awesome up close view of the BIG blue ice.

11:00-4:00 Coach Alyeska to Whittier to  Board the Nieuw Amsterdam.  This is the end of our land portion of the trip.   Now we’re “cruising”.   Our accommodations are not BIG.  They are comfortable and the views from our balcony (starboard side, fifth floor- room 5033) are magnificent.

7:30 p.m. Sail from Whittier

Day 9  Monday –  Cruising  Hubbard Glacier  3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

BIG, BIGGER !!

Ive probably said this at least a hundred times … There are no photos that can do justice when a view takes your breath away.  Alaska has taken my breath away over and over and over again.

Tuesday Day 10  more  Glacier Cruising

We are not having much luck with wildlife viewing on land or sea.  My only guess is that the animals are as confused as I am by all this sunlight.  That and the beautiful warm weather and clear blue skies.  We are being told this is not natural for this time of year.  It’s definitely not what we expected.

Day 11  Wednesday- Skagway, Alaska 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.  Excursion: 7:30 a.m.  Haines Eagle Preserve Float and Wildlife Quest ($269.95 6 1/2 hours).  We travel by Catamaran and  Coach to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.  Salmon swim up the shallow Chilkat braided river, North Americas deepest fjord along the  Lynn Canal to Village Haines.  No dry suits needed here.  This is definitely a  float  trip surrounding us with towering mountains,  hanging glaciers and lush forests.  There are over 30,000 bald eagle residents in the preserve.  We feel the BIG bulging eyes of our bald Eagle friends before seeing them.  Our guide on this trip, Jacob, isn’t faced with the challenges of category 3-4 rapids, but he is challenged with having to navigate the constantly changing  channels and diverse terrain of the River.

Day 12  Thursday – Juneau, Alaska  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Excursion: Best of Juneau Whale Watch, Mendenhall Glacier and Orca Point Lodge (on Colt Island). 9:00a.m. – 4:15 p.m. ($284.95 6 3/4 hours).
We travel by coach through Scenic Auke Bay, in a water jet powered expedition vessel, through Stephen’s Passage,  looking for humpback whales, killer whales, Stellar Sea Lions, Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals, bald eagles, Sitka black tail deer.   We did see lots of spouting.   Some “humpbacks” and quite a few “whale tails”  but  again better viewing with binoculars and no great photo opportunities.   More beautiful scenery and a delicious lunch at the Orca Point Lodge.

Orca Point on Colt Island

Mendenhall Glacier …. BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST!

Day 13  Friday – Ketchikan, Alaska  11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.   Excursion: Totem Bight State Park and The Great American Lumberjack Show ($84.95 4 hours) Grand stands are heated and covered. Chopping. sawing, relay races, axe throwing, log rolling, 50 ft. speed climb performed by BIG muscled Lumberjacks.

If we were going to see black bear, it would have been on the Totem Bight Trail.  This was my favorite hike, but no bear.

Authentic Clan House

Day 14  Saturday – Scenic Cruising the Inside Passage.  Below is the closest we came to seeing a sunset.   This is really our only dreary overcast day.  We have had two weeks of gorgeous weather.

Day 15  Sunday – Vancouver, Canada  … Gastown Steam Clock, runs 24/7 on steam.

A BIG Wave goodby to the Nieuw Amsterdam.  We have the whole day in Vancouver before boarding our “red eye” flight at 11:40 p.m.   UT, OH!  We’re in for our first and only disappointment of the trip and it’s BIG!   Our flight home  is cancelled!   Our day in Vancouver ends up being spent in the Airport, trying to rebook flights.  No BIG smiles here.  It’s going to take us 3 days and hours  of hanging around airports to get home. At least it happened at the end of the trip, not the beginning.

BIG “STUFF”! BIG fun! on this BIG Adventure in Alaska.