Petersburg, The Little Norway of SE Alaska

I painfully got up at 1 AM to catch the next ferry north. I wasn't alone, good thing misery loves company. The twinkling lights on the ferry made boarding seem festive though hushed and quiet. Soon the northern skies lightened and I was happy that I would be able to see our passage through the famous Wrangell Narrows. This narrow twisting passage is considered by many to be the highlight of the Inside Passage. In the dark of night the many navigational lights shine and blink reds and greens giving the passage the nickname "Christmas Lane." Despite the fairly low tide constricting the ferry and making it work hard for the turns, I found the low dense forest to be pleasant but lacking the drama I had expected. Still I enjoyed the relatively short ride north arriving in Petersburg, still in the early morning hours.
I could claim some great planning brought me here at the start of the famous once a year "Little Norway Festival" but it was mainly good luck. I shouldered my bags and walked the mile or two distance to the downtown, passing fishing fleets, harbors, and seaplane docks along the way. A viking ship with brilliant sails and double raven head symbol greeted me at the edge of town. After checking my bags, I wandered about becoming familiar with the streets, parks, viewpoints, and trails. By the time the town began to wake I was already searching for a flight to the Le Conte Glacier. The Le Conte is the most southern tidal glacier in Alaska. By trial and tribulation and more incredible luck I suddenly found myself on Butch Williams float plane. Butch is famous for his decades of flying and is often in the news for both his dramatic flightseeing excursions as well as his float plane rescue work. The plane climbed smoothly as we sped across the strait. Passing cliffs on our left dotted with mountain goats we saw hints of icebergs on the shore and in the passage below us. Suddenly as we rounded a bend the most stunning natural sight I have ever seen flashed into view. A great glacier winding its way out of a mountain range, meeting the sea in a shattered head wall of calving ice, upwellings of greenish river flow bursting from under the glacier, and a vast sea of pack ice of all shapes and sizes filling the narrow passage between the glacier and the sea. Butch circled the plane about, giving us all wonderful views, following one arm of the glacier into the mountains, crossing a minor pass, and flying back down another arm. After what felt like a more than generous time we slowly made our way out over the ice pack. Clustered in the seclusion and safety of the center of the ice were numerous groups of dark colored seals with their pups. Soon the pack opened, the icebergs were fewer but floating free. We reluctantly returned as smoothly as we had come, back to Petersburg. The images of that world of white & ice stayed with me but I couldn't ingnore the colorful and lively celebrations going on in town. Footraces and exhibitions were planned throughout the day but the real treat for a visitor were the many ethnic food treats available only once each year. There were lines but the short wait was a small price to pay for the reward. The young folk also found a special outlet. There was a lively scattering of "vikings" throughout the downtown. Men and women dressed in furs, many with horned helmets and some with swords (fortunately wooden). A lot of good natured posing for pictures and a lot of hugs among the locals with "good to see you again" type greetings made you realize this was a home town affair that visitors were welcome to share.
After a lot of food sampling I was ready to head into the mountains and out into the quieter natural areas of the Island. Every hike inland led to snow but the weather was beautiful and even though I wished I had snowshoes I still enjoyed the waterside views and many wildlife encounters.

Wrangell, Alaska

After the hustle and bustle of Ketchikan, and the complexity of car rentals and ferry reservations for Prince of Wales Is., it was a distinct relief to arrive at Wrangell Island. The community, also named Wrangell, is a splash of neatly kept homes on a hillside between a small wooded headland and the main island. There is limited cruise ship visits and the community seems fine with that. The people are primarily involved with commercial fishing and some timber. The homes are for full time residents with one hotel and a handful of B&Bs taking care of town visitors. I especially enjoyed reaching this area since it had once been a possible side trip from my Stikine River exploration during an inland trip through northern BC. I felt like I was completing a link in a long ago journey. Though I saw no whales from land we had seen several during the ferry ride approach and later in the year special bear viewing areas are available. A couple of companions went for a jet boat ride up the Stikine but due to the unusual winter the pack ice prevented them from exploring as much as they would have liked. In town a few pleasant trails are available but the real highlights for me were the cultural sites. For such a quiet little town, Wrangell has an excellent Museum with unique totem displays. Also Chief Shakes and his dynasty are well reflected with totem and lodge displays on little Shakes Island in the harbor, Chief Shakes grave site, and the wonderful petroglyphs found on the beach only about a mile north of town. Wrangell was a real gem for me and I'd be interested in returning for more exploring across the island, up the Stikine, and at the wonderful wildlife viewing sites, cabins, and hotsprings located within easy day trip distances.

Prince of Wales Island

My visit to Prince of Wales Island was as rewarding as it was difficult to arrange. This isolation is what has preserved its "naturalness" that has not been lost despite recent massive logging operations. There are few roads on the island but their length requires a vehicle to get around. The lack of services on the island made it necessary for me to bring a rental vehicle from Ketchikan. The round trip ferry transport and cost of a 4-wheel drive vehicle were also added burdens to my visit (4-wheel required by companies due to the roughness of the islands roads). Once past this obstacle it was important to get ferry reservations, they were maxed out every day that I was there, some people had to wait extra days to get off the island. Once there though, I felt like I was getting the first of my "true" Alaska experiences. Though fishing and hunting lodges are numerous, most of them are only accessible from additional boat or float plane access. Interesting hikes, ski tours, paddle routes both fresh and salt water, and even extensive cave exploration are all available. Despite the natural beauty the outstanding highlight of my visit were the historic totems and cedar lodges. Several communities on Prince of Wales have totem displays but they are there for the residents not as tourist attractions. I somehow found the unsigned trailhead to the Totems of Kasann. Hidden in the forest, surrounded by estuaries and tall trees this was the most special display of totems I had seen. Following a faint unmarked path beyond the cedar lodgehouse I eventually found an old cemetary with headstones nearly hidden in cloaks of flowers and low shrubs. Here also I found that the record snows of the previous winter limited the areas that I could access but this has given me wonderful excuses to return for a longer visit.

Ketchikan, AK

Upon returning from the Misty Fjords boat tour I finally walked the few blocks to the New York Hotel. This is my favorite type of hotel. Old, historic, clean and rennovated but cosistent with it's age. The people operating the hotel are very nice and I thoroughly enjoyed my vist. Now, having seen the other possibilities in town, I would probably still stay at the New York Hotel on future trips. I found interesting hikes in and near town including Deer Mt (still snowcapped and the site of a former ski area). With a car I was able to access waterfalls, historic ruins, more totem parks (the totem parks are also accessible from the bus system) mountain lakes, trails, and temptingly close access to great ski touring and snowshoeing. My attempts at using the visitor info center were far less successful. They scored a dismal 6 misses for six attempts at getting info about hikes and side trips. It is still early in the season so hopefully they'll get better and in fairness to them my interest are outside of the common tourist stops. That brings me to the Cruise Ships. Ironically cruise ships disembark their passengers at the downtown dock though they seldom carry more than a handbag or umbrella. All the ferry passengers, most of whom have luggage or supplies have to do the 2 or 3 mile hike or use taxi service. This preference for the cruise ship industry is economically understandable but for the lone independent traveler their passengers often seem more like two-legged locusts descending on tiny precious crops. It took me three (or was it four) tries to see Saxman Totem village without shoulder to shoulder tourists ushered around in a multitude of separately guided groups with a cacophony of speakers. With a little diligence you can avoid much of this. In fairness to them, the excellent museums and displays are available because of the presence of these large numbers of cruise ship tourists. I've also had some incredibly complex and exhausting trip planning that would not have been necessary if I had opted to join one of these cruises instead. But if I had; I wouldn't have been able to tell you about my next visit: Prince Of "Whales" Island.
Bud

Misty Fjords, Ketchikan, AK

Greetings again Mt Baker Club members & friends. My first stop on the inside passage is Ketchikan. It was a thrill to make landfall after two nights on the water. The ferry dock is more than two miles from downtown. I opted to stretch my legs (and back) a bit by carrying my gear into town. This paid off because I just happened onto the last boat headed up the famous Misty Fjords for that day. Luckily food was part of the package and some smoked salmon made up for my lack of breakfast. Fully two thirds of this outing are pretty similar to the ferry views. The emphasis is on bald eagle sightings so for Bellinghamsters it may not be too exciting. Once we entered the Misty Fjords things got much more dramatic. Towering black cliffs still snow capped rose above us in often tight passages. A delay in the float planes we were meeting allowed us an unplanned side trip into a stunning tight cirque and thundering waterfall that nearly fell into the boat we were so close. Later we met the float planes at a dock so some passengers could take off into the clouds for a return by plane. Those of us returning by boat were treated to a colony teeming with baby seals and the first bear sighting of the year. A large black bear was unflustered by our presence as he walked the rocky beach turning over boulders for an afternoon snack. So? After doing this tour I probably would have to say it was worthwhile but I wouldn't repeat it. I would however be highly motivated to return for an extened trip paddling; hiking & climbing; while camping or using one of the inexpensive USFS cabins that are available. Next Blog: Ketchikan. Until then.
Bud

Bellingham to Ketchikan via Alaska Ferry

Greetings from the North Country. Here's some hasty and rambling thoughts, as requested, as I make my way through the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska. Departing Bellingham on a sunny Friday evening felt wrong but I greatly appreciated the blue skies that followed me all the way to Ketchikan. My starboard cabin (facing the mainland going north) gave me plenty of view so I could jump up and run out on deck if something interesting came into view. The mystery of camping on deck in lounge chairs or tents appeared easy and delightful and I would absolutely do it that way next time just for fun. The Friday ferry is the MV Columbia, the flagship of the Alaskan ferry system. It's been freshened up and felt spacious with less than 300 people using it's 1,000 person capacity. No lines for anything including meals. The restaurant gave wonderful views of Mt Baker and the Twin Sisters as I enjoyed dinner in the large view oriented Restaurant. The food left much to be desired and I enjoyed my other hot meals at the small one-cook cafeteria. Next time I'd load up a couple of coolers with interesting hot and cold foods for gourmet and fun dining under the heated solarium. A special feature of this ferry is the GPS and mapping monitor. Travelers can follow the journey via various printed and digital display maps which also include current bearings and speed. This was a popular meeting place throughout the trip. Some highlights of the views were the Seymour Narrows (Vancouver Island); the towering peaks of Silver Throne in line with Mt. Waddington (highest summit in BC); and the waterfalls of dramatically narrow Princess Royal Channel. Some of these locations were memorable to me from my land-based trips to BC; like passing Bella Bella and the midnight lights of Prince Rupert, both previous paddle destinations. My only real regret is that I waited so long to take this trip. Walk-ons are almost never fully booked, so as a 'Bellinghamster" we have the opportunity to decide at the last minute to go. I'll let you know what Ketchikan was like in the next posting.
Take care,
Bud

Bunkers and Bobsled Runs

This is the hike that the tourist books tell you not to take. I loved it.

From my apartment window in Sarajevo I look across an urban valley and up the mountain where the Olympic bobsled run was situated during the 1984 Olympics. It is now just overgrown forest because the whole area was mined by the Serbs and has never been cleared. Of course, in a perverse sort of way, that makes it the most desirable hike of all...right?

On Sunday, I joined an international group that generally hikes at least once a week, although there were just five of us plus the guide because the weather was foggy and rainy, although not really cold. There are a few pictures accompanying this story, and the second one was our carefully posed Study in Black, Gray, and Fog. We felt ourselves quite artistic in a black humor sort of way.

The first picture shows us in front of the remains of a popular hotel and high end restaurant.
http://www.mountbakerclub.org/Bosnia1.htm The Serbs took this over during the war and, when they were forced to leave, they destroyed it. Like most everything else on the mountain, nothing has been done to restore it. From the hotel, we hiked another 1,000 feet or so farther up and, when the fog lifted a bit, had an extensive view of Sarajevo...the same one the Serbs had as they continually attacked it. http://www.mountbakerclub.org/Bosnia2.htm With only a couple exceptions, there were no places where it was safe for us to get off the trail because of the mines. Most of the bunkers were on the uphill side of the trail, which followed a ridge for a long way. Trenches went for great distances on the downhill side.

After passing through this territory, we came to the mostly fallen-apart bobsled run. The third picture shows us in front of one section of it. http://www.mountbakerclub.org/Bosnia3.htm Have you ever seen one of these in person? On TV, they don't look nearly so long. I was amazed.

Continuing downhill, we passed by a big hill/small mountain that stood between the Serbs and the city. Here, the Bosnians held out for three years and thus kept the Serbs from totally running over Sarajevo. In the final picture, we're passing by the side of it. No bunkers are left, but a number of trenches are still there. http://www.mountbakerclub.org/Bosnia4.htm

On the more positive side, perhaps: A lot of spring flowers were out, most notably gentians. So the nature lovers had a good day too. Those who needed a view missed out. And we gave up on going to the top of the mountain because the fog was totally thick on that trail. I hope we'll try again before I leave the end of June.

North Cascades Hwy Opens

After a long and snowy winter the North Cascades Hwy has opened. 50 foot drifts are quickly melting but a lot of "winter" recreation still exists. We snowshoed to the Washington Pass overlook, played in the open meadows and were entertained by snowboarders and skiers challenging the avalanche chutes on Liberty Bell & Cutthroat Mt. Along the way both out and back we stopped for dramatic views and pleasant walks at some of the numerous natural and man-made attractions along this fascinating and unique highway. Sadly we departed but with many ideas for more safe "winter" outings while the snow lasts.