Not knowing how the Alaskan weather would treat us, we woke up to a partly cloudy day ; much better than the previous day , but clearly not an ideal day for flightseeing. So we were very skeptical about the flight taking off. But to our surprise, we got a call from the tour operator that they were offering us a flight over the Knik glacier and the Chugach National Park as Denali and Alaskan Ranges still seemed difficult. They also offered us a refund in case we did not want to take this . This; they said would me a much longer flight and so it would be like a bonus for all the inconveniences of the previous day. So we decided to take it .
Soon, we were ready and got picked up at the hotel and reached the K2 Aviation office. We were weighed at the counter and completed some formalities and were asked to wait for our pilot. Soon more tourists started arriving and we could see the aircrafts getting readied. The weather didn’t seem too good and we kept our fingers crossed.
K2 Aviation office, our flightseeing tour operator
The aircrafts getting ready
Soon, a group of pilots arrived and each of them had a list of people flying with them. Each aircraft had around nine people assigned and we were with Dave…
With Dave, our pilot
Dave gave us some safety instructions and demonstrated the correct use of the headphones provided and we boarded and took our seats. The headphones were primarily for the commentary that Dave would give as we flew over different areas but we too could call out to him at anytime.
Inside the aircraft and all set to fly….
And finally, we took off…
K2 office and Talkeetna airbase as we took off…
The swollen Talkeetna river and the onset of autumn colours came into view…
Talkeetna River
Fall colours over Talkeetna
Soon we were on top of the Talkeetna mountains….
Talkeetna mountains
Contrary to arid snow covered glacierland that we expected, what came in sight was the town of Palmer, the Matanuska river and the Mat Su Valley…
Mat Su Valley
This is the local name for the Matanuska-Susitna valley which is famous for its farmlands producing giant size vegetables besides the salmon bounty in the rivers. This valley carved out by glaciers is located between the Talkeetna mountains, Alaskan Ranges and the Chugach mountains.
Palmerand Matanuska river
The fertile Mat Su Valley
Once we passed this, it was on to the Chugach ranges and the glaciers. Enjoy the views ….
Heading to the glaciers…
What is that black line on the glacier?
Did this question not pop up in your mind?
Well, they are called moraines. They are actually rock and silt debris that the glacier picks up on the way and when the ice mass moves, they are left behind.
Terminal part of glacier feeding the lake
Floating icebergs broken off from the glacier
Nothing but ice for miles around….
Blocks of ice
The end of the glacier clearly visible…
Beautiful colour of glacial lakes
We also got to see the debris of an airplane that had crashed sometime back on the glacier…
Debris of crashed airplane…
Soon we were on our return journey over the glaciers with Dave turning the plane at many places for both sides to get the views. Enjoying every bit of it we landed back safely at Talkeetna air base.
As a parting shot, a short video for you to enjoy….
Enjoy the flight video…..
It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. I have tried to bring it to you as clearly as I can . But as I always say, nothing like experiencing anything oneself !! So do go in for the flightseeing over the Alaskan glaciers…you will never regret it..
Do continue to encourage with your comments and feedback….
Starting the my blog journey in 2024 with an epic train journey from Anchorage to Seward . Just sit back and enjoy this journey….
I knew that this was going to be a beautiful train journey from the reviews I had read. But I was not prepared for this!! The natural beauty that awaited us on the journey from Anchorage to Seward on the Coastal Classic train was something that surpassed my expectations. How can I not share that with you all then? So just imagine that you are sitting in a comfortable seat on a train and visualize what you read…I am sure you will enjoy every bit of it…
Our journey started from The Alaska Railroad depot in Anchorage. The station has an old world charm about it with a steam locomotive displayed outside along with an antique totem pole…
The Alaska Railroad station and the displays outside
Boarding the train and the glass dome coaches for viewing comfort
Since it is a tourist train, there were regular announcements about the approaching highlights and that was really helpful.
Just after the train left Anchorage station, we were passing the Turnagain arm of the Cook Inlet . Along side was the Seward Highway on which we had travelled to Portage glacier.
The train meanders along the Turnagain arm
We passed the Beluga Point and other lookouts along the highway and the train was winding it’s way along the sides of the Chugach ranges. The train conductor was updating us on the wildlife seen and we did get to see quite a lot of them. Pictures were of course not feasible with the distance and the moving train.
We did see mountain goats on the hillsides of the Chugach Ranges and an occasional moose as we passed the open lands between the mountains. Bald eagles were also plentiful.
Some pictures of the Chugach Ranges..
Crossing the Chugach mountains
Chugach mountains on the left, Seward highway and Turnagain arm on the right
Beautiful meadows and a house near Girdwood
The conductor announced that we were approaching Girdwood, our first halt. The size of the station and the number of people amused me!!!
The cute Girdwood station
Girdwood is a small station enroute and is the point from where one can visit Mt. Alyeska, a part of the Chugach ranges receiving almost 700 inches of snow every year. The Alyeska Resort located here is an all year round adventure destination featuring, saltwater pools, ski slopes, spas and other activities.
As we chugged along, there was a peculiar scene. Plenty of tree stumps jutting out of the marshy land. These are the stumps of the trees that got submerged in the 1964 earthquake .
The submerged tree trunks; the aftermath of the earthquake
Soon in typical Alaskan style, we had rain and that added it’s own beauty to the mountains…
The rain adds beauty to the mountains….
The next announcement created lot of excitement in the train. For the next hour or more, we were going to see wilderness at it’s best. We were told to be ready with our cameras all the time.
It started with the views of the Spencer glacier as we chugged closer to it.
Spencer Glacier
A glacier in the Chugach National Forest, this glacier is just 1 mile away from the rail track!!
This glacier is right in the middle of wilderness and one can reach it by taking this train and getting down at a station called the Spencer Whistle stop. There is just a sign board there and if one is booked for a hiking or rafting tour at the glacier, the guide meets up at the station and one can proceed for hiking and other adventures.
The views were awesome to say the least. Take a look..
Have a look at this video to get the feel of the glacier slowly coming into view
The glacier as seen from the train.
The Whistle stop and the icebergsbroken from the glacier
After we crossed Spencer glacier, we were near the Placer River with a bridge across.
Placer River and bridge
Soon we were passing through a series of tunnels as we climbed the Kenai mountains. The train winding it’s way in and out of the tunnels was also beautiful.
Out of one tunnel and into another
The Placer river continued into Placer gorge in the Valley.
Placer Gorge. Note the glacial water color.
Just after this came the announcements that we were approaching Bartlett glacier.
Bartlett Glacier
Bartlett glacier originates in the Kenai mountains and lies between the Spencer and Trail glaciers . The glacier lies along the railway track and the train slowed down as we passed this glacier. The picture of the train with the Bartlett glacier is one of the iconic images used by Alaska Railroad. Some pictures..
The Coastal Classic crosses the Bartlett Glacier
Open meadows and multiple waterfalls along the hillside greeted us. Some images…
The open meadows, waterfalls and glaciers
Soon came the Trail Glacier
Trail Glacier….
Trail Glacier as we passed by…
The Trail Glacier empties into the Trail Creek which forms the Trail Lake and finally empties into the Kenai Lake. This is a popular picnic location with campgrounds nearby.
The Trail Creek and River
Soon we were near the scenic town of Moose Pass which is a campground destination in the area with facilities for hiking, fishing and other activities. There are float planes available there for use.
Moose pass with the float planes
Chugging along further we were near Kenai Lake…
The turquoise waters of the Kenai Lake
Soon after we passed Kenai Lake, we were at Seward, a small town in the Kenai Peninsula with multiple adventure activities. At Seward, the train depot is walking distance from the ferry terminal and the town.
Passenger ferries and the Seward wharf greeted us to this beautiful location.
First views of Seward
Did you enjoy this epic train journey through glacier country? Quite unique to have a glacier so close to the rail tracks…isn’t it? This is considered to be one of the most beautful train journeys in the world.
I hope you enjoyed the virtual journey as much as I did the real one. I had some awesome glacier experiences at Seward. Hope to take you through those in the coming weeks. Till then, do give your valuable comments and feedback.
Our first destination at Alaska was Anchorage and true to its name, we used it as a base to go to various destinations. So we were in and out of Anchorage a couple of times, and here, I am putting together our experiences during these visits.
We flew in to Anchorage from Seattle. The views from the flight were amazing to say the least . Let me share some of the pictures to make you get the feel of flying into Anchorage.
Alaska Airlineswith the logo of an indigenous Alaskan
Taking off from Seattle, soon we were over British Columbia in Canada, flying over the incredible Rockies…
The Rockies as we flew over them. Note the turquoise lake so typical of the lakes here.
Some more flying and then we were on top of some of the largest sheets of ice….
Some amazing views of Alaskan glaciers ( difficult to separate the ice and clouds!)
Leaving the icesheets behind we were flying on more liveable terrain and the farmlands were visible.
Finally we were cruising over Anchorage and the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm ( will be referring to this very often in the forthcoming episodes when it will be clear to you) of the Gulf Of Alaska were just below us….
The Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm of the Gulf Of Alaska
Since this was our first destination in Alaska, This episode will have a general roundup of things unique to Alaska too.
When we talk about Alaska, there emerges a mental picture full of mountains, glaciers, unending wilderness, bears, salmon, long daylight hours in summer, short gloomy winter days and the northern lights . Most of this is true but you cannot have all these in one trip. What we see in summer and what we see in winter are totally different and if one wants to cover every bit of Alaska, one has to be there at different times of the year. Many parts of Alaska shut down totally in winter and the local people go elsewhere. These kind of things are unimagineable for people like us who live in the tropics. And it is precisely this that attracts everyone to this natural wonderland…
The weather can be so fickle even in summer that one has to give extra days at each place for sudden and last minute changes in plans.
Tourism is an important industry in Alaska and the emphasis to attract tourists starts right from the airport.Major part of the tourism industry here is linked to Alaskan cruises, and unlike us, most people reach Alaska on a cruise. So there is an entire section in the airport dedicated to the various cruise lines that operate from here. They receive and facilitate the passengers flying in to Anchorage to join cruises elsewhere.
An Alaskan Cruiseliner
Apart from that ,there is a train station of Alaska Railroad at the airport which is at present being used for trains chartered by cruise lines only. Most passengers take the train to Seward or Whittier and board the cruises from there.
Wildlife
Alaska has unique wildlife and any trip to Alaska will include visits to see these animals. The airport itself showcases their wildlife in the form of stuffed animals. Besides, there are monitors displaying various wildlife encounters available to tourists in Alaska. One of my future episodes will be dedicated entirely to Alaskan wildlife….
Stuck at the airport…..Stuffed and preserved….Black bear and Musk Ox
Private chartered flights
Small private chartered flights take passengers from Anchorage to various destinations. This is required because there are many places in Alaska where the access is only by air for most part of the year. People visiting Alaska for specific purposes at a particular destination, take these flights.
Chartered flights
Fishing
Alaska has a long coastline and provides endless opportunities for recreational fishing. Special fishing trips and charters are available. Many tourists enjoy the fishing and then carry the catch with them home. Towards this end, we find lot of travellers with fishing equipment and storage containers at the airport. Many locations offer facilities for storing fish and shipping them to the required destinations .
Fishing charters
Moving on to Anchorage city…..
Anchorage city
Overall, Anchorage was a small sleepy laidback city when we visited it in summer. Most activities revolved around tourists taking cruises from other places and just using the city as a halt. The streets were empty most of the time even in the downtown area. Evenings saw more activity related to bars and pubs. Mind you, this is in summer…the time of peak activity. In winters, when temperatures dip to sub zero, most establishments close down and many locals head to warmer places. This is true all over Alaska. Most of the tourism centric jobs are very seasonal and the locals need to find alternative occupations. The flowers and the grass would then be just a white carpet of snow. Life will be difficult for anyone who stays back in the winter. Winter tourism also takes place but in selected places mostly related to ski resorts and such activities.
The streets in the city are by and large square or rectangular and named by alphabets and numbers. That makes it a little easy to find one’s way around.
A typical street in downtown Anchorage (note the street name in alphabets)
Buildings have small flower beds outside and there are flowerbeds along most roads . Being summer, they were in full bloom and added beauty to the place.
Outside a building and at the bus stop
Beautiful flower beds by the roadside
Denali Views
Mt. Denali as viewed on a sunny day from Anchorage…that’s my featured image.
On bright sunny days, one can see Mt. Denali from Anchorage but we were not so lucky. As our visit was towards the fag end of summer, we hardly had bright sunny days.
What we saw…..
ViewsofAlaskan ranges from Anchorage city
Wall Murals
Wall murals are very popular in Alaska and we saw a lot of them both at Anchorage and Seward.
Hope Wall Mural
This was painted during the pandemic by a group of volunteers . It is in the form of squares which have been painted and then attached to the wall . This signifies hope that things can only get better and coming during the pandemic, it surely meant a lot!!!
Hopewall Mural
Indigenous people
Another interesting mural was one which depicted the close relationship between the indigenous people, the land, animals and their way of life…
Mural honouring the indigenous people
Whaling wall mural
Called Alaska’s Marinelife, it depicts whales and seals native to Alaska and adorns a huge wall in downtown Anchorage
Whaling wall mural
Downtown Anchorage is home to a variety of restaurants and bars. Difficult to recognise as a bar or pub; it seems very quiet from outside. Once the doors open, it is music and dance inside.
Restaurants and bars
Alaska Centre for Performing Arts
One of the buildings that looks different in downtown Anchorage is the Alaska Centre of Performing Arts which was lit up for some performance. Some pictures..
Alaska Centre of Performing Arts
Anchorage Museum
The Anchorage Museum has exhibits of art , history, the Discovery Centre, Science galleries and the Smithsonian Arctic studies centre.
Anchorage Museum and some exhibits
Just off downtown are residential communities which usually have a nice park for recreation…
Typical residences in Anchorage
War Veterans Memorial
Located at Delaney Park, this memorial has a soldier in combat mode and is dedicated to Alaskans who have died in combat during various wars.
Some pictures…
War Veterans Memorial
Resolution Park and Cook Memorial
A small park towards one end of downtown, has a bronze statue of Captain Cook. This is in commemoration of his exploration of the Cook Inlet on board HMS Resolution in 1776. Captain Cook did not actually reach Anchorageas part of his explorations though he paved the way for it.
Cook Memorial
Somedisturbing truths….
Homeless and Drug Abuse
Downtown Anchorage did leave me a little disappointed.Large number of homeless people foraging dustbins was not what I had expected here. Half naked men and women lying on the roadside in different states of intoxication is a common sight. Many are quiet but others are constantly hurling abuses or standing in various acrobatic poses.
A homeless man forages a dustbin and a woman sleeps on the roadside
Simultaneously there are people trying to help and rehabilitate such people as you can see in the picture below where a drug rehabilitation camp of sorts was held at the local park.
Drug warning board in the park where rehabilitation camp was held
This is not exactly a very pleasant thing to talk about but I have to show the negative parts of a place too!!
Small tips for future travellersto Alaska
Weather can change any moment and so, be prepared with gear to face it at all times. Always dress in layers and thermal innerwear is preferable. Rain gear is essential whenever you step out. Good shoes , preferably hiking shoes will keep your feet warm and prevent you from slipping on wet surfaces.
When you plan an itinerary, always leave time for a last minute change due to weather conditions. So keep extra time at all destinations if you dont want to miss out on anything.
Most tour operators offer hotel drop and pickup.
Never interact with the homeless .
With this I wind up my episode on Anchorage city. Hope you have got a virtual picture of this city. We move on to more adventures in the coming episodes. Till then, do keep your comments and feedback coming.
Travel-along.in 