Alaskan Adventures
Alaska is such a diverse destination and a huge drawcard for adventurers seeking a wilderness experience. From the spectacular Inside Passage to the icy world of Glacier Bay, Alaska is a haven for wildlife. There are whales, seals, grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou, ground squirrels, hoary marmots, and Dall sheep. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore by bike, kayak, or canoe, or go for a walk on one of the many hiking trails. Alaska truly is one of few wild places left in the world.

Here are some highlights of the Last Frontier from ExplorerGirl Ambassador Karen Graham.

Spectacular Inside Passage
Carved by glaciers millions of years ago, the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska is renowned for its remote islands, wildlife-filled fjords and forested mountains. Small communities dot the shoreline, many accessible only by boat or plane. The journey from Prince Rupert to Juneau takes approximately 24 hours and is an incredibly scenic voyage.

Most ferries have heated Solariums on the top deck, which are undercover but not enclosed. So backpackers tend to roll out their sleeping bags on deckchairs provided and have a snooze under the stars. Of course, in the land of the Midnight Sun, darkness is fleeting and you will spend most of your time looking at the wonderful scenery and trying to spot wildlife.

Alaskan waters are home to many species of whales, including the humpback, baleen, minke and killer whales. There is nothing more impressive than watching a whale launch out of the water in a display of breaching. You are also likely to spot porpoises, dolphins, otters and the iconic bald eagle.

If you have the time it’s definitely worth stopping at towns along the route. In Ketchikan there are wonderful hiking trails, including the Deer Mountain Trail. It’s a strenuous walk, but well worth the effort for incredible views of the Tongass Narrows and the Inside Passage.

Inside Passage ferries:
www.alaskaferry.com 
www.ferrytravel.com
Deer Mountain trail:
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/ak/hik_ton5.htm

Juneau – Adventure capital of Alaska
Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest and is only accessible by air and sea. The beauty of the area’s wilderness is best seen from the air where you get an appreciation of its grand scale, but there are also many options allowing you to get up close and personal. Pull on the hiking boots and explore the trails. One of the most spectacular walks is the West Mendenhall Glacier hike.

With plenty of places to see wildlife, depending on the season you can go whale watching or take a float-plane to Admiralty Island to watch the grizzly bears catching salmon. Other activities include rafting, kayaking, fishing, or cruising into the pristine Tracy Arm Fjord.

Juneau is also gateway to Glacier Bay, which is one of the most popular (and arguably the most spectacular) trips on offer in Alaska.

In 1879, naturalist and writer John Muir recorded his discovery of Glacier Bay. He wrote: Were the attractions of this north coast half known, thousands of lovers of nature’s beauties would come hither every year. I know of no excursion in any part of our vast country where so much is unfolded in so short a time.

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
When explorer Captain George Vancouver sailed through southeast Alaska in 1794, Glacier Bay was only a small indentation in the coastline. He described it as ‘a compact sheet of ice as far as the eye could distinguish’. Since then the ice has retreated over 100 kilometres to reveal a vast bay. Such a rapid retreat has not been recorded anywhere else in the world. 

The original inhabitants of this area were the Tlingit Indians, hunter-gatherers surviving on salmon, seals, berries and roots. During the Little Ice Age they were driven from the bay by advancing glaciers; today their descendants consider Glacier Bay their ancestral home.

Although a few pioneers settled in the area during the 1920s, Glacier Bay remains isolated and undeveloped. Many visitors travel by cruise ship through the bay without disembarking, but there is also the option of staying for two or three days at Bartlett Cove where you can camp in ‘bear country’ or stay at the lodge.

Glacier Bay cruises take you into an icy world for a wonderful glimpse of the Alaskan wilderness. Often there are icebergs, of all shapes and sizes, surrounding the boat. Some of the icebergs are exquisitely blue. The boat sails incredibly close to massive glaciers and you get to hear thunderous cracking as chunks of ice calve and crash into the water. Grizzly bears and moose roam the shores; seals perch on icebergs and otters play in the water. There are also plenty of birds, including white gulls, cormorants and eagles soaring overhead. One of the most wonderful sights is the puffin, an unusual bird with a colourful bill and orange webbed feet. Apparently puffins are not great fliers; to gain enough speed they must take a long run-up up or dive off a cliff.

At the conclusion of multi-day trips there is a 20-minute flight from Bartlett Cove back to Juneau and this would have to be one of the most spectacular flights in the world – soaring over snow-capped mountains and the pristine icy world below.

Further information:
http://www.traveljuneau.com/
http://www.juneausportfishing.com/glacierbay.html
http://www.juneausbestours.com/
http://www.gustavus.com/

Into the Wild
“... Might be a very long time before I return South... I now walk into the wild," wrote Chris McCandless on a final postcard to a friend. His journey, including the years leading up to his fateful trip into the Alaskan wilderness, has since sparked debate about whether he died because he was ill-prepared or was just plain unlucky. Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild (and the subsequent film) explores these ideas. Whatever the case may be, Chris McCandless has inspired many people with his free spirit and sense of adventure, and a hiking trip in Denali National Park and Preserve can definitely give you a taste of the freedom sought by him and many other adventurers (albeit in a more controlled way as the rangers will miss you if you don’t return).

Denali National Park
Denali National Park and Preserve, which covers an area of six million acres, is located in the heart of the rugged Alaskan interior and remains wild and unspoiled. The centrepiece of the park is Mount McKinley (or Denali, the ‘High One’). At 6,194m, it’s the highest peak in North America and crowns the 600-mile Alaskan range.

This park is the ultimate destination for those seeking a wilderness experience. There are very few trails in Denali National Park and Preserve, which is a decision that was made years ago to help protect the landscape and wildlife. Equipped with compass, map and bear-bin (to keep the grizzlies at bay) intrepid backpackers are dropped by the side of the road and left to forge their own path into the wild. It’s likely you will find yourself fording rivers or scrambling over boulders or fighting through thick brush or trekking in the shadow of the inspiring Mount McKinley (depending on the area you choose to hike in).

Permits for overnight camping must be obtained from the Backcountry Desk located in the Visitor Access Centre at the Riley Creek Entrance Area. The park is divided into 87 separate backcountry units, including 41 units where restrictions are placed on the number of campers per night. Permits are issued on a first come first served basis, so it’s a good idea to do some research before your arrival and have several alternative trip itineraries mapped out (particularly in peak times). Reservations cannot be made and permits are only issued one day in advance.

You are required to watch a backcountry video, which covers topics such as campsite selection, bear and wildlife encounters, river crossings, low impact camping principles, and how to use the Bear Resistant Food Containers. Your permit is only issued after you’ve also attended a safety talk by rangers. 

Author’s note about her own Denali experience in Area 25: We picked a unit close to the base of Mount McKinley (seemingly flat plains with perhaps a few river crossings), but unfortunately this was a popular unit. When we got to the Backcountry Desk the quota for that unit was full and we didn’t have a backup plan. We glanced quickly at the first few paragraphs about Area 25 and thought this would suit us fine. How wrong we were! On the first day we hiked for ten hours but barely progressed three kilometres. At the end of our three-day expedition we were cold, wet and exhausted, not to mention scratched and bruised. On our return we read the entire field notes for Area 25, including this final paragraph, which summed up our experience rather nicely: Climbing Mt Healy is possible, but beware of loose rock. Due to difficulty and exposure, a traverse of the entire ridge is rarely done.

Although the hike was extremely challenging I came away from the experience feeling something close to euphoria. We spent another two days in the park, including a night at Wonder Lake (near the base of Mount McKinley). It’s hard to explain how high my spirits were after this adventure. Perhaps it’s just because we survived our wilderness experience (and I’ll admit there were moments when I was scared). Or perhaps it’s the knowledge that I’ve trekked in an area that very few people (if any) have ever been before. I can highly recommend journeying into the wild.

A Backcountry Camping Guide can be downloaded at:
http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm

Jon Krakauer’s original article about Chris McCandless, Death of an Innocent, featured in Outside magazine can be read online. There is also a link if you wish to purchase his subsequent novel: Into the Wild.

If you only have one day (or if you have a few days, but don’t feel like going backcountry hiking) there are also plenty of other options available in Denali National Park and Preserve. There are several marked trails near the entrance to the park, along Savage River and near the Wonder Lake campground. Shuttle buses run through the park, giving you the opportunity to see moose, caribou, wolves and other wildlife. There are also ranger-led Discovery Hikes.

For more information visit:
http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/index.htm

Further information:
www.travelalaska.com
www.alaskatours.com

Have you gone adventuring in Alaska? Please share your experiences with the ExplorerGirls community in our Forum or leave a comment here.

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Karen Graham

Images: istock and Karen Graham