Alaska

August 29 - September 2, 2008
AC1171 YYZ-YVR, AC538 YVR-ANC, AC537 ANC-YVR, AC156 YVR-YYZ

This was our first trip to Alaska, and although we were there late in the season, we managed to get some amazing weather.  The days were cool and without rain.  We covered a lot of territory in a short time, but this was definitely better than being trapped on a cruise ship.  Anchorage made a good starting point for heading both along the Kenai Peninsula and then north into Denali National Park.  We saw lots of wildlife including: humpback and beluga whales, a brown bear, grizzly bears, wolves, sea lions, seals, otter, caribou, Dall sheep, hawks, hares, ptarmigan and various other birds.  We also had two days of unobstructed views of the incredible Mt. McKinley rising to over 20,000' -- an incredible vertical rise of 18,000' from its base.  It is extremely impressive, but is also normally covered in clouds, so we were very lucky to see it.  Unfortunately we had to end the trip with a red eye flight back to Toronto and then onto work, but it was a good extended Labour Day weekend.

Aug 29
We spent the morning traveling to Anchorage arriving just after 2:00pm

A great view from the plane as we approach Anchorage

After driving about 6 hours, we arrive at the beach in Homer at dusk

Aug 30
After a quiet night in Homer at the Bear Creek Winery we head out early

We stop in Anchor Point, the westernmost driveable point in mainland North America

Looking far across Cook Inlet toRedoubt Volcano, last erupted in 1989

Russian Orthodox church in Ninilchik Village, along the Cook Inlet

Shooting at road signs is a favorite Alaskan hobby

An early morning fog is still hugging the ground

After driving for the morning, we head out on the 11:30 am Kenai Fjords cruise

Sea lions rest on the rocks

One of a few sea otters that followed our boat

One of the many puffins we saw along the way

A close up view of Aialik Glacier

The glacier just after a huge chunk calved into the bay

Enjoy the sun, but trying to stay warm in the cold breeze

The tail of one of the humpback whales we were chasing

Two other humpbacks near the boat.  Unfortunately no breaching

The harbour in Seward on our way back in from the glacier tour

Exit Glacier on our way out of Seward

After a short walk, we make it to the glacier’s edge

Our favorite sign in the national park.  Luckily we were in the car when we saw the brown bear

Aug 31
After an evening in Anchorage, we head to Denali National Park

After a long drive, we take a hike near the visitor center

The beautiful fall colours viewed from the valley floor

Sunset, viewed from our Grande Denali Lodge hotel

Sept 1
We started out very early for our 6:15 am Tundra Wilderness Tour

Two ptarmigan in brown, prior to their winter white, as we saw in Churchill

An amazingly clear view of 20320’ (6194m) Mt. McKinley, the highest in North America

Me outside our trusty tour bus; took us for 100 miles of unpaved road

One of two wolf pups we saw along the road

One of about 20 grizzly bears we saw.  This one just off the main road  

The bear was enjoying berries on the hillside and did not pay any attention to the bus

The bear cub stayed close to her mother and also enjoyed some berries

One of a number of caribou with a full rack of horns

Another view of Mt. McKinley and the surrounding mountains

More beautiful Denali scenery

More beautiful fall foliage in the park at the end of the long 9-hour bus ride

Sept 2
After driving back the previous afternoon, a relaxing, final day in Anchorage

After a filling lunch, I pose in front of a stuffed grizzly bear

We left for Toronto in the early afternoon and arrive on the red eye in the morning