Alaska, still a wild frontier

We started our trip on 8/27/07 by flying from Ontario, CA to Vancouver, BC. The transfers from the airport to the ship went very smoothly. Everything was arranged by Princess and worked seamlessly.
We had our first dinner in the dining room, the service was wonderful and the scenery was breathtaking.
Our second day on the ship was a sea day so we relaxed and acquainted ourselves with the ship. We worked out in the gym and ate quite a bit. We arrived in Ketchikan on 8/29/08 and did not expect to see rain. Our friends who had been here before told us the weather would be beautiful this time of year anyway we still had fun. The town is very picturesque. We took a horse drawn trolley ride thru the town for the highlights then walked and shopped.
Ketchikan is the fifth most populous city in the state of Alaska and the southeastern most sizable city in that state. Ketchikan's economy is based upon tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World. One of the area's major attractions is “The Misty Fjords National Monument.
Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town. Ketchikan comes from the Tlingit name for the creek, Kitschk-hin, the meaning of which is not clear; it may mean "the river belonging to Kitschk" Or "Thundering Wings of an Eagle." Ketchikan houses the world's largest collection of standing totem poles located in three major locations: Saxman Village, Totem Bight, and the Totem Heritage Center. Ketchikan is 235 miles (378 km) south of Juneau, Alaska.
We arrived in Juneau on August 30th. There was no rain but it was very cold. Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, though the place was for a time called Rockwell and then Harrisburg (after Juneau's co-prospector, Richard Harris. The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni "river where the flounders gather", and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aak'w "little lake" in Tlingit. The Taku River, south of Juneau, was named after the cold t'aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains. Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Ice Cap, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; one of these, the Mendenhall Glacier, is visible from the local road system; this glacier has been generally retreating; its front face is declining both in width and height.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska and has a great variety of things to see and do. A number of memorials are along the waterfront and boardwalk and the famous Red Dog Saloon is nearby; state and city museums and government buildings are a short walk, with shops all along the way. We took a tour to Mendenhall Glacier, downtown and the Salmon Hatchery. It was very interesting especially the glacier. Mendenhall Glacier is a 20 minute drive from downtown and is the most accessible glacier to any town on the Inside Passage. Active adventures abound in Juneau. This is an excellent spot for whale watching, wildlife viewing, kayaking and river rafting. Some whale watching companies actually offer cash refund if you don't see a humpback or orca whale during your tour.
On Friday September 1st we were in Skagway. It is a small town of 800 people. It was cold. We took an old trolley with a great tour guide named Peggy. She was in costume and was very knowledgeable about the area. She took us out to an old grave yard and shared lots of stories, Peggy and her husband spend their summers in Skagway. She told us there are only 5 hours of daylight in the winter!
We were in Glacier Bay on Saturday September 2nd. Glacier Bay National Park is north of Juneau; Hubbard Glacier, which "flows" off Wrangell-St. Elias National Park into Disenchantment Bay and South central Alaska's Prince William Sound with College Fjord and other glacier-rich sites. I was on the treadmill watching the glaciers go by, what a treat that was. This region of towering mountains, lush forests, endless acres of untrammeled wilderness, whales in the water and brown (grizzly) bears on shore. Alaska Native cultures are still vibrantly living. "Sourdough" gold rush history is still reflected in many structures and sites connected to the Klondike stampede to the Yukon.
On Sunday September 3rd we were at sea and saw the College Fjords’ around 3:00 PM. This is our last day on the Coral Princess. We disembark at 6:45 AM for out seven day land tour.
Land Portion 7 day tour Anchorage to Deadhorse Alaska.
Our plane from Anchorage to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay was an hour late and unfortunately our plan to sightsee on the way up was thwarted by clouds. We arrived by puddle jumper to one of the most desolate spots we had ever been in.
Prudhoe Bay is miles of oil rigs and their attendant machinery. There is no town or village. The workers live in barrack type buildings two weeks on and two weeks off. The off weeks they are flown to Fairbanks by whichever oil company they work for. No families, no pets, nothing but winds and cold.
Prudhoe Bay sits right on the Arctic Ocean. We stayed in the one and only place to stay called, The Arctic Caribou Inn.
It was used to house the drill rigging personal; Very basic. Two twin beds placed at either end of the room, a bureau, a tiny bathroom with a toilet and small shower, a small step down to a sink.
Our meals were served by the cooks in big metal tray. That night it was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, beans, a salad bar, a dessert case, hot tea and coffee only $18.00 each.
The tour of Prudhoe Bay was of oil rigs and wide expanses of nature. We did get to walk down a rocky beach and dip whatever body part into the frigid Arctic Ocean.
The second day of our land tour vacation began at 4:30 with a 9 hour ride over the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot. There were no "restroom facilities" along this road. The first trees we saw were 8 hours into our trip and over the Antigun Pass.
Coldfoot started out as a tent to serve coffee and sandwiches to the truckers on this very lonely Highway, the half-way point between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay. The "buffet" same as Prudhoe Bay,
Our bus driver on this l8 hour trek was extremely knowledgeable about flora and fauna. He would have made a great school-teacher. If you would like to see Denali National Park, there are shuttle buses at your disposal, or you could book a tour with one of the many private buses, that can offer you the opportunity to get involved in a variety of guided hikes, gold panning, fishing, and some breath taking photograph opportunities.
Mount McKinley National Park is situated within Denali and the tours here offer incredible views of this glacier covered impressive mountain, which is in fact the highest peak in the whole of North America at an incredible 20,320 feet.