We booked a naturalist guide in Ketchikan to show us some off the beaten path nature spots. Ketchikan is an island. There are no highways connecting Ketchikan to the mainland. They have a road that leads out of town north to a dead end and then south to a dead…

We awoke to unfavorably cloudy weather. Our morning five glacier seaplane tour was cancelled, so we spent the morning in the Sealaska Heritage Center, where we learned more about the cultural heritage of Alaska including clothing and traditions, and we even got to witness part of the school’s graduation celebration…

In August 1896. Gold was struck in Dawson City. This caused a stampede of people coming to the area, the gold rush! 100,000 attempted, but only 4,000 made it here, staked a claim, and found gold. Only a couple hundred found enough to be wealthy. We had the opportunity to…

The next day we spent in Glacier Bay National Park. Park rangers and a Huna Tlingit clan member boarded our boat to provide insight and education for the day. The Huna Tlingit have resided in this area since time immemorial (before memory, record, or tradition). Glacier Bay is constantly changing…

We started our day in Whittier and did our laundry. This involved walking in the rain and waiting in line for the small laundry room. Apparently the building is referred to as the city in a building and houses 80 percent of the town. I doubt this laundry room supports…

We took the first train of the season. The trains run every week or so in the winter. The Alaska Railroad connects Seward all the way up to Fairbanks. Some of these communities are only reachable by train. They are called flagstoppers because they flag down the train and hop…

We rented a car and drove to Homer and then to Seward. Our journey was rainy most of the route, but the views were still charming. We saw a few moose, including two running across an open area. We tried to turn around and find them, but they must have…

My mom and I are traveling around Alaska for the next couple weeks! As we are arriving, things are just opening up for the tourist season. My mom and I enjoy spending time with each other, and we are delighted at this adventure! Follow along on my journey here, and…