Alaska Travel – Plan Well, Have Fun

Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. Credit: Victoria Lynn Pennick.

Alaska is huge. You already know that. It’s also chockablock with natural wonders, which of course is why you want to go there. So the challenge is to plan an Alaska trip that includes your must-have experiences and makes the best use of your time. To help you do this, I asked Anchorage-based photographer Victoria Lynn Pennick to identify what she thinks are the top Alaska experiences and offer tips on timing and location.

In her first guest post, Victoria shared her thoughts and images of some of the hiking trails that stretch out across Alaska. Here are her Alaska highlights:

Aurora Borealis viewed from Anchorage over the Chugach Mountain Range. Credit: Victoria Lynn Pennick.

Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis is the scientific name for the Northern Lights, seen over the North Pole. While the lights can be seen in all areas of Alaska, the best viewing spots are in the Interior and north: Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Denali National Park, and all across the North Slope.

It is dark enough for good displays between late October/early November until the first week of May, with some of the best displays between December and March. St. Patrick’s Day, 2012, was a display of epic proportions that people still talk about in awe.

This wondrous phenomenon is visible when a cloud of gas, erupts from the sun and collides with the earth’s magnetic field. The impact creates currents of charged particles that create the beautiful curtains and rivers of light when they collide with oxygen and nitrogen in our upper atmosphere. The colors depend on the proportions of oxygen and nitrogen at the altitude of the auroral activity. These collisions can happen all year round, but they are most visible when the skies are dark and clear; the closer to the poles the more intense the displays.

Alaska photographer Victoria Lynn Pennick is based in Anchorage. Photo credit: Anthony Madden.

Tips for photographing the Aurora

The Aurora is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to capture on a cell phone or point-and-shoot camera. For best results, a good DSLR with the ability to go to an ISO of 2000 or more, a sturdy tripod with a timer or remote cable-release, and a wide-angle lens (30mm or less – the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is a popular lens among local Aurora Chasers, although my favorite is a 24mm f/1.8).  Depending on the intensity of the display, a good starting point for settings is ISO 500, 5-10 seconds with your lens wide open. Do not use the auto-focus feature – focus on a star, and then leave it there.

An Alaska Railroad sightseeing trip making its way north along the Seward Highway. Passengers enjoy snow-capped mountain and glacier views, as well as wildlife such as Dall Sheep, moose, eagles, and the occasional bear. Credit: Victoria Lynn Pennick.

Alaska Railroad

In 1903 a company called the Alaska Central Railroad began to build a rail line in Seward, near the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, and expanded to the north. Today the line is owned by the State of Alaska, and runs 470 miles, from Seward all the way to Fairbanks and beyond to Eielson AFB and Fort Wainwright in the Interior.

The railroad is connected to the Lower 48 via 3 rail barges that sail from Whittier (south of Anchorage) to either Seattle or British Columbia, but it does not have any direct land-based connections to any railroad lines in North America.

The Alaska Railroad’s first diesel locomotive entered service in 1944, and retired its last steam locomotive in 1966. The railroad is still used for cargo transport, but in the summer it becomes a major tourist attraction.

Private cars owned by major cruise lines are towed behind the AKRR cars, and many times the trips are included in cruise packages. Boasting beautifully maintained yellow and cobalt engines towing observation cars, the sightseeing trips run from Anchorage to Fairbanks, taking approximately 12 hours to make its way through some of the most beautiful countryside in the U.S. Winter trips are also available, but limited to weekends only.

Flyfishing on the Kenai Peninsula, Kenai Lake. Credit: Victoria Lynn Pennick.

Alaska fishing

Two words describe fishing in Alaska… World Class.  Whether you’re fishing from shore or from a boat, Alaska has some of the best fishing in the world. The Kenai Peninsula becomes a Fisherman’s Paradise every spring when the salmon start moving up the rivers and streams to spawn. Most people equate Alaska with salmon first and – thanks to Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch TV series – then crab. But don’t forget about the halibut fishing in Kachemak Bay, shrimp the size of small lobsters out of Prince William Sound, and some of the best trout fishing around.

Bears

Wildlife viewing is a must while you’re visiting Alaska, and sometimes unavoidable. Moose can be found everywhere, including our back yards. It’s also not uncommon to cross paths with one or more while out hiking the trails. But when it comes to bears, sometimes you see the evidence that they’re around and never see them. So when you want to see them up close and personal, a bear-viewing trip is in order.

Each year thousands of people make the pilgrimage to the Alaska Peninsula, to the Land of the Thousand Smokes, for the sole purpose of viewing the Alaskan Brown Bears. McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge on Kamishak Bay covers about 95% of the over 4 million acres of pristine land, and is home to a good portion of the ~30,000 Brown bears that live here.

Brown Bear napping after a salmon lunch, Katmai National Park. Credit: Victoria Lynn Pennick.

Your viewing experience will be different depending on the time of year. May through June is mating season; there is a lot of interaction between the bears, and it’s not uncommon to have 35-40 bears in sight at any given time. In July through August the salmon are running, and the famous McNeill River bears are lined up along the river and popular Brooks Falls, catching their share of the smorgasbord. This is a photographer’s dream come true, as there are bears everywhere.

As the season winds down, the salmon move upstream, and Moraine Creek is a popular destination. In September, the salmon runs are fading, and the bears are eating all they can as the fall colors sweep the land, giving way to winter. If bear viewing is on your list, book early, as tours are limited and fill up fast.

Alaska really has it all, whether it’s spectacular views, world-class skiing or fishing, hiking, flying or wildlife viewing.  Alaska should be on everyone’s “Bucket List.”

Best wishes,

Victoria

Note from Elizabeth: Interested in Denali National Park? Read about a unique opportunity to sleep in cabins with a view of “the Great One.” And my top Alaska experience – glacier dog sledding.

Tags: AK, AKRR, Alaska, Alaska Brown Bears, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska Railroad, Anchorage, Aurora Borealis, bear viewing, bears, Camp Denali, Chugach Mountain Range, Denali National Park, flyfishing, Katmai NationalPark, Kenai Peninsula, Northern Lights, photographing the Aurora, salmon, wildlife

Category: Alaska