Shooting Trip over the 4th

I have been eager to get out and do some landscape shooting

with either 4x5 or 8x10 over the 4th of July. I have begun to

narrow the choices down and have come to Yosemite or

Anchorage. I live in Seattle, so travel would be about the same.

Any thoughts from people around those areas? My only worry

about Yosemite would be the crowds and finding a place to stay.

Have never been to Anchorage, but have heard that the drive to

Seward is not to be missed. Any advice would be greatly

appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you're planning to stay within 100 miles of Yosemite, I hope you're referring to July 4, 2005.

<p>I would agree with Bill that the chances of getting a reservation in Yosemite for July 4 of this year would be pretty slim - for either one of the hotels or a campsite. But, you might luck out. Check the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm">NPS Yosemite site</a> for the reservation numbers. Even if you get a reservation, the park is likely to be packed, making logistics for LF photography more difficult. </p>

 

<p>In your shoes, looking at that date, I'd opt for Alaska (and in between) even though Yosemite is awesome.</p>

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Anchorage would be my choice as well. However, being a Seattlite myself,you piqued my interest in such a trip so I've just checked the distance. Ancorage is approximately 2300 miles one way from Seattle. Isn't that about twice the distance to Yosemite from here?

Randy,

 

You didn't say how long you planned to spend at your destination, but I'll assume that it's no more than a week. Because of that, you'll probably car camp or stay at hotels in and around Anchorage. Here are some thoughts.

 

1. A road trip down Turnagain Arm to Portage Glacier and then Seward. Spend a day photographing along the arm and then evening photography at Portage. Formal camp sites at Portage will be at a premium over the 4th, but camping outside of the campground itself has never been forbidden. You'll figure it out. The next day, work your way down the Seward Highway toward the Exit Glacier, which is just outside of Seward. I would avoid Seward itself as it is quite the madhouse over the 4th. Return via same route, visiting spots at different times of the day (e.g., morning photography in Portage, evening along Turnagain Arm). Total miles: a bit over 200. Total time: 4 days to a lifetime.

 

2. Head north to Hatcher Pass in the Talkeetna Mountains and then continue up the Glen Highway to the Matanuska Glacier. Side trips en-route to Hatcher Pass include the boardwalk at the Eagle River entrance to Chugach Park, Thunderbird Falls (these two aren't obvioius while you're driving), and then anything else you see. Camp in the Talkeetna Mountains after doing sunset near Summit Lake at Hatcher Pass. Proceed to the Matanuska Glacier the next day, and then reverse. I don't recall how many miles of driving this trip involves, but it's probably close to 300. Total time - 4 days to a lifetime.

 

3. You can also stay in Anchorage and just do day trips to everything that I've mentioned, although I would be disinclined to to so many out and back trips. I would concentrate on staying between Hatcher Pass and Portage.

 

Try to find a copy of The Milepost in a Seattle bookstore. It has road maps, accommodations, and suggestions of things to see and do. Topo maps are obviously helpful (www.topozone.com for on-line mapping). Be aware that the glaciers have receeded a mile or more from where they are shown in even the "updated" topo maps.

 

Three other notes: the fire danger is relatively high this summer. Try not to use a camp fire. Bears are for real up here, even around Anchorage itself. Don't leave food outside of your car. And like everywhere else, the 4th can be a time of drunken revelry. Be reasonably cautious.

 

Hope that you have a good time.

 

Bruce

Bruce - a quick question about the bears up there. You mention keeping food in the car, rather than outside. The Yosemite bears, for example, have learned that they can quite easily open a car like a tin can at the slightest whiff of food smells (or the sight of something shiny in the car) by simply folding the top half of the car door down on the bottom half. Are the AK bears more polite?

Randy, You might consider Kings Canyon/Sequoia Nat'l Parks as alternatives to Yosemite on the Glorious 4th as they are in the same neighborhood, also worthwhile IMHO, is the 395 side of the Sierras. Explore all those little canyons that lead up the eastern slope---great scenery! You can camp out and then splurge on a cheap casino hotel in Reno for hot showers and buffets---Harrah's used to have langostino on fridays---(or better yet, try the Hot Springs are Red's Meadows near Devil's Postpile and Mammoth!) Alaska is another great destination, though I've never driven the Alaska Highway in the Summer(yes, I drove it in the Winter)I don't recall being all that impressed with Anchorage. The Southeast(Juneau, Haines,etc...) The Kenai, and places like Denali, Talkeetna, and the Wrangell/ St. Elias areas have more of an Alaska "feel" for me(my opinion: thers a lot of the place I've haven't seen yet!) Hey, didn't you have to take a train to Seward and put your car on a flatbed? Maybe I'm confused! Which ever direction you head you'll be in for great scenery, but those Summer crowds in Yosemite....ugggh!

Randy,

 

I haven't heard of Alaska bears breaking into cars. Homes and cabins, yes, but not cars. Very few of the bears outside of the municipality are used to human food, and so aren't inclined to turn a car inside out. The goal is to keep it that way by eliminating easy access. I've never even had an encounter with a bear beyond the time when I did wildlife photography. But a couple of people are injured each year, so I would feel remiss if I did pass along the warning.

 

Bruce

Oops, typo - I meant to say that I would be remiss if I didn't mention the issue of bears. Log on to www.adn.com and check out Sunday's (6/8/03) paper. There's an article about a bear attack at Peter's Creek being thwarted by pepper spray.

 

Here's a photo from the spring before this last one made at Portage Lake.

 

Bruce<div></div>