Another Travel ?... Alaska in August

[bruce]

Hello all,

 

I am hunting for some advice about must see places during my

two week trip to Alaska. 1st and foremost, I arrive on 8/11 in the

evening and am heading off to Denali on the 12th. I already have

camping reservations at Riley Creek on the 13th, and

reservations at Wonder Lake for the 14th to 18th. We will be

leaving Alaska on the 23rd. I am a camper with a lot of photo

gear... full medium format and 35mm systems. Note... this is a

photo excursion as Tamy and I both shoot nature for Galleries

and Stock. So,... do you have any suggestions about where to

stay/go on the 12th as I make my way towards Denali? Once I'm

done with Wonder Lake, I've got about 5 days to kill. Do you

suggest that I stay in a different Denali campground? Head

towards Homer? I really do not know where to go next, where to

stay, and what to see.

 

Thanks and regards... bruce

 

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

[al_menk]

Hi Bruce, I had a similar trip planned last year that was interrupted by the 911 attack. My plan was to head for the Kenai Peninsula after Denali. There are several boat tours that explore the Kenai Fjords National Park. Puffins still might be around and there's a good chance on seeing whales. The drive from Anchorage to Seward and Homer is suppose to be beautiful, but then again isn't all of Alaska.

 

If your driving, I believe from your previous posts that you live in WI or MN, be sure to take in the Canadian Rockies from Banaff to Jasper. I'd plan a few days around Jasper, as wildlife opportunities are abundant.

 

There'll be another day for me to get there, so good luck on your planning. There is a wealth of information available on the web.

 

Al

[hank_pennington]

Bruce-

 

Regarding your question of a place to stay on your way to Denali,

it's a 5-6 hour drive from Anchorage with camp grounds of some

sort along most of the creeks once you move north of the

Matanuska Valley. The crowds begin to form as you near Denali,

so I would pick a mid-point along the way to start looking for a

site.

 

Al makes a good point about the opportunities on the Kenai

Pennisula, but be aware that August is the peak of the people

season. Finding "peopleless" photo opps and even a campsite

can be challenging at best, but especially on weekends when

Anchorage disgorges its hordes to join the fray. Fortunately for

us, most people like to sleep in.

 

To a Kenai Fjords boat tour or two for animals I would add an

early morning side trip (via auto and a short walk on an improved

trail) to the Exit Glacier near Seward. It spills onto dry ground

and you can actually walk around it and get great closeups of

blue ice, as well as broader scenics. Don't overlook the

opportunities presented by walking downstream from the glacier

(Even with people you can get down low to use foreground

details to obscure people around the base).

 

In Seward I would pay a visit to the Sea Life Center (right after

they open and before the crowds build). Depending on the state

of the ongoing repairs to their large tanks you can get great puffin

and other bird photos (above and below water), as well as sea

lions, seals and sea otters. Confur with the cashier about the

status of the tanks before paying your fee. In the touch tank and

the downstairs aquaria you can also get great images of

intertidal life and fish. Low light, so long exposures and crative

positioning to avoid reflections however, so carry your tripod.

 

Hank

[qtluong]

On your way to Denali NP, you can try to stay at Denali State

Park, which is about 2/3 of the way from Anchorage. Denali

State park will give you some different views of the Mountain

(if you are lucky), which some think are as good as those

obtained from Wonder Lake. I second the suggestion of

going to Seward and checking the Exit glacier and the fjords,

this would give you a view of glaciers and coastal Alaska.

Another interesting possibility which let you see a lot

would be to drive the Denali highway, which

has great scenery and where you can work from the trunk of your

car for a change from Denali NP, do a short trip to

McCarthy/Kennicott in Wrangell-St Elias, then drive to Valdez,

and take the ferry to the Kenai peninsula.

Tuan. <a href = "http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/">National Parks

photography project</a>

[ron_niebrugge]

�Where to stay/go on the 12th as I make my way towards Denali?�

 

If you are camping, I would stay at Beyer�s Lake Campground in Denali State Park. It is a nice campground, good location, and will break up the drive nicely.

 

�Once I'm done with Wonder Lake, I've got about 5 days to kill�.

 

As Tuan suggests, I would loop down and cross the Denali Highway. It is a long gravel road (100 + miles) but it cuts through some beautiful country. Then you could head down to Valdez and take the ferry across Prince William Sound. If the ferry schedule doesn�t work, then drive the Glen Highway back to Anchorage. Then you could finish with a trip to Seward.

 

In Seward I definitely would do the full day National Park tour. Much more scenic then half day, and much better chance of seeing whales. As others have mentioned, Exit Glacier is worth the visit along with the Sealife Center. The tanks are supposed to be fixed by summer.

 

Finally, I would strongly recommend buying a copy of The Milepost. It is a very valuable Alaska travel guide.

[jeff_nelson3]

With 5 days to burn I would definatly go South to the Kenai Peninsula. South of Anchorage look for sheep on the cliffs and awsome sunsets along the Seward Hiway at Turn again Arm. Homer is one of my favorite spots, it offers a wide range of photographic subjects. there are camp spots right on the spit. On the Sterling Hiway on your way to Homer you'll go through Copper Landing on Kenai Lake, it's also a photo rich area with good views of the Kenai River. Kenai has some photo opps as well where the river empties into the Cook Inlet with views of Mt. Redoubt volcano and North of Kenai is Capitain Cook State Park where the Swanson River empties into the Cook which may be worth a look. Good campground with a veiw of the Inlet & Redoubt. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail. Good Luck!