Alaska Summer - Any Photo Advice

[anthonty_debase]

It looks like the winter excursion will now take place in Summer 1998 and has evolved in to a family adventure. This means I won't be able to carry a 600mm f/4 and a manly tripod. So there will be no spending 4 hours shooting the rare and very shy Arctic Snow Snipe while my family waits patiently in the car. An no photographing the Northern Lights. :(

 

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Any suggestions as to how to prepare for Alaska scenery and animals will be appreciated. If you have visited Alaska I would certainly appreciate your thoughts on what worked best for you. Are there any special things, such as the Aurora Borealis, that I should be prepared for?

[don_schmidt]

Anthony, I don't mean to sound flip, but Alaska is a huge state. (If laid over the "lower 48," it would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It has more coastline than all coastal states in the lower 48 combined.) Can you tell us what sort of trip this is. If it's strictly a road trip, that's a lot different than if you can be flying into such places as Kodiak Island or Katmai National Park. The climate also varies considerably depending on where you'll be traveling. Also, if you know about when next summer. Every month will give you different photo ops. If it's late summer, don't count out the northern lights. I've seen them in late August or September when they were breath-taking, but it is a rarity.

[steve_kaufman]

Anthony: Why do you say that you have to leave the 600 at home just because it will be a family vacation? I think you should reconsider! In Alaska we have lots of places to go, largely limited by the amount of money you wish to spend, and how you plan to travel. And though it is a large area as Don mentioned, many areas are only accessible by boat or plane. If you are planning to drive, consider buying a copy of the "MilePost", which gives a fairly comprehensive mile by mile guide to the main roads both leading to Alaska, and within the state. Another consideration: many of the most popular places are quite full with tourists for the entire summer (Denali, Katmai, etc). For some areas, it is necessary to make reservations well in advance!

 

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Tell us more about what you want to see, where you are thinking of traveling, and I'm sure you will get lots of advice. By the way, the aurora last night was spectacular!

[hans_buchholdt]

Don and Steve of course a right about Alaska being a big place, I've been from the Pt. Hope to Metlakatla, Kaktovik to Dutch Harbor, I'm from Anchorage and went to college in Fairbanks, I've been travelling the state all my life and there are dozens and dozens of places, entire regions of the state I have yet to see. I'm sure this topic will go far.

 

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Since you mention having a car, and you'll be bringing your family I'd say plan to stick to the limited road network....here's my idea for an intinerary that makes the best use of time, and passes through the greatest spots.

 

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Take the state ferry from Bellingham WA to Skagway. The ALCAN highway is a drag, just endless miles of monotonous taiga, while the islands of SE Alaska is world class beautiful. Depending on time, schedual extended stops in Petersburg, Sitka, or Juneau. The state ferries have staterooms (the trip lasts four days) and you can get more info off the state webpage at www.state.ak.us

 

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At Skagway, drive the highway through White Pass to Whitehorse, then on past Kulane lake to the Alaska boarder. Steve's suggestion of getting the '98 issue of the Milepost is a "must do". There will be many other people travelling in this area because the 100 year anniversary of the Klondike goldrush, so reservations are something to think about. Travel through to Paxon, and take the Denali highway though to Denali Park. This highway is very rarely used, since it goes from "nowhere" to the park (the back entrance) and herds of Caribou are common, and seeing barren ground grizzlies is not unusual. HOT TIP: call Roberta at Kantishna Roadhouse for accomidations in Denali. Kantishna Roadhouse (should have a listing in Milepost) has been there for 100 years, a private inholding in the middle of the park near Wonder Lake, and the park service can't keep Roberta's guests from driving their own vehicals on the park road to the end at Kantishna. Its a alot better than riding the school bus cattle cars (that don't go as far as Kantishna in anycase), and Kantishna is a pretty spot. She'll rent you nice cabins, or nice wall tents.

 

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After the Kantishna, head south through Anchorage to Seward. Anchorage will give you a chance buy stock up on big city stuff, and the Kenai Pennisula is wonderful. Take a the day boat through the Kenai Fjords. Then back north, and take the state ferry from Whittier to Valdez, then the highway north again to Canada, but this time turn south at Haines Junction, on the road through the mountians to Haines. Take the state ferry back to Bellingham.

 

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Anway, this route will give you maximum roadside photographic opportunities for the miles, plus bring you to a some not often visited places. From earlier posting I know you have considerable experiance in nature photography, so I just say the sun is at a more oblique angle here than your used to, and in the summer it you'll still be shooting at 10+ EV after 10 o'clock at night, and the "golden hour" in the morning is at an obscene 3 AM (or earlier)

 

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Hans

[steve_kaufman]

Hans mentioned Kantishna Roadhouse & Roberta. Roberta sold Kantishna a few years ago to the Doyon Native Corporation, who now operates the lodge. Prices have continued to go up; cheaper wall tents are no longer available. Figure $450/night/person out there now or somewhere in that vicinity. Other lodges in Kantishna are also available: Camp Denali is very nice (slightly cheaper than Kantishna Roadhouse, but a three day stay is the minimum), The Denali Backcountry Lodge is also bit cheaper. Valerie Mundt is operating a place across from Kantishna Roadhouse called the McKinley Gold Camp....I don't have any idea of it's costs or accomodations. I also disagree with Hans, and throughly enjoy the Alaska Highway, while I find the ferry ride rather boring (I'm not overly fond of SE Alaska myself...I prefer open tundra to SE rainforest). The trip from Whitier to Valdez is very nice, as is the road over Thompson Pass. If you go that way, I'd recommend going into Kennicott (Wrangell-St.Elias N.P.)

 

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The Denali Hwy from Paxson to Cantwell is highly recommended....except in hunting season (starts late August).

 

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Trips into Kenai Fiords from Seward usually encounter lots of marine wildlife, and cliff-nesting birds (puffins, murres, kittiwakes). A short boat ride out of Homer to "Gull Island" will also allow good observation & photography of cliff-nesting sea birds. A charter flight over the Kenai Fiords from either Homer or Seward can be well worth the money if you really want to see rugged scenery & glacial terrain.

 

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My favorite, by far, is Denali National Park. Try for a camping space within the park (by car, the only one would be Teklanika, by Bus, I'd try to go to Igloo). Reservations may be made in advance for some camping spaces in the park (50% of the camping spaces are available for advance reservation, the rest are first come/first served for people who arrive without reservations).

 

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But, most important, take that 600! You'd be kicking yourself forever if you leave it behind!

[hans_buchholdt]

Well, I'll admit I haven't been to Kantishna for some years, however, my brother (operations manager - Alaska Sightseeing Tours/Cruisewest) told me last winter that Roberta got the Roadhouse back and he's doing business with her again. The prices however can't gone down from what Steve says (that high? Scary!) so I'll have to withdrawal that recommendation. The Park Service campgrounds at Denali really are wonderful.

 

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The road to Chitina, Copper River and McCarthy and the Kennicott behond, north of Thompson Pass I'd forgotten about. Yes, that is a best bet, and a fantastic journey into absolute wilderness. I've done it in a VW, but a 4x4 is better.

 

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I think a major point that can't be over stressed is planning an itinerary early, like in the next few weeks, and start making reservations for next summer before the end of January. Summer tourism in the last ten years or so has outstripped the facilities. A good thing is there are great campgrounds here, so "car camping" some of the time is a more than reasonable option. Gets you closer to where the photography is too. It is very warm in the summer - lows in the upper 50s-60s, highs 70+.

 

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Steve, that is a great picture of the bear tracks on the beach ( I need to upgrade my computer so I can see these images better!) so I know you must like the rainforest to a degree, if not overly fond of it :-)

[anthonty_debase]

Thanks for the information provided so far. Our tentative plans are to take the Alaska Marine Highway to Haines, travel by road to Skagway with a possible over night stop in White Horse. After some time in Skagway, we would fly to Juneau for a few days. Then we fly to Anchorage for about a week of sightseeing of stuff withing about 1/2 to 1 days drive of Anchorage. Except for the Marine Highway trip most of the rest is pretty much open and changeable.

[hans_buchholdt]

That narrows it down considerably...

 

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A week in Southcentral Alaska is enough time to drive to Denali the long way via Sutton, Copper Center, Paxson, Cantwell (two days). A couple few days there, then down to Seward (a day travel) to see the Kenai Fjords.

 

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There is no reason to stick around Anchorage at all. IMHO

 

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Things to see while your in Juneau is the boat ride Tracy Arm, mostly a landscape thing (Glaciers), A boat ride to Pt. Adolphus on Icy Stait for the Humpbacks and Pack Creek on Admiralty Island to for some Brown Bears. I think Glacier Bay is overrated. In Skagway there is a very nice trail system on the otherside of the river. I've never walked it but I've seen it from the air.

 

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Do bring the 600, by the way.

[anthonty_debase]

I guess I should have not mentioned the 600mm lens. Especially since I only have permission to save for it. The actual lens is still a ways away. I may, however, get a 1.4x teleconvertor to use with my 400mm Sigma. The convertor and some 400 speed print film should produce a psuedo 600mm f/4. And that combination is affordable at this time.

 

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Any more tips? How about interesting cultural sites? Are native cultures considered part of the natural environment?

[steve_kaufman]

Anthony:

I just re-read one of your latter postings. If you take the Marine Hwy to Skagway, why would you fly back to Juneau? You should just get off in Juneau when you go by there. Cultural things? Totem poles (Saxson Park in Ketchikan) or Sitka (if your ferry goes that way). In South Central, there's not alot to see, though the village at Eklutna now allows visitors to come and see their area (it's near Anchorage). They have an interesting graveyard with little houses on the graves, each with a small wooden fence around it. Otherwise, there isn't much too see as far as native culture around the road system. There are a few picturesque towns: there's an old Russian Orthodox church at Ninilchik (Kenai Peninsula), and the towns of Seldovia and Halibut cove (a short boat ride from Homer) are pretty nice. Otherwise, everything you will see will be very modern. The state's population has more than doubled since the pipeline construction, 20 years ago.

[hans_buchholdt]

There is a native village, Klukwan, just outside Haines along the banks of the Chilkat River. Its the "mother" village of the Tlingit, where Raven opened the box of daylight. I was there a few months ago, I was lost actually, looking for the landing to meet my ride to Chilkat Lake. I asked someone for directions, she was friendly enough, but Klukwan was a reputation for not enjoying the company of strangers. Maybe take a swing though it to take a look, but I'd say no photography. This is the stretch of the river where there are many thousands of Eagles this time of year (but not in the summer). The village just north of Anchorage, Eklutna, as Steve mentions, is far more open to visitors, and is very photogenic. The oldest (I think) Russian church in AK is in Eklutna, a very tired ancient looking structure. The deeply cultural (subsistence lifestyle) Alaska natives, who might be considered part of the natural environment, live in bush villages behond the end of the road. Places you fly to in bush planes.

 

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You should plan on overnighting in Whitehorse, going from Haines to Skagway by road in one day is a gruesome trip, the scenery is spectacular, and the area between Whitehorse and Skagway has a huge population of Moose, it would be shame to rush. Maybe plan on taking a long lunch at Tagish Lake to take advantage of that opportunity.

[anthonty_debase]

Things have firmed up quite a bit so I have a few more questions. We will be taking the Alaska Marine Ferry up to Skagway from Bellingham.

 

How is the vibration situation when using a tripod on deck? Did you find any places on the ship that were better or worse when it came to vibrations?

 

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What particularly photogenic sights (yes, I know that most of the trip is photogenic)impressed you on this route and what where they? I want to be prepared.

 

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Will my Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 zoom with TC14B teleconvertor be good enough for those distant animals, waterfalls, glaciers, etc. seen from the ship, or should I bring along the 400mm Sigma?

 

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Any other nature photo tips or hints for the AMHS Ferry portion of this trip are welcome.

[dan_smith]

Anthony, my advice is simple & makes sense to me. Dump the family on a trip to Disneyland and take me instead. I won't mind while you wait for the right light and will give whatever help you need along the way.

[anthonty_debase]

Dan, my family is too smart to give up a trip to Alaska for a few days at Fantasyland in smoggy Anaheim. They appreciate seeing the real thing like Alaskan bears instead of little animated bears, historical fortresses instead of fake log forts selling tacky souveniors, and glaciated mountains instead of a plastic Matterhorne. I guess I must have done something right. Expensive, but right. :)

 

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Of course, we are planning a trip to Utah sometime before the millenium (2001 AD, the real millenium). See you then.

[steve_kaufman]

Anthony: You need to be careful using a tripod on the deck of any boat/ship, as vibration can be a serious problem. You can lessen the problem to some extent if you put the tripod on a rug, or some other firm padding (ie. ensolite pads)

 

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You will see wildlife from the ferry, but you probably won't be able to get good shots with the 80-200 + TC combination. The ferry won't provide you the opportunities to get close to critters that a smaller boat (charter or tour) would. For scenery, you will be fine with the 80-200, and some wider lens as well.