Chenega

We're doing an UnCruise in a month. Although we've lived in Alaska for 42 years, we've never done SE Alaska with Uncruise. Can't wait since our itinerary includes two full days in Glacier Bay.

My nephew just took this spectacular shot of Mt. McKinley/Denali yesterday.

Both are excellent. You can't go wrong with either one and a trip into Prince William Sound is always one of the great experiences in Alaska. The picture below is Beloit Glacier in Blackstone Bay within the sound.

I'm taking a 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Whittier then returning on the same route, does anyone know where I can do laundry in Whittier, AK?

 

Thanks

There are actually two: one in the Begich Towers (tallest building where most of residents of Whittier live) and one at the Anchor Inn. Hope this helps.

Here's the latest from the Fairbanks News Miner. The road is reopened to the Wonder Lake junction. http://www.newsminer.com/news/alaska_news/airlift-completed-for-marooned-denali-guests-employees/article_e2dee8ca-fe1a-11e3-930c-0017a43b2370.html

Heavy rains in the area have closed the Denali Park road in the Wonder Lake/Kantishna area. Park officials were arranging plans to fly people out from the Denali Backcountry lodge by helicopter. The road beyond Eielson Visitor Center was closed this morning (mile 66). Here's the story from the Anchorage Daily News.

http://www.adn.com/2014/06/26/3535950/flooding-in-denali-national-park.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1

You are cutting it way too close. Not only are road conditions an issue but things do happen in the Whittier tunnel http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/troopers-at-least-1-arrested-in-whittier-tunnel-incident/26612790

We'll have a few days in Seward (3-4) and are definitely planning on a cruise out to the Kenai Fjords. Right now just assuming we'll do the long full-day one but we're wondering if there's any option that would include two days instead. Overnight on the ship or even on land somewhere? Thoughts?

Try Kenai Fjords Tours (http://www.kenaifjords.com) and their trips that overnight on Fox Island.

I will look into Anchorage Tours and Transfers. $121 is a lot better than $159.

 

I e-mailed Magic Bus, so I'll see if they can do better.

 

This is definitely a gouging situation because there are so few options. I would probably do the same if I owned a transportation business there, but honestly it's very frustrating as a customer, and these are anything but fair prices.

 

AVIS also disables all discounts for this location, as the franchisee refuses to participate. The one-way fee is stupid because they likely get equal numbers of people driving one way to and from Whittier.

 

I'll post any updates here as they come.

The total population of Whittier is around 800 during the summer season which drops to 200 in the off season. The high price for most rentals is strictly dictated by supply and demand of the cruise ship business plus the shortness of the tourist season; there aren't many locals over there that need to rent a car and the little local Avis franchise is the only game in town. The Alaska Railroad does run special cruise trains from Whittier to Anchorage and there are shuttle companies that charge what the market demands. Some think for convenience alone, the transfers offered by the cruise lines are best. Just a fact of life when you come into Whittier.

Yes I'm getting a good price. BW is $80 night before tax with my Costco discount.

That's an outstanding rate in Seward during the summer season.

We've stayed at the HI several times during the off season when you can get a room for $79.00 a night :) It's right next to several good restaurants with views of the small boat harbor including Chinooks and Rays.

Another good choice if rooms are available is the Breeze Inn which is virtually across the street from Kenai Fjords and Major Marine tours. Standard motel units but the newer units are nice.

For convenience, the Holiday Inn Express is right at the small boat harbor area where the Kenai Fjords boat tours are. The Best Western is about a mile away. Both are excellent hotels.

and the sound was beautiful yesterday also.....Me thinks we are back to the May weather again.....Not complaining....The earthquake tour by Ranger Rick is very interesting....AND, it is free....I think it is at 4 PM, but not positive....They have a couple of tours this summer....all are free....

The quake walking tour is at 2:45pm every day.. It is preceded on Monday by a 2:00pm lecture on the 1964 quake.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Alaska, about 73km from Haines, near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

 

The earthquake hit on Wednesday at 11:58 GMT southwest of Haines, which has a population of over 2,500 people. The epicenter was 10km deep, according to United States Geological Survey.

 

The quake was first reported at a magnitude of 5.8, however it was subseqently downgraded to 5.7.

 

There have been no reports of casualties.

 

The circum-Pacific seismic belt, the earth's most active seismic feature, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, resulting in frequent earthquakes. More than 80 percent of the planet's tremors occur in the circum-Pacific belt, according to USGS data.

There have been several tremors in Northwest Alaska as well near Kotzebue and the Pavlof volcano is active (http://www.avo.alaska.edu). Pretty typical for Alaska.

For visitors to the Anchorage area, if you want to more know about these phenomena, visit the Alaska Public Lands Information Center in downtown Anchorage (605 West 4th avenue) where they have several exhibits on the 1964 quake. There's also a free earthquake walking tour daily. Check out their site at http://www.alaskacenters.gov/anchorage.cfm

Chenega, could that be Beloit or Blackstone Glacier depicted in the photo in the text of your comment?

Yes, that is Beloit in Blackstone Bay. I took the picture last year while on a water taxi operated by Lazy Otter charters out of Whittier. My wife works part-time for the company handling sightseeing and kayak tours. I sometimes get to go along for the ride. In fact, she's out there today and said the weather was spectacular.

Pretty normal activity considering the number of active fault lines in that region. If you really want to see something interesting, check out this article from a 1958 quake and wave that occurred in this region. http://www.extremescience.com/biggest-wave.htm

Some food for thought - Glacier Bay National Park is one of the scenic wonders of Alaska and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Icy Strait is a remodeled cannery with tourist activities at the edge of the town of Hoonah with a long zip line, several concessions, and a few places to eat. It was specifically designed for the cruise ships and their passengers - Glacier Bay was designed by nature. I guess it really depends on what brings you to Alaska in the first place. ;)

As a long time geography teacher who has lived in Alaska for forty-two years, I am never bored by glaciers since they teach you a lot about the planet on which we live and the forces that shape it.

Watching a glacier calve into the waters of a deep fjord and the subsequent rocking of the 100 passenger tour boat you are in can truly be a humbling experience. Add to it the shaking of the earth, viewing the tallest mountain in North America or watching the shimmering lights of the aurora borealis and one can truly respect for our natural world.

By the way, the picture is a glacier in Blackstone Bay in Prince William Sound whose face/terminus is the height of a 14 story building; an equal amount goes under the water. Something to think about ;)

The snow is only at higher elevations on the hillsides and not all over the city. Most of the storm has been rain (which we desperately need) and wind.

We visited Vancouver without a car, but the day we left for Victoria, rented a car. There are several car rental agencies around town and we found one a block from our hotel. We rented the car, drove to the ferry (purchased advanced tickets, to make sure we would have a space) and got off in Victoria, did a little sightseeing, stayed in a hotel, got up in the morning went to Butchart Gardens and then back to the ferry. You can do it in one day, but I figured if we were going to Victoria, we might as well see a bit of it.

 

I think this was the easiest way to do it as it was pretty easy to figure out where we were going and we could do things at our pace. I'm sure it was much more cost effective also. The Gardens are awesome and so is Victoria.

We used LandSea tour from Vancouver to Victoria several years ago. It was a long day but an excellent trip. Their website is http://www.vancouvertours.com

I'm sure there would be something on the cruise news page if cruises were being significantly impacted. It will likely be smokey though, unless they get a good rain before you arrive.

Rain is in the forecast for Southcentral Alaska which should help. No need to be too worried.

Thanks for the great information. I am not worried about the heights; but my wife will keep her eyes closed. Looking at the road map, it appears that while going the drivers side will be the sunny side, since the bus appears to be going southwest. Since I am concerned about the reflection on the bus windows for photos, is it an issue or since we are traveling in the woods and mountains, will the sun even hit the bus?

The buses have windows you can lower about half-way down. My wife and I love the back rows on the bus since it gives you an extra view out the rear;)

We will be on the 8:30 AM in a couple weeks. I realize that we will see both sides of the road by doing a return trip; but is one side better than the other in the morning for scenery?

Better views on the driver's side heading out on the road.

Just saw two moose while driving into Anchorage this morning near Ft. Richardson.

It's pretty much the same scenery either way unless you do a Hubbard Glacier visit vs. Glacier Bay.

If you are in Anchorage, the local Barnes and Noble is in midtown at Benson and A street.

You can pick up a Toursaver at the service counter of any Carrs/Safeway store.