Which port for hiking?

[gloriashelton]

A friend who is going with us on the cruise is interested in a strenuous hike and great scenery. Out of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, can anyone recommend the best choice for a great workout hike with scenery? And the company that runs the hike. Thanks!

[OutdoorsPro]

An excellent choice if your friend is into some seriously strenuous hiking with some killer scenery would be Skagway, as there are two great hikes that start right from town.

 

The first is the Upper Dewey Lake trail. It starts right by the Railroad Dock and pretty much goes UP to an incredible alpine lake at about 3,000 feet. It is a pretty long hike, but easily done in one day--just start relatively early.

 

On the other side of town is AB Mountain. Another strenuous trail that goes up well above tree-line. This one has the best views of glaciers, peaks and down the Taiya Inlet towards Haines.

 

Info on both trails and trail maps can be found at the National Park Visitor's Center, downtown Skagway.

 

Juneau also offers some great trails, like the Perserverance Trail, the Mt. Roberts Trail and the old Ditch Trail on Douglas Island.

 

I'm sure the other ports also have great hikes, i just don't know them.

 

BTW, the hikes i mentioned are all free hikes that you can do on your own. As far as the Skagway hikes, no one actually guides those, as they are considered far too long and strenuous for normal tourists.

[CanCanCase]

Try Gastineau Guiding in Juneau. Also, it's been a year since I was up on the Mt. Robert's Tram, but they used to offer free rides DOWN if you hiked UP Mt. Robert's.

 

-Case

[Urban trekker]

"but they used to offer free rides DOWN if you hiked UP Mt. Robert's."

 

I was up Mt Roberts 10 days ago - it's a $5.00 download fee if you walk up the mountain BUT if you spend I beleive at least $5.00 on goodies up top you can ride down free.

 

BTW - still a fair amount of snow up top BUT was able to do the alpine loop and trail up to the cross.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[OhioJeff]

An excellent choice if your friend is into some seriously strenuous hiking with some killer scenery would be Skagway, as there are two great hikes that start right from town.

 

The first is the Upper Dewey Lake trail. It starts right by the Railroad Dock and pretty much goes UP to an incredible alpine lake at about 3,000 feet. It is a pretty long hike, but easily done in one day--just start relatively early.

 

On the other side of town is AB Mountain. Another strenuous trail that goes up well above tree-line. This one has the best views of glaciers, peaks and down the Taiya Inlet towards Haines.

 

Info on both trails and trail maps can be found at the National Park Visitor's Center, downtown Skagway.

 

Juneau also offers some great trails, like the Perserverance Trail, the Mt. Roberts Trail and the old Ditch Trail on Douglas Island.

 

I'm sure the other ports also have great hikes, i just don't know them.

 

BTW, the hikes i mentioned are all free hikes that you can do on your own. As far as the Skagway hikes, no one actually guides those, as they are considered far too long and strenuous for normal tourists.

Great info, I was looking for a long hike in either Skagway or Juneau

[jer_l]

A friend who is going with us on the cruise is interested in a strenuous hike and great scenery. Out of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, can anyone recommend the best choice for a great workout hike with scenery? And the company that runs the hike. Thanks!

For a shorter hike in Skagway Lower Dewey Lake is great. It will take just a couple of hours to hike up and then all the way around the lake. You can get a trail map for both Upper and Lower Dewey Lakes at the National Park Service vivitor center at 2nd and Broadway in Skagway.

 

There's more information at this nps web page:

http://www.nps.gov/archive/klgo/hike_trails.htm

 

Jerry

[OhioJeff]

I have requested this book from the library. Can anyone suggest any other hiking guides for Alaska?

 

Hiking Alaska : a guide to Alaska's greatest hiking adventures / Dean Littlepage.

[CanCanCase]

I don't know if our public library would have them, but give Hearthside Books in Juneau a call... http://www.hearthsidebooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp They've always carried 2 books that are invaluable to hikers...

90 short walks around Juneau covers the shorter and/or easier walks near town... many with paved trails and boardwalks.

The other one is Juneau Hiking Guide - it's a companion to 90 walks, and covers the more lengthy and technical hikes... rates them all based on vertical climb, trail condition, etc.

 

Apologies in advance if I'm off on my titles. It's late, and I can't find my copies anywhere...

 

-Case