Clams?

Where is the best place to take our children digging for clams?

We are going June 1-12.

Do they really need boots?

Where else on the penninsula would you say is best for wildlife viewing from land and for hikes?

We are planning on going on a kayak tour of Columbia glacier and we only found 1 company. Do you know of any others? Also, I do not see any roads that go from Valdez to Whittier except for the ferry and going back via Anchorage. Is this correct?

Thanks for your help!

Clams?

And another thing...

How hard are they to clean? Is it better to pay an experienced local to do this?

Thanks!

Clams?

I think clamming in fun, but you do need boots, or you will get all wet/mucky. Clam cleaning is tiring - a multi step process, but not really complicated. I always like to eat out after a day of cleaning clams, but then we are usually cleaning hundreds. :) We like to clam near Ninilchik, but there are other places. Get a copy of the tides from Fred Meyers or Walmart when you arrive - the minus tides are the ones to look for.

You can go via roads, but it is a long drive from Valdez - the road from Valdez up to the Glenn Hiway, Glenn hiway to Anchorage and then the Seward hiway to Whittier. :)

We would actually be coming from Denali at that point. I was afraid that there would be no other small/gravel roads from Valdez to Whittier...

Do they rent boots for children anywhere?

Thanks.

Well - from Denali it is just down the Parks hwy to Anchorage, then the Seward to the Kenai (Sterling Hwy).

I don%26#39;t know about boot rental, but I would stop by at a thrift store or pick up some cheapo ones at Walmart - you could do that when you land, then you have them for your whole trip. :)

Ninilchik to Clam Gulch is the well-known clamming areas. This gives you a peek at it:

dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/clamglch.htm

What ages are the kids for hiking? The hike to Russian Falls is nice %26amp; a chance to see salmon climbing the falls %26amp; if you are lucky bears down below the overlook.

I like hiking along the beaches on the way down to Homer which is where you will be heading for clamming and kids love the beaches.

In Homer, which is a short distance from Ninilchik %26amp; Clam Gulch is Beluga Slough a wildlife preserve and Bishop%26#39;s Beach, nice for walking.

if you go to the Alaska forum and do a search for clamming, you%26#39;ll find a lot of great information from previous posts on this topic; where to go, where to get supplies, etc.

Including this guide on tides which apparently is key to successful clamming. Obviously not a topic I know anything about !

www.piscatorialpursuits.com/clammingtides.htm

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