Kodiak in June?

Went to AK last year and pretty much got rained out -- last week of July (Denali) %26amp; 1st week August (Seward/Kenai). We want to go back and are thinking of early June 2010... Want to add Kodiak to our itinerary. What%26#39;s it like there in June? Interested in birding, bears, scenery, some hiking. Do we take flight or ferry? Thoughts, suggestions? Thanks!!

Kodiak in June?

MADGEC -

It%26#39;s too bad about your last trip to Alaska and the rain. Unfortunately, you never can tell what the weather will be like in Alaska. While June in Kodiak is often a nice month, any month in Kodiak can be rainy. We get more rain that Seattle per year, if that helps for comparison.

However, that doesn%26#39;t mean you can%26#39;t get out and enjoy yourself. Just plan to pack layers and have a good set of lightweight raingear and waterproof boots.

By June things are usually starting to green up, the red salmon and thinking about running, halibut can be found in the shallower waters and they animals are starting to get out and move around. If you are thinking early June you might want to consider a week earlier and catch the Crab Festival over Memorial Day weekend. It%26#39;s our big celebration for the year, typical carnival stuff with amazing food (big plate of king crab for $15), rides and some local events including the survival suit race, kayak race, buoy toss and rescue swimmer demonstrations from the Coast Guard rescue swimmers.

Depending on the winter we%26#39;ve had, most of the bears will have made their way out of the den by June. I know there are some good spots on the west side for bear viewing in June. Camp Island is one and probably any of the lodges in Larsen Bay or Karluk (these are villages on the west side of the island).

Hiking is always phenomenal in Kodiak. I tell everyone to make sure they stop at the visitor%26#39;s center or one of the sporting goods stores and get the Kodiak Audubon Hiking %26amp; Birding Guide. It%26#39;s a map of the trails along the road system put together by some local avid hikers. It%26#39;s even printed on waterproof paper!

Air or ferry is always the big question. It really just depends on your time and what you want to see. Air travel in the summer from Anchorage will probably be around $500 RT. If you book early you can likely get better rates. It only takes an hour to fly from Anch. to Kodiak. You will then need to rent a car to get around the road system of Kodiak or at least get a ride from the airport to downtown.

The ferry (from Homer) takes anywhere from 9-11 hours, depending on the weather. In June is ';should'; be decent. The ferry is no luxury boat though. Most peoplef lop in the lounges, although you can get cabins for additional rates and I would suggest them if you have young children or get motion sickness. If you are driving up you can put your car on the ferry for less than an airplane ticket. If you travel by ferry you are at the mercy of the ferry schedule, which can be obtained online (search for Alaska Marine Highway System - Tustemena or Kennicott schedules). The bonus to the ferry is that you can often see whales, dolphins and other marine critters - if you aren%26#39;t stuck in your cabin with motion sickness.

The ferry terminal is in town and just about all the attractions (2 museums, the refuge visitor%26#39;s center, good restaurants) are walkable from there. However, if you want to get out of town you have to have a car. We only have 80 miles of road system, but if you are going to take the time to come here you might as well see all of it!

Best of luck!

Kodiak in June?

Thanks for all this information; I really appreciate it! Even tho%26#39; we got ';rained out'; I should mention that we got outside anyway... Brought rain jackets %26amp; rain pants and waterproof boots; they got a workout, for sure! I would second everyone%26#39;s recommendation to be prepared for wet weather.