Revised Alaska Itinerary--please comment

Hi, all.

I%26#39;ve been taking into consideration your advice and suggestions and have come up with a revised itinerary that has us going to Valdez first. I really like this one and it takes one day off, which saves some money, and I am not so locked into dates. **Unless you think that I am really pusing it, although it doesn%26#39;t seem to look that way on paper. A big plus is that this route would give me three possible times for the bear trip--with the other itinerary, July 3 is already booked. According to Chris of Emerald Air, the 21-22 is prime mating time and we might have the opportunity to see the male bears scrambling for the females%26#39; attention. Otherwise, the later set of dates probably would provide an opportunity to see the mother%26#39;s with the cubs.

Also, we would arrive in Hatcher Pass later adding to the possibility that the road to the ';top'; would be open.

Another plus of the early dates would be that we would be home by July 4.

However, will July 20 be too early to kayak to Columbia Glacier? Travel1000 really has us excited about that, so we don%26#39;t want to miss it.

I will anxiously await your comments. I can%26#39;t tell you all how much I appreciate your help. No matter how much you read, there is no substitute for the advice of those who have been there.

Revised Alaska Itinerary--please comment

By the way, are we not spending too many nights in Homer. It will be great if we don%26#39;t get out on the bear trip the first couple of days, but otherwise, are we just beating in time?

Revised Alaska Itinerary--please comment

July 20th is the middle of summer. Why would it be too early? Did you mean June 20th? Call the kayak companies and ask what to expect.

besu, you did not post your new itinerary so it is hard to comment or make any suggestions. However, you wrote very important statement '; I really like this one';. That%26#39;s what counts. YOU have to like it. We all can make comments but in the end it is YOUR trip. Personally i would go bear watching in July but again this is your trip not mine. After many bear watching trips I have to say that nothing compares to seeing tiny Spring babies so attached to their moms. Did you know that when the babies are born in February/March they weigh less than a pound?

I really didn%26#39;t get your question ';Are we not spending too many nights in Homer. It will be great if we don%26#39;t get out on the bear trip the first couple of days, but otherwise, are we just beating in time?';

Sorry I didn%26#39;t post the itinerary! I need to go to bed earlier!

Yes, I did mean June 20, and I will call the kayak co. today.

Places, I meant that 4 nights in Homer will give us more chances to see the bears if the trip gets cancelled on our reserved day. However, I don%26#39;t want to just beat in time. I%26#39;ll post the schedule after work.

Thanks,

Lynda

Here is the revised itinerary. It is a day shorter so, of course, that makes it somewhat less expensive, but I don%26#39;t want to short change any place if I really should give it more time. It%26#39;s not as if it%26#39;s going to save a bundle. Even with the later dates, we would be in Denali on July 3 and in Hatcher Pass on the 4th so I wouldn%26#39;t think we would have to worry about a lot of traffic as we would on the Seward Hwy.

In this trip plan, we would go straight to Matanuska Glacier and overnight at Sheep Mountain before continuing on to Valdez saving Hatcher Pass for on the way back to Anchorage from Denali.

A question about the last itinerary: Coming from Denali, would it be feasible to stop for a hike and tour at Hatcher Pass then go on to Sheep Mountain and stay two nights there?

As always, I am indebted to all of you for your help.

One more question: Is anyone familiar with Hatcher Pass Bed and Breakfast--the Sourdough cabins? How does this compare to Hatcher Pass Lodge?

By the way, Travel1000, I just called Pangaea Adventures and they said that June 20 is a great time of year--in fact, they start getting busy around June 15.

Good Golly!!! I must be loosing my mind.

6/17 or 6/21--Arrive Anchorage

Overnight Anchorage

6/18 or 6/22--Musk Ox Farm

Matanuska Glacier

Overnight Long Rifle Lodge

6/19 or 6/23--To Valdez:

Copper Center for Lunch

Bridal Veil Falls; Horseshoe Falls, Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, Goat trail?

Overnight Valdez

6/20 or 6/24--Kayak to Columbia Glacier

Overnight Valdez

6/21 or 6/25--Ferry to Whittier

To Homer

Overnight Homer

6/22 or 6/26--Emerald Air Bear Trip

Overnight Homer

6/23 or 6/26--1/2 day fishing

Overnight Homer

6/24 or 6/27--Water taxi to Halibut Cove Lagoon

Overnight Homer

6/25 or 6/28--To Seward

Hike to Russian River Falls

Exit Glacier

Overnight Seward

6/26 or 6/29--Kenai Fjords Cruise

Overnight Seward

6/27 or 6/30--Stop in Girdwood/Tram/Hike

Talkeetna--Is there enough time for a McKinley flightsee here?

Overnight Talkeetna

6/28 or 7/01--McKinley Flightsee if not night before

To Denali National Park

Overnight Denali

6/29 or 7/02--Shuttle to Fish Creek

Overnight Denali

6/30 or 7/03--Hike in Denali

Overnight Denali

7/01 or 7/04--Hatcher Pass

Overnight Hatcher Pass

7/02 or 7/05--Native Hertiage Center; Other sites we didn%26#39;t see: coastal trail, etc.

At airport at 6:30 for 8:40 p.m. flight

Lynda, LOL! I thought my vision is getting really bad

May I ask why Long Rifle Lodge? It is a very rustic place. I mean very rustic. We met some rowdy characters there one evening.

6/19 or 6/23

After leaving your accommodation, Long Rifle Lodge (?), take your time while driving on Glenn Highway.

Pay close attention to all small lakes on both sides of the road. Plenty of swans, loons, ducks and moose. Have you binoculars ready. In June you may be lucky to see baby loons taking a free ride on their parents backs.

I recommend filling up your gas tank in Glennallen. Not many options between here and Valdez.

Visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center which is located on the left side just a short drive off Richardson Highway, a few miles south of Glennallen. They have a nice trail with signs, exhibits, film and knowledgeable rangers.

After that in this order:

Copper River Center, Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass, Bridal Veil Falls, Goat Trail, Horsetail Falls. Goat Trail is gorgeous

6/24 or 6/27

Instead of water taxi to Halibut Cove I recommend taking Danny J. boat which leaves Homer at noon. It is affiliated with Saltry restaurant in Halibut Cove. You don%26#39;t have to have a lunch at the restaurant, you may bring your own lunch and have a picnic on the beach. Last time we visited, there was a picnic table available to visitors in the end of the boardwalk before you get to Alex Comb%26#39;s gallery. To reserve Danny J. call 907-235-7847. You%26#39;ll be back in Homer from Halibut Cove around 4 pm. Diana Tillion%26#39;s Gallery in Halibut Cove is fascinating with its octopus ink paintings.

Water taxi to Halibut Cove costs minimum $60.00 per person and if you want to stop at Gull Island it costs even more. Danny J. makes a stop at Gull Island, which is bird sanctuary, before continuing to Halibut Cove.

6/27 or 6/30

Are you planning in one day on driving from Seward to Girdwood, taking the tram, hiking there, driving to Talkeetna and finally taking a flight there? Lynda, you are trying too much for this day. I would skip Girdwood all together or at least schedule your flight for the next morning

7/02 or 7/05

Leave Hatcher Pass early in the morning and spend most of the day in Anchorage. Go to the Museum of History and Art, have a fabulous lunch there. After lunch take a free shuttle from the museum to the Native Heritage Center. The shuttle will bring you back to the museum.

Thanks so much, Places. You are a real gem! Do you think, with this last itinerary that is a day shorter, that I am cutting my self short and should go back to the other one.

I will put all of your suggestions in my notebook and go by it religiously!

Thanks again.

Lynda

No, no and no. Do not go back to your old one. This one is excellent. Book your tickets and accommodations then start dreaming about your trip.

Certainly you are cutting yourself short, just like all of us who visit Alaska. This is why we return year after year. I can list about 100 more things that are so fabulous that shouldn%26#39;t be missed. We return every summer and are always adding something new. Each trip is better than any previous one. So much more to see and experience. Yet, we all have to make choices. Not very easy task to decide what places to see, what activities to participate in. During your first visit you%26#39;ll understand there is so much to see and discover in Alaska. Your itinerary is wonderful, don%26#39;t change it too much. Book your flights, car rental and accommodations very soon. Ask any more questions you%26#39;ll have and after your return promise to post your trip report.

Places