Alaska, A Cook's Tour

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ALASKA, A COOKS TOUR

It’s May and time for my trip to visit my brother who lives in Chugiak, Alaska, a small bedroom community in South-Central Alaska, about 20 miles north of Anchorage. I arrived in the early morning; it was still dark at their house. The sun was soon up and I heard a low howling by one or two dogs. In rapid succession more and more dogs joined in the synchronized baying. The eerie howl was enough to cause shivers, enough to make me imagine that I was in the midst of a wilderness or perhaps engrossed in reading The Call of the Wild. It was the wakeup call of the sled dogs kept at my brother and sister in laws house.
Chugiak is a quaint collection of modern, homemade, cabin like and curious type homes. Some have acreage others are situated on small lots. All around are evergreens, thick brush lush from the ever present misty rain. Flowers, berries abound and the whole area was coming alive with the promise of spring. It is spectacular in the afternoon. My brother calls it the emerald time, the sunlight streaming through the green leaves; dark shadows with glowing shafts of green radiant light. The winter was just past and the spring days were moving towards summer. Later I was to find that when you go north or gain altitude the calendar reverses and you head back into winter. There was still snow on the front range of the Chugach Mountains and I am told it never totally disappears. Long winters and short summers, slow thaws result in the earth being only productive in a layer a few inches thick. Below that you hit sterile soil and the permafrost barrier.
There is a small store, a couple of small private business’s, a veterinary clinic, post office and a few other amenities but to go to a “real” town one needs to travel seven miles down the Glenn Highway (closest thing to a freeway) and end up at Eagle River. It’s a small to medium sized town that boasts modern grocery stores, fast food chains, medical and dental offices, and even gourmet coffee shops. It is your basic small town. The Eagle River office of the Anchorage Police Department and the volunteer fire department are located here as well as a Walmart and a Fred Meyer super store. Eagle River can provide most of your needs without the additional trip all the way into downtown Anchorage.
Apartments and private homes surround a small lake north of town. Home owners can land their sea planes, one of the major forms of transportation in rural Alaska. And you thought it would be the Dog Sled. Perhaps the most interesting feature in Eagle River is the car wash, named the “Car Wash and Duck Pond,” there are a couple of wash bays for your car and for the family there is a real pond which is inhabited by ducks, geese, and various wild fowl. On our return home several days later we stopped to wash off the car at Midnight and there was still light enough to wash the car without using artificial lights and it was also light enough to watch and enjoy the ducks feeding in the pond.
The next day we were off on a day trip. It would take us through Anchorage and towards Cook Inlet and along Turnagain Arm. There is no swimming there because the glacial silt makes the beach like quicksand and sadly a few had lost their lives testing the boundaries. Traveling on the Seward Highway we had the coast on our right; rocky, dark grey with wind swept evergreens, it reminded me of the landscape along the Monterey, California coastline. To our left were rocky, steep hills that offer no passage except for the Dahl Sheep that graze leisurely on the cliffs. Farther along the hills turn into steep mountains and a sign warns, “Avalanche Area Next 5 Miles.” There are large metal cylinders on the roadside, platforms where surplus military 106 mm recoilless rifle were used. Road crews shot the explosive projectiles into the high steep hills during peak snow season to cause controlled mini avalanches and averting catastrophic major snow slides.
We reached the Girdwood turnoff and were soon on a small two lane country road which took us to the Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, Alaska. Quaint buildings, dirt roads, alpine mountains and glaciers all combine to make you feel you are in a gigantic movie set. There is a large ski lift, deserted for the summer, too soon for tourists and too late for skiers. There is a massive hotel at the far side of town, nearly abandoned, an investment yet to return value to its investors. At the front of town is the Kobuk Valley Jade Company and sitting unguarded outside the shop are massive boulders of jade. Inside the shop there is a diamond tipped saw that has been busy slicing a rock slice since March. It will take about another 3 months to complete the slice through the massive jade boulder. There are pieces of jade for sale, made into jewelry and various art shapes, it is interesting to note that the jade is cut there but sent to Taiwan to be sculpted. The “Made in Alaska” stamp is allowed in spite of the jade’s trip abroad.
The main reason for our stop in Girdwood was the Bake Shop, a small bakery and café where they feature their famous homemade sour dough bread. Their starter has been in existence for over eighty years. A small dining area with a few tables offer the tired skier or hungry tourist a respite and the chance to enjoy a bowl of homemade soup and a sourdough bun oozing with fresh butter. They also offer deli sandwiches and the traditional bakery items to eat-in or to go. With my stomach pleasantly full we headed back down the road and soon passed a small dirt air strip which is used by the locals to take sky divers aloft.
Our next destination was just out of town. We followed the signs and we turned right onto a small, dirt and gravel, one lane road to Crow Creek pass. We don’t notice the rise in elevation at first because the road turns every which way and had muddy ruts that gave my brother’s Suzuki Samurai a run for the money. In Girdwood we started off in early spring but soon find we have entered into winter. Snow was still piled on the ground even though the ground was dotted with the lush evergreens and ferns. We reached the end of the road at the foot of Crow Creek Pass. We walked around to stretch our legs, to take some pictures and enjoy the view, if we walked over the mountain and down the other side we would end up back in Eagle River and just a few miles from Chugiak.
Day two found us driving east toward Palmer and the Musk Ox Farm. On the way we passed over the Knik River which is fed by melt water from the Knik Glacier. The road traverses the Palmer Hay Flats. Once fertile farm land, it subsided during the 1964 earthquake. Salt water seepage from the nearby Cook Inlet killed all the trees, their white ghostly forms still stand. Now a salt water marsh, it is a haven for many of the migratory birds that come to Alaska to raise their young.
Palmer is a small town that owes its existence to the dust bowl farmers and their relocation to the area in the1930s to work the land. It is a small, progressive town but still proud of their founders and a small museum and visitors center showcase their roots. Off down the highway we passed by farms with beautiful pastures and magnificent Arabian horses in large high fenced pastures with impressive red and white barns much like the Amish barns back east.
We were among a handful of visitors wanting to tour the farm and get up and personal with a Musk Ox, which is a relative of the water buffalo. The tour takes about 30 minutes and it entirely outside which in this case was quite nippy. What with the winds blowing down from the glacier, it was downright frigid. The cows had their calves up on the hill but one rather bossy old bull charged the fence just to show us who was boss. The Musk Ox shed their winter coats. The loose hair is brushed from the animals and collected. That shed hair is called qiviut; lighter and warmer than sheep wool, it provides great warmth and closely resembles angora. The wool can only be worked by indigenous natives. They make hats, mittens and scarves at an impressive price, about one hundred dollars a knitted ounce.
Heading back towards Chugiak we stopped at the Knik River and I got to feel glacial silt. The texture is like talc but dark grey. The water is icy cold and resembled the silt, it’s dark and murky since it picks up the superfine silt and turns the water into soupy mud.
Day 3 was a hiking adventure, we returned to Eagle River and the Visitors Center which is located up a small canyon that follows the Eagle River. We arrived at the log cabin visitor’s center and paid our money to park and get our tour map of the area. We headed down the gravel trail. The sun was out and the area open but we soon found ourselves under a thick forest canopy of spruce, birch and alders. Lush ferns and wild mushrooms dot almost every tree trunk; fallen trees are consumed and resemble large planters boasting ferns and new tree starts. A mile in we came to a boardwalk taking you out to the middle of a beaver pond. About then our sun disappeared and it began to rain. That is when I found out is the norm for Alaska some sun, much rain and some sun but well worth the interludes.
The walk took about 3 hours and required some maneuvering through boggy areas and some extra attention to the tracks left behind by moose and bear; one must always be on guard. The forest service had been busy cutting down dead trees and marking the trails making our journey easier and we soon find ourselves back at the visitor’s center. The entire loop is about 6 miles and has no porta potties or water available so backpacks are a must. It was about 6PM and time to head for home and a good hot dinner and some chair time.
Day four found us back on the Seward Highway going beyond the Aleyska turn off. Today we were heading to Portage Glacier, one of Alaska’s most visited places. The glacier got its name from the early miners who had to “carry” their goods across the glacier and Portage is the French name for to carry. We turned left onto a tree lined two lane road with several bridges crossing over a small stream that boasts of salmon. If you are there at the right time of the year you can watch them spawn. My brother said that during that time the place is jammed not only with salmon but with eagles eager to take their share of the bounty.
Arriving at the boat dock we quickly purchased our tickets and eagerly awaited our departure time of 3pm. The boat is specially designed to travel in the ice choked waters. We had to bundle up it was icy cold and the winds whipped off the glacier and seemed to freeze you to the spot. True, you can watch the scenery from the warm cabin below, but the visibility is so much better from the open top deck. We saw a few small pieces break off from the glacier, calving it is called, but all around in the water were large chunks of ice from previous breaks. The trip takes about an hour. Worldwide glaciers are retreating and Alaska is no exception. Not too long ago Portage Glacier extended far out into Portage Lake. Now Portage Glacier barely gets to the edge of the lake and soon will be totally on land. The visitor’s center has a video of the glacier and some rather impressive breaks and when the video is finished the curtains open up to show you the view of the lake and the glacier.
Heading back we decided to stop along the rail road tracks at what is left of the town of Portage. The town sank some 12 feet during the massive earthquake in 1964 and now has vanished except for a small abandoned cabin. During high tide the ground is covered in salt water from the ocean on the other side of the highway. A few years ago the Alaska Railroad replaced the ties in this section of track. The discarded spikes liter the ground and in a short walk I had a couple of souvenirs to take home.
The next day was a kick back day just doing nothing but cooking, eating and relaxing. During the late evening I was treated to the northern lights, looking north there are undulating waves of blue green moving slowly almost like the movement of a lava lamp.
Day six found us in Anchorage at Costco for a few items, such as twelve 40-pound bags of dog food. Remember, I said they had sled dogs? They had about 18 dogs to feed and exercise every day. We dropped off the supplies and headed back into Anchorage and a tour around Earthquake Park. This area had been turned into a park sometime after the earthquake. The hillside slid down into the bay with about 500 homes and the land that was left was useless for rebuilding.
Anchorage International Airport is just a short distance away. The sea plane section has a small island in the middle of the lake. The story goes this was a nesting place for the birds and that they became so plentiful that they posed a threat to the planes. Many were relocated and several pigs were placed on the island to eat the eggs. Large numbers of the Canadian geese still waddle down the road attesting to their “squatter’s rights”.
Next stop was the fire station at the Anchorage Airport. My sister-in-law was an Anchorage Airport Police officer/fire fighter. They shared the duties on a rotational basis and she was stationed at the fire house that day and I got to tour the station and get a ride in the massive 6000 gallon pumper truck. I watched as she donned the attire, silvery fire proof pants, hood, coat and boots. It was part of the drill, just in case a real emergency happened she would be ready to respond. After donning the helmet and face shield it was time to climb into the cab and start the engine, you could feel the power as it started. The engine rumbled as she pulled it out of the equipment bay. We only traveled about 500 feet to a section of tarmac that they use for practice and we stopped. She started the top turret and sprayed the water in a long, arcing jet. The force of that stream of water can overturn a small plane if aimed directly at it.
We got out and she pulled out a hose, a hand line she called it, and turned it on slowly, the engine revved to maintain the pressure, and water came gushing forth. She closed the valve. The big diesel engine throttled back to a rumbling idle. She handed the nozzle to me. She stood behind me and then I opened the valve slowly. Again the engine revved up. I was controlling that giant engine with a twist of the valve. The pressure coming out of that hose was amazing and I was glad she has behind me, steadying me like seasoned firefighter. Back into the cab and we returned to the equipment bay where she backed the truck into the slot with ease much like I would have backed a small sedan. She needed to refill the engine’s water tank; we used about 500 gallons during my brief lesson. She worked a twelve hour shift and wouldn’t get off until 4am. My brother and I needed to get back home to prepare for tomorrows adventure, we were going to Denali.
Day seven dawns at zero dark 30, we were up and packing for our trip, sleeping bags and cooking utensils, an ice chest full of roast beef, cheese and the trimmings for some yummy sandwiches. We needed to pack winter parkas, raingear, and extra clothing to be safe. A fresh loaf of homemade bread and a bag full of fresh cookies plus dehydrated items to make a soup for dinner rounded out our supplies. We were off heading down the highways much the same as when we headed to Palmer only this time we turned left at highway 3 and headed towards Wasilla. Most of you are now familiar with this name since it is the home of Sarah Pallen, but I think the real fame to Wasilla is that it is the “real” start of the famous Iditarod Dog Sled Race. We headed north out of Wasilla past signs proclaiming the best hunting in the area, many cabins are for rent and many guides take out of state hunters on hunting trips.
We soon neared the town of Talkeetna which is the low land base camp for climbers being air lifted to the glacier base camp on Mt. McKinley Along the highway was the first overlook of that majestic mountain. I was lucky and the clouds were nowhere to be seen and I have a clear view of the mountain, something that does not happen very often. We headed off toward the town but the main road was closed to through traffic. They were having their annual Miners Day celebration and we turned around and headed off towards Denali. We started out among green leaf laden alders which were turning yellow and falling from the trees as we climbed on our northerly course. Along the way we stopped at Hurricane Gulch, a narrow and deep gorge that is crossed by a vintage bridge. The bridge sways when cars pass over and really sways when trucks and large motor homes cross the span. The narrow gorge acts as a funnel and gentle breezes become gusty winds.
The scenery changed to small fir trees, the taiga, and the air was much colder. My brother told me the taiga actually rings the earth in the northern latitudes with the only breaks at the Atlantic Ocean and the Bering Strait. I saw my first bald eagle but he flew off before I can take a photo of him. Still we climb and the firs now are sparse, the low vegetation is the norm. Small trees barely able to survive and Tundra grass abound as we neared the entrance to Denali National Park. We stopped at the visitor’s center about a half mile into the park to find out how far the road is open. I was in luck it was open to the Teklanika River Overlook, some 30 miles into the park.
We would be traveling on the Denali Park Road which is paved the first seven miles into the park but soon turns into a dirt and gravel, narrow two lane road. We passed large meadows dotted with grazing caribou. Lush grass covered hills beyond. Travel is slow but we soon reached the overlook and parked. We walked around to stretch our legs. All around are signs that bears are present from the scratch marks on the wood posts some 16 feet off the ground to the heavy gage steel reinforced trash cans and the same applies to the bathroom doors. From the overlook we spot a Grizzly bear rooting for small rodents at the river’s edge below. I was reminded just how big these creatures are; the overlook stands about 20 feet off the ground and my claw marks stood about 16 feet, best be on guard.
Heading back down the road we spotted a red Arctic fox just sitting in the roadway just before a bridge. The fox was stalking something; a look through the binoculars showed a nesting duck. The fox was using the edge of the road to hide from the duck below. After several minutes the fox gave up and left but not before we got off some good photos. The season was still early and the campsite as not officially open so we didn’t have to pay to camp. It’s nice and secluded and we soon found ourselves busy making dinner and swatting mosquitos the size of B-52 bombers. You could hear them as they approached. Dinner over we laid our sleeping bags inside the camper shell and read our books at midnight without light. It’s hard to sleep but we did manage a few hours. Waking early we decided to get an early start for Fairbanks.
The early morning of day eight found us sipping instant coffee and eating a pastry roll from the nearest gas station and soon we were off on Highway 3 towards Fairbanks. We passed the Princess Hotels which house the cruise ship passengers when they opt for the extended Alaska - Denali tour. The scenery changed as we climbed. The firs, alders, grass, green leafy trees gave way to still snow covered hills. In the Alaska Range, as well as all the rest of Alaska, the weather can change in an instant. We reached the summit and I had a great view of the surrounding countryside. Here the trees were so densely packed that one would have a hard time walking and visibility would be only a few feet ahead. Back in the car we headed down toward spring again and soon spotted a sign proclaiming Anderson, 6 miles. Being that Andersen is my maiden name, although spelled differently, it seemed worth a look. Left from the highway and about two miles down we turned right onto a well maintained two lane road and soon found the town of Anderson, two blocks long and not too much to offer. Once through town the road dead ends at a park, and what a park! It had covered bandstands, BBQ’s, a large shooting range, restroom with hot water showers, al nicely maintained, and acres upon acres of mowed grass. One cannot figure how a town so small would have a park so large and to boot they have an air strip, blink and you would think Twilight Zone.
We continued towards Fairbanks and after cresting a small hill we passed a sea plane base and air field. We then entered downtown Fairbanks. The sky was clear and it was about 80 degrees. We spotted a Wendy’s and decided to stop for lunch and relax for a bit. First we had to take off our winter parkas and hats because everyone else was in shorts. As we ate we discussed if we wanted to stay in Fairbanks and take a dip at Chena Hot Springs or head back towards Anchorage and indulge in another day trip. Anchorage won and we headed out of Fairbanks. This time we take Highway 2 and stop at the North Pole where it is Christmas 365 days a year. Streets are named things like Candy Cane Lane. The toys in the park are reindeer, sleighs and elves. I got my picture in front of a 60-foot tall Santa Clause. You can mail your cards to the post office and they will stamp them with the North Pole cancellation and mail them back to your kids for Christmas.
We passed by an Army base called Fort Wainright which is used for cold weather gear testing and then passed by Ellison Air Force Base. After a few miles we came upon a blue fresh water lake called Birch Lake, most lakes are glacial fed and are dark and murky. We were traveling down the Richardson Highway heading down to Delta, the official end of the Alaskan Highway. At the visitors center my brother and I get our certificates to prove we drove the Alaskan Highway and put our names down in the registry. We next headed south towards Paxton where we would turn off and drive the unpaved Alaskan Highway to Cantwell. On the way we passed the Alaska pipeline and the official observation site. You can get out and touch the pipe line, read about the scouring pigs that clean the inside up close and personal. There are exhibits that explain how the supports for the pipes were constructed to withstand the constant freeze and thaw of the region and the amount of oil that passes through.
Almost paralleling the highway the pipeline rises atop the landscape and in only a few places is actually placed underground. Just before we reached Paxton we passed a frozen lake and then came upon a row of derelict road houses, originally about a day’s travel apart, they were Alaskan motels of that era. Sadly they are slowly falling apart and soon no one will notice they were here. We arrived at Paxton, a small town on an intersection which consists of a few homes and a large two story Inn with café and dining room. Yum, it has been a long day. Let’s eat. We tanked up the car and then entered the inn, the dining room had linen table cloths and napkins and a fire place. I can only think they do their business in the summer with the hunters and fishermen. They have an impressive menu to choose from. We left full and satisfied. Leaving the parking lot, we turned right onto the old Alaskan Highway 8, which for the first 10 miles is paved but then turns into a dirt road. The signs proclaim, “No Maintenance, No Services,” Our last sign of civilization was the Mud Lake Lodge still not yet open for business. On the horizon was a row of mountain, our immediate destination. We passed the McClaren Summit sign which stated we were at 4,220 feet.
The road snakes and in places almost doubles back on itself; you are slowly climbing but at a slow rate, all around is barren except for the tundra. We stopped and I got out to feel the tundra and the frozen earth below. I got some instruction from my brother on driving a rocky rut filled road and soon I was cruising about 30 mph through the frozen landscape. But slowly the landscape is changing back into early spring and barren patches of ground appear, we passed many frozen lakes but no signs of wildlife. It was about 50 miles into the road that we passed a lone out house perched atop a small hill, and in hindsight we should have stopped. The vegetation was changing from tundra to small bushes and immature fir trees, and Eureka! I spotted a moose grazing leisurely alongside the road.
The Department of the Interior has placed metal mile markers every two miles along the road so you can gage just how far you had come but more important how far you still had to go; whether you had passed the point of no return. The landscape had now changed to Alder, Willow and pines surrounding an open lake fed by the Nenana River, we were at mile marker 75. We start to see rustic cabins and campsites and know our trip is nearing its end at about 100 miles in we see rows of homes and indications of small towns. The entire length of this road was 126 miles from Paxton to Cantwell and we arrived at about 10:15 at night with only one gas station open we filled up and continued on towards Chugiak.
Day nine was a day of cleaning the gear and resting from our previous days adventures; I got to see how the sled dogs are exercised. Each group has a family attachment and they are released together to play and exercise, I was told that if the wrong dog was released within this group they would fight. A child’s wading pool was set up so they could play and cool off, even though it was not “hot” in that sense their thick undercoats keep them warmer than usual. Each dog had their own dog house and they were tethered on a chain which swivels around their house creating about a 15 circle, the houses are lined in rows and each animal has their own name and each had a distinct personality. You had the “boss” and the followers which I was told is very important when running a team. I got to go out and meet them and as I entered they eyed me cautiously but not aggressively, they were all well behaved and social. I must add that this kennel was not like so many pictured in Alaska, the enclosure around each dog was well maintained with mowed grass, fruit trees and wild berry plants filled out the area.
Day ten found us out traveling towards Palmer again. But this time we are heading up to the Independence Mine and Mint Glacier. We turned off at Fishhook road and the scenery was green and lush with pastures and large country homes lining the road. As we climbed the trees become thicker and soon we find ourselves in a narrow canyon with a small river running parallel to the road. This area is called Hatcher Pass and we are climbing up towards the mine. The sides of the canyon are dotted with small caves and the road is very narrow and unpaved. Anyone driving the road must exercise caution. Spring was left behind and we found ourselves back in winter, cold blustery winds ushering forth from the glacier chill you to the bone. Snow started to fall as we approached the visitor’s center. We passed a small hotel with a restaurant. From here we looked down the canyon and saw the green landscape we left behind and above us the glacier and snow laden ground.
The road to the mine was dirt and full of large ruts and pot holes and very narrow but at least it was dry and we were in my brothers Suzuki Samurai which was well suited to the area. We spotted another road leading to yet another mine in the area and decide to see where it went. The road was named Arc Angel and we soon found out why. Seat Belts firmly cinched we started our climb dodging ruts 3 feet deep, bouncing from side to side and plowing through mud and snow. You needed an angel to keep you safe. Eventually it was even too much for the Samurai and we turned around. It was not quite so simple as there was no place to actually turn around my brother had to back up, with my door open and guiding him he managed to keep the tires on top of the rut tracks until we found a place flat enough to turn in. Back on the main road we climbed further and the mountains were covered with snow while we wound our way towards the mine. Up ahead we spot a hotel styled like an Alpine Chalet with several smaller cabins below. The whole look was like a gingerbread house and if you had closed your eyes you would have been in Switzerland. Because of the snow the road leading to the mine was still closed but we got to stop at the gate which afforded us a good view of the mine with our binoculars. I gained allot of respect for those miners who lived year around at the mine. There was an intricate network of ladders leaving from one area to another to help them get around.
On the way back down the canyon we stopped to inspect a beaver dam which was in pristine shape and quite impressive. In several places further down the canyon visitors had placed wooden planks across the narrow stream to get to the other side and explore the many small caves dotting the canyon walls. Best leave the adventures to them I thought. I was quite comfortable and ready to home and taste the Chinese food my brother had cooked prior to this little adventure. Prior to our departure he had made sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice and homemade vegetable egg rolls. Outside the air was clean and very crisp and as we turned onto the road leading to his house we could smell the lingering aromas of that mornings cooking. Check out the recipes and more at Twentymile.com and click on the cookbook, you will find many great selections to choose from.
Day eleven was my trip to downtown Anchorage; I had been through it on my way to Portage Glacier but this would by my first trip into the city. It is a modern, medium-sized city complete with large multistory buildings, museums, hotels by the boatload to accommodate the many tourists that flock to the area. There is fine dining and mom and pop, ethnic styles, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, and Philippian just about anything you want is available. One thinks of dog sleds and snow when thinking about Alaska but Anchorage is a modern thriving city just like any found in the lower 48 states. It was a cloudy day with slightly cool breezes coming off the water which made for nice walking weather. We found parking in a downtown multi-level parking garage about in the middle of town. Since all the streets have metered parking, this was the most cost effective means. Our first stop was at the statue erected to honor the Iditarod Dog Races, the plaque reads 1049 miles some will dispute that point since Anchorage now serves as the honorary start but dogs are sometimes trucked to Wasilla from Anchorage to “officially start the race”. In years with abundant snow still on the ground, the dogs have made the ceremonial start run all the way to Eagle River.
The visitor’s center was next and what a sight; a real log cabin and it had a sod roof with moss growing on it. Stepping inside I was greeted by a pot belly stove which provided some much welcomed warmth. That part of Anchorage is geared to tourists and most of the shops offer souvenirs and tid bits from the area’s local artists. We reached the end of the street and turned right to enter Cook Park, which in not a real park in the sense of a large sprawling grassy area. It boasts a massive wooden boardwalk that wanders half way down the steep embankment and the Port of Anchorage harbor below. There is a large statue of Captain Cook gazing out over the harbor in search of another adventure.
Next we stopped at the Anchorage Mall, a large five story building that houses stores to tickle the fancy of almost any shopper. Anchorage is close to the end of the supply line and I found it a bit pricy for me. We chose to stop at the food court and have a good hot cup of coffee and a freshly baked cookie, which hit the spot. Leaving the mall we spotted a small inter- city green beltway and notice that the entire side of the adjoining building had been painted in a sea life mural. The "Whaling Wall", was created by the artist Robert Wyland in 1994. It is a spectacular mural, showing bowhead whales, belugas, seals - the marine life of Alaska. It is one of many other such murals. Off the main street we spotted a museum devoted to the Alaskan State Troopers, which I might add are like the elusive Big Foot, in the entire time I had been here I had seen several trooper cars parked but no real troopers. They are spread so thinly around the area and travel such great distances that one hardly ever meets up with them. The museum offered some nice panoramas and a good history of the troopers and the area.
Heading back towards the visitors center there is a movie theatre built in 1949 and was the only building left standing after the devastating 1964 earthquake. It was sturdily built of solid stone. Inside it reminded me of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood California, rich velvet curtains and richly polished wood ushered you back to the ear of a night out at the movies. Our final stop was at ethnic grocery store located in the older part of town, it has Middle Eastern, Jewish and Oriental grocery items, and just about anything one would need to sample other cultures. We were heading back towards Chugiak to get some rest for tomorrow when we would be up early to drive to Seward and catch a boat to tour the Kenai Fjords.
Day twelve and we were up early for the 146 mile trip to Seward, most would think a scant two and a half hour trip but most of the roads are two lane, winding coastal affairs and then once crossing the bridge you are on the Kenai Peninsula and are winding through beautiful tree laden mountainsides. But most importantly you would miss all the wonderful photo ops if you drove fast just to get there. All along you see where road crews have sprayed the barren areas with grass seed to help prevent erosion. Since it was still early in the season we had to take precautions and be on the lookout for frost heaves and fallen debris. That part reminded me of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, lush green and all around were the signs of avalanches from the past winter. Soon we came upon a large lake blue lake so still it reflected like a mirror and was aptly named Mirror Lake. Seward, our destination, is an open water port located on the Gulf of Alaska, a stop off port for the Alaskan Cruise ships.
Reaching Seward we headed down towards the docks and found a parking spot, after checking in and getting our tickets we returned to the car to get our gear. Our departure time was at 1:30 leaving us time to walk around and look at the marina and check out some boats. Up ahead we saw a large Princess Cruise ship which had just docked a few hours earlier. Some of the moored boats were for fishing and sport recreation and some well I couldn’t figure that out. It was time to board our ship, an impressive three deck ship called the Northland. There was seating inside and also outside for the hearty soles who wanted a bird’s eye view, so we stood at the back so we could have clear pictures. Captain Mike was at the helm and barked out the ships rules.
Heading out we noticed the tide was out and we could see the sunken part of the bay, during the 1964 earthquake part of the town dropped into the bay taking along the railroad tracks, and trains, buildings and everything else. The town lost about 300 feet of shore line and the tidal wave tossed boats 100 feet into the town. During low tide you can see the remnants of the tracks and a few other relics but most remain under water. We are passing by a large blue coal elevator that is used to load 800’ coal tankers holding 20 to 30 tons each and bound for Korea. The water was choppy and the mist clouded the far side of the bay, but on the near side we spotted a bald eagle sitting proudly on its nest tucked into the cliffs. The water was calmer as we near the middle of the bay and our destination drew closer. It was Fox Island and a lunch of freshly grilled salmon. Our boat docked alongside a covered, carpeted gang way and we were escorted into a large lodge for our lunch. We were served salad, corn on the cob, rice pilaf freshly grilled salmon and rolls and real butter. There were soft drinks, coffee or tea and for an extra charge you could get wine or beer and for dessert there was cherry cobbler. This was an all you can eat lunch so we enjoyed ourselves and ate to our hearts content. We sat by a window and perched in a spruce tree was a large bald eagle eyeing us as we ate, I did manage to get his picture before he flew off.
Outside the lodge there were the remains of a large whale, the bones are huge and one can only imagine one up close and personal in real life. The ship’s horn blew and it was time to reboard and continue on with our tour. The next sight was Bear Glacier which we saw from 15 miles away but it’s so big it looked like we were less than 2 miles from it. This glacier backs up into the Harding Ice Fields; a large expanse of frozen nothing which when viewed from a plane seems to go on forever. By now the clouds had lifted and we could see the shoreline and the cliffs which abounded with every kind of bird imaginable. The boat slowed to an almost stop and we drifted harmlessly through a flock of floating birds.
There were Puffins, Kittehawks, Murries, Cormorants and seagulls by the hundreds, the steep cliffs were rookery’s and as far as the eye can see were nests poked between bits of rock. Added to the noise of the squawking birds were the Stellar Sea Lions which were sunning themselves on the rocks below, the bulls proudly proclaiming their territory and for us not to venture too close. On the far side of the ship the crew had spotted a couple of dolphins swimming back out to sea. Our trip took us to the very point where fjord meets the open sea. All around are smaller glaciers, rookeries, sea lions, bald eagles by the dozen nesting upon the rocky crags. There was so much to see and take in I could hardly figure out what to look at first. Our trip was coming to a close. We had 5 wonderful hours of scenery to remember, and to greet us was an otter gently floating on his back cracking open his dinner of muscles by smashing it on a rock resting on his stomach.
We got to tour the town and stopped to read a sign; it seems that during WW II several bunkers were built near here. One remains on top of the cliffs on a remote island near the open sea and another is a bunker type affair a moderate hike from town. But one can only get then during low tide and must return before it returns or you are stranded. We decided to tour the newly opened Alaska Sea Life Center and the exhibits were very good. They do a lot of marine rehab here and their claim to fame was the Exon Valdez Oil spill where they rescued many marine creatures and were able to rehabilitate them before returning them to the bay. It was late and time for us to return to the mainland but along the way we stopped again along the railroad tracks and I managed to get some old rail road spikes from decades ago.
Day Thirteen found us going back to Anchorage and the Anchorage Zoo followed by a stop at the Alaskan Wild Berry Candy Shop. A moderate sized zoo, surprisingly large considering its far northern location, it offers a petting zoo for the little tykes, a nice little souvenir shop for tourists like me, indigenous animals and some from around the world. Black bears, a grizzly with a bad attitude, polar bear, elephant, camels, seals, otters, wolverines, fox, moose, lynx to name a few. All in all, a very nice zoo; it is big enough to see lots of animals in spacious enclosures but small enough to see all within a few hours.
The next stop was the candy shop. It was made to look like a log cabin with overtones of a Willie Wonka candy shop. Your treat starts the moment you enter the store; in front of you is 3,400 pounds of chocolate cascading down about a 20’ waterfall. It has been treated so it won’t spoil but the smell is pure chocolate. At the base it is about 8 feet wide and stacked around the base are bars of chocolate each weighing in at about 10 lbs. The shop features candy made of chocolate, chocolate with Alaskan wild berries or all kinds.
Of course they also offer the more traditional types of candy, licorice and hard candy, all available in abundance well as a wide assortment of Alaska-themed gift items. Even if you didn’t like chocolate you would find a treat or two to satisfy your cravings. You can also see just how the chocolate and other candies are made by viewing the candy assembly line. Big viewing windows to keep the candy kitchen separate from the public area offer an unobstructed view of the candy making process.
Day fourteen was our trip to the reindeer farm; it was closed during our trip to the Must Ox Farm a few days ago. Again we headed down the highway towards Palmer. We turned off onto a small side road and found richly painted barns and large pastures filled with spring grass. As we pulled in we spotted a puppy sleeping on the grass while several other puppies played around. We seemed to be the only visitors at the time. A young girl came out of the office and the puppies ran to her and to our surprise they were not puppies but reindeer babies. They were orphans being bottle fed until old enough to feed themselves.
It was time to meet the reindeer and get a little knowledge; body heat is 101 and never rises of falls, they have hollow hair for insulation and you should never touch their backs or antlers, it’s a sign of aggression. They have a seven month gestation and September through December is breeding season. They have four stomachs. They don’t bite; they have no upper teeth. Armed with a cup of reindeer pellets we entered the pen and began to meet the reindeer. They know what you have and are eager to be first in line as we hold the pellets in our palms. It was an interesting experience to be surrounded by all those reindeer, with their massive antlers, all gently jostling to be first in line for the food I offered in my hand.
They took in a baby moose injured in a car accident last season. A local veterinarian performed surgery to set the broken rear leg bone. We went out into the pasture to get a closer look. We were told of the aggressive nature of moose and not to offer any pellets to him since they would make him sick. Moose have a natural diet totally different from the reindeer. Surprising to me was the fact the moose was curious about me and came over and placed its head against my shoulder. He was about a year old and his legs were about a tall as I was and when he wanted to play, that was the sign it was time to leave. Heading back out of the pasture our young guide asked if I would like to help her feed the reindeer babies.
I got to feed Mickey, the youngest, and I was told that they don’t breath during feeding and that I needed to break about every 6-10 seconds to let him get a breath. They were fed goat’s milk, about 6 to 9 ounces and every four hours. Satisfied after his bottle, Mickey lay down and slept. He was a 10 pound future Santa’s helper.
On the way back we headed out towards Wasilla and a wolf rescue habitat ran by a lady who sells wolves around the world. She has the buyers come to her facility to stay for about a week to see if they bond with the wolf before she will release it to them. She is the alpha female and respected by the pack but we were outsiders and needed to stay out of the pens. Some of the regular dogs in her kennel are related to the teams my brother and sister in law ran during the height of their sledding days.
My two weeks were all too soon at an end. The best part was touring with a local, my brother, and getting to see Alaska from the inside, much like touring a friend’s home you always ended up in the kitchen, a cook’s tour.

There seems to be a problem with the photograph cache – acting weird, as it were. Sometimes the additional photographs with this blog are displayed in block at the end, and at other times they are missing altogether. If you are at this point in the blog, and there are no additional photographs shown below the “Oil Pipeline Across the Tundra,” click on that photo to bring up the viewer and use the viewer navigation buttons to see the additional photographs with this blog. Hopefully, the server will get all things running properly soon. Thank you all for reading my blog.

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Photos

Girdwood Bake Shop
Fabulous home-made soups of the day and luscious sourdough bread and buns. Oh! don't foget they have sinful cinnamon rolls, too.

Crow Creek Pass
This is far as a vehicle can go. It is a steep switchback trail to the top of Crow Creek Pass. It is spring down in the valley but it is still winter up here.

Crow Creek Pass
The end of the road from Girdwood. From here it is foot traffic oly over the top of Crow Creek Pass.

Muskox Farm
The red barn is a relic from the dust bowl era when displaced farmers were brough to Alaska to resettle. The muskox quiviut yarn is soft and makes effective insulating garments (but expensive, too).

Muskox Farm
A young muskox looking shaggy as it is shedding its winter layer of quiviut hair.

Knik River
The Knik River, fed by the Knik Glacier, is running high during the spring thaw. Later it will be a lazier braided stream typical of glacier fed rivers.

Knik River
An overlook of the Knik River near Palmer, Alaska. The Knik Glacier, high up in the Chugach Mountains feeds the Knik River.

Knik River
The Knik River near Palmer, Alaska, is the run off of melt water from the Knik Glacier. The water is very cold, after all, it is ice water.

Eagle River
A warning sign on the Eagle River Nature Center Trail. The fast flowing Eagle River is in the background.

Eagle River
A boardwalk at the Eagle River Nature Center. You may recognize the background from a Ming Tsai Food Channel episode featuring Alaska seafoods. He stood on this very spot.

Eagle River
Eagle River Nature Trail. Out here you make a lot of noise when hiking to make sure you don't accidentally encounter bears.

Eagle River
It is spring time but still cold and damp along the Eagle River, a glacier fed river near the town of Eagle River.

Portage Glacier
The blue ice of a glacier is evident in this picture of the face of Portage Glacier. We are on the tour boat, the MV Ptarmigan, cruising on Portage Lake.

Portage Glacier
The glaciers around the world are retreating. Here Portage Glacier is starting to show the ground under the front of the glacier.

Growlers
Growlers, small icebergs, along side the MV Ptarmigan on Portage Lake.

Portage, Alaska
The 1964 Alaska earthquake caused the land around the small village of Portage to subside. Sea water from Turnagain Arm flooded the area and the village and its buildings were abandoned. This one was built with scraps from the nearby Alaska Railroad.

Portage Valley
The Portage Glacier melt water fills Portage Lake and the overflow flows to The Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet. Here the waters of Portage Creek pass under the railroad trestle.

Aircraft Crash Fire Rescue
My sister-in-law Janis in her bunker gear. We are standing next to a 2,000 gallon capacity fire engine.

Aircraft Crash Fire Rescue
The fire engine has a turret mounted on top of the cab, a smaller monitor nozzle on the bumber and there are hoses called "hand lines."

Aircraft Crash Fire Rescue
I am getting a hands-on lesson in how to sweep burning aircraft fuel aside with the water stream to provide an escape route for passengers.

Aircraft Crash Fire Rescue
The inside of the fire truck cab is a busy place. There are multiple radios, all the controls for the water pumps and spray nozzles as well as the normal controls for a powerful diesel engined vehicle.

Hurricane Gulch
Hurricane Gulch is a deep gorge with near vertical cliffs on the way to Denali.

Hurricane Gulch Bridge
The highway bridge spanning Hurricane Gulch. No pedestrians allowed. But if you do walk on the bridge you can feel the cars and trucks make the bridge shimmy and sway.

Denali, the Mountain
Denali is often obscured in clouds and fog. Even the locals stop to take Denali's picture when it is clear. This is from the Denali State Park Overlook, just south of Denali National Park

Denali Park Gateway
Here I am standing at the entrance sign to Denali National Park.

Denali Campout
Our room for the night at the Riley Creek Campground at the entrance to Denali National Park.

Denali Campout
The groceries for our Denali National Park campout and eats along the long drive.

Reindeer
Reindeer crossing the 7-mile paved section of the Denali Highway.

Alaska Brown Bear
Bear sighting at Teklinika Overlook, Denali National Park

Denali Red Fox
A red fox sunning itself on the road while it watches over the edge of the road for an unwary rodent of bird to furnishe him a meal. It seemed oblivious to the automobiles traveling the road.

Denali Red Fox
A red fox holds up traffic while it suns itself and uses the road berm to hide from potential prey below. There was a pond with waterfowl just below.

Denali Ptarmigan
The willow ptarmigan is the State Bird of Alaska. Active all year, it is white in the winter to hide in the snow. In spring the feathers mottle and slowly change to brow to hide in the brush.

Shhh! Its a moose!
It is not wise to get too close to a moose. They are short tempered and will stomp any perceived threat.

Anderson, Alaska
My brother, Larry Andersen, proudly showing the almost namesake town sign. Anderson is a small and isolated community south of Fairbanks that provides a bedroom community to adjacent Clear Airforce Station.

North Pole
Not surpiisingly, North Pole, Alaska has Christmas themed businesses. It also boasts of one of the world's largest Santas. That's me standing at his feet.

North Pole
There really is a North Pole (Alaska, that is). This is the North Pole City Hall and police department building.

Alaska Highway
Milepost marker for the Alaska Highway in Delta Junction, the official end of the Alaska Highway. Also, note more oil pipeline artifacts on display on the right.

Oil Pipeline
A bit north of Fairbanks, the pipeline is near the highway and a there is a visitor center where you can get out and touch the Alaska Pipeline without upsetting a lot of security guards.

Oil Pipeline
A cutaway section of pipeline with a pig inside. Pigs are of various types, some to clean the inside of the pipe and others to scan the pipe for sign of cracks or imperfections.

Oil Pipeline
A retired pig. No! Not me. That thing on the left. One of the pigs that has traveled inside the pipe line, in the flow of hot crude oil, helping to maintain the pipeline.

Oil Pipeline
An elevated section of pipeline. The support trestles are a passive refrigeration system; the cooling fins are seen at the top. This keeps the permafrost frozen so the pipeline won't sink into the ground.

Oil Pipeline on the Tundra
An elevated section of the oil pipeline, crossing over a low range of hills.

Oil Pipeline
Milepost markers at the oil pipeline visitor center north of Fairbanks, Alaska.

Roadhouse
Travel in early Alaska was even more difficult than it is today. Once the roughly hewn gravel roads made twenty miles a hard day's ordeal. There were roadhouses wher the tired traveler could find shelter, food and get repairs to their vehicle. Improved roads soon bypassed the roadhouses and they were abandoned to decay in the wilderness.

Roadhouse
An abandoned roadhouse near Black Rapids along the Richardson Highway. The sod roof has failed while the metal roof is still standing.

Roadhouse
The abandoned roadhouse is slowly sinking in the ground as the weight of the building melts, ever so slightly over the years, the underlaying permafrost.

Denali Highway
Along side the seasonal gravel Denali Highway somewhere between Cantwell and Paxson.

Denali Highway
A moose emerging from the brush along side the Denali Highway near Cantwell, Alaska.

Remote Lake
A remote lake along the Richardson Highway.

Sled Dog Yard
Each sled dog has their own house and area. I am trying to get Max, a shy dog until he gets to know you, to come for a little treat.

Little Susitna River
A small section of rapids on the Little Susitna River at the entrance of the valley leading to Independence Mine.

Little Susitna River Beaver Pond and Dam
Industrious beaqvers have built dam across a small tributary of the river and made a large pond.

Independence Mine
The Independence Mine was a working mine until the start of WWII. During the war it was closed in order to not divert manpower and materials from the war effort. It reopened after the war but low gold prices made it unprofitable and it closed about 1950. It was deed to the State of Alaska for use as an historical park.

Independence Mine
The mine is still locked in the depths of winter. Without snow shoes, this was as close as we were able to get in the early spring.

Downtown Anchorage - Iditarod Start
If you have ever watched the Anchorage start of the world famous Iditarod sled dog race to Nome, you will recognize the yellow building in the background. The statue here marks the start line of the lasat great race.

Downtown Anchorage
The sod roof covered visitor center in the old downtown section of Anchorage.

Downtown Anchorage - Capt. Cook
There is a statue of Captain Cook overlooking the inlet that bears his name.

Anchorage, Alaska
The standard Anchorage postcard photo taken from Point Woronzof.

Anchorage, Alaska
Standing on the Point Woronzof bluff overlooking the mud flats and Anchorage beyond.

Resurrection Bay
Picturesque rocks and boulders atthe entrance to Resurrection Bay

Seward, Alaska Marina
At the Seward Marina awaiting the boarding time for our tour of Resurrection Bay on the MV Northland.

1964 Earthquake
When the earthquake struck, the water in the bay receded. It returned a short time later as a giant wave, a tsunami. The old barge and the railroad tracks that go nowhere are frightening reminders of that earthquake ansd tsunami.

Resurrection Bay
The MV Northland was our comfortable tour boat around Resurrection Bay. It makes a stop, here, at Fox Island for the passengers to enjoy a grilled salmon dinner.