Ziplining Alaska . . .

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Last week I was able to take one of my favourite types of tours but the Alaskan version when I went snorkeling. I’ve had one other favourite on my must-do list while up here in the north - zip lining. I did some research and found a company that was willing to take a group of crew members and offered us a great deal. I got a group of friends together and today we were off.

Today was another wet and cold day. Definitely not ideal zip lining weather. But we sucked it up - and ultimately lucked out because the rain stopped just in time for our tour.

The ship is docked in Juneau today. We took a small motorboat across the channel to Douglas Island. We were suited up, then driven up the mountain on the back of a huge 4x4. We had to walk the last 10 minutes up the hill to the first platform. Then we were off!

The course was great. It started off with a short zip - like a practice run - then we were onto the big ones. There were I think seven different lines. We soared above the tree tops, over mountain streams and at one point even over a cave. The trees were incredible - “Twilight Trees” we called them because they looked just like the ones in the forests from the Twilight movies. I said that I hoped there was a wolf in the woods nearby that would imprint on me!

After a some of the zips, we then had a rope suspension bridge to walk across. We were taking photos all the way along the course and had just stopped to take a few on the bridge before finishing the cross to the platform. I looked up at the tree right next to us and saw something in the branches. “Oh, it’s fake,” I said. Heather, who was right behind me, said something like “The scenery can’t be fake Jeanette.” Then I started to explain but cut off “No! It’s moving!” It was a porcupine! Right on the tree branch next to us! It hung out there for a moment but ultimately didn’t seem to like being our novelty because it began making it’s way down the tree. But still, very cool to see.

The last zip line wasn’t the highest or the most thrilling, but the view was incredible! That line started in the trees where all you saw was the surrounding forest. Then a few seconds along the zip the tree line opened up and there was a view of the channel and the mountain on the other side with a waterfall flowing down the centre! Awesome.

The final part of the course was a repel line. I am pretty much able to put aside my fear of falling for ziplining now, but repelling still has me a nervous wreck every time. But what I loved about this tour was they allow you to control your repel and therefore the speed that you lower to the ground. So I was great because I could go nice and slow and steady.

Back at the cabin, we were given medals for finishing the course. We posed together biting on our medals like you always see the Olympic athletes do. Then as we were enjoying our snack and checking out the souvenirs, the rain began again! Perfect timing for us, but that poor tour group who went out just as we were coming in probably wasn’t too happy . . .

Tomorrow I still have one more Alaskan port to visit, but now that I did the zip lining tour I’ve officially checked off my entire list of adventures I wanted to do in Alaska. So I really am ready to head home in a few more days.

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Photos

Twilight Trees
I can just picture Victoria sitting up on one of the branches.

Twilight Trees
Or is Victoria on this one?