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Published: August 21st 2016
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It began with the midnight sun…. and ended with the Aurora Borealis!
I had initially planned on my G-Adventures blog as my last, but couldn’t resist sharing some tales from the North. It’s told the North/Yukon casts a spell on people (who never leave) and it’s easy to see why! We spent two months exploring the wilds of Alaska and the remote northern communities in the Yukon, Canada. Alaska had always been top of my travel bucket list and when our friend Raquel invited us up on 4th July, how could we refuse…?
Alaska was pretty special for a number of reasons. Not least the fact it marked the completion of an incredible journey from the “end of the world” in Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost town in the world), to the “top of the world” in Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (north of the Arctic Circle). The drive up the Dalton Highway is classified as one of the most dangerous drives in the world, especially in winter due to the isolation and remoteness, but it’s nothing short of spectacular.
We spent a few nights camping in Denali National Park and hiked some fantastic trails. There’s an abundance of wildlife in
Denali - we spotted lots of grizzly bears and caribou. The ultimate highlight was watching Mount Denali (the highest peak in North America) reveal itself, camping out at Wonder Lake, surely one of the most beautiful campsite locations in the world. The mountain is stunning and majestic, all covered in snow, and we got some amazing views (and photos!) from Wonder Lake/ Reflection Pond. Then we rode the Alaskan scenic railway to Anchorage, with some lovely views along the way.
We travelled to McCarthy-Kennicott, a small community and old mining town nestled in Wrangell-St.Elias National Park, with mountains and glaciers abound. This is now one of my favourite places anywhere in the world! Virtually unknown to the outside world, McCarthy-Kennicott has some interesting characters who have great stories to tell. The people are friendly and explain how they survive the winters in such deep isolation. We spend a full day trekking on a glacier and exploring the amazing ice formations, then a black bear starts to cross – this makes for an incredible photo opportunity (the largest icefall outside the Himalayas providing the backdrop). We’re invited to the local pub for “Open Mic” night and by the time we
leave we’re on first name basis with half the town! We’ll have to return someday for a flight-seeing tour over the park, with more glaciers and mountains than any other in North America.
Other Alaskan highlights included: a boat cruise on the incredibly scenic Kenai fjords, where we spotted whales, also exploring the quaint coastal towns of Homer and Seward. Camping out on the Spit in Homer was probably one of my favourite locations! Alaska is wild, remote, untamed, untouched, wilderness – offering incredible adventures for those who like to get off the beaten track. Around every corner you can be sure to find beautiful landscapes formed by glaciation, waiting to be discovered.
The midnight sun is a remarkable sensation whereby for a few weeks a year it never gets dark in the far North. It’s utterly indescribable until you experience this natural phenomenon, it invigorates you with late night energy, when midnight is as bright as midday!
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