Denali: Friday, Sept. 8, 2017

We went "flight seeing" over the mountains in Denali today...quite an amazing way to see these towering mountains, with Denali, at 20+ K feet being the standout. But we also saw enormous glaciers and other stunning--and intimidating--peaks up very close and personal thanks to our pilot, Bob, from Denali Air.

That afternoon, we went to the sled dog kennels where they raise and train the dogs that help the patrol the wilderness (I.e., no machinery) part of Denali NP in the winter. The dogs just get ecstatic when they get hooked up to the training sled. There was also a new litter of 7 puppies!

They are rearing to go!

Two of the puppies

They get treats after their run around the track

Juneau: Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017

This was our most daring adventure, at least from my perspective. We took a helicopter--which we have done a couple of times in Hawaii--up to Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier part was a first for us. When we arrived at the helicopter office, they suited us up in Mountain Hardware pants and jackets and gloves and had us change out our shoes for heavy boots. We toured over Mendenhall and Suicide Basin glaciers and then landed at the helicopter company's "base camp" (see the tiny tent in background of following picture) at the foot of a 250 foot ice fall. We had to put on crampons and they gave us a trekking pole before they then took us for a 40 minute walk around the glacier.

Now you know where the term glacier blue originates...such beautiful colors!

When we got back, we went to the Twisted Fish restaurant down on the pier for a fabulous lunch. I had halibut sliders and Hal had a smoked salmon (both hot and cold smoked) plate. 

Then we took the tram up to the top of Mt. Roberts for a nice overview of the surrounding area.

Our ship, the Zaandam, taken from the tram.

Also saw this person in a glider while we were at the top of Mt. Roberts

This carver, I assume of Tlingit origins, was working on a totem in the shop on Mt. Roberts

Carving in a tree on Mt. Roberts trail

Alaska Day 2: Denali Wilderness Tour, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017

Eight hour bus trip into the park and so worth it. We saw moose mama and 2 large calves, wolf from the Riley Creek pack (1 of only 70 wolves in this 6.2 million acre park), Grizzlies (1 loner close up and 2 different mama bears, each with 2 cubs, at a distance), ptarmigan, golden eagle, grouse, ground squirrels, AND Mt, Denali !!!

Ptarmigan

Wolf from Riley Creek pack

Grizzly bear

Moose mom and calves

Marianne, Hal, and Wendy with Denali in the background.

Gorgeous and massive Denali

Last Day in Alaska: Ketchikan, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017

I am going to work backwards since I have been unable to post our travels on a regular basis. Our last day was in Ketchikan and we docked late and then left for our float plane tour of Misty Fjords Park at 12:30. Our pilot Ray was a retired commercial pilot and took us over the park's fjords and glacial lakes to Punchbowl Cove, where we were able to land the plane and actually step out onto the floats--very carefully--to look around at the often sheer rock walls. 

We returned and walked up to the Creek St area of town which has historic houses and lots of tourist shops. It was once the "red light" district of Ketchikan. 

We then walked uphill to the Totem Heritage Center.

Returned to ship for an evening departure, heading for the inland passage.