Alaska Adventure & Eco-Tourism Media Information Bagging the Big One: Visiting Alaska’s National Parks a Dream to Goal-seekers by Melissa DeVaughn

Alaska is a national parks paradise. The state is home to the largest national park in the country (Wrangell-St. Elias) the tallest mountain in North America (Mount McKinley, at Denali National Park and Preserve) and the awesome spectacle of Glacier Bay, to name just a few among the state’s 19 federally designated parks, historical sites and wild rivers.

These kinds of statistics are extremely important to a growing number of travelers affec- tionately known as “park baggers.” Park baggers have made it their goal to visit and spend time in every one of the 380-plus national parks in the country. Not surprisingly, Alaska is often one a park bagger’s ultimate destination.

“I’ve only met a few people who have done park bagging, who are really serious about it, and when they came to Alaska, they would have to make one or two trips up here over a period of one or two years,” said John Quinley with the National Park Service in Anchorage. “They often will go to as many places as they can during one visit. If you’re taking a cruise ship, frequently ships will stop in Sitka, Glacier Bay and Skagway, and you have three parks right there.”

For San Francisco Bay-area resident Mark Minguillon, the park bagging habit started innocently enough. In 1991, he was on his way to San Diego from Colorado when his family stopped at a national park in Arizona. At the visitors center he noticed a little blue Passport to the Parks book – in which some park baggers record their travels – and he bought it.

“I thought, ‘That will be really cool for my daughter, to get her into it,’ “ he said. “So from 6 weeks old to 14 years old, she’s been collecting, too. It’s kind of a neat history of her that we will pass on to her. … Once we started getting her book stamped, I got hooked, too.”

It wasn’t long before Minguillon turned his attentions to Alaska. There is something about this Last Frontier that he wanted to see, and adding a few stamps to his and his daughter’s passport book was an added bonus. “We took a cruise about five years ago up through Alaska and the Yukon Territory,” he said. The family flew to Juneau and from there bagged several parks in Southeast Alaska: Sitka National Historical Park in Sitka, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway. Then they headed over to Denali National Park and Preserve in Interior Alaska and Kenai Fjords National Park in Southcentral Alaska.

But it was the family’s visit to Katmai National Park and Preserve in Southwest Alaska that got Minguillon really addicted to Alaska’s grandeur.

“My daughter and I, after that cruise five years ago, we have gone up five times since then,” he said. “In fact we’re going again in July.

“We absolutely fell in love with Katmai after the first time we went there,” he said. “We saw herds of (caribou), which was just unbelievable … and from the visitors center we went to a platform area to watch the bears. There’s another boardwalk that takes you to where the bears are right at a waterfall feeding on the salmon. There are like 10, 20 bears, and you’re standing on this platform and they couldn’t care less about it.”

Minguillon said park rangers escort visitors along the boardwalks and warn them to stay at least 50 feet away from the bears. On one return trip to the visitor center, a salmon- stuffed bear stretched out across the trail and fell asleep.

“The trail did not allow for us to pass, so we stood there waiting for three hours until the bear woke up and meandered away,” he said.

So far, Minguillon has collected 280 park stamps, including seven in Alaska (he also has been to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve). He said his 2003 Alaska trip will also include a stop at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, which has a new park headquarters and more than 13 million acres of land to explore. During one of his previ- ous trips, he tried to reach the Bering Land Bridge National Park, surrounded by the Chukchi and Bering seas, which is accessible only by plane. Foul weather dampened that plan, but he has visions of one day seeing all the national parks in that area have not faded.

“My ideal is to be able to contract with some Bush pilot to take me out to all the sights in the western part of Alaska,” he said. IF YOU GO:

Eastern National 470 Maryland Drive, Suite 1, Fort Washington, PA 19034 (800) 355-5566 www.eParks.com

National Park Service 605 W. Fourth Ave., Anchorage, AK, Suite 1015 (907) 271-2737 www.nps.gov

Photo credits in order of appearance: Cover - ATIA, Clark Mishler/ ATIA; ATIA. Page 1- ATIA. Passport to the Parks: Handy Booklet Helps Travelers Document Their Dream Vacation

Park baggers with a penchant for proving where they’ve been might want to get a Passport to the Parks booklet to document their travels.

Pennsylvania-based Eastern National sells the passports, which resemble real-life pass- ports and can be canceled with commemorative stickers and dated stamps from every single park in the nation.

“A lot of people are really interested because Alaska is such a beautiful destination,” said marketing manager Michelle Newhard of Eastern National. “That’s part of the allure.”

Randi Minetor from Rochester, N.Y., is a recent park bagger who will be making her first trip to Alaska this summer to capture some of the national parks not yet marked off in her Passport to the Parks.

“We are taking a cruise in August with my mother-in-law,” Minetor said. “She is 86 and she has visited 49 states and Alaska will make 50 for her. For (my hus- band and I), it will be a chance to collect stamps.”

Minetor said that although there are less than 400 parks, there are actually as many as 700 stamps that park bag- gers can acquire because some national parks have two or more designs at multiple visitors centers.

“In just about all cases, the thing about getting the stamp is getting to the park itself,” she said. “Most of us don’t just grab a stamp and go. We all plan so that we have enough time to enjoy the park and what it offers.”

For instance, Minetor plans to disembark from her cruise for a trip to Denali National Park and Preserve. Not only does she plan to see the main park headquarters and take a ranger-led tour, but she and her husband and mother-in-law will be stopping at the Talkeetna headquarters as well. The visit will net them two park stamps for their book, as Talkeetna has its own design.

Minetor and her husband have been park bagging for only three years but have made it to 98 parks already. Another Alaska trip is in the works, too. “Actually, we know that we will eventually have to drive up to Alaska and probably spend three to six weeks,” she said. “I’m guessing it will be a summer and when we’re closer to retirement. I’m looking forward to this because I’m also a birder, and Alaska is one of the states with some of the best birding in the world.”

As for the extra cost and commitment involved in reaching some of Alaska’s most remote places, Minetor remains undaunted.

“Flying to these remote places, I think that’s the most exciting thing that I can think of,” she said. “Places you can’t just drive up to and see the visitors center are even more spe- cial. Just being above the Arctic Circle, for me, will make it all worth it.”

Photo credits: Greg Martin Photography. Let the Park-Bagging Begin

If you want to start checking off the Alaska national park list in a passport booklet, start by picking one up at a national park or gift shop that carries national-park memorabilia.

The passport book costs $7.95. Commemorative sets of stamps from 1986 to the present are available for $3.95 each, or the entire 18 years’ worth of stamps can be had for $58.95. The fun and challenging way to collect them, though, is to visit the parks and collect stamps as you go. There are 19 national park-affiliated areas in Alaska, eight of which are national park and preserves. Others are designated as historically significant sites or areas of special interest and protection.

For more information about any of the following areas, please visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov. For Alaska travel information visit www.travelalaska.com.

1. Alagnak Wild River: An 80-mile scenic river located at the top of the Alaska Peninsula, partly in Katmai National Preserve 2. Aleutian World War II National Historic Area: Located on Attu Island in the Aleutian Chain 3. Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve: A 580,000-acre monument and preserve located on the Alaska Peninsula about 150 miles southwest of King Salmon 4. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve: A 2.8 million-acre preserve on the Seward Peninsula, about 50 miles south of Kotzebue and 90 miles north of Nome 5. Cape Krusenstern National Monument: A 660,000-acre monument located 10 miles northwest of Kotzebue 6. Denali National Park & Preserve: One of Alaska's most popular national parks, located off the Parks Highway, two hours south of Fairbanks 7. Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve: An 8 million-acre park and preserve in the Brooks Range 8. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve: A 3.3 million-acre park and preserve located near the northern end of the Inside Passage 9. Inupiat Heritage Center: Located in Barrow and operated in conjunction with the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in New Bedford, Mass. to document traditional Native whaling practices 10. Katmai National Park & Preserve: A popular bear-viewing destination at the top of the Alaska Peninsula with access via King Salmon 11. Kenai Fjords National Park: A 580,000-acre park encompassing coastal lands on the southeastern side of the Kenai Peninsula with primary access via Seward 12. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park: A unique park dedicated to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1898 that includes the town of Skagway and surrounding historic areas 13. Kobuk Valley National Park: A 1.7 million-acre park located in northwestern Alaska, 350 miles from Fairbanks and 75 miles east of Kotzebue 14. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve: A 3.6 million-acre park and preserve located 150 miles southwest of Anchorage and north of Lake Iliamna 15. Noatak National Preserve: A 6.6 million-acre preserve located 350 miles northwest of Fairbanks and 16 miles northeast of Kotzebue 16. Sitka National Historical Park: In the Southeast community of Sitka, the park is Alaska's oldest federally designated park (1910) and is filled with totem poles along an easy loop trail 17. Western Arctic National Parklands: A management unit that includes Noatak National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Kobuk Valley National Park and Bering Land Bridge National Preserve; it is a separate stamp designation, although it includes the individual parks 18. Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve: The largest Alaska National Park at 13.2 million acres, located northwest of Yakutat and northeast of Cordova and Valdez 19. Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve: A 2.5 million-acre preserve located in east central Alaska with park headquarters in nearby Eagle

Photo credit: ATIA. From Mild to Wild -- Top 12 Hikes Give Sampling of Authentic Alaska by Melissa DeVaughn

One of the best things about hiking in Alaska is that high adventure can be had only minutes from civilization. A hike up Anchorage’s wildly popular Flattop Mountain is a strenuous experience with hand over hand climbing at points. And the weather can seem serene and calm at the parking lot, then become socked in and cloudy at the top.

With that in mind, it’s always important to prepare accordingly while hiking in Alaska. The weather can be unpredictable, so raingear, plenty of water, food and some emer- gency supplies are a must. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.

The following hikes offer a great beginner’s tour of the Alaska’s trail system. Some of them are exceptional for their unparalleled beauty, others for their remoteness. Some are short. Others are long. And if you have the time, they are all worth the effort.

1. King Mountain, Seward Peninsula: This relatively easy hike starts about 7.5 miles northeast of Nome and climbs about 900 feet in elevation. Hikers are rewarded with superb views of the Kigluaik Mountains to the north, and the ocean to the south. It's a good hike for older children. If younger ones are in tow, be sure to keep an eye on them because surrounding cliffs can be dangerous. The hike is only about 3 miles round-trip but it will take a few hours, and on sunny days lounging at the top is unbeatable. (No cabins) 2. Resurrection Pass, Kenai Peninsula: This is one of Alaska’s best trails for multiday trips, and it passes through gorgeous countryside, reaching a high point at the pass of 2,600 feet. The trail is about 37 miles long and is accessible via a side road in Hope or off the Sterling Highway in Cooper Landing. (Chugach National Forest, cabins available) 3. Lost Lake, Seward: Many people hike Lost Lake’s 15 miles in one day, and it is certainly a possible for hikers in good shape and who are prepared for all weather conditions. But this alpine trail has great camping spots for those who want to take it a bit slower. Roughly 8 miles in, Lost Lake makes a truly unforgettable camp spot. (Chugach National Forest, cabin available) 4. Termination Point, Kodiak Island: This rolling and diverse hike will offer cliffside views of the ocean and its marine wildlife frolicking below. The hike also dips into deep forests of old-growth Sitka spruce, and the occasional sighting of Sitka black- tailed deer. The trail is about 6 miles round-trip although many prefer to hike shorter portions of it. (One cabin) 5. Twin Peaks, Eklutna Lake: Twin Peaks is a wonderful full-day hike with easy access from Anchorage. The trailhead is at Eklutna Lake, which is about an hour to the north of the city. The trail itself is about 2.5 miles long, but it can be extended another mile and a half to East Twin Pass if you want a challenge. (Chugach State Park, campground at the trailhead) 6. Kesugi Ridge, Denali State Park: This route can be difficult and it is imperative to know your map and compass skills, as fogged-in weather can become disorienting. In clear weather, though, the 27-mile traverse across Kesugi Ridge is wide-open alpine meadow. Bring your camera! (Alaska State Parks, no cabins) 7. Pinnell Mountain, Fairbanks: This 27-mile hike is wonderful because it travels over high tundra and offers sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. It is a strenuous hike with a high point of 4,934 feet at the top of Pinnell Mountain, but the rewards are unmistakable. (Bureau of Land Management, Shelters available) 8. Perseverance Trail and Granite Creek, Juneau: The Perseverance Trail is relatively easy, but the views at the lake are incredible and not worth missing. The 2.5-mile walk is mostly boardwalked and travels through beautiful old-growth forest, and lots of hikers visit it. Toward the end of the trail is a path that leads to the left and will continue on for another mile and a half to Granite Creek. This section is steeper and more strenuous. (Alaska State Parks, no cabins) 9. Chilkoot Pass, Skagway: This historic Gold Rush-era trail is approximately 35 miles long and climbs the noted Chilkoot Pass, some 3,550 feet in elevation. Even though the hike is well developed, it is still considered strenuous for the climb up the pass, where loose gravel can be a challenge. Permits are needed to hike the trail. (National Parks, established campsites) 10. Saddlebag Glacier, Cordova: This easy, well-developed 3-mile hike offers a scenic reward upon reaching Saddlebag Lake and its accompanying glacier. The trail travels through Sitka spruce and cottonwoods before opening out on the lake. The best part of all? It won’t be crowded. Cordova is a small town and the trail is one of its gems. (Chugach National Forest, no cabins) 11. Deer Mountain, Ketchikan: Deer Mountain is the quintessential Ketchikan hike, and access is easy from downtown by simply heading uphill (check in with locals or buy a guidebook for exact directions). The trail features great views of downtown Ketchikan, Tongass Narrows and Gravina and Prince of Wales islands at the top of the 3.3-mile, fairly strenuous trail. In late summer, the upper reaches of the trail are surrounded by wildflowers. (Tongass National Forest, cabins available) 12. Flattop, Anchorage: One of the most popular hikes in Alaska, Flattop is a moderately difficult climb that definitely gets the heart pumping. Access is easy from town and the trail offers great views of Turnagain Arm and the Kenai Peninsula from the top. Total distance is three miles, but budget a few hours because you’ll gain over 1,200 feet of elevation in a mile and a half on the way up. (Chugach State Park, no cabins)

Photo credits: ATIA Contact Information for Alaska’s Public Lands

Nearly three-quarters of Alaska is protected as public land for all people to enjoy. Different regulations apply to the state’s parks, forests and management areas. Below are places to contact for more information.

U.S. Forest Service: There are two national forests in Alaska — the Tongass and Chugach. Contact the Forest Service Information Center for information on the Tongass National Forest at 8465 Old Dairy Road, Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 586-8800 www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass Chugach National Forest information is available at 3301 C St., Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 743-9500 www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach

Alaska State Parks: For information on all of Alaska’s state parks visit www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks or contact the applicable office listed below. Anchorage: 550 W. Seventh Ave, Suite 1260, Anchorage, AK 99501-3557; (907) 269- 8400 Fairbanks: 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709-4699; (907) 451-2705

Bureau of Land Management 1150 University Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99709 (907) 474-2250 http://aurora.ak.blm.gov

National Refuges: These vast public lands are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which can be reached at 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 786-3487 www.r7.fws.gov

National Park Service: There are four Alaska Public Lands Information Centers in the state that have details on all 19 of Alaska’s nationally managed areas. Access them on- line at www.nps.gov/aplic/center or visit the applicable office listed below. Tok: P.O. Box 359, Tok, AK 99780 or 907-883-5667 Anchorage: 605 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 105, Anchorage, AK 99501 or 907-271-2737 Fairbanks: 250 Cushman St. Suite 1A, Fairbanks, AK 99701 or 907-456-6527 Ketchikan: Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, 50 Main St., Ketchikan, AK 99901 or 907-228-6234 Cycling the Great Land: Taking it in on Two Wheels Turns an Ordinary Trip into an Adventure by Melissa DeVaughn

Bicycling in Alaska is both an adventure, considering the physical effort of climbing mountain passes and gliding along scenic highways, and an unforgettable and exhilarat- ing experience.

Consider cyclist Thomas Ely’s Alaska experience:

“There was a group of us biking up the Chilkat Pass, and we came upon three brown bears feeding along the side of the road,” said Ely, president and guide of Sockeye Cycle in Southeast Alaska, a bike touring company that has been around since 1988.

“They were within probably 100 yards of the road, and everybody stopped. We weren’t sure if we should keep riding and go past them, turn around or make noise to scare them off.”

Mesmerized by the scene, the group did nothing but watch, and were rewarded for their stupefaction.

“After a while, the bears started chasing each other around, and all of a sudden they were frolicking around and racing around in the heather and they didn’t even pay atten- tion to us,” he said. “We got quite a show.”

Ely said it’s not uncommon to see wildlife on his tours, though a bear story like his is unusual. And even if the wildlife stays hidden, there is plenty to keep the Alaska cyclist pumped up.

Sockeye Cycle is one of a handful of bike-touring companies in Alaska, offering trips as manageable as an overnight mountain biking trek into the Canadian backcountry to a luxury tour that takes clients to the best cycling destinations in Southeast Alaska. With trips ranging from 20-30 miles per day to the more challenging 40-60 miles per day, clients may choose their workout. And with possible side trips on each itinerary like canoeing the Yukon River, attending the Dawson Music Festival or kayaking Southeast Alaska, there’s plenty of diversity to the adventure.

Cycling Southeast Alaska is like no other way of experiencing the region, Ely said. As a participant in these adventures, cyclists will be rewarded physically by their efforts and have access to many places that the cruise ships just can’t reach.

“I like it here because it’s a combination of the scenery,” Ely said. “There’s the ocean and there are the spectacular coastal mountains. There is lots of wildlife, and Skagway has the Gold Rush history. And the weather in the Haines area is drier than other areas of Southeast, so you have a better chance of a dry trip. … We just really like to show people our region because we think it’s one of the prettiest places in Alaska.”

Cycling options elsewhere in Alaska can be just as enticing.

Serious cyclists will opt for Alaskan Bicycle Adventures’ Arctic Ocean Ride of Pain, which travels the length of the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse. “The word ‘pain’ largely comes from the fact that it’s a camping trip, and it has to be done on mountain bikes and the road is not paved,” Rowland said.

Off-road trails are another option for cyclists who like to ride on fat, nubby tires in off-the-beaten- path locations. Mountain bikers of all ages and abilities can call on Tony Berberich’s Alaska Backcountry Bike Tours in Palmer for a single- track odyssey in Alaska.

“We have one-day trips that go to Eklutna Lake for beginner and intermediate people, and we do Johnson Pass day trips for the advanced riders,” Berberich said.

Eklutna Lake is a relatively easy ride on an old gravel roadbed that follows the shore of the lake. Awesome views of the mountains make for unbelievable photo opportunities. And the 13 miles one-way of trail will give even the seasoned off-road cyclist a good workout. The lake, which also has hiking trails, kayak and bicycle rentals and a campground, is a great place to spend the day and be “out there” without having to devote an entire week.

“It’s kind of nice being a small company, because even though we’re getting busier, we can still change a trip to accommodate your needs,” he said. No matter what the bicycling adventure, there are plenty of options in Alaska — whether it is a 10-day grueling ride to the Arctic or a leisurely jaunt on a local bike path. Hire a guide and go for the fully arranged tour. Or rent a bicycle and hit the road your- self. Either way, cycling in Alaska is not to be missed.

IF YOU GO

Sockeye Cycle P.O. Box 829, Haines, AK 99827 (907) 766-2869 in Haines or (907) 983-2851 in Skagway www.cyclealaska.com

Alaska Backcountry Bike Tours HC 05, Box 6754-JA, Palmer, AK 99645 (907) 746-5018 www.mountainbikealaska.com

For do-it-yourselfers Bike rentals can be had in all of Alaska’s larger towns and cities. Area visitor centers can lead you to the rental operators of choice. Anchorage – 524 W. Fourth Ave., (800) 478-1255 or www.anchorage.net Fairbanks – 550 First Ave., (907) 456-5774 or www.explorefairbanks.com Juneau – One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 305, (800) 587-2201 or www.traveljuneau.com Soldotna – 44790 Sterling Highway, (907) 262-9814 or www.soldotnachamber.com Kodiak – 100 Marine Way, Suite 200, (907) 486-4782 or www.kodiak.org Nome – (907) 443-6624 and www.nomealaska.org Homer – (907) 235-7740 and www.homeralaska.org

Photo credits in order of appearance: ATIA; Clark Mishler/ATIA; ATIA; ATIA. An Alaska Migration: Birders Flock to the State for its Diverse Avian Population by Melissa DeVaughn

Like most Alaskans, Kelley Weaverling looks forward to spring with enthusiasm every year: the snow begins to melt and the temperatures warm up; the days become longer and cabin weariness gives way to a season of outdoor activity.

But for Weaverling, an avid birder and former president of the Prince William Sound chapter of the Audubon Society, spring means migration. And on a typical spring day in Cordova, he can watch a variety of shorebirds pass over his community by the thou- sands. It is a spectacle like none other in the world.

“It’s the big event here as far as birds go … and it is the largest accumulation of shore- birds in the world,” Weaverling said. “The Copper River delta is the largest contiguous wetlands on the Pacific coast. The birds migrate in a corridor along it. It’s kind of like being on a turnpike, where there are only so many places to stop off to rest. It’s our equivalent of looking for the biggest Ho Jo.”

Weaverling said the annual migration is an even more important event, given that such “rest-stop” corridors in the Lower 48 states are being lost to coastal development. So birding enthusiasts are particularly impressed with the sheer volume of birds in the sky at one time.

“The delta itself is also very shallow, and the tidal range is great,” Weaverling said. “So when the tide is out there is a lot of mud, which is great for the shorebirds because what they like to eat is there. Fifteen million birds pass by here in a week and a half. And they come by in these huge flocks that look like giant, dark clouds. It is just fascinating to see.”

Visitors to Alaska with a weakness for birding will be wowed not just by Prince William Sound but by the entire state. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that 468 species of birds have been identified in the state, and the department’s new Wings Over Alaska program encourages birders to seek out as many of them as possible. The program includes four levels of certification that birders can earn by recording the species they identify. Alaska’s governor will sign the highest-level certificate, which is earned after identifying at least 275 avian species.

Birding has been on the rise in popularity for years. According to a National Survey on Recreation and the Environment from 2001, some 33 percent of Americans are interest- ed in birding, which represents an increase of 232 percent since 1983.

Dale Fox, owner of Bird Watching Tours of Anchorage, says: “Birding is a great market for Alaska tourism, and Alaska is ready. There are great guided options all over the state, and several terrific birding festivals. Alaska offers an incredible diversity of species and habitats, and that’s what’s bringing people north.”

To start on your own quest, visit the Alaska Bird Observatory in Fairbanks. Andrea Swingley, an employee of the observatory, said the nonprofit organization’s newly opened visitor center has been a real eye-opener for her because she sees firsthand the intense public interest in Alaska’s birds.

“People do come to Alaska for the wildlife and certainly birds are a part of that,” she said. “Alaska’s got some incredible birds and some birds that you can’t see anywhere else in America. … We get a lot of people wandering in or contacting us, and we offer local walks weekly in the summer that can help them get started.”

The observatory is a statewide bird education and learning center, and a great resource for visitors who want tips on where to find the best birding.

“The people who want to see exotic birds will go to the (Pribilof Islands), the Aleutians and Nome and Gambell,” Swingley said. “Those are the really unusual-type places. But we also tell people that you will find great birding at places like the Denali Highway and Denali National Park.”

The Denali Highway, for instance, is a great place to seek out unique species like the Smith’s longspur or arctic warbler. Denali National Park, just a short drive to the north, offers countless opportunities. Made up of nearly 6 million acres of subarctic wilderness, the park is home to such avifauna as the long-tailed Jaegar, northern wheatear and two varieties of Alaska’s state bird, the ptarmigan. Gyrfalcons, gray-crowned rosy finches and golden eagles can be spotted as well. And that is just the beginning.

Swingley said a must-have resource for visiting birders is a newly published book by the American Birding Association called “A Birder’s Guide to Alaska,” by George West. The publication tells visitors exactly where to go to spot their birds of choice.

“The serious bird watchers are going to have more of a generic field guide already, so the West book is good because it talks about where to find the birds, and it lists what you might see in a given area,” Swingley said. Gail Mayo, a birder and Arctic Audubon Society member in Fairbanks, said Interior Alaska is a wonderful place to watch Sandhill cranes and a variety of duck species. Terns, gulls, swallows and several types of warblers are also abundant. She recommends Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, any of the many ponds near the Fairbanks International Airport and 12-Mile and Eagle summits near Fairbanks.

Also worth seeing while in Fairbanks is the University of Alaska Museum’s ornithology collection, curated by Daniel Gibson.

There is also great birding in Alaska’s coastal communities, which are incredibly diverse due to plenty of shorebirds and seabirds. As birder and Juneau Audubon Society member Mary Lou King likes to point out, the birding is good year-round.

“We have Vancouver and Canada geese around almost all year in Juneau and of course we have lots of eagles,” she said. ”On the Mendenhall wetlands, we have a lot of migra- tory shorebirds and geese and ducks, and we have mallards here year-round, too. There is always some sort of activity, and the birds are always fun to watch.”

The Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge is one of King’s favorite places, and she recommends it to anyone visiting the area. There are nearly 280 species of birds in the Juneau area, so the possibilities are nearly endless.

“The mouth of the Eagle River delta is a good place for the shorebirds, and riding up in the (Mt. Roberts) tram and hiking up in alpine areas is a good place to see birds, too,” she said.

King said Juneau is a good place to spot harlequin ducks. Also, look for red-breasted sapsucker, brown creeper and winter wren in old-growth forests. And a rare viewing of the Steller’s Sea Eagle is a possibility, though sightings of the bird have diminished since the late ‘90s.

If you plan to visit Southeast in November, head to Haines for the annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. The sight of thousands of America’s national symbol, the bald eagle, feed- ing on late-run salmon in the Chilkat River (part of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve) is breathtaking, and there are several good tour companies in Haines that can provide transportation to the area, which is just a few miles from downtown. The festival is a photographer’s paradise, and photography workshops are part of the schedule of events; participants may also take part in slide shows, lectures and other community events.

Some of the best birding in Alaska can be difficult to reach, but Kodiak Island is a great compromise between access and abundance. A short flight from Anchorage, Kodiak Island offers access to some more remote villages and outlying areas, where winter bird- ing is particularly spectacular. Tundra swans, shorebirds and bald eagles are abundant. Emperor geese, Steller’s eiders and a variety of ducks mark the arrival of winter as well.

World-class birding can also be had on St. Paul and St. George islands in the Pribilofs and St. Lawrence Island west of the Seward Peninsula. The Pribilof Islands support the largest populations of nesting alcids and seabirds in the world, and their sheer numbers make birding a real treat for the serious aficionado. But in both locations, be prepared for unpredictable weather that can cause travel delays. Also, amenities are few and far between, and although independent birding expeditions can be arranged, it is often worth the cost to go with a tour that can arrange the logistics.

In the Pribilofs, look for murres, auklets, gulls, kittiwakes, cormorants and puffins, among other species. Occasionally a rare Asian species may blow in — a wood sand- piper among the better possibilities — according to Swingley of Fairbanks’ bird observa- tory.

Just a stone’s throw from Siberia, St. Lawrence Island offers a greater chance of collect- ing a rare bird for your checklist. Possibilities include long-billed dowitchers, common- ringed plovers, black-tailed godwits and common greenshanks.

If you’re short on time or resources to get to some of the more remote locales listed here, there’s also some great “urban” birding opportunities right in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Because of its unique location, Anchorage offers a unique diversity of species.

To see them with the experts, consider booking with Bird Watching Tours of Anchorage. Owner and guide Fox and his team of birding experts offer three tours daily and will pick up visitors at their downtown Anchorage hotels in 14-passenger mini-coaches. Within minutes of downtown, birders will be exposed to no less than six completely dif- ferent habitats – marshes, lagoons, woodlands, lakes, rivers and coastline. Expert guides help lead birders to the best spots, and visitors on Fox’s tour last year logged 115 species of birds over the course of the summer.

“When (people) hire a guide, the guide can help put them on those great local places where the birding is hot,” Fox said. “Often, if you do it on your own, you won’t find those places. … We probably see double the number of birds as people stumbling around on their own, and that’s true of not just my company but others.”

As for the rest of Alaska, diverse avifauna from shorebirds to boreal birds and more wel- come the birding enthusiast. IF YOU GO

Wings Over Alaska The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Wildlife Conservation sponsors this new bird identification and incentive program. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802-5526 (907) 465-5157 www.birding.alaska.gov

Alaska’s Best Birding This website is a clearinghouse of information on statewide birding opportunities with contact information for operators www.bestbirding.com

Alaska Bird Observatory 418 Wedgewood Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 451-7159 www.alaskabird.org

University of Alaska Museum 907 Yukon Drive – University of Alaska Fairbanks (907) 474-7505 www.uaf.edu/museum

Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge P.O. Box 81065, Fairbanks, AK 99708 (907) 452-5162 www.creamersfield.org

Haines Convention &Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 530, Haines AK 99827 (800) 458-3579 or (907) 766-2234 www.haines.ak.us

Kodiak Island Convention & Visitors Bureau 100 Marine Way, Suite 200, Kodiak, AK 99615 (907) 486-4782 www.kodiak.org

Unalaska/Port of Dutch Harbor Convention and Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 545, Unalaska, AK 99685 (877) 581-2612 www.unalaska.info Kodiak Audubon Society P.O. Box 1756, Kodiak, AK 99615 (907) 486-6498 www.kodiak.org/trails.html

Arctic Audubon Society Occasional tours on request (907) 451-9213 (hotline) www.arcticaudubon.org

Juneau Audubon Society P.O. Box 021715, Juneau, AK 99802 (907) 586-2751 www.juneau-audubon-society.org

Bird Watching Tours of Anchorage 4030 Galactica Drive, Anchorage, AK 99517 (907) 248-7282 or (888) 334-7282 www.anchoragebirding.com

Saint Paul Birding tours Available through the Native Tanadgusix Corp. 4300 B St., Suite 402, Anchorage, AK 99503 (877) 424-5637 www.alaskabirding.com

Wilderness Birding Adventures 5515 Wild Mountain Road, Eagle River, AK 99577 (907) 694-7442 www.wildernessbirding.com

“A Birder’s Guide to Alaska,” by George C. West An excellent birder’s guide, published by the American Birding Association and available at most Alaska bookstores.

Photo credits in order of appearance: Clark Mishler/ATIA; ATIA; Clark Mishler/ATIA. Let the Search Begin: Birders Will Be Challenged By These Species

Birding is not necessarily about finding rare birds. Some people prefer to see large num- bers of birds, while others just want to see how many they can check off their lifetime list of bird species.

The best resource for finding a particular bird in Alaska is the newly published “A Birder’s Guide to Alaska,” by George C. West, which is more bird-finding manual than field identification book. West will point you to exactly the place to look for particular species. Robert H. Armstrong’s “Guide to the Birds of Alaska” will help identify Alaska species with helpful photographs.

The following list, compiled with help by Andrea Swingley at the Alaska Bird Observatory in Fairbanks, will get you started on your birding vacation in Alaska.

1. Arctic warbler: Found along the Denali Highway and in Denali National Park and Preserve, among other places. 2. Smith’s longspur: Found in the Brooks Range, and along the Dalton, Denali, Richardson and Taylor highways. 3. Northern Hawk Owl: Found on both the Alaska and Kenai peninsulas and in Dillingham and Cordova. Also found along the Alaska, Glenn and Dalton highways. 4. King Eider: Found in the Pribilof Islands and on St. Lawrence Island, as well as near Barrow and Nome. Occasionally seen on Kodiak Island. 5. Whiskered Auklet: The best place to see these interesting-looking birds is near Unalaska and on Attu Island. 6. Boreal chickadee: A common sight in Alaska but rare in the Lower 48, these little birds can be found in wooded areas throughout Interior and Southcentral Alaska. 7. Boreal owl: Found near Fairbanks and occasionally near Anchorage in late winter. 8. Harlequin duck: Found throughout Southeast Alaska and other coastal regions, this is a favorite of visitors, especially the brightly plumed male. 9. Long-tailed duck: Formerly known as an oldsquaw, this bird can be found in Barrow, Gambell and along the Colville River Delta, among other places. 10. Hoary redpoll: Migrates through Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Circle and Fort Yukon and can be found further north, toward Barrow and Nome, in the summer. Celebrate Birds! Festivals Coincide With Arrival of Alaska’s Avifauna

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Held in Homer each May to celebrate the arrival of migrating species (907) 235-7740 or www.homeralaska.org/shorebird.htm

Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival Held in Fairbanks in August as thousands of Sandhill cranes begin migrating (907) 452- 5162, www.arcticaudubon.org or www.creamersfield.org

Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival Held in Cordova annually in the first week of May as thousands of shorebirds migrate up the Copper River Delta (907) 424-7260 or www.ptialaska.net/~midtown

Upper Tanana Valley Migratory Bird Festival Held in Tok each May (907) 883-5312

Alaska Bald Eagle Festival Held every November in Haines, this event celebrates the world’s largest congregation of eagles as they feed on late-run salmon in the Chilkat River (907) 766-2202 or www.baldeaglefest.org

Alaska Hummingbird Festival Held each April in Ketchikan to celebrate the return of migratory birds, particularly the rufous hummingbird (907) 228-6220 or www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/discoverycenter/03humfestival

Garnet Festival Held the third week in May to celebrate the second largest springtime concentration of bald eagles in the world and flocks of shorebirds on the Stikine Flats (907) 874-3905 or www.wrangellchamber.org Off-road Alaska: Tour the Last Frontier in Four-wheel Drive by Melissa DeVaughn

If you’re interested in getting into Alaska’s backcountry, consider touring the back roads by Jeep. Though Jeep tours are a relatively new opportunity in Alaska, four-wheel, off-road safaris are becoming quite popular.

Alaska Travel Adventures’ Backcountry Jeep Safaris are the only Jeep tours in Alaska. The company has a variety of Jeep-led tours into remote Alaska land, most of which are in Southeast Alaska. New to the 2003 season is a 90-mile round-trip outing that takes place under the shadow of Mount McKinley in Interior Alaska.

“We started the first tour in Ketchikan during the 2001 season,” said Gary Odle, vice pres- ident of marketing and sales for Alaska Travel Adventures. “It far exceeded our expecta- tions, so we’ve added new destinations to meet the demand.”

Bouncing along a dirt road that snakes through the Alaska wilderness is the ultimate adventure for many travelers, Odle said.

“Visitors are going anywhere nowadays,” he said. “They like a more active type of vaca- tion that they can get involved in. Lots of people have never been behind the wheel of a Jeep, and it conjures up in their mind a wild feeling of adventure. (The appeal) is as much being in the Jeep as it is going over the bumps and crossing the streams.”

Participants in Alaska Travel Adventures’ Jeep tours get the opportunity to drive their own Jeep Wrangler for the day. Travelers under 25 years old are welcome, but may only partici- pate as passengers. The Jeeps come in snazzy bright colors like red, yellow and green, and all are equipped with two-way radios for talking to the group’s guide.

“The one thing that invariably happens is that you start off and most of the communica- tion is initially with the guide,” Odle said. “And as these people get more comfortable with each other, many of them name their Jeeps and they start talking with each other over the radio. It’s one thing that happens often, and they get a kick out of it.” Odle said he is curious to see what travelers think of the newly added 4.5-hour Denali Backcountry Jeep Safari, which explores the mostly unpaved Petersville Road, south of Denali National Park and Preserve. The area boasts amazing views of Alaska’s tallest peak on clear days.

The tour concentrates on the area’s gold-mining history, as participants visit the Petersville mining district and Cache Creek gold fields. Gold panning equipment and instruction is included. It’s one of the more rugged tours and combines occasional stream crossings and lots of bumps for a true off-road experience.

For travelers to Southeast Alaska, there are several different Jeep tour options. In Ketchikan, try the popular Backcountry Jeep and Canoe Safari, which includes more than four hours of outdoor activity. Participants drive to Mountain Lake, where they paddle in large canoes to the other side of the lake for snacks and drinks before getting back in their Jeeps for the return trip.

In the Skagway area, travelers can experience the Yukon Jeep Klondike Highway Adventure. The five-hour tour takes place mostly on paved roads and is geared toward the traveler interested in learning a little history. Guides give visitors a crash course in the Gold Rush while visiting colorful landmarks like Pitchfork Falls, Moore Bridge, Dead Horse Gulch, Bracket Wagon Trail and Tormented Valley as well as the historic village of Carcross, Yukon. Participants should bring passports, as they will briefly cross into Canada.

Two unique tours are found on Wrangell Island, including the shorter Wrangell Wilderness Jeep Explorer and the inclusive Wrangell Island Jeep and Sea Rendezvous. The latter will whet any adventurer’s appetite, with miles upon miles of old logging roads combined with a scenic raft float on the return.

“They’ll take the Jeeps in one direction and come back on these 24-passenger rigid-hulled boats called Seahawks,” Odle said. “It’s a fun trip for anyone.”

As it enters its third season of offering Jeep Safaris, Alaska Travel Adventures will continue to monitor its success and add more trips as needed. For now, Odle said, the company is working to make sure the sport stays safe — for passengers and the environment — by sticking to developed roads only and keeping speeds and maneuvers manageable.

“These Jeeps meet emission standards, and we don’t take any more than six Jeeps out at a time so the outing stays under control,” Odle said.

“There is some magic about the name Jeep,” Odle continued. “Even though many people have never been in one, they think Jeep, and they think adventure. They won’t be disap- pointed.” IF YOU GO

Alaska Travel Adventures 9085 Glacier Highway, Suite 301, Juneau, AK 99801 (800) 478-0052 in Alaska or (800) 791-2673 outside Alaska www.alaskaadventures.com

Photo credits: Jeep® All-terrain Vehicles Another Way to Explore Alaska

Another option for off-road enthusiasts is a tour by four-wheeler, which for many rural Alaskans is an all-terrain necessity. Four-wheelers allow access to remote areas, allowing visitors to see places they might not otherwise reach.

“I do guided tours, not thrill rides,” said Tim Cook of Alaska ATV Adventures in Eagle River. “When I first started this, I was afraid I was going to get young people who would tear up the equipment, but what I’m seeing is that I’m getting people who would have no other way to get this far out. … They might have a bad leg, or be older and not able to hike so far, or they might have other physical limitations. This lets them get out.”

Cook’s tours range from three hours to all day, depending upon what his clients want. Particularly popular is a ride at Eklutna Lake, a state recreation area only about 40 min- utes north of Anchorage.

Other trips include an all-day trek to Knik Glacier via an outwash floodplain along the Knik River. Old mining roads offer access to other destinations, like Eureka and King mountains.

“The Knik glacier is a day trip because it’s 30 miles one way,” he said. “And it’s nice rid- ing because it’s on the floodplain and all evidence (of vehicle traffic) washes away regularly. Other than Knik, most everything we ride has already been established as a mining road.”

Cook has a special-use permit allowing him to operate ATVs in Chugach State Park. “It’s highly controlled to make sure there’s no resource damage,” he said. Cook uses the quietest and most fuel-efficient ATVs he can find, he said.

In the five years Cook has been in business, he has seen the image of ATV travel change for the better.

“For awhile there, there was a bad image set by a few, and now it’s become more of a fam- ily activity,” Cook said. “For families it is a really good way to go out in an afternoon, get out to the end of the trail and take a short hike and be 20 miles out into the real Alaska. It’s a quicker way for people who have a limited amount of time to see Alaska.”

IF YOU GO

Alaska ATV Adventures 17023 Kantishna Drive Eagle River, AK 99577 (907) 694-1521 www.alaskaatvadventures.com Lodging At Sea: Yachting Offers Visitors a Different Perspective on the Great Land by Melissa DeVaughn

When many people think of Alaska, they think of roughing it in the great outdoors. But Alaska has something to offer those who prefer a bit more luxury in their wild adven- tures, too. There are dozens of yachts plying the waters of Alaska waiting to introduce you to the joys of lodging at sea.

Most of the luxury yachting opportunities can be found in Southeast Alaska, although there are cruising options in Prince William Sound, Kodiak and other coastal areas of Southcentral Alaska as well.

Juneau-based Alaskan Bear Yacht Charters offers two boats — the 32-foot M/V Alaska Lady and the 40-foot M/V Prospect Bayliner motor yachts. These mini-lodges on water are a perfect way to experience the pleasures of cruising but in an intimate, more flexible way.

Jay Epstein, owner of Alaskan Bear, said the majority of travelers on his boats will book a “bare boat” charter, which means they get full use of the boat and can travel wherever they want in Southeast Alaska. Obviously, those renting a bare boat must be licensed and show that they can responsibly handle the vessel. The advantage of a bare boat rental is that the cost of staff and crew is eliminated, thus making the luxury experience a bit more affordable. Yachters may add on other rentals, like kayaks, to augment their experience.

Other options in Southeast include Alaska Yacht Charters, which offers a high-end, nine- day tour for four people. The price tag includes everything – even luxury hotel accom- modations in both Juneau and Sitka during the trip. The rest of the time is spent on board the 96-foot Alaskan Song, a luxurious yacht with four spacious staterooms. As the yacht travels between Juneau and Sitka, there are numerous stops for whale watching, kayaking and disembarking for any number of jaunts into the wilderness. Ursa Major Alaska Yacht Charters is another option, especially for those who enjoy fine dining. The wooden-hulled yacht, built in 1972, has its roots in Ireland where it was launched from the Malahide shipyards near Dublin. Its chef, Patrick Brown, was recently designated "an expert on boats, food, and Alaska," in the February 2003 issue of Power and Motor Yacht Magazine, and Brown touts the allure of the 65-foot boat on his own web site, www.chefpatrick.com.

Prince William Sound, with its countless glaciers and quaint waterfront communities, is another excellent place to go yachting, especially because it gets fewer seagoing vessels than Southeast. Corsair Charters is one of the only options — and luckily quite an excel- lent choice — for those traveling in this part of the state. Yacht owner Dan Ureda makes it his goal to customize multi-day trips for those seeking an intimate attachment with Alaska’s coastal areas.

“You can go fishing, beach combing, kayaking, whatever you want,” Ureda said. “If I’m driving, I can point out places of interest and we can go explore the beaches and build a campfire and have dinner back on the boat.”

Ureda’s boat, the 42-foot Denali, has three comfortable staterooms, a large main salon, full galley and two heads with a shower. Basically, it is like having your own private home on the water.

“It’s so nice to wake up in the morning in your own little cove and look out,” Ureda said. “The wilderness is right there. You’re in that part of Alaska people see in the post- cards. It’s that image people have of Alaska. When you can wake up and smell the bacon cooking and take a nice hot shower and the muffins are in the oven, it’s the most Alaskan vacation you can get.”

Further west, experience some of the state’s best fishing in Kodiak with the help of Pristine Charters. Pristine is one of the only operators in the area that can set travelers up for multi-day trips. Unlike many luxury yachts, the M/V Three Bears is a more basic vessel, but with all the amenities — including a washer and dryer — to make the trip comfortable. Sleeping quarters, which can comfortably accommodate up to six people, are all in one location with a privacy curtain at one end for shy sleepers. Daily excur- sions include fishing, wildlife viewing, whale watching, kayaking and more.

“These are not state rooms, but it is a beautiful 53-foot charter boat,” said Margie Pearman, whose husband, Chaco, is one of the most experienced boaters in Kodiak. “It’s great for fishing parties, for families, or for groups of people who don’t mind sleeping together.”

When you think about it, yachting in Alaska can be a truly unique experience. It has all the makings of high adventure at sea when the client is the one making the decisions. For the boat operators, that’s half the fun of it. “They are tailoring the trip, every turn and every direction,” Ureda said. “They don’t have to share the boat with other people that may not have the same interests, and if the waves are kind of big, I can move them. If the sun goes out and we can see it somewhere else, I can head in that direction. Basically, it’s like renting a limousine. When you tell me to turn left I turn left. That makes it interesting every time.”

IF YOU GO

Alaskan Bear Yacht Charters P.O. Box 32520, Juneau, AK 99803 (907) 780-6420 www.alaskanbear.com

Central Charters Booking Agency 4241 Homer Spit Rd, Homer AK 99603 (800) 478-7847 www.centralcharter.com

Corsair Charters P.O. Box 3051, Valdez, AK 99686 (907) 835-5711 www.corsair-charters.com

Pristine Charters P.O. Box 8782, Kodiak, AK 99615 (907) 486-3474 or (877) 518-3474 www.kodiakpristinecharters.com

Alaska Yacht Charters P.O. Box 11301, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 (206) 780-0822 www.alaskansong.com

Ursa Major Alaska Yacht Charters (206) 310-2309 www.myursamajor.com

Photo credits in order of appearance: ATIA; Michael DeYoung/ATIA; ATIA. Ice Adventure: Flightseeing is the Tip of the Iceberg When it Comes to Glacier Fun by Melissa DeVaughn

Consider this: There are nearly 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, which take up some 29,000 square miles. These giant icefields dip into the coastal areas of Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. They shimmer among mountain passes in the far north. Some of them even come right out to greet visitors, and walking on them is just a matter of driv- ing up and setting foot on ice.

Yet despite all this ice, glaciers cover less than 5 percent of Alaska’s land area. And of that 5 percent, humans can safely access only a fraction of Alaska's glaciers.

Thankfully, safe opportunities abound for visitors interested in getting up close to one of Alaska’s glaciers. It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived your entire life in Miami and have never worn boots or if you’re a truly experienced outdoorsman. Whether it’s a simple flightseeing tour with a quick landing on a glacier or a weeklong ice-climbing expedition, the options are plentiful.

“Glaciers are one of the top 10 reasons why people come to Alaska,” said John Beiler of the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The Mendenhall Glacier alone has over 350,000 visitors per year.”

The greatest concentration of glaciers can be found from the Alaska Range south to the Alaska Peninsula and in Southeast Alaska. It is in Southeast that access to glaciers is eas- iest. A good 5,000 square miles of ice cover the land in this region, and with population centers like Juneau, Sitka and Skagway nearby, there are guides to help you get there.

FLYING Perhaps the grandest way to capture a glacial moment in Southeast is to fly over these massive mountains of ice and, perhaps, land for a better look. Helicopter flight tours are available from Juneau, Skagway, Petersburg and Haines, among other towns. The pri- mary helicopter flightseeing providers are Temsco, Coastal and Era Aviation, although smaller companies also offer tours. Most flightseeing tours will include at least one landing on a glacier, although shorter fly-overs are an option, too. For example, Temsco has a permit to land at Mendenhall Glacier, as well as a half dozen other locations, and the pilots will choose the best desti- nation according to the weather conditions. Trips range from an hour to nearly three hours, if you want to take extra time to walk around with a guide on the glacier. For the hour-long tours, about half of that time will be spent in the air, admiring ice spires, deep blue crevasses and meltwater pools of the surrounding area. Then it is time to land and experience the glacier up close and personal.

TREKKING For those that want the “up close and personal” view, glacier trekking actually gives clients a chance to land on the ice, strap on a pair of crampons and go walking. Temsco and Era offer two-hour walks and mini-expeditions, although Juneau’s NorthStar Trekking is the leader in this adventure category.

“We have three levels of walks or hikes or climbs, and we provide mountaineering guides for each of those,” said Melita Welling, ground operation manager for NorthStar Trekking. “They vary from a non-strenuous walk that’s up on a glacier for an hour — that’s more of an interpretive walk and a chance to take pictures — to The X Trek, which is for people who are a little more adventurous and want to do a little harder hiking and some ice climbing.”

Northstar’s treks start at one hour for the short hike to four hours for the intensive X Trek. And no matter which trip a visitor chooses, Welling said she never fails to be pleased when she sees a customer return from a trip.

“People come here a lot of times with some level of trepidation because they are worried about flying or actually walking on the ice,” Welling said. “Then they come back and say, ‘I did it’ and they tried something new and were able to do it. … It’s a fun place to work, helping people have fun.”

Closer to Anchorage, Matt Szundy’s Ascending Path Climbing Guide Service is pairing up with Alyeska Resort in the Southcentral ski town of Girdwood to offer a three-hour trekking adventure on Alyeska Glacier. Customers will meet at the resort, take the scenic tram to the top of the mountain and start climbing.

"Early season I don’t think crampons will be necessary, but we are going to be roping up so guests will be given a harness and we’ll have two rope teams per trip," Szundy said. "It’s a great trip because people learn a lot about themselves and glaciers, and anytime someone challenges themselves they come out with a better perspective on how to deal with things in life generally." Ascending Path also is offering an all-day crevasse rescue course for those who want to spend more time on the ice and become a little more educated in the process. That trip will be offered every Sunday.

For those who want to experience a slightly different kind of glacier exploration during the winter months, Glacier City Snowmobile Tours offers snowmobile treks of area gla- ciers in the Chugach National Forest. There’s even a stop at an area ice cave for explo- ration. The all-day tour includes a meal, all the appropriate gear and a simple set of instructions from the owner: don’t forget your camera.

DOG MUSHING One of Alaska’s most popular glacier outings includes riding a dog sled behind a team of Alaskan huskies, raring to run. For these tours, dog mushers set up a base camp on a glacier. Mushing is currently available out of Juneau, Skagway and Seward. Visitors land by helicopter, hop on a sled and drive a dog team across the ice.

“The guest arrives at the airport, and we have a miniature kennel of sled dogs at the office so the guests will have an introduction of the kennel,” said Lorraine Temple, founder of Godwin Glacier Dog Sled Tours, a division of Ultimate Tours, L.L.C. “We leave right from the airport and there is a herd of mountain goats that you can always see from the air, and you might see moose or bear, too. Then we go over the toe of the glacier and you can see into the crevasses, the cobalt blues, and the real distinct textures of the ice.”

Still, it gets better. When the helicopter rounds a bend and lands on Godwin Glacier, guests are greeted by 100 happy, energetic huskies.

“They’re in absolute pristine wilderness,” she said. “That’s the true magic — you’re going out there and can’t see anybody else and you get out of camp and you feel like you’re in the backwoods. … I have had many a person walk back into the office with tears of joy and tell me, ‘This is an experience of a lifetime.’”

Godwin Glacier Dog Sled Tours is the only operator in Southcentral Alaska offering such an adventure, but in Southeast, there are three companies from which to choose — Ultimate Tours’ new pairing with Coastal helicopters in Juneau, Era Aviation’s tour out of Juneau and Alaska Icefield Expeditions, which takes off in Temsco helicopters from the historical Gold Rush-era town of Skagway.

CAMPING As beautiful as they are, glaciers can be unpredictable. They recede, they advance, they break off in giant pieces and they are riddled with cavernous crevasses. Weather condi- tions dictate a glacier’s safety, and those who are experienced on the ice are the ones who should be in charge. If your idea of glacier adventure involves any hardcore ice climbing, camping or backcountry exploration, go with a guide. In Southeast Alaska, the folks to call are at Above and Beyond LLC. Above and Beyond teams up with NorthStar Trekking to organize longer treks, ranging from a couple of days to a week or more. Signature trips take place on both the less strenuous Mendenhall Glacier and on the more challenging Taku Glacier. Visitors will learn about the art of staying upright while wearing crampons, try some ice climbing and also enjoy the thrill of camping out on the glacier itself in warm, roomy tents designed for the ele- ments.

Southcentral Alaska has a couple of options for camping and adventure, both of which are well-established and accomplished guide operations. Matanuska Ice Climbing Adventures offers guided treks that teach the basics of glacier trekking and ice climbing, and also offer opportunities for rafting and other outdoor fun.

Another company on the Matanuska Glacier is Exposure Alaska, which concentrates on weeklong adventures that combine glacier trekking, ice climbing, kayaking and other outdoor skills in a classroom setting.

Exposure Alaska is the only guide company that goes to the remote Snowbird Glacier, near Hatcher Pass, a popular recreation area for Alaskans in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Owner Don Wray said the company will also customize trips for groups or indi- viduals.

“Last year, we had a group of 34 high school students from Long Island, New York, who were in the gifted and talented program at their school,” he said. “They came up for two weeks and were working on research projects, so they were doing some studies while they were out there. They learned so much that it made a great classroom environ- ment for them without even realizing it.”

Watching the students reminded him of how lucky Alaskans are to have glaciers in their backyards, Wray said.

“Our clients seem to really appreciate and enjoy glaciers because it’s not something you see everywhere,” he said. “You can go white-water rafting in North Carolina, but you can’t walk to glaciers just anywhere. Here you can.”

Matanuska Ice Climbing Adventures operator Scott Doddridge, who lives in the shadow of Matanuska Glacier and watches it change daily, puts it best when describing the growing appeal of glacier adventures in Alaska: “I think that the market has shifted and the type of traveler coming up is not just Grandma and Grandpa in the RV. It’s people in their late-20s to mid-40s who are a little more active.

“Rather than just hiking on the glacier, they want to do something unique and differ- ent,” Doddridge continued. “You don’t have to be an aspiring Denali climber. Glaciers are great for people of average ability and health who can come out and enjoy what they are all about.” IF YOU GO

Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau One Sealaska Plaza, Suite 305, Juneau, AK 99801 (800) 587-2201 www.traveljuneau.com

NorthStar Trekking PO Box 32540, Juneau, AK, 99803 (907) 790-4530 www.glaciertrekking.com

Era Aviation 6160 Carl Brady Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99502 (800) 843-1947 www.eraaviation.com

Coastal Helicopters 8995 Yandukin Drive, Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 789-5600 www.coastalhelicopters.com

Temsco Air 1650 Maplesden Way, Juneau, AK, 99801 (877) 789-9501 www.temscoair.com

Godwin Glacier Dog Sled Tours P.O. Box 2711, Seward, AK 99664 (888) 989-8239 www.alaskadogsled.com

Alaska Icefield Expeditions P.O. Box 788, Skagway, AK 99840 (907) 983-2299 www.akdogtour.com

Above & Beyond Alaska, LLC P.O. Box 22083, Juneau, AK 99802 (907) 364-2333 www.beyondak.com

Matanuska Ice Climbing Adventures P.O. Box 1134, Chickaloon, AK, 99674 (800) 956-6422 www.micaguides.com Exposure Alaska 200 W. 34th Ave #82, Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 761-3761 www.exposurealaska.net

Glacier City Snowmobile Tours Mile 90, Seward Highway, Girdwood, AK (907) 783-5566 www.snowtours.net

Ascending Path Climbing Guide Service P.O. Box 1279, Girdwood, AK 99587 (907) 783-0505 www.theascendingpath.com

Photo credits: ATIA. Priceless Pictures: Photo Safaris an Eco- friendly Way to Capture Wild Alaska by Melissa DeVaughn

Raucous shorebirds, animated brown bears, calving glaciers and shimmering northern lights — these images capture the heart of Alaska. It is no wonder that world-class pro- fessionals, photography buffs and even those who have a point-and-shoot camera with lots of film to burn are lured to the Last Frontier.

In Alaska, there are a small number of guides that cater to photographers interested in taking photographic tours of various parts of the state. In Southeast Alaska, Haines pho- tographer Bob Adkins is the person to contact. In Fairbanks and Prince William Sound, travel with photographer Patrick Endres. Statewide, Alaska Photo Tours or Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris are also options.

What all of these companies have in common is that each trip is guided by a professional photographer who can help set up shots, give lighting and lens advice, offer suggestions on filter use and, in general, lend expertise gained after years in the field.

“Alaska does have some challenges,” said Endres of Alaska Photo Graphics in Fairbanks. “You get a lot of white mountains, and that requires some attention with fil- ters, so some of the nuances that are not solely peculiar to Alaska but do occur here is certainly something we help clients with.”

Endres offers two trips yearly, a July outing in Prince William Sound on a chartered boat for up to 10 clients and an exceptional northern lights tour that takes place in October and teaches photographers the nuances of shooting truly ethereal aurora photographs.

“The northern lights is the favorite trip, for sure, but it’s a trip not for everybody because you’re accessing a very remote part of Alaska in a potentially very cold time of year,” Endres said. “So it begs the hardy photographer who is totally psyched about the northern lights.”

The weeklong trip takes place along the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay, where lodging and gas refills can be hundreds of miles apart. Endres works with a small bed and break- fast in Wiseman, a tiny roadside community on the highway. Clients come away from the trip sleep-deprived because the best aurora shots come at night, but also exhilarated at their results. Endres has had several of his clients win national awards for photos that were taken on his trips.

The northern lights trip is limited to six people to ensure that with two vehicles and one guide per vehicle, every participant is seated at a window with easy access to photos.

“It sounds like a minor point, but there is nothing worse than trying to climb over some- one to shoot a photo,” he said. Also, the small group size allows for carrying the loads of camera gear that most photographers lug with them.

The other end of the spectrum is Endres’ July outing on a boat in Prince William Sound. That is a great tour for taking advantage of round-the-clock daylight and offers unsur- passed maritime wildlife photography.

“From a photography perspective, if you’re trying to maximize time, you don’t spend any time hauling your gear around,” Endres said. “You’re on this boat and you can walk out any time of day and you can shoot any time of the day. We also make shore excursions every day, and we’ll take smaller boats, little inflatable Zodiacs, so we can get photos further inland.”

Anchorage-based Alaska Photo Tours also offers uniquely Alaskan photography adven- tures.

“We offer photo tours for people who are pretty serious about photography and want to experience nature and wildlife, and we go to places where the wildlife is agreeable to being around them,” said John Toppenberg, one of three owners of Alaska Photo Tours.

The company will be offering six trips in the 2003 season, and is planning about 10 trips for 2004. Custom trips are also welcome and can be arranged prior to arrival for those with specific interests.

“The operators we work with in planning our trips are used to working with photogra- phers, and they know that we’re a different breed,” Toppenberg said. “The normal visi- tor will see something, take a picture and want to move on, whereas photographers want to get just the right light. And they want to burn up two or three rolls of film on one aspect of the animals they are watching. Our trips give everyone a chance to work at that slower pace.”

As with all true photo safaris, a professional photographer is the trip leader and will offer advice on different aspects of photography. Beyond the obvious technical advice, Toppenberg also likes to emphasize the relationship to the animal or image being sought. “I call it ‘having a rapport with wildlife’,” he said. “We spend time with wildlife and let them get used to us, and it allows the wildlife to let us into their world. That’s an impor- tant aspect of our trips and why we get so many spectacular photos. When they’ve let you into their world you can get some wonderful shots of the animals as they truly are.”

Alaska Photo Tours is offering a glacier tour to Kenai Fjords National Park out of Seward, a wildly popular brown bear safari, which takes photographers within 50 feet of these magnificent bruins, a fall tour of Denali National Park and a remote Pribilof Islands trek that offers a chance to photograph some of the more unusual-looking and rare breeds of birds and sea mammals in the world.

Washington state photo safari experts Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, offers summer and fall tours of Katmai National Park, a summer tour to the Pribilof Islands to photograph seabirds, a fall tour of Denali Park and another tour called “Humpback Whales of the Inside Passage.”

“Our whole tour is designed for photography and trying to get the best images,” said Rick Vanselow, a photographer and marketer for the company. “We might stay clear of places that are on the beaten path, and we’re going to go to places that are just really great for photography.”

A place like Katmai National Park and Preserve is an excellent destination, Vanselow said, because the brown bears feeding on salmon are predictable and photographers are guaranteed photos from close range.

All of the company’s trips are designed for the photographer’s needs. “We look at every- thing from the photographer’s standpoint and go from there,” Vanselow said.

For instance, travelers aren’t limited in the amount or weight of gear they carry, and are not rushed from place to place. Photography is a science for those who truly love it, and getting the perfect image may take rolls of film.

“Our trips are really not like workshops, although clients have full access to photogra- phers who can answer their questions,” Vanselow said. “It’s not a real formal environ- ment, which keeps it personal.”

Toppenberg, of Alaska Photo Tours, said an informal atmosphere really appeals to pho- tographers. As like-minded individuals, they spend lots of time discussing their hobbies among themselves and bouncing ideas off one another.

“There is a lot of talk about Nikon or Canon or what lens is best,” he said. “There’s a lot of pleasant banter that they enjoy while sharing their time with people who love to do what they do.”

Perhaps one of the most intimate photo safaris in Alaska is in the Southeast Alaska com- munity of Haines. Retired school principal and professional photographer Bob Adkins leads clients on photo tours focused on wildlife, particularly Dall sheep, bears and the bald eagles for which Haines is famous. “I do very small tours with a maximum of four people,” Adkins said. “I will provide as little or as much instruction as you need. For those who are already photographers, I tell them, ‘I will get you close enough to get a publishable image of this particular animal.’”

Adkins currently offers three options —a spring tour for Dall sheep in the Yukon, an August outing for black and brown bears and humpback whales and, in November, another chance to capture Dall sheep and eagles.

Photo safaris are not cheap, and can range from $1,800 to $5,000, depending upon the duration of the trip and the destination. But for serious photographers, or those who hope to become serious about it, it’s often a wise investment. An independent trip to Alaska can reach into the thousands by itself, but pair it with a group of photo enthusi- asts who can spend all their time discussing the profession, add in the instructional expertise of Alaska photographers who know the area well, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

“I made it as a shoestring photographer, so I know how hard it is to start,” Endres said. “As a guide, it’s really fun to see clients get so excited about their dream to come up, and they get really cool photos and some of them go on to win awards. For us to see them score, it makes us feel like, ‘Great, we’re doing something good for them.’”

IF YOU GO

Alaska Photo Graphics P.O. Box 81312, Fairbanks, AK 99708 (907) 479-9196 www.alaskaphotographics.com

Alaska Photo Tours P.O. Box 91134, Anchorage, AK 99509-1134 (800) 799-3051 www.alaskaphototours.com

Bob Adkins Photography and Photo Tours P.O. Box 455, Haines, AK 99827 (907) 766-2294 www.bobadkinsphotography.com

Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, WA, 98070 (206) 463-5383 www.photosafaris.com

Photo credits in order of appearance: Clark Mishler/ATIA; Clark Mishler/ATIA; ATIA. Look Below the Surface for Unique Alaska Experience by Melissa DeVaughn

Alaska is known worldwide for its massive peaks and expansive glaciers, but there is another, very different geological wonder waiting to be discovered on Prince of Wales Island.

Prince of Wales – located near Ketchikan along the Inside Passage – is home to some 636 caves or “karst” formations, a term that collectively includes closed depressions, sink- holes, collapsed channels and caves.

“We have in the Tongass National Forest something like 515,000 acres of very pure limestone and marble,” said Jim Baichtal, a geologist and karst expert who works for the U.S. Forest Service in the Tongass. “Given the climate of Southeast Alaska and the purity of those limestones, and the fact that we have the wetlands and muskegs producing very acidic waters, we will have karst formations. That’s because we have a lot of water and a lot of dissolvable rock mixing together.”

Baichtal said that archaeological evidence indicates that humans have known of the caves on Prince of Wales Island for more than 9,000 years. The caves are even men- tioned in the journals of early explorers.

“We definitely know that the Native inhabitants used them as protection when they were hunting inland,” he said. The caves were first officially recognized in the mid-1970s, he said.

With that recognition came attention from conservationists like those at the Tongass Cave Project, who are working to keep the caves as they have been for millennia. In the spirit of protection, the Forest Service has come up with a way for visitors to safely view the caves without damaging them.

The Prince of Wales caves are not as large as some other well-known caves in the United States, like those at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. “What we tend to have is a much higher density of smaller caves on the land because of the amount of rainfall, and that is more rare. That is because of our more recent glacial history. These caves continue to be hydrologically active.”

The cave know as El Capitan is the only one in which tours are given. It is a place rich in archaeological history, dating back 3,400 years, Baichtal said. The first time the cave was explored by modern scientists, piles of charcoal were discovered on ledges in the cave along with two obsidian points and a juvenile otter wrapped in cedar bark. While scientists are unsure of the ethnographic significance of these items, they speculate that the caves may have been used for ceremonial rituals.

El Capitan’s geological history stretches back even further than its anthropological histo- ry. The limestone surrounding El Capitan was formed about 400 million years ago. Tectonic shifts caused areas where the limestone deposits were worked away by rain and glacial retreats, creating a landscape pockmarked by caves.

Baichtal warns that children younger than age 7 are not allowed on the cave tours, not even babies in backpacks. The trail to the cave is rugged, and the cave itself is not light- ed or marked. It is a good idea to bring warm clothing, as the cave temperatures hover around 40 degrees year round.

During the summer, free, two-hour tours of the El Capitan Cave are offered Thursday through Saturday at 9 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Tours begin at the end of May and run through Labor Day. Group sizes are limited to six, and reservations must be made at least two days in advance.

El Capitan Cave can be reached by vehicle, boat or plane. To drive there, take Forest Road 20 from Control Lake to Forest Road 15 and turn left. The cave is about a mile up the road, and there are signs pointing it out. Boats and planes can land at the Forest Service dock, but cannot be left unattended.

Another cave that can be visited without a guide is the Cavern Lake Cave, which is unique because a lake drains through it.

“The salmon actually spawn through it, and you can see it if you go out at the right time,” Baichtal said.

“We also have a brand new interpretive trail called the Beaver Falls Karst Area that is fully handicap-accessible,” Baichtal said. “That trail goes through numerous vertical pits and different features of karst can be seen from the boardwalk.”

Beaver Falls is located at milepost 100.5 on Forest Road 20. The trail is a double loop boardwalk less than a mile long. It’s a beautifully built boardwalk made of locally milled Alaska yellow cedar, and it winds through a lush old-growth forest with stops at interest- ing karst landmarks along the way. Two observation decks overlook deep pits disappear- ing into darkness, the result of centuries of rainwater working away at the soft limestone deposits so plentiful in the area.

“We have a lot of incredible surface karst features,” Baichtal said. “There’s just some incredibly huge vertical pits that you can walk up to the edge of. It’s not like any other place in Alaska.”

IF YOU GO

Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 497, Craig, AK 99921 (907) 826-3870 www.princeofwalescoc.org

Inter-Island Ferry Authority operates daily ferry service to Prince of Wales from Ketchikan P.O. Box 495, Craig, AK 99921 (866) 308-4848 www.interislandferry.com

Tongass National Forest cave tours are free but must be reserved two days ahead of time. Contact the Thorne Bay Ranger District at (907) 828-3304.

Learn more about Southeast Alaska’s karst formations on the University of South Dakota’s website at www.usd.edu/esci/alaska/caves.html

Photo credits: Tongass National forest, USFS; ATIA; Tongass National forest, USFS.