ALASKA - The last frontier!
- Mandy Watson
- Jan 8
- 20 min read
Updated: Jan 11
No, not the 'Final Frontier'.
...that would be space. 🛸
Thanks, Captain Kirk. 😉
But with the remoteness of most of this extremely Northern State of the USA,
you may be forgiven for feeling that you are totally alone on this planet.
But hey, we are cruising there, so that's not likely to happen to us, unfortunately. I say that, because I just love remote areas - National Parks that go on forever -
and maybe, just maybe, having the need for bear spray in my back pack.
If you've read my previous blogs, you'll know I'm up for just about anything.
Go hard or go home I say!
We are following directly on from my last blog,
Canada: Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Whistler.
This is the second stage of what is in total, a nine week adventure.
But now, it's cruisin' time...
ALL ABOARD!
Continuing our holiday, with my brother Tony, and his long time partner, Deb.
After a fabulous yet hectic lead up to this cruise, touring from Calgary to Vancouver,
we savoured a lovely early evening sail away out of Vancouver, where we were entertained by all the sea planes taking off and landing all around us - it was quite the sight.
Fun fact: 1 in 78 Alaskans are pilots. The most per capita in the US.
A day at sea to explore this new vessel was now our pleasurable priority,
and the perfect opportunity for Tony and Deb to acquaint themselves with life
onboard a cruise ship.
Not that we'll be on it that long as it's only a seven day cruise, with three ports of call, intertwined with scenic glacial cruising.
After all the glorious T-shirt weather we enjoyed in Canada,
it was time to finally crack out our puffer jackets,
and some dressier duds for formal night onboard...
First stop was the delightfully colourful Ketchikan.
'The Salmon Capital of the World', they say!
Tony and Deb booked a tour from the ship, whilst we booked one through
an independent company, to basically do the same outing.
A Zodiac boat trip zipping around the channels, looking for wildlife.
When you're new to cruising, its often a good idea to go with a ship shore excursion,
as opposed to going solo.
This way you know you'll ALWAYS make it back to the ship on time,
or at least you know they'll wait for you if you're late.
Just know, they will NOT wait for you if you are out on your own,
or on a private tour and you go over time.
We've done enough cruises now to wing most things ashore,
or book a tour at half the price the ship charges.
That said, we did get stranded once in the middle of Iceland, and had to make our way own back to the ship, with no wifi or local currency...FUN..ah, not so much.
But this time we nailed it!!!
We got to drive our own zodiac...well - Trev drive, me photograph!
It was a hoot, and the first thing we did see was a magnificent bald eagle - our first one ever!
Not only that, we were treated by a humpback whale to a very entertaining hour or so of multiple breeches, as well as pectoral flaps and tail slaps.
The next action we were lucky enough to witness
was like something I've never seen a whale do before,
and that was a long drawn out tail flapping display. I had a feeling she may have been doing this toward that fishing boat which seemed too close...too close to her baby perhaps?
It was incredible!
Just a little note here: If you're reading this on a phone or ipad, the videos may not work, just atm. They work well on a lap top or desktop. I'm having my web-host look into this issue, so my apologies.
(I DID however get them to work by continually tapping the arrow, and eventually it played.)
Hopefully this will be sorted asap, thanks for your patience,
and enjoy the rest of the read anyway.
🫶
We literally had to drag ourselves away to get back, still a little bit overdue,
but in plenty of time to get back to the ship.
Our zodiac guide, Sara, remarked that it was the best day out there she had ever experienced!
I can thoroughly recommend Southeast exposure zip-line and kayaks.
Yes, they do zip-lining, kayaking as well as zodiac-ing.
You can book them direct, or through companies like Viator, who we used.
Of course, they can't guarantee wildlife,
so we were certainly very grateful for what we witnessed!
Back in time for a lovely wander through the very quaint township of Ketchikan,
one we had researched a little on YouTube, so we knew a little about where to go.
You must walk through the town to get to the river.
That's where all the action is, and great photo ops too.
They have a unique 'Salmon Ladder' here - a place that was built for the salmon to help them navigate their way up a very steep part of the river. This photo I took shows the ladder well on the right,
compared to the brutal force of the rocky slope on the left.
Not sure if they are guided towards the ladder, or if nature just takes its course.
We were right at the end of the season, so we did see a LOT of dead salmon floating along the shores, or stuck on the rocks.
Sad, yes, but if they did make it to their spawning ground to spawn, their life was complete, as their final job was done.
That's it for them.
Some others do get too exhausted before they get there. 😢
Circle of life, right there.
As you can imagine, the bears LOVE this spot!!!
There's quite a history here, so a stroll around is worth your time, the waterfront buildings are colourful and very synonymous of an Alaskan fishing village.
I decided to commemorate our special whale experience today,
by buying a silver and mother of pearl whale 'fluke' (tail) necklace.
I'm wearing still now as I type this months later. I love it.
Thank you Ketchikan, we loved you!
And cheers for the wonderfully dry weather!
It rains A LOT here apparently.
---
Juneau. 💦
Alaska's Capitol.
A very cold and wet Alaskan morning greeted us,
like a slap in the face with a wet salmon!
Ugh.
Ok if you're dressed properly for it, but after packing for Alaska with all our warm stuff,
did we think of wearing it out to a glacier today?
Nope...
Did we think to even pack a waterproof 'outer shell' jacket?
Ah, that's a negative.
Typical Aussies, it's a wonder we weren't wearing thongs.
Oops.
I mean flip flops.
We only had spray jackets, over a puffer. Clearly not enough.
What was I thinking?
Our thermals were still packed neatly in our bags back on the cruise ship.
Well to be honest, I didn't think we'd be getting soaked.
Not like we planned to be going off grid.
Didn't we pay the price!
🧊💦🥶🥶🥶💦🧊
Just walking from the boat to where the buses were supposed to be waiting for us,
we were hit by icy rain.
Did we have an umbrella?
Of course not.
Its not like we're rookie travellers...just a little too blasé.
Then when Trev found this bus, it was like "Ahhh, no, not that one Hun!"
Once onboard the correct bus, we were driven literally just 5 minutes to the docks where the smaller boats were waiting for their passengers.
Happy not to battle the rain, to tell you the truth!
Today, was a rare occasion where we chose to book an excursion through the ship,
as I literally couldn't find this particular tour online.
(There's a good reason for that, which I'll get to later.)
Anyway, this time all four of us were together for a day trip on a
Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer cruise.
What started out as an 8 degree celsius morning, soon dropped below freezing after an hour or so onboard, and with a minus wind chill factor - we were in trouble.
Idiots. 🤦♀️
But hey, gotta roll with the punches, I wasn't going to sit inside the boat when
all the action was outside.
And I mean action.
Otters cruising by as they lay on their backs, countless waterfalls, even a whale came very close to our boat and showed her tail briefly.
Then, after a few hours of leisurely
cruising, we saw chunks of blue ice started floating by,
some with sea lions draped over them -
we knew our end goal was near.
South Sawyer Glacier.
We actually heard the glacier before we saw it.
THIS glacier has a huge story, a very recent story for us - but first some images.
This glacier is known for its 'calving' - the event when huge chucks of ice sheer off and collapse into the water. This is how icebergs are formed.
Some of these can be mammoth, and not something you want to be too close to!
Luckily I got to 'only just' film one instance, which was pretty darn cool!
Now, let me tell you what happened here, just 4 weeks prior, to our visit, and its the reason why I couldn't book a tour here online before we left Australia, as it was closed.
Even the ship cancelled this one, only for it to open back up in time for us!
On August 10, 2025, there was an enormous landslide here, just to the left of the glacier, which caused a massive inland tsunami, up to 500 feet high!
It stripped all the vegetation from the rock walls for miles as it tore down the fjord,
and that was an easy way to record the actual height of the wave.
LUCKILY, this happened at 5.30am.
Imagine if a boat like ours was sitting innocently in front, just like we were today?
It would have been absolute carnage, and utterly terrifying!
NOT OUR FATE!
This photo below shows the height of this wall, now bare without its prior vegetation.
Imagine that as a wave, full of rock and ice, heading straight at you! 😱
We headed back inside to warm up as we departed the glacier,
as we were still wet and frozen to the core.
Spray jackets, puffers, and jeans are not waterproof.
Good thing they brought in some glacial ice to remind us where we were ...haha,
and to chop it up to pop in our wee drink on the way back.
I honestly, had never been so cold in my entire life.
Including our time in Antarctica!
Unfortunately, as we arrived back into Juneau, it was still raining sleet, so instead of strolling through what looked like an awesome town, we high tailed it back to the ship,
for a much needed hot shower and warm dry clothes.
Now, wear's that buffet?
---
Skagway.
Founded in 1887 along the shores of the Inside Passage,
lies this little town with a big history.
With the discovery of gold in 1896, this town grew quickly with prospectors
all hoping to lay their claim to fortune.
Unfortunately, just as they completed the legendary White Pass Train over the Yukon by 1900, the Klondike Gold Rush was almost over.
For decades the town was in decline, but now, as tourists flock there over the summer months, most via cruise ships - just like us, the town has flourished again.
It has many Gold Rush Era buildings still standing,
preserving the wonderful, yet harsh stories of olden times.
There are plenty of bars and saloons with quite the jaded history, some still providing entertainment by the staff dressed quaintly in the style of the old time era,
as brothel workers, and they ham it up very well.
Great for photos, and the tourist dollar!
Even I scored a T-shirt. 😁
And we bought our first totem.
I Love it.
Tony and Deb had booked a half day tour from the ship, a famous one for the area -
the classic White Pass train up the mountains.
We, on the other hand, chose a full day coach tour up the same mountains with a wonderful amount of stops, as well as enjoying a very engaging local tour guide,
who gave us quite the education as well as a tour of Skagway itself,
complete with a little local gossip. Who doesn't like a
bit of that?
The scenery up the Yukon was amazing,
even seeing where the birth of the great Yukon river began.
There were some tourists posing here, doing tai chi/instagram stances,
so I joined in with my own Karate Kid version!
Yeah, I know, such a child!
We even found a desert, all the way up here!
This offers locals and adventure seekers alike, great fun dirt biking activities
during the warmer months.
Lunch was at a busy tourist spot, but they had alpacas, so I was all over that!
Well, maybe the boy alpaca was all over his girl too...😉
Warning, a little x-rated...
Aren't their faces simply adorable?
Those eyes!!! ❤️
How about these eyes?
🙄
After a brilliant day with so many fantastic photo opportunities, it was back to the
'Small Boat Harbour' - ironically with six giant cruise ships berthed!
We booked this tour through Viator, but I'm sure you could also go direct. Frontier Excursion and Adventures was the company, and if you're really lucky,
you may get Garrett, who was the best guide around!!!
Thanks Garrett, I'm still laughing about the 'log cabin'...🤣
This company had many buses going on various tours,
and they pick you up and drop you back straight where your ship is berthed.
Very easy.
We had plenty of time afterwards to buy that totem and
enjoy the Red Onion Saloon for a meal.
It's always nice to support the locals, rather than choosing to eat onboard the ship.
Skagway, a great town.
✅
---
The following two days at sea were spent cruising as close as the ship could get to some mammoth glaciers, along College Fjord and Glacier Bay -
and sometimes we had with the occasional raft of otters floating past to entertain us.
Of course the weather was getting colder as we edge further north,
and it's certainly not hard to 'Spot the Aussie' with the footwear at the front of the ship.
Puffer jacket, shorts and thongs.
(You know we call them that - I refuse to call them flip-flops any longer! 😉)
So typical of Trev.
Bless him.
Always time to have a little fun too... if you only knew how many photo bombs Tony did! 🤣
This was also a great time to hit the gym, yes, I said gym.
It happens on occasion - I even got Trev along this time!
This ship had the largest gym I've ever seen on a cruise ship.
Very impressive.
Alas, this will mark the end of this short cruise - but we still have another week to discover the wilds of this beautiful, raw and expansive northern state, as we head north to Mt Denali - one of the world's Seven Summits!
Next stop though, is the quaint ski resort of Whittier, near Anchorage, and we get spoilt in the most fabulous ski lodge with its outdoor day spa!
Bye bye, Nieuw Amsterdam, its been wonderful.
Bring on Alaska - by land!
Waking up at the tiny port of Whittier, bathed in low cloud and cool temperatures, it was time to disembark this ship, and start our new journey for the week ahead.
Always up for a new mode of transport.
Some of this trip will be via coach,
but the luxury glass domed rail trip is what we are really pumped for.
That's in a few days yet - a bit to see before then.
We were headed to the world renowned Ski Resort of Alyeska for two nights now,
and we're particularly looking forward to enjoying their Nordic Spa experience.
It was a 45 minute drive from the docks,
so we were treated to a visit at a wildlife refuge along the way.
I'm never one for zoo's per se, but a refuge is exactly that - they take in a care for animals in trouble, and that's ok in my books.
Here, we were delighted to see a black bear, albeit he was hiding a tad in his cave - smart lad, even he didn't think much of the cold rain either!
I was chuffed to finally get my up close and personal exchange with a bull moose ticked off with another dorky animal selfie, safely with a fence in between us! 🤣
I also enjoyed seeing for the first time, musk ox, coyote, wolf, porcupine,
bobcat and reindeer.
I think the porcupine was my favourite.
Now, I know they are spelt reindeer,
but I thought it was funny taking a photo of them sheltering from the rain!
A beautiful winding drive past lakes, glaciers and mountains, and we arrive at our digs for the next two days.
We are here at a very quiet time of the year, as the snow hasn't arrived yet, and if you are interested in having a look at this place and all it has to offer in winter,
check out their website.
This would be unbelievable here to have fun in the snow, with its own cable cars and chair lifts, and the party life and entertainment looks like a hoot.
We lounged around all afternoon in the heated outdoor pool and then utilised -
(more like braved...) the cold plunge pool and then the sauna.
No cameras were allowed out there, for everyone's privacy and serenity, so I can't show you!
Maybe the website can give you more if you're keen for a peep.
It really is a wonderful place.
With loads of outdoor fire pits, the snow would bring a whole different vibe, and crowd.
And a stroll through the damp woods gave me a chance to photograph
some glorious fungi.
Yeah, I have a thing for mushies!
The following day saw Tony and Deb off on a lake cruise
whilst we explored the tiny local town of Girdwood,
before taking the cable car up the mountain to the bar/restaurant and shop.
I could only imagine the hive of activity this place would be during the ski season!
Now, it was just the occasional guest, hiker, and black bear - if you're lucky!
It however, certainly hit the mark for a delicious beverage,
some truffle and parmesan fries, and a view with a rainbow!
After a fairly restful couple of days, our next stop was only a couple of hours down the road, the city of
ANCHORAGE.
With a population of 290,000 people, this makes Anchorage the largest city in Alaska,
with 40% of the State's population residing here.
Known as a gateway to the wilderness, glaciers and Northern Lights,
Anchorage is still a quiet town, or so we thought.
Perhaps it was just the quiet season.
Anyhow, we only had one night here before we jump onboard our scenic rail trip which will take us further north, so we enjoyed a little wander around the shops whilst we waited to board the very cute and touristy red 'Anchorage Trolley Tour Bus' .
This gave us a great overview of the northern town,
with loads of stories and inside information.
Still, best way to get around without a car!
The enormity of seaplanes here was like nothing we have ever seen before.
We were driven by a local lake, with its own flight control tower, and apparently there is a very lengthy waiting list to get your own valuable square of real estate.
I think they get passed down the generations!
If Trev ever lived here, the first thing he'd do would be to get his
small plane/sea plane licence.
I know he'd be in the air all the time!!!
What fun!
Back for a little shopping, and if you ever visit here,
the enormous 'Polar Bear Gift Shop' is the place to go!
We finally bought some very decent 'outer shell' jackets, and with the sale they had on,
they were only $40!!! And I even grabbed a new puffer jacket for just $35, a purple one,
so Trev can always find me in a crowd!
Nearby, the fur and skin shop was an interesting browse - however, despite the temptation...we left the fur-kinis and the dukes on the rack! 🤣
But the boots were gorgeous!
Not that I'd ever wear them where we live in Australia - even IN winter!
Now, where to eat?
Didn't have to look far.
The 49th State Brewing was a fantastic place to eat, and our timing was particularly fortunate as it was kind of a late lunch/early dinner for us, around 4 pm,
so we managed to score a table. When we left, there were over 30 people waiting for an opening.
So book ahead if you go, or go early!
It was fabulous!!!!
I devoured their signature King Crabby grilled cheese on buttery toasted sourdough,
which came with a side order of clam chowder.
That's heaven on a plate for me right there!
Trev ordered the buffalo meatloaf wrapped in smoked applewood bacon.
Happy days for our bellies indeed!
Bye bye Anchorage, we are looking forward to our scenic rail trip to Denali tomorrow!
All aboard the McKinley Explorer!
(We were in such a rush getting onto the train ...with the bus pulling right onto the platform, so I grabbed this shot once we arrived in Denali.)
But what a trip we had in store for today.
The weather Gods were totally on our side!
Considering it is said that you can only see Mt Denali clearly only 30% of the time,
we were blessed with the most perfect day.
Our glass domed train trip was to be about 8 hours, and once we saw Denali,
she was outstanding for the entire time.
At first glimpse of this special peak, all us mad keen happy snappers crowded the back of the train to grab some shots, but by the end of the day we were all happy with what we took.
The train itself was fantastic! We had great service of drinks, as well as a dining section downstairs where we enjoyed our lunch once our time was called.
We played cards, snacked, had the odd tipple, enjoyed crossing over and under bridges, and even had a bald eagle fly right by us.
Seeing that Trev and I missed the Rocky Mountaineer train experience,
this sure gave us a wonderful taste of scenic train travel towards the arctic tundra,
and the autumnal colours of Alaska, whilst fleeting, were out in all their golden glory!
Finally arriving at the gorgeous log structure of Denali lodge, we were looking forward to an assortment of varied adventures from here; from flight-seeing over Denali, National Park Tour and education, to hoping beyond measure for a glimpse of the Northern Lights!
I was delighted that we could register our room number for a wake up call,
should they make an appearance.
So awesome! I have been following closely on an aurora app,
and they are definitely a chance!!!
Apparently they were visible last night from the hotel. 🤞
Ok, so I woke at 3.30am and peaked out the window, but didn't see any action in the skies.
Seeing that we didn't receive a phone call, I was happy to go back to sleep.
Grrrrr, only to find out the next day that they WERE visible, but no-one got a call.
A couple of guys on our bus tour to the National Park were showing some pics they took.
I was gutted.
I'm assuming as we are literally the last guests for the season, and all the staff were packing to go home for the winter, no-one bothered with the 'aurora watch'. 😭
We have been looking for the aurora in various spots in recent years, to no avail.
Just so disappointing that they were actually there.
Oh well, my quest continues!
This morning we were taken for a 3 hour drive through the National Park, always looking for the elusive bear or moose, but they proved about as easy to find as the northern lights!
However we all were moved to tears when we met Greg, a local Athabaskan,
who shared the sad story of his people's history,
and how he has returned home to continue his journey to find his roots and celebrate his unique culture and heritage.
He was such a beautiful soul, also very funny too,
and totally earned his hug from our tour guide.
We were shown an original hunter's/ranger's log cabin, complete with bear claws on a
front post, and anti bear spikes on the outside of the window shutters.
We had a play with some antlers, and wow, the moose one was extremely heavy.
Imagine the weight of two! They shed them every winter, so they must grow incredibly fast!
We had a free afternoon at the lodge, but due to everything either shutting down,
or already closed, there really wasn't much to do.
Pity, we would loved a little white water rafting!
The tour companies all were closed, and the shops and bars across the road were all boarded up for the long, fierce arctic winter ahead.
The place had a real 'The Shining' feel about it.
Tony and Deb had booked a scenic joy flight over Denali before they left Australia,
so they were really excited for that, and rightly so!
We decided to 'wing' that decision and wait to see how the weather was panning out.
Sometimes I feel a little off about things, and it's just something I wasn't comfortable doing.
I'm so glad they had a wonderful time, and returned safely with wonderful photos and memories.
Here's how we spent the afternoon, being the total tools we are sometimes.
Thanks Trev, for indulging me.
Guess what image became our Christmas greeting from sunny Australia this year?
NO apologies!
No shame.
😄
With the staff all enjoying their last night of the season,
and with fire pits all stoked up and outdoor entertainment rocking, I made my best effort for them to not have to pack all their margarita ingredients away.
I gave it a really good nudge.
Oops.
Oh, well, one for the memory banks, well...maybe not mine so much. 😉
No chance of me seeing any Northern Lights tonight - more like 'lights out' I'm afraid.
I'll say no more. 🥴
💤
With our Alaskan adventure coming to a close,
the following morning we enjoyed a quiet stroll along the river, always with a keen eye out for predators and the odd amusing sign.
This place has huge a pioneer history, particularly with folk racing to be the first to climb Denali, as its the highest mountain in North America,
and one of the World's 'Seven Summits'.
The fascination it held for men and women alike,
I think they were all very brave back in those days.
Legend has it that two guys raced to the top, planted their mark, then looked across and realised they were on the wrong peak.
I love that the original car that they used to ferry their guests around, is still on display.
Man, must have been a rough ride, but so much fun!
Many people back then still didn't have a car, let alone know how to drive.
Our last coach ride was to the very northern town of Fairbanks,
where we were to have had our last two nights before flying south to continue our holiday back in Canada for a further 4 days, before our USA sector.
This place felt deserted.
I can't imagine how these towns survive the long months with such harsh winters.
It's just so foreign for us Aussies, where we still wear shorts and t-shirts during winter.
Well, where we live anyway!
After tucking into a great feed at a local restaurant, and me getting up during the night to 'search the skies' without luck, we were about to be so pleasantly surprised for our last day on this 'Ultimate Denali Tour' which started two weeks ago when we stepped onboard the ship in Vancouver.
All I read on our itinerary was that we were going to doing some 'gold panning'
and a little scenic river cruise.
This turned out to be one of our best days on tour!
Alaska is still a very rich state of natural resources, and driving along the highway is proof enough when you see truck after truck either ladened with gold diggings,
or returning for more.
Add to that the Alaskan Oil pipeline, and its natural gas deposits, it is a contentious issue here between using, and protecting the natural environment.
That aside, we went to a great spot, very touristy but still wonderful, where we received a great insight of the history of gold mining here.
See the tiny specks of gold in the pan? We combined ours and when they weighed it for us,
it was worth USD$70!
Winners!
The old digger that was our guide, was hilarious, and boy, could he tell a story or two.
And see if you can make out his belt buckle. Its a massive gold nugget.
This guy doesn't need to work, he does this for pure fun!
They really have a lucrative after market for you, and after they weighed our gold flecks,
you can purchase necklaces to pop it into!
Well, der, of course I had to do this!
Hey, what a fun memento of our day. Better than it being just popped in a draw.
From here it was lunch by the river, and then it's 'all aboard' the Paddlewheeler for an entertaining cruise to our next stop.
We even had a local seaplane pilot swing by for a little demo right next to us.
The real estate and countryside was just gorgeous, although I don't think I'd like to live on the river with everyone taking pics of my yard...Just like I did!
Must say, Trev and I are suckers for log cabins/mansions!
A lovely surprise was when we pulled up alongside the property of the famous Ididerod competitor Tekla Butcher and her training facility with her champion sled dogs.
The Ididerod is a gruelling, annual 1000 mile endurance race that has been immortalised in many a movie, including 'Snow Dogs', 'Togo', and 'Eight Below'.
It was great hearing from her, and getting a quick display infront of our boat.
Last stop was a Heritage Village, where we were shown all about the native history with regards to living, hunting and food storage throughout the long winter months.
On our way back to the docks we were treated to the most amazing
fresh salmon treats I've ever tasted.
We kept going to the back of the line for seconds...and thirds.
And that draws to the end of this fabulous sector of our holiday.
Alaska has been a wonderful experience, and a true eye opener to life in this
vast Northern Frontier.
Beautiful.
Raw.
Natural.
I hope it stays that way.
It should be on every travellers' radar for a visit at some stage.
I hope you get to see the aurora!
This was the best I got.
A beautiful sunset as we flew south.
We'll keep travelling, and keep hoping!
🤞
Off now for our next chapter, Vancouver Island, The Pacific Northwest,
followed by an epic road trip through the desert canyons of the USA, and VEGAS Baby!
Until then, its
CIAO!
Mxx
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