We did a lot of planning for our 7 weeks of traveling using the Internet and Alaska travel brochures - both the state and the major cities have excellent annual publications. When we requested the state promotional material, we began receiving city, cruise ship and tour info. Our road bible was the Milepost which also covers British Colombia and Alberta road networks. This publication is priceless! I think the only things missing were the exact locations of all the ups and downs in the road due to frost heaves and permafrost! Save a few bucks and get the previous year's book. The other 'bible' was George C. West's milepost approach to birding, Birder's Guide to Alaska. Jan 2009 publication, for my birding needs.
The Big Picture
May 4-June 4. Fly Albany, NY to Anchorage, AK. Rent RV. Travel AK's southeast road system
June 4-June 8: Nome
June 9-June11: Juneau
June12-13: south on State ferry Inside Passage to Prince Rupert, Canada
June 14-15: CANADA - Canadian Skeena RR across BC to Jasper, Alberta
June 16 -24: Rent car. Jasper and Banff NP, Canmore and fly home from Calgary.
The DAILY Schedule
May 4 - Flew Albany, NY to Anchorage - arv 3:30pm. Picked up RV from Great Alaskan Holidays - Night ANC
May 5 - S to Potter Marsh, Girdwood, Portage Glacier. Night Portage Glacier
May 6 - to Seward for pm boat trip Resurrection Bay with Renown Tours. Night Seward waterfront
May 7 - Seward Sealife Museum. (the first of MANY museums!) Exit Glacier and drive to Homer. Night Anchor Point SP north of Homer
May 8 - Homer Seabird Festival - (May 7-10). am boat trip to Gull Isl. Area birding. Night Homer.
May 9 - Festival events/birding. Night Homer
May 10 - Festival events/birding. Pratt Museum of Homer. (Excellent.) Night Homer.
May 11 - head N. Night Portage Glacier
May 12 - to Anchorage. Native American Heritage Center. Night Eagle River n of ANC
May 13 - Hike to Thunder Falls, onto Palmer along Glenn Hwy. To Independence Mine - still closed due to snow. Night Palmer area.
May 14 - Leisure drive Glenn Hwy. Night Lake Louise Rd.
May 15 - SNOW and rain. To Glennallen then N on Richardson Hwy. Night Paxon Lake campgd. BLM facility.
May 16 - Drive Denali Hyw 25 miles W. Night Tangle Lakes
May 17 - back to Paxson. visit Fish Hatchery. to Delta Jct. vicinity. Night Clearwater River, State Rec Area (SRA)
May 18 - Delta Jct. Sullivan Museum, birding Fort Greeley Army Post. Night Rika's Road House
May 19 - Tour Rika's Road House. North (now on AK Hyway) to Quartz Lake SRA for night
May 20 - NW to Fairbanks. Night Chena River SRA (huge damned river/lake to prevent repeat of 1967 flooding of Fairbanks.
May 21 - Fairbanks. Community Museum/Mushing Museum. Creamer's Field (birds!), Pioneer Park (altho shops and museums not to open until 23. Night Tanana Valley CG
May 22 - Fairbanks. UofFairbanks Museum of the North. Night MuskOx Research Center parking lot!
May 23 - Fairbanks. Free Museum Day. Ice Museum, Air Museum and SSNenana stern wheeler at Pioneer Pk and shops, night MuskOx Ctr.
May 24 - Head NE to Chena Hot Springs, Night SRA pull off.
May 25 - Hike Angel Rocks, tour Chena Hot Springs Resort. Night Red Squirrel SRA
May 26 - Fairbanks. more Pioneer Park museums. Night Tanana Valley CG.
May 27 - S on Parks Hyway. Night Nenana - heavy rain
May 28 - S to Denali NP. Drive in to mile 15. Ranger talk at CG. Night Riley CG
May 29 - Denali NP. Dog Sled Demo. Hiking. Night Savage CG.
May 30 - Denali NP. Shuttle into Tolkat River (road still closed beyond). Ranger talk. Night Savage CG
May 31 - S from Denali NP to Cantwell. E on Denali Hyway. Night Joe Pond and Jerry Ponds. Very productive birding! 37 species of birds and 2 cavorting moose!
June 1 - S on Parks Hyway. Night roadside.
June 2 - Wasilla - AK Transportation & Industrial Museum. Page Museum. Night Finger Lake SRA.
June 3 - Back to Palmer to visit Independence Mine State Historic Park (must do!) Night RV park
June 4 - Fly to Nome
June 5-8 - NOME birding
June 9-11 - Juneau. Mendenhall Glacier, Tracy Arm Fjord, AK State Museum. Nights Driftwood Motel.
June 11-13 AK State Ferry. Kennicott south on Inside Passage. 2 nights on ferry.
June 13 - Prince Rupert, CANADA. Night Pioneer Hostel
June 14 - Board Skenna Train. 12 hrs. Night Prince George.
June 15 - Skeena Train to Jasper. 8 hrs. Night Seldom In home stay, Jasper
June 16-18 - Jasper hiking and viewing and Jasper Yellowhead Museum. Fabulous! Night Seldom In
June 19 - S on Icefields Pkway through Jasper and Banff NPs (windy and rainy). Colombia Icefields, Lake Louise. Night Banff Border Lodge, Canmore - just outside Banff NP south gate
June 20 - Hike/drive Canmore area trails and Provincial parks. Night Banff Border Lodge.
June 21 - Into Banff NP to Banff town. Banff Park Museum National Historic Site, Whyte Museum, Native Peoples Museum, town walk, Hot Springs -old-view, new-use! rainy. Night Banff Border Lodge
June 22 - Hike trail Canmore area. (rain) To Calgary. Night U of Calgary, dorm/hostel
June 23 - Explore farmlands N of Calgary. Hike Big Hill Springs Provincial Park. Night UofC.
June 24 - Return Avis rental. HOME Calgary to Minn/St Paul to Albany, NY. Night E Dorset, VT!! zzzzzzzz!
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