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Horse riding in the mountains<br />
Flying into Wrangell St. Elias National Park<br />
Gustavus Inn<br />
Ma Johnson’s Hotel<br />
Sitka<br />
Sitka, formerly New Archangel, is flanked by<br />
majestic snow-capped mountains and the Pacific<br />
Ocean. Dating back to 1700 it was once the<br />
capital of Russian America when it was chosen<br />
by the Russian trader and coloniser Alexander<br />
Baranof for his headquarters. Today this interesting<br />
city is a pleasant blend of Tlingit, Russian and<br />
American cultures. The Russian Orthodox<br />
Cathedral of St. Michael holds priceless icons and<br />
other religious treasures, and the nearby Russian<br />
Bishop’s House is a rare example of Russian<br />
colonial architecture. The Sitka National Historical<br />
Park has an excellent collection of totem poles as<br />
well as walking trails through old-growth coastal<br />
forest and a museum that tells of the battles<br />
between the Tlingits and Russians.<br />
Glacier Bay<br />
Glacier Bay National Park<br />
Encompassing more than one million hectares,<br />
Glacier Bay is 144 kilometres northwest of Juneau<br />
in a land comprising three distinct micro-climates<br />
and seven different ecosystems that support a wide<br />
variety of plant and animal life. From endangered<br />
humpback whales and Arctic peregrine falcons to<br />
mountain goats, seals, eagles and black and grizzly<br />
bears, the bay is home to a rich diversity of Alaska’s<br />
wildlife. Earthquakes and climatic fluctuations have<br />
caused the 16 tidewater glaciers to retreat in<br />
recent years and the park is perhaps most famous<br />
for prolific glacier calving. Visitors often hear a<br />
tremendous thundering as great walls of ice come<br />
crashing down into the bay, a magical and<br />
humbling sight.<br />
GLACIER BAY LODGE,<br />
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK<br />
Nestled between the trees of Bartlett Cove,<br />
Glacier Bay Lodge offers the only accommodation<br />
within Glacier Bay National Park. The lodge basks<br />
in stunning views of the Fairweather Mountains<br />
and is the embarkation point for cruises of the<br />
bay. The guest rooms are dotted amongst the<br />
Sitka spruce trees of the Tongass National Forest,<br />
just a short walk from the main lodge. The lobby<br />
has a massive stone fireplace and lies next to the<br />
excellent Fairweather restaurant.<br />
INNS OF GUSTAVUS,<br />
NEAR GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK<br />
Both the Gustavus Inn and Bear Track Inn are<br />
located in the small community of Gustavus,<br />
gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Gustavus<br />
Inn is an historic homestead dating from 1928.<br />
Overlooking Icy Strait, it is owned and run by the<br />
charming Lesh family who provide comfortable<br />
lodging and delicious home-grown food. Bear<br />
Track Inn is a unique two-storey log building with<br />
14 large rooms. The central sitting room has a<br />
massive fireplace and is the focal point of the inn,<br />
with lovely views of the mountains, forests and<br />
lush meadows. The inn is renowned for serving<br />
mouth-watering halibut, Alaskan spotted prawns<br />
and Dungeness crab. Both lodges offer superb<br />
fishing and hiking, kayaking, whale watching and<br />
glacier cruises in the national park.<br />
Humpback whale<br />
Alaska<br />
Telephone: 01993 838 700<br />
Bear Track Inn, Inns of Gustavus<br />
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