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Tlingit totems and fireweed
Anan Creek Bear Viewing
Your journey to Anan Creek in the Tongass
National Forest starts with a 45 minute jet boat
trip from Wrangell. En route seals, stellar sealions,
dolphins and the occasional orca whale appear,
feeding on herring and smelt. Upon arrival, take a
ten minute walk through the rainforest to the
observation platform which provides superb
opportunities to see both black and grizzly bears
fishing: some may be a few metres below the
platform while others may be across the river,
45 metres away. The best bear viewing is from
early July to late August and time at the platform
is determined by your guide: based on local
conditions it is usually between four and six hours.
Wrangell
Strategically located near the mouth of the Stikine
River, Wrangell is one of Alaska’s oldest towns and
has been ruled by four nations – Tlingit, Russia, Great
Britain and the USA. The town’s heyday was during
the late 19th century gold rush when a strike on the
Stikine River turned the town into a lawless and
ruthless place. Eventually Wrangell calmed into a
fishing and lumber town and now makes a living
harvesting sea urchins and sea cucumbers. The town
has plenty of interesting local sights such as the
Wrangell Museum, Chief Shakes Island with its totem
poles, and Petroglyph Beach where rock carvings can
be seen that are believed to date back 8,000 years.
HARDINGS OLD SOURDOUGH
LODGE, WRANGELL
Bruce Harding’s Old Sourdough Lodge is a
family-built lodge that has been in operation since
1984. This simple Alaskan red cedar-pole building
is situated just a short walk from the centre of
Wrangell. There are 16 guest rooms as well as a
restaurant, bar, sauna and steam bath. A courtesy
shuttle operates between the lodge and both ferry
and airport and continental breakfast is included.
Misty Fjords National
Monument, near Ketchikan
Misty Fjords National Monument covers more
than 800,000 hectares of wilderness on the
southern tip of the Alaska Panhandle, part of a
vast coastal rainforest which can receive over
400 centimetres of rain each year. The region is
marked by deep valleys, massive sea cliffs,
tumbling waterfalls and sharp ridges formed by
volcanic activity and glaciation. The lower slopes
appear to be an unbroken carpet of cedar, spruce
and hemlock whilst above the timberline alpine
heaths burst into colour in the spring. Numerous
fjords chisel narrow passages into the granite
edges of this dramatic wilderness, the perfect
setting for breathtaking journeys by ship amongst
old lava flows and glaciers calving into the water.
A cruise is the perfect way to discover this
dramatic seascape.
Petersburg
At the end of the achingly beautiful Wrangell
Narrows lies one of Alaska’s gems, the small town
of Petersburg. The Norwegian Peter Buschmann
arrived here in 1897 and found a fine harbour,
abundant fish and a ready supply of ice from the
nearby LeConte glacier. He built a cannery and
enticed his Norwegian friends to follow him, thus
establishing the town that bears his name. This
busy little fishing port has a distinct Norwegian
influence today with pretty Norwegian rosemaling
decorating the tidy homes. The town has the
largest halibut fishing fleet in Alaska and fish
canning remains the dominant industry. Just across
Frederick Sound there is a spectacular glaciated
wall of alpine peaks whilst the LeConte Glacier
regularly launches new icebergs into the sea
which is a wonderful sight to behold.
SCANDIA HOUSE, PETERSBURG
This simple Alaskan hotel has a friendly ambience
and enjoys a convenient location in downtown
Petersburg, within easy reach of the city centre
and the waterfront. This modern building has 33
comfortable guest rooms, all en suite, and
continental breakfast is included. Courtesy
transfers to the ferry and airports are willingly
supplied if required.
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