Road Trip in Alaska: Potentially Stupid Questions from a Tourist (Anchorage: hotels, travel)

[RAMFEB31]

Hi Mur'23, I don't know what the Alaskans use but if you are worried about mosqites, any product with a good dose of DEETs in it works great even for the "giant" ones. Of course, they don't sell 100% DEETs anymore. I think the FDA or some branch of the gov'nt must have claim it to be a carcinogen. I've personally found it to be effective even while wearing shorts and a tee shirt

[Rance]

Deet is the s**t. You may still be able to get it in Canada at full strength. Most places sell some sort of bug spray with a wide range of deet content. Any of the higher percentage stuff works for awhile.

[Alaskan_Adventurer]

About 5-10 miles south of Anchorage is McHugh Creek. It is a nice trail system with a park at its entrance. There is beautiful waterfall right where you enter. I have been going there for years and have yet to encounter a bear. Just use common sense. If you make plenty of noise as you hike, you will be fine. You will also pass Potter's Marsh just outside of Anchorage. Lots of birds and the occasional moose inhabit the marsh. They have great crosswalks and makes a nice little side trip. If you are there are July, you will see lots of salmon in the creek. Silvers and Kings mainly.

Man, coming to Alaska and missing out on my favorite little town. No way! Homer is the best. If it can be arranged, maybe change things around a bit and squeeze it in. No possible way to stay overnight? If you go to Homer, you will literally see dozens of bald eagles. One day, we spotted about 10 flying above us.

Kodiak has the largest brown bears in the world. I don't believe blacks inhabit the island. Black bears are found all over Alaska, but are generally not too agressive. There are exceptions of course. Grizzlies are basically a slightly smaller species of brown bears that are found further inland. Browns are found along the coast and grow larger, due to the excess of salmon.

Alaska has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Take lots of pictures and try to eventually make a second, longer trip.

[Urth]

Don't mess with any Moose! They look friendly like a horse but are unpredictable. I think it was last year or the year before a little boy in Anchorage was stomped to death by a Moose in his own yard. Also, I once saw a traveler honk his horn at a large Bull Moose. The bull charged the car butting it several times and then calmly walked away. Keep your distance and all is well. I have been within throwing distance several times of Brown & Black bears. The Brown bears for the most part shy away. The one and only Black bear I encountered was very vocal and seemed like he might want to chew on me. I was close to my truck and was able to leave quickly. I can tell you that according to your plan you will not be able to enjoy much because your schedule is too tight and short. I also agree with Rance. You are missing a lot by not going down thru Soldotna, Kenai and Homer. I have been to Seward two times and didn't find much. The Alaska SeaLife Center is nice but, it is indoors and everyone comes to Alaska to see the outdoors. Plan a trip to the aquarium when the weather is not so nice. The best experience you can get to easily by car is the Alaskan Railroad Train Ride Adventures. They have a few different packages to choose from. Here is there official website; http://www.akrr.com/default.html
This way you will be able to plan your trip because the train stays on a schedule. Make sure you have bug spray. The mosquitoes can be irritating. There are 100's of trail systems in Alaska. When your ready to hike just ask the locals what is best in that area. Anchorage has many, nice, wide, paved walking trails thru wooded areas with lakes and streams. As a newbie in Alaska it is not a good idea to wander off into deep woods for a pleasure hike. Try visiting the Anchorage Zoo and get some idea of Alaska's animals up close in person.

"Moose" Funny River, Alaska.


"Spirit of North Pole" Talkeetna, Alaska.


"Spirit of North Pole" Talkeetna, Alaska.


"Denali" Highest point 20,320 feet. View at Susitna River. Talkeetna, Alaska.


"Wild Alaska Rose" Talkeetna, Alaska.


I hope someone enjoys the pics. Without pictures words could not describe Alaska.

[AussieMale]

Nice pics Urth

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Adventurer

About 5-10 miles south of Anchorage is McHugh Creek. It is a nice trail system with a park at its entrance. There is beautiful waterfall right where you enter.

Sounds like my kind of place. We'll be sure to check it out.

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Adventurer

I have been going there for years and have yet to encounter a bear. Just use common sense. If you make plenty of noise as you hike, you will be fine.

We can do that. My voice is loud and it tends to carry.

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Adventurer

You will also pass Potter's Marsh just outside of Anchorage. Lots of birds and the occasional moose inhabit the marsh. They have great crosswalks and makes a nice little side trip. If you are there are July, you will see lots of salmon in the creek. Silvers and Kings mainly.

That'll work; my wife is a bird lover.

They have crosswalks? The wildlife obeys traffic signs or something? Or do you mean boardwalks?

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Adventurer

Man, coming to Alaska and missing out on my favorite little town. No way! Homer is the best. If it can be arranged, maybe change things around a bit and squeeze it in. No possible way to stay overnight?

Man, now I feel like I should profusely apologize to everyone for snubbing Homer. DOH!

I booked everything back in February due to paranoia, and don't want to try to back out of one night of our stay in Anchorage now. Even if we did that, we'd either have to drive all the way to Homer the first day (and get there late in the evening), or we'd have to drive down there the second day and then back up and all the way to Glennallen on the third day. I promised my wife that we'd keep the driving to six hours or less per day (much less when we're in a particular town for more than one day), so it just isn't feasible this time around. It'll be the first thing on my list next time we go. I'm sure there will be a next time, eventually.

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Adventurer

Alaska has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Take lots of pictures and try to eventually make a second, longer trip.

Now that's an order that I can definitely obey.

[Urth]

Originally Posted by murlough23

Sounds like my kind of place. We'll be sure to check it out.



We can do that. My voice is loud and it tends to carry.



That'll work; my wife is a bird lover.

They have crosswalks? The wildlife obeys traffic signs or something? Or do you mean boardwalks?



Man, now I feel like I should profusely apologize to everyone for snubbing Homer. DOH!

I booked everything back in February due to paranoia, and don't want to try to back out of one night of our stay in Anchorage now. Even if we did that, we'd either have to drive all the way to Homer the first day (and get there late in the evening), or we'd have to drive down there the second day and then back up and all the way to Glennallen on the third day. I promised my wife that we'd keep the driving to six hours or less per day (much less when we're in a particular town for more than one day), so it just isn't feasible this time around. It'll be the first thing on my list next time we go. I'm sure there will be a next time, eventually.



Now that's an order that I can definitely obey.

Hello murlough23,
Don't forget you will have plenty of daylight late into the evenings. Depending on where you are the sun does not go down until almost midnight in Anchorage and Homer about 11 p.m. The picture I posted with this message was taken in Anchorage at 11:43 p.m. on 01June2006. With that in mind be careful of other drivers from down south that have forgoten to go to bed. There are several accidents every year from drivers falling asleep.

Anchorage, "Sleeping Lady".

[Delaneyland]

Murlough, first thing I'd do is toss your itenerary. Every time I have gone there, it has never worked (for me), there is just too much to see and do. I'm not saying having a plan is bad, I just hope you don't stick to it too hard. Just leave youself some room to play with, you'll kick yourself if you don't.

[murlough23]

Originally Posted by Delaneyland

Murlough, first thing I'd do is toss your itenerary. Every time I have gone there, it has never worked (for me), there is just too much to see and do. I'm not saying having a plan is bad, I just hope you don't stick to it too hard. Just leave youself some room to play with, you'll kick yourself if you don't.

As I think I've already explained, I can't toss out the reservations I have for places I'm staying, or my flight dates. Those are pretty solid. I suppose they could conceivably be changed, but not without more headaches than I really want to deal with. I'm the kind of guy who likes to make a plan and then stick to it - last-minute changes drive me nuts.

But what's in between waking up in one bed and falling asleep in another each day is very flexible, as long as we get to our destination for the day, there are lots of different things that we could do along the way or on slight detours, and that's the part I'm trying to wrangle up ideas for here, and get a sense of what's feasible and what's not. I definitely won't have an itinerary planned out to the hour. That's just not realistic. I want to allow time to pull over or take a side road to capture the "wow"s. (Just not a side road that takes us four hours out of the way.)

[Rance]

Guess your gonna just have to plan on another trip!