Alaska, May 2001

We traveled to Alaska over the Memorial Day Weekend to attend a friend's wedding in Anchorage. We went up a couple of days early to head for Denali State Park.

Talkeetna, and the Talkeetna Alaska Lodge

We spent two days and a night in and around Talkeetna, population 260. Talkeetna is a the main gathering area for climbers headed for Denali, and during May and June, there are often more people on the mountian then there are in town. The Alaska Railroad runs through Talkeetna on its way to Fairbanks.

We stayed at the Talkeetna Alaska Lodge, which has an impressive view of the Alaska Range.

We're NOT burning daylight! Talkeetna Alaska Lodge Alaska Range, seen from the lodge Alaska Range, seen from the lodge Alaska Range, seen from the lodge Alaska Range, seen from the lodge Downtown Talkeetna Downtown Talkeetna Porcupine in a tree, north of Talkeetna

Denali State Park

Denali State Park is a large (half the size of Rhode Island) park just south of the much larger Denali National Park. Because of this, many people drive right through it on the way north. We decided to try a day hike, but were stopped when we discovered there was still 2 feet of snow on the trails! We got a far north as the Alaskan Veteran's Memorial before we turned around. The low cloud cover our first two days in Alaska kept us from getting any good shots of Denali.

Denali south viewing area Denali south viewing area Denali south viewing area Alaska Veteran's Memorial Alaska Veteran's Memorial

Chugach State Park

Chugach State Park is the second largest state park in Alaska. It is located just outside Anchorage. We stopped at the Eagle River Nature Center, about 15 miles inside the park. The Nature Center is in a deep valley, and during the winter goes 2 months without direct sunlight!

Eagle River Nature Center Eagle River Nature Center Eagle River Nature Center Watch for Bears!

Kincaid Park

The wedding was Sunday, in Kincaid Park in Anchorage. The weather, which had been overcast and in the 50's, was a glorious summer day in the 70's. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, an 11-mile bike/hike path, runs from here to downtown Anchorage. Anchorage has 120 miles of bike trails.

Mt. Sustina, "The Sleeping Lady", is a beautiful mountain 68 miles across the bay from Anchorage, and the namesake of Sleeping Lady Brewery.

The Sleeping Lady Sign at entrance to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail Sign at entrance to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Midnight at Resolution Park

Resolution Park, on the west side of downtown Anchorage, was just two blocks from where we stayed. I went out at midnight on our last night to take some photos. Sunset is officially at 11:30 or so, but it doesn't get really dark during May, June and July.

The Sleeping Lady Looking south west Looking north west

Stuffed Bears at the Anchorage Airport

We saw a black bear in the wild on our last trip, but this time these two fellows at the Anchorage airport were our only bear sightings.

Kodiak Brown Bear Polar Bear

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john.henderson@nyu.edu
Updated 31 May 2001