 Dale Sievert | ALASKAIn June my 12-year-old grandson, Braxton, and I took an eight-day trip to some lesser-visited parts of Alaska. I went primarily to see the last three national parks there are, after having already visited 58. |
Also, I always wanted to go to Barrow, the northernmost city in the US--as well as visit the Arctic Ocean upon which it resides, which completes my quest to visit every one of the world's oceans. All these quests I have, including visiting every state and every continent and all ten of the world's tallest mountains was very time consuming--not to mention costly. But, it sure was fun.
The dotted lines on the map show the flight routes we took. Two routes were done in four and six passenger planes, both necessary to visit the three national parks.
The dotted lines on the map show the flight routes we took. Two routes were done in four and six passenger planes, both necessary to visit the three national parks.
Lake Clark National Park
We flew to this park in a six-passenger plane for about 90 minutes southeast from Anchorage. It has a large population of grizzly bears (we usually saw over 20 at one time)--which delighted my grandson.
Lake Clark National Park
We flew to this park in a six-passenger plane for about 90 minutes southeast from Anchorage. It has a large population of grizzly bears (we usually saw over 20 at one time)--which delighted my grandson.
Volcanic Mt. Spur, which erupted in 1992 while Dorothy and I were on Kodiak Island--marooning us for three days until the ash cleared enough for planes to fly.
 In Lake Clark National Park |  A mother grizzly with three cubs |
A couple of two-year old cubs wrestling
Digging for clams
A thought for the next life
Kobuk Valley National Park and Gates of the Arctic National Park
We reached these two parks in a four-passenger Cessna, taking about two hours west of the village of Bettles, which is north of Fairbanks. It was so amazing to see virtually no sign of humans for the whole trip. Just stunning how large Alaska is.
 Kobuk Valley National Park |  There are some large sand dunes in parts of the park. |
These are tough plants to be able to grow in such sand.
This is a small island between the two parks. I would name it Sperm Island if I had the authority.
 Gates of the Arctic National Park, noting (with sticks) that I finally visited the 61st national park with sticks |  In GA NP |
On the way back to Bettles
Barrow (Utqiagvik)
Barrow is the name of the northernmost city in the US. However, as its 30-some thousand residents are Eskimos, it is now called Utgiagvik. And, no, I cannot pronounce it. It is almost always cloudy there, so I could not see the sun all night long, though it stayed very bright all night given that in June it is out 24 hours. And it rarely gets above 50 degrees in summer.
We happened to be there when there was a whaling festival, where boat caption provide a big spread of food for all comers--including whale meat. Quite interesting.
 Flying over the town |  Locating where there are other places to be |
 An arch made out of whale bones |  My face shows my agony coming out of a dip in the Arctic--30-degree water temperature |
At the whaling festival
I never saw a loader hauling whale meat in Manitowoc
 Pieces of whale ready to be sliced into small pieces |
Braxton did not become an aficionado of whale meat.
Denali National Park
Denali is the native American name for the tallest mountain in North America, at over 20,000 feet. It was named Mt. McKinley, after the president, in the early 1900s. It is inside Denali National Park, just over an hour south of Fairbanks.
Flying near Denali on the way from Fairbanks to Anchorage
 Braxton hiking in Denali National Park |  A nice rock formation |
Epilogue
Alaska is big, beautiful, and home to great weather--and horrible weather. So, if you go, be prepared tor many things not to be found in the "lower 48." It's not for everyone, but my 3rd cousin, who lives 20 miles east of Fairbanks and grew up in Newton, would live nowhere else. And if you go, do more than just the common things. See the Inland Passage and a few other things. Go where we did in June. Go to Kodiak Island and other islands, as Dorothy and I did. Go to Wrangel-St. Elias National Park and stay at the quaint sort-of-ghost town of McCarthy, as we also did. You'll find few people--and astounding sights. Skip knows that.
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