Highway from Hell?

Anyone who contemplates driving an RV to Alaska has heard horror stories about the road conditions on the Alaska Highway.  Anything from broken windshields to virtual destruction of a rig are common tales.  As we were about to venture onto the highway for the first time, I wasn’t sure what to believe.

After a not-so-quick stop at the Village Bakery in Haines Junction to partake of some free WiFi, we turned north onto the Alaska Highway.  The highway skirts the eastern side of the Kluane Ranges, and the view to our left of the snow-capped mountains was magical.  We followed these and other mountain ranges for most of the day.

Beautiful Mountain Scenery

Snow-capped Peaks

Kluane Lake soon came into view in front of us.  This lake is the largest in the Yukon and is said to be the prettiest.  As we followed its shore, I had to agree with that assessment (even though I’ve only seen a few lakes in the Yukon).  For a brief moment I regretted that we had not made it as far as the lake yesterday.  That’s where we had planned to camp last night.  I could see spending a lovely and relaxing week camped along the shore.  Some other time perhaps.

Our First Glimpse of Kluane Lake

It Is a Very Pretty Lake

The warnings about the road conditions began as soon as we passed the lake.  We watched for the telltale signs for frost heaves, as well as the small flags that indicate road damage.  We took it slow through those sections and didn’t think it was a big deal.  As soon as we crossed Donjek River, however, things started to become more “interesting.”

Do Not Ignore these Warning Signs!

Road damage became more frequent, and pot holes added to the excitement.  Construction signs soon appeared, and we were on a gravel roadbed.  A safe speed seemed to be about 20 mph, but large trucks and even other RVs decided that we were slowpokes and passed us at high speeds, throwing gravel back at us.  The icing on the cake was the near-constant washboard sections of the gravel roadbed. 

I Couldn't Believe How this Stretch of Gravel Could Shake the RV So Much

I thought the RV was going to shake apart, even though we were just creeping along.  Although I had carefully secured everything inside the RV, an upper cabinet door flew open and Kitty’s food dish, which had been braced, slid across the floor.  We finally were able to pull over near the side of the road so I could at least close the cabinet door.  What had saved everything from flying out was the tension rod that I always place across the inside of the cabinet.  

I was never so happy to reach solid pavement.  The remaining frost heaves and pavement breaks were like a walk in the park after that horrid stretch of gravel.  We began to look for a rest area so we could stop and assess the damage, and we finally reached Pickhandle Lake, which turned out to be a particularly scenic place to take a break.  We were really fortunate to spot no apparent damage to the inside or outside of the RV.  I didn’t even mind the dirt and mud.

Pickhandle Lake Was a Great Place to Take a Break

Mama Duck and Her Playful Ducklings Provided a Nice Diversion

As soon as we got back on the road, we reached another construction zone.  Oh no!  This one involved a pilot car, but the gravel surface had been graded so it was relatively smooth.  Before too long we reached the Canada-U.S. International Border where we stopped for a photo op.  Customs was a breeze, and the agent even thanked us for making her laugh for the first time that day.

This Section Really Wasn't Bad at All

Welcome (Back) to Alaska

I suggested that we stop at the first campground we could find, and that is exactly what we did.  I wanted to give Tim a break after his exhausting day at the wheel, and I had hoped we could find a campground with TV and WiFi at the site.  That was a pipe dream, but Border City Lodge and RV Park seemed good enough so we pulled in and finally got off the road. 

After doing a bit of reading, I have learned that the section of highway on which we just drove is the worst part of the Alaska Highway.  It is today, and it always has been.  Engineers have yet to find a way to deal with the permafrost and glacial soil that makes roadbuilding so challenging.  We passed a portion of the Alaska Highway Permafrost Research Project, which is testing specialized construction techniques.  I hope they are successful.

This post is not meant to scare RVers from driving the Alaska Highway.  Most of the road is in relatively good condition if you drive at an appropriate speed.  The section that we just drove will likely be paved by the end of the summer.  Just take the necessary precautions, secure everything in your RV, including your pets, and take your time.

After our eventful day yesterday, we slept in and awoke to rain.  As we were debating what to do today, we spotted a fox outside our rear windows.  We decided on the spur of the moment to drive only as far as Tok, just under 100 miles away.  Unfortunately, the weather obscured much of our view as we passed through the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, but we did see a few trumpeter swans along the way.

The highlight of the drive was spotting a mama moose and her youngster in the grassy area beside the road.  There was no traffic, so we were able to stop and watch them for several minutes.  They didn’t seem to mind our presence.

Mama and Baby Moose Didn't Seem to Mind Our Presence

What's for Lunch?

Tim and I arrived in Tok, took care of a few chores and made our way to the Sourdough Campground just outside of town.  The campground had come highly recommended, and we were delighted with what we found.  The layout and setting reminded me more of a public campground than a typical private one.  The campsites are huge, very private and set among lots of tall trees.  There is an onsite restaurant, and the new owner’s specialty is reindeer chili in a sourdough bowl.  It was delicious.

Reindeer Chili Was Delicious

Tim and I even participated in the campground’s sourdough pancake toss after dinner, which was highly unusual for us.  The owner invites everyone for a silly, but amusing, game, and most people end up participating.  The goal is to toss a limp pancake into a “buckit,” and the audience is required to clap and cheer.  Although Tim and I failed in our toss, we made a valiant effort.  I think we were a bit surprised that we actually enjoyed ourselves.

Sarah and Tim Being Silly

Hanging Out in Haines

The Lynn Canal is the longest and deepest fjord in North America, and that is the body of water that connects Juneau with Haines.  The ferry ride through the canal was beautiful, but I seemed to be preoccupied with talking to other passengers, not taking many photographs.  You’ll just have to take my word for how pretty the views were!

Sailing on the Lynn Canal

Passing by Haines - Fort Seward Is on the Left; Downtown Haines Is on the Right

The ferry docked just north of Haines, and Tim and I took the opportunity to stop at Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area for a picnic before heading into town.  Chilkoot Lake is a prime location for salmon, although it was still too early in the season.  The lake itself is lovely, and we enjoyed the view.  There is a very nice campground without hookups at the lake, and this would be a great place to spend a few days, especially if you could get one of the sites with a view of the lake through the trees.  We needed internet access, however, so we made our way into Haines.

Chilkoot Lake

Another View of Chilkoot Lake

Before we checked in to our campground, we drove around Haines to see the town.  The downtown area has several interesting buildings, but my favorite area was Fort William H. Seward on the edge of town.  This remarkable collection of historic buildings surrounding a parade ground is unlike any other in Southeast Alaska. 

Fort Seward was built near the settlement of Haines in 1903 in response to a continuing boundary dispute with Canada.  This frontier outpost was so remote that Fort Seward was considered to be a foreign duty post for the soldiers stationed here.  Fort Seward was ultimately decommissioned after World War II when it was purchased by five veterans who had a dream of establishing a planned community at the fort. 

The buildings at Fort Seward now contain residences, hotels, shops and restaurants, as well as an arts and cultural center.  It was encouraging to see the restoration work underway on several of the buildings along Officers’ Row. 

Fort Seward As Seen from the Ferry

Officer's Row Faces the Parade Ground at Fort Seward

The Quarters of the Captain and Commanding Officer Now House a Hotel

Restoration Work Continues on the Buildings at Fort Seward

There are two campgrounds in Haines.  The larger one has nice, grassy sites with some separation, and it is located on the north end of town.  The other campground, Oceanside RV Park, is basically a grass and gravel lot with no separation between sites (you literally could pass the Grey Poupon to your neighbor, if you remember that commercial).  However, Oceanside has one important thing that sets it apart – it’s right on the water with gorgeous views of the Lynn Canal and the harbor.  That was the deciding factor for us in selecting Oceanside.  The campground is also a block away from the downtown area, which makes it so much easier for us to get around on foot.

The View from Our Campsite, Before We Had Neighbors On Each Side

As soon as we checked in, Joyce, who owns the campground, asked us how many crabs we wanted for the evening’s potluck.  Joyce is very friendly and personable, and she certainly looks after her guests.  She hosts a potluck every week with Dungeness crabs being the main attraction.  At only $10.00 per crab and someone else doing the cooking, we didn’t hesitate and placed our order.  The potluck was great fun, and the crabs were delicious.  We also enjoyed talking with our fellow campers.  Now that was a nice welcome to Haines!

Hosing Down the Crabs After Removing Them from the Pot of Boiling Water

Now That's a Beautiful Pot of Dungeness Crabs!

Our initial plan was to spend three nights in Haines.  We thought that would give us enough time to see the sites, take a day trip to Skagway and perhaps even sit back and enjoy our beautiful view.  It didn’t quite work out that way. 

Although we had wrapped up our cataloging project before we left Sitka, there was still a little bit of work we wanted to do.  We had promised to “clean up” the catalog database and make sure the entries were complete and consistent.  We started working on the database on the ferry rides to and from Juneau.  We also spent most of our time in Haines working, although we did take some time out to explore the sites in town.  We soon realized that we would need to extend out stay for another three days in order to wrap up the project.

We ended up working most of this past week and were so happy and relieved to send off the final version of the database, as well as the trip report, around noon on Friday.  Finally!  The cataloging project was complete!  Now we could relax and have fun.

We found Haines to be a creative and quirky town in a magnificent setting.  Do you know of any other town with a Hammer Museum?  We didn’t go in, but it was fun to walk by and see the large totem-like hammer in the front yard.  The town and surrounding valley are one of the best places to see wildlife, and the area is particularly known its large population of eagles.  Haines is also a quiet town and is less well-known than Skagway, its more famous neighbor.  

Haines - The Self-Proclaimed Adventure Capital of Alaska

We Skipped The Hammer Museum, But I Bet It Was Fun

Only one large cruise ship is scheduled to dock in Haines each week, so the town is not overrun with visitors.  On occasion, however, the tides and winds prevent ships from docking in Skagway, and Haines can become an alternate port.  This happened last Friday, and the folks in town had to scramble to put together tours and activities for the many passengers on board.  One downside to having any cruise ship in town is the overtaxing of the Verizon 3G signal.  We never seemed to have much of a signal on cruise ship days.

Haines is one of only two towns (Skagway is the other) in Southeast Alaska with road access to the interior of Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon.  As a result, we ran into many more RVs here, and our campground was often full.  Many RVs were from the Lower 48, but just as many came from Canada and Alaska.  Haines is a popular getaway spot for nearby residents who want to spend time on the water.

We were able to make time for a day trip to Skagway.  I’ll explain how we arranged that and what we did there in the next post.

All in all, Tim and I really enjoyed our time in Haines.  I really like the town and would recommend a stop here, especially if you are looking for a more low-key and less touristy experience.

The Sky Treated Us to Different Moods Just Outside Our Door - Sometimes Sunny

Sometimes Cloudy and Foggy

But Always Dreamy

Wrapping Up Our Stay in Sitka

Sitka is one of the prettiest towns in one of the prettiest settings in Southeast Alaska, and we have enjoyed seeing the well-kept houses, some of which are historic, and the lovely gardens.  At one time Sitka was the busiest port on the entire west coast of North and South America, and today the port remains one of the busiest sea ports in the United States.  In fact, Sitka was ranked ninth largest by size and fifth largest by value of the seafood harvest.

Sitka Has Several Scenic Harbors

The Views on the Way to Work Have Been Gorgeous

What a Beautiful Setting!

Sitka is also the cultural center of Southeast Alaska, and we were surprised with the offerings for a town this size.  The Sitka Summer Music Festival brings an impressive line-up of classical musicians to the town for a month-long series of chamber music concerts.  Unfortunately, we just could not work one into our overloaded schedule. 

While we were in town, the Sitka Fine Arts Camp kicked off its summer season.  The camp offers classes in visual arts, music, theater, dance, writing and Alaskan Native arts to students from throughout Alaska and the United States, as well as a few foreign countries.  We met one of the Native instructors who explained to us a little bit about the camp and how popular, and important, it has become both to the town and to Alaska.

I Think It's Cool that Sitka Has Signs in English and Tlingit

Sitka National Historical Park, where Tim and I worked, also preserves the culture and traditions of Alaskan Native peoples.   This is Alaska’s oldest national park unit, and it has an interesting history of its own.  In 1905 Governor John Brady selected Sitka as a location to display a collection of totem poles that had been donated by villages throughout Southeast Alaska. 

These totem poles had been displayed at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, as well as the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, and are now the highlight of what is often called Totem Park.  The totem poles are located along a two-mile loop trail that winds its way through a temperate rain forest.  Many are replicas of the earlier poles, but several original poles are on display in Totem Hall in the visitor center.

One of the Totem Poles

Original Poles in Totem Hall

The visitor center also houses the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, which offers demonstrations of traditional Alaskan Native arts.  Artists demonstrate their work here, and we were fortunate to see and talk with several artists during our three weeks at the park.

Roy Levine in the Carving Studio

Leota Bagby in the Regalia Studio

We also visited the Sheldon Jackson Museum, which is world-renowned for its rare collection of nineteenth century artifacts from all Native groups in Alaska.  These items were collected by the Reverend Dr. Sheldon Jackson, who was a Presbyterian missionary and educator.  Jackson recognized the importance of preserving historic, cultural and natural history items so that they could be studied and enjoyed by future generations.  The museum is the oldest in Alaska, and it still retains its old-fashioned flavor.  The objects displayed here are simply amazing and range from Eskimo masks and Aleut skin-covered watercraft to Athabascan baskets and Haida argillite carvings. 

The Sheldon Jackson Museum

Exhibits in the Sheldon Jackson Museum

An Amazing Collection of Artifacts

After witnessing dozens of bald eagles flying over Sitka, we decided to pay a visit to the Alaska Raptor Center, Alaska’s only full-service avian hospital and educational facility.  Although it was very cool to see the various raptors up-close, my favorite part was listening to the commentary of our tour guide, who spoke to most of the birds and described their unique personalities. 

Perhaps it was because we arrived very late in the day, but we were a bit disappointed with our experience at the Raptor Center and left wanting more.  When I had visited the center on an earlier trip to Alaska, I had been impressed with the gloved-bird program.  Maybe that is available only to groups.  Without that program, I didn’t feel the $12.00 entrance fee was a good value for us.  I’m glad we had an Alaska TourSaver two-for-one coupon to use here.  Our admission fee did go to a good cause, so we were ok with that.

Learning to Fly Again

Some Will Never Be Able to Fly

Majestic Birds

Tim and I also had an opportunity to reconnect with old friends while we were in Sitka.  One of Tim’s former colleagues at Rocky Mountain National Park has been working at Sitka National Historical Park for the last five or so years.  It was Becky who passed Tim’s name to Kelsey, the museum curator, which led to Tim’s contract at the park.  Becky and her husband Marcus invited us to their house for dinner, and we had a lovely evening with them.  As I’ve often said, visiting old friends in far-flung places is one of the benefits of this lifestyle.

Tim and Becky

During our three weeks in Sitka, Tim and I managed to check out many of the local restaurants.  One of our favorites was Ashmo’s, a food truck that is often parked by St. Michael’s Cathedral.  We especially enjoyed the black cod tips, a local specialty, as well as the smoked salmon mac ‘n’ cheese.  We also had tasty fish tacos at Larkspur Café, and good fish and chips at the Dock Shack and Fly-in-Fish Inn.

If you are willing to spend big bucks, there are two restaurants that we feel are worth the money.  An unexpected find was the Channel Club, which is located a few miles west of town.  I thought the white king salmon that I ordered was one of the best meals I’ve had since arriving in Alaska.  This fish is relatively rare and really was almost white.  The flavor is quite delicate and very different than red or pink salmon.  We finally made reservations for Ludwig’s Bistro where Tim took my cue and ordered ivory (a fancier name than white) king salmon.  His was also delicious.  Ludvig’s is known for its Wild Alaskan paella, which I ordered, but I’d probably select something different next time.  

The Ivory King Salmon at Ludvig's Bistro

I’m really glad it was Sitka where we ended up for a three-week stay.  Although we have enjoyed every town we’ve visited in Southeast Alaska, Sitka is one town that I’d return to again and again.

We finally left Sitka last Sunday afternoon and cruised to Juneau on the fast ferry.  Since the route was just the reverse of the route to Sitka, I didn’t feel compelled to take additional photographs, especially since day was overcast and the light was less-than-ideal.

We arrived back in Juneau without incident and headed directly to Mendenhall Campground where we had stayed previously.  This time we picked a site with no hookups, and what a site it was!  The site was bigger than huge, and it was located on the lake.  We even had a view of Mendenhall Glacier through the trees.  We only stayed for two nights, since our stop in Juneau was just to restock the RV, but this would have been a perfect place to spend a week.

A Tiny Portion of Site 45 at Mendenhall Campground

Bright and early (too early!) on Tuesday morning, we boarded another ferry for Haines – our last ferry ride of the summer.  I’ll cover our time in Haines in the next post.

Onward to Sitka

We had another ridiculously early morning ferry departure from Juneau last Sunday.  Although the ferry did not leave until 6:30 am, we had to check in by 4:30 am.  So, we just decided to check out of the campground the evening before and spend the rest of the night parked in line at the ferry terminal.  I’m not sure which is the better option, but we weren’t too fond of the idea of getting the RV packed and ready to go at 4:00 am.  It’s just something to think about when making ferry reservations.  Often you have no choice with schedules, but every now and then there may be more than one option.

All of our ferry rides to this point had been on the M/V Matanuska, but we picked a fast ferry for the trip to Sitka, and we sailed on the FVF Chenega.  The fast ferries are much newer and do not have cabins, since the sailings are not overnight.  There is also no cafeteria, although there is limited food service.  We were so impressed with the crew on the Chenega, especially the car deck crew members who went out of their way to make sure the RV could safely negotiate the ramp.  One guy even got down on his knees to look under the RV to make sure it cleared the high spots.  We were very appreciative, especially after our unfortunate experience in Wrangell.

Will She Hit the Bottom?

Made It!

We had another beautiful day for sailing, and the trip from Juneau to Sitka is particularly scenic.  We passed another lighthouse, the Point Retreat Light Station that is similar in design to the Five Finger Lighthouse that we passed on the way from Petersburg.  We saw quite a few humpback whales, but I was too slow to get a photo. 

Point Retreat Light Station

Ready to Turn into Peril Strait

We soon turned into Peril Strait and the most stunning part of the trip.  In some ways, the journey through Peril Strait is similar to the one through Wrangell Narrows.  Only small cruise ships and the Alaska ferries can fit.  The strait is also very narrow, and the strong tides can cause issues for any vessel.  In fact, an Alaska ferry hit a rock here in 2004 and almost sank.  Fortunately, we sailed through with no problems.  Peril Strait may be even more beautiful than Wrangell Narrows because it is more unspoiled.  There are very few houses along the water, and there is much more of a wilderness feeling.

Clouds Added Drama to the Trip through Peril Strait

Successfully Navigating Around the Buoys

Views of Nearby Mountains

A Beautiful Passage to Sitka

Unlike the other towns we’ve visited in Southeast Alaska, Sitka is not actually along the Inside Passage.  Located on the west side of Baranof Island, Sitka is somewhat off the beaten path, and consequently fewer cruise ships schedule stops here.  Once the capital of Russian America, Sitka has a long and rich history.

After the ferry docked, we proceeded to our campground.  We will be staying in Sitka for two weeks at the Sitka Sportsman’s Association RV Park, which is located next to the ferry terminal.  The sites are essentially parking spaces in a paved lot, but sites have a nice view of the water and lots of trees line the perimeter.  The full hookups are essential for us for such an extended stay.  A clubhouse with an indoor shooting range is on the property, and it has been a bit disconcerting to hear gunfire during the day.  We have had the place mostly to ourselves, so we have had no problem with close neighbors.  If the park were full, however, the sites would be very tight.

Our View at Sitka Sportsman's Association RV Park

The FVF Chenega on Its Way Back to Juneau

You may be wondering why we are spending two weeks in Sitka.  Tim has a contract with Sitka National Historical Park, and we planned our entire trip through Southeast Alaska around this commitment.  Tim and I are in Sitka to catalog and rehouse a remarkable collection of almost 1,000 glass plate negatives.  These images were taken in the Sitka area by noted photographer E.W. Merrill during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  I will have much more information about the project in a later post, but it is very exciting to be working with such an invaluable cultural resource.

Welcome to Sitka National Historical Park

After arriving here last Sunday afternoon, we hit the ground running on Monday morning and have been working eight-hour days ever since.  We’re just not used to such hours!  Consequently, we have had no time to explore the town and have had to be satisfied with drive-by views of the downtown area and the historic structures here. 

We have discovered a few good restaurants.  The Larkspur Café offered Sitka’s version of rockfish tacos, and they were very good.  On Friday night we stumbled upon a real find.  We had tried to get into Ludvig’s Bistro, but the tiny place was packed.  

The staff suggested their wine and tapas bar upstairs, so that’s where we headed.  Although there were only a few choices on the menu, every single item we ordered was extraordinary.  A blackened broccoli tapas plate was complementary when ordering a glass of wine, and it was the best broccoli I’ve ever tasted.  The clam chowder was unlike any I’ve ever had– the addition of chorizo gave the chowder just the right amount of spice.  Even the cheese and meat plate was delicious.  I was enjoying myself so much that I forgot to take out the camera.  You’ll just have to take my word for it.  

Perhaps it was because all of this was so unexpected, but we had such a marvelous time.  The food really was some of the best we’ve had in Alaska.  I can’t wait to make a reservation for the bistro and sample the entrees prepared by the same chef.

After one beautiful day following our arrival in town (I knew I should have stopped to take a few photographs!), the rains finally found us.  I think most of Alaska is experiencing the same weather, but it’s a bit of a shock since we’ve been so spoiled for so long by such gorgeous days.  At least for us, we’re working now, so the rain has not interfered with any plans.  It’s still raining today (Saturday), so we decided that sleeping late and taking care of chores and errands would be the way to go.  Even if it’s still raining on Sunday, we are heading out, and I’ll report back on what there is to do in Sitka.