Kariann HaskellBears, beaches, best fresh seafood. All three things called to us from the shores of Alaska, and we answered. After a few weeks of research, our plan was made. Fly into Sitka, Alaska, spend a week there, then fly into Juneau, Alaska and finish off our visit there.
We touched down in Sitka as the sun was setting across the ocean. Beautiful introduction to the small town by the sea.
Our first day, we awake and set off to Sitka National Historic Park. Bald eagles were eagerly fighting over a catch in the morning light.
Mosquito Cove Trail was a quick mile hike, but took us a few hours just on how beautiful it was. The trail offered beautiful vistas of not only forest, but out into the Starrigavan Bay.
Halibut Point Recreation Site was a nice quiet beach on the way back towards the city, offering sweeping beach views, picnic tables, and bathrooms.
As our tummbies rumbled for dinner, we stopped down at Bayview Restaurant for fish and chips. We could barely get over the view from the window.
We also found our favorite beer here from Baranof Brewery, Spruce Tip Ale.
Appetites fulfilled, we spent the sunset on the beach in front of the Historic Park.
A flat grey sky greeted us as we headed off down to the dock to meet up with Sitka Sound Ocean Adventures to do a half day of kayaking. Safety briefed, lunch cookie packed, we are pushed into the Sitka Sound.
Easily one of my favorite parts of the trip was this kayaking adventure. Garrett was our guide and was so laid back, friendly, and kept us on course as we weaved through channel islands. We were able to experience seeing all the ocean creatures from sea anemones, crabs, otters, whales, and fish.
We shore up on a long shoreline where we were treated like kings with a friendly lunch spread. Fruit, hummus, homemade fish cakes from the owners John and Alison.
John came and picked us up shortly after and we zipped through the bay. A delight was our boat getting some time next to a set of sea otters resting. Still weary of travelers, we didn’t get very close before they scootched underwater.
Back in town, we stop by Sitka Sound Seafoods Beautiful selection of canned smoked king salmon, trout, and every other creature you could want to eat out of the sea. Loaded up, we head back and enjoy the night with the sunset on our patio. (And maybe a joint or two). On a dispensary note, we loved Weed Dudes.
The next day had a different plan originally, but with some looming weather forecasts, we moved our sunset wildlife tour to a sunrise wildlife tour with A Whales Song Expedition. We met Neil and Leonne at Cove Marina and set off into the sea. Here is a map to show you where our boat went.
We saw puffins, thousands of birds, whales, and it was a lot of fun capturing them all with the 600mm. But hard as hell to control on a boat in the middle of the ocean.
After hours out at sea, tracking whales and otters down, flying the drone and exchanging tales, we head back in with happy hearts getting to spend the morning with such a fine crew. The sun set on another healing day in Sitka.
Our final morning greeted us with a downpour, so we head into the mountains for a hike. Thimbleberry Lake is a meander through the forest, so we smoked and laughed in the rain on the trail, without a single soul in sight.
Cemeteries are always my favorite, so we dive into the Russian Cemetery. Honestly, probably the coolest cemetery I have ever seen. It was a small rolling cemetery, but over every mound was a new hill, a new set of markers. I could have spent hours here, especially at sunset or during fog. WOW! I was in heaven.
Our flight to Juneau was around 7pm, so we had one final dinner at Mean Queen. I don’t remember what pizza we got, but it was really good. One last hike though the Sitka National Historic Park.
A one hour flight lifted us over to Juneau. Our stay was in a small waterfront cabin in Tee Harbor. Our views were of a misty world, ready to enchant us with its resident bald eagles.
Our first day in Juneau, we head first to Mendenhall Glacier National Park. We chose to hike East Glacier Trail. We were rewarded with foggy, emerald forest, peeking into the canyons and glimpses of far off waterfalls. A baby porcupine led us through a twisted part of the trail.
We wrapped up hiking and went to Jerrys Seafood to stock up on some more fish friends, and tucked in to our cabin for the rest of our night, fireplace roaring.
Eager to get going, the next day we head out to the Rainforest Trail at the very end of Douglas Island. Not long after our arrival, a swift downpour engulfed us, and we receded to lunch at Island Pub. Beer and pizza later, the sun popped back out and we explored Sandy Beach. The old Treadwell Pumphouse stands as a pillar against the rolling mountain landscape.
Park after park, we find rivers, eagles, rain, lush forests, and sights.
Dinner at Twisted Fish was great, though very cruise ship passenger oriented, so we ducked out and stopped by the Taku store to pick up another can of smoked Salmon.
Shrine of St. Therese was so peaceful and quiet, there were marmots rummaging around the rocky shores on this grey morning.
We enjoyed a smoke at Almaga Harbor, and spotted eagles at Eagle Beach.
We aren’t much for the tourist traps, but we had free passes to use the Mt. Roberts Tram through our AirBNB, and couldn’t resist. A 20 minute line later, we sardine-cram into the tram to slowly ascend into the peaks above.
The view from the top was worth the cram, and we were greeted with a small hike and view. The trail was packed. Restaurant packed.
We decompressed from that the next day by staying in, since it was a steady downpour. Our last day, we took out the kayak (did I mention how amazing our cabin stay was?) and battled the winds to make it to Lewis Island. A great memory I always turn back to was sitting on the shores of this little island, wishing it were my own. How perfect a world would be!
Alaska was phenomenal, we can’t wait to return. Perfect nature continually enveloping you.
