We have 2 weeks in late July. No plans.

I'm in research mode.....suggestions? thoughts? must see list? must do list?

drive from Anchorage to Seward or Homer. Stop at every scenic spot with space to park and go hike around. Lots of cool short STEEP hike off the road in the Chugach. Skip Talkeetna. Driving there is like driving in Michigan. Denali is still too far away from Talkeetna to really make sense of.

I think that with 2 weeks you should concentrate on just a few areas. The Kenai Peninsula and the Chugach are a good way to see a bit of Alaska without busting your time and money budget. The back areas of the Chugach are pretty spectacular and quite remote.

Bring bug spray.

skip talkeetna???

c'mon!!

how can 2 dozen sunburnt climbers, 3 dozen type-A preclimb climbers, 400 or so random dogs, 23 busses per day of old ladies, and five or six creepy guys selling jewelry be wrong?

i am still impressed with the roadhouse breakfast

Juneau AK/ southeast AK much nicer and less people

mendenhall glacier is only an hour hike and you can Ice climb. rock climbing is out the road, and the weather is awesome right now!!!!

Good God. Is that a pancake? what is that thing?! I'd drive there just to see this !

I thought about Homer -

tips? advice?

We like backpacking - hiking.

fantasy mode for a moment..."if you could go ANYWHERE in AK, where would you go?"

tigerlilly wrote:Good God. Is that a pancake? what is that thing?! I'd drive there just to see this !

I thought about Homer -

tips? advice?

We like backpacking - hiking.

fantasy mode for a moment..."if you could go ANYWHERE in AK, where would you go?"

yes. that is the biggest sourdough pancake i have gone after. worth it for sure.

tigerlilly wrote:We have 2 weeks in late July. No plans.

I'm in research mode.....suggestions? thoughts? must see list? must do list?

When I was there in the mid-1990s, I hiked the Crow Pass Trail (24 miles) through the Chugach Mountians from its southern trailhead (not far from Mt. Alyeska Ski resort) to its northern terminus at the Eagle River Visitors' Center. There is a Forest Service Hut that can be rented; however, I did not know that at the time. The hike has a little bit of evrything that one thinks about in regards to the Alaska Wilderness: glaciers, rivers (and river crossings), forest, mountains, beautiful waterfalls, wildlife, mining and Iditarod history, etc. If you are interested in more info, google "Crow Pass Trail" and you'll find some good links.

Alaska's a big state. Perhaps you could be more specific as to the general location you'll be in?

Although I've lived in Alaska my entire life, it's pretty difficult to help you plan your trip when I don't know much about your interests, skill levels, or experience.

You mentioned that you enjoy hiking. There are several areas with trails in the Chugach National Forest, Chugach State Park, and Denali State Park. You might also consider the Hatcher Pass area of the Talkeetna Mountains. If you're looking for something more remote, you could fly in to start you trip. A good beginner's guidebook to hiking in Southcentral Alaska is "55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska" by Helen Nienhueser and John Wolfe. That should give you a sampler of trips that people routinely do.

If you're looking for something more off the beaten path, you'll probably have to decide on a destination first, get a map, and then try to gather as much information as you can (if any is available). Much of Alaska has not been explored on foot, so there are plenty of opportunities for first ascents, but I recommend starting with something a little tamer for your first visit to Alaska - it can be a very unforgiving place.

OK. It's a lot to ask, I understand.


Ok. We like winter camping...a lot. We are used to frigid temps. We've done Rainier. We're pretty sturdy and brave hearted. Ice climbing is out, but we're game for just about anything else.

I'm salivating over the Ruth Glacier.

We most likely will break it up to one week goofing around and one week serious hiking.

you want some of this maybe???



go to Sheldon Air (formerly Hudson's) and tell Raeleen that the tall guy named Ben recommended them...she'll treat you good...their pilots ROCK.

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/475480/101-ways-to-pass-time-at-camp-on-the-ruth-glacier.html

http://www.summitpost.org/album/623667/Ruth-Glacier-May-2010-.html

bring skis, if at all possible.

Steve is right, it's a very big state with a lot to see. 2 weeks in July? I assume your flying into Anchorage? How you getting around? Car rental? Kenai Fiords Preserve is a good trip. Take a charter out of Seward. All of the Kenai Penninsula is fun but gets crowded in summer. World class king salmon and halibut fishing is a blast. Take the state ferry from Seward or Homer thru Prince William Sound to Valdez and drive up to Fairbanks and smaller towns, down to Denali Park. Charter a bush plane to anywhere you pick and get dropped off for a few days. Got lot's of money? Skys the limit. Don't forget the bug dope!

yes, flying into Anchorage.

I just checked out Kenai Fjords - holy smokes.....

'fraid I'm hooked.

To find cold temperatures in Alaska in July, you'll have to go way high - and that will consume all of your allotted two weeks. July is pretty late for the Ruth Gorge area. The snow bridges on the crevasses may not be intact by then and pilots are not eager to land on glaciers with gaping holes around them.

I generally take first-time visitors on a sightseeing cruise out of either Seward or Whittier and then for some hikes around Chugach State Park or the Chugach National Forest. The previously mentioned Crow Pass is a nice trip (but won't take a week to complete - it's been done in less than two hours). You could even get right up to the Raven Glacier. You might also try longer hikes along the Resurrection Trail from Hope to Cooper Landing or try a series of day hikes to see a variety of locales. That would keep you quite busy, but you would only see a small sliver of the state.

If you wanted to see Mount McKinley, you could try K'esugi Ridge in Denali State Park or the Peters Hills near Petersville. Both have great views of the south side of the Alaska Range.

I was worried 'bout the snow being too soft. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check them out.