Experience southeastern Alaska's breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, and famous gold rush historic sites. We will begin this adventure in Juneau, the bustling capital of Alaska. After picking up two seven passenger vans and establishing a basecamp below the glacier on the shore of iceberg-dotted Mendenhall Lake, we will explore the visitor center and numerous viewing trails. A full day cruise on the 56' Adventure Bound will take us to the Tracy Arm, a classic fiord, to view what some have called Alaska's greatest combination of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers and icebergs. A sanctuary at the end of the arm guarantees seal viewing. Mountain goats and bear sightings are also possible.
Following the trail of Alaska's gold miners, we will boat up the Lynn Canal on the Alaska Marine Ferry's flagship Columbia to Haines, Alaska. We will camp in the vicinity for two evenings so we can visit Tlingit cultural sites (carvings, totems and long houses), Fort William H. Seward (WWII military base), the Haines museums, and the Chilkoot River, searching for grizzlies fishing for salmon. From the Haines valley, we will head north towards the Alaskan Highway and Haines Junction to join a rafting company for one of the Yukon's most popular day runs, the Blanchard and Upper Tatshenshini rivers to Dalton Post. Expect to see flashes of bright red in the water as the salmon seek their spawning grounds. This abundant food source means grizzlies and bald eagles may be sighted.
Afterwards we will head for a camp in Haines Junction, or if time permits on the shores of the infamous Lake Labarge (the Cremation of Sam McGee). A hot spring there should invigorate our travel weary bodies. We will continue to Whitehorse in the Yukon for a half-day's sightseeing, continuing the next day over White Pass into the States. After stopping at Carcross along the way, our final destination will be the historic gold rush town of Skagway. The National Park Service maintains many of the century old buildings there and offers excellent tours and information about the Klondike period. Our camp will be a short distance outside Skagway near the historic town of Dyea, at the base of the Chilkoot Trail. We will ride Skagway's White Pass & Yukon narrow gauge railway, the "Scenic Railway of the World". Built in 1898 during the gold rush, it is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Our trip will end with a return trip on the high-speed ferry to Juneau.
Originates @ Juneau, Alaska.
Totem & Lodge
Tracy Arm
