Page 285 - Vacation Country Travel Guide
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SKAGWAY, the historic frontier town
where the great Klondike Gold Rush
of ’98 is relived and where the famous
narrow gauge railroad the White Pass and
Yukon Railroad is headquartered. There
is easy access to the Chilkoot Trail and
connection with the Klondike Highway to
the Alaska Highway from here.
HAINES-PORT CHILKOOT links the
Alaska Marine Highway with land routes
through Alaska and the Yukon Territory.
Haines is located in a spectacular
setting on Chilkat Peninsula near the
northern end of Lynn Canal. Haines and
Skagway are the only two Southeastern
Alaska towns served by the Alaska
Marine Highway System that have
connecting highways to interior Alaska.
Several local air carriers also offer
As the publisher of the TRAVEL GUIDE, service between these points.
I have over 45 years of experience
exploring the great state of Alaska. From JUNEAU, often referred to as the most
the southern city of Ketchikan to the beautifully located of all the 50 state
northern part of the Arctic Circle. I have capitals, is surrounded by mountains,
journeyed by car, ship, ferry, helicopter glaciers and waterfalls. Juneau also
and floatplane, now read my adventure has the distinction of being the only U.S.
in my travels to Southeast Alaska by air, capital that can be reached only by air
land and sea. or by sea.
I have had a front row seat to nature’s
greatest shows of glacier calving, whales SITKA, on Baranof Island, was one
breeching and Kodiak bears battling of the earliest Russian settlements in
over salmon. Along the way I have come Alaska and retains much of its Russian
across some remarkable towns and heritage. The new Archangel Dancers
have met extraordinary people from all perform authentic Russian folk dances.
over the world. When most people plan
their Alaska vacation they book one of PETERSBURG harbor is home to one
the numerous cruise ships that frequent of Alaska’s finest marinas which shelters
the waterways of the 49th state. While Alaska’s largest commercial halibut
traveling in one of these floating cities fleet. This “Little Norway” reflects its
has its place, it does impart a more heritage in its buildings, customs, and
restricted form of vacationing as groups inhabitants.
of people are herded on and off the ship WRANGELL began as a fur-trading
with very limited time devoted to each post in 1834 and has been ruled by four
port. If sight seeing with thousands of nations: the indigenous Tlingit, Russia,
other people isn’t for you, then I would England and the United States. Exciting
suggest you follow the itinerary for Travel boat and bear tours are a mainstay.
Guide’s “Eight Perfect Days in Southeast,
Interior and Southcentral Alaska.” Nestled KETCHIKAN is the center of the
in the southern archipelago like jewels Southeastern Alaska fishing industry
in a crown, lies the capitol of Juneau, and the home of the world’s largest
along with the delightful cities of Sitka, collection of totem poles.
Wrangell, Skagway, Haines, Petersburg
and Ketchikan. To experience these PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND
towns is to encounter quintessential Located in the southeastern part of
Alaska-pristine rivers, cultural heritage the panhandle, the Jewel of Southeast
sites, awe-inspiring glaciers and of course Alaska is home to 11 distinctly different
bears. A person can leave the commotion communities, all steeped in a rich
and traffic of Seattle, Washington in
the morning and by the afternoon be cultural heritage. Visitors will enjoy
watching bears fish for salmon in Anan beautiful scenery, bountiful wildlife and
Creek outside of Wrangell. There has world-class fishing on the third largest
never been a better time to visit Alaska. island in the United States.
Scott Graber, Publisher
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