From a historical or geopolitical perspective, the Fourth of July (aka, Independence Day) marks the anniversary of the United States’ Declaration for Independence—the date in 1776 when representatives of thirteen of Britain’s American colonies severed their ties with the Mother Country and went out on…Read More

From a historical or geopolitical perspective, the Fourth of July (aka, Independence Day) marks the anniversary of the United States’ Declaration for Independence—the date in 1776 when representatives of thirteen of Britain’s American colonies severed their ties with the Mother Country and went out on their own. But from a practical perspective based on decades of celebrating the Fourth, it is mostly a time of merrymaking and forming happy memories. It is a time for summer fun and ostentatious patriotism, for parades and fireworks, for picnics and concerts, for flag waving and military bands—and an occasion for enduring the rhetoric of the latest political campaign.

Independence Day is one of a declining number of observances that are not routinely moved to the nearest Monday or Friday to accommodate a three-day weekend. As a major federal holiday, it means a day off from work for the vast majority of Americans—and that day is always on 4 July. Fireworks, barbeques and other events, however, are likely to cluster toward the nearest weekend. Somber observances such as wreath-laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and at military cemeteries across the nation are part and parcel of the holiday. But on the whole the day has come to be filled with food, spectacle and frivolity.

As residents of Greater Washington Metropolitan Area, Himself and Yours Truly have enjoyed a number of Fourth of July extravaganzas on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Our initiation to this festive occasion was the Bicentennial Fourth of 1976, an event that is estimated to have been attended by as many as 1.8 million people. Families like ours gathered on the Mall with blankets and coolers to settle in for a day of picnics, concerts and fireworks. Some even brought along highly decorated birthday cakes or bottles of champagne to mark the nation’s 200th birthday. One couple near us dressed formally and carried in a large silver candelabra and a whole roast turkey with trimmings! Children waded happily in the Reflection Pool, and demonstrators (who were undoubtedly no less happy) supported the legalization of marijuana by committing acts of civil disobedience, weed in hand. Each year repeats the pattern, if not the scale, and for us the Fourth in DC is an event characterized by memories of fireworks bursting above the Washington Monument, the laughter of children, and massive traffic snarls created by tens of thousands of people pouring in and out of the city.

Other years have seen celebrations in local parks or at the Antietam National Battlefield, where the fireworks are preceded by a concert under the open sky by the Maryland Symphony and with the 1812 Overture punctuated by artillery fire by a local National Guard unit. Less extravagant but far more common—both for us and for most Americans—are neighborhood events characterized by small town parades and modest firework displays set off on driveway pavements, all to a chorus of oohs and aahs from those assembled. Hot dogs and hamburgers sizzle on the grill, and for the truly traditional among us, there will be homemade ice cream and a pitcher of old-fashioned lemonade to cool the thirst that accompanies a hot summer day.

Memories of the day also extend back to my own childhood, including recollections of fireworks reflected above a southwestern lake, hand-held sparklers drawing fiery patterns against the darkness, and headlong dashes to escape the explosion of strings of firecrackers. They include a small child’s frozen "bottom" acquired while sitting on a manual ice cream churn to help finalize the perfect consistency of a chilled confection. They include red, white and blue streamers thrown into the air from the floats of hometown parades, and they include legends retold of Founding Fathers who never told lies and who sought to uphold personal and political honor. And last but not least they include the remembered choruses of Yankee Doodle Dandy, America the Beautiful, and the Star-Spangled Banner.

Despite--and no doubt because of--the undercurrents of official patriotism that provide the excuse for this holiday, its most genuine symbol is a sense of freedom—political and otherwise. Like all holidays based on political events, its celebrants have been known to betray their own ideals. But when at its best, a proper appreciation of the Fourth challenges Americans to be better citizens by being better people. It is at heart a hopeful holiday that both promises and demands much of a people to whom much has been given. It reaches forward and backward, pursuing a better future while remembering the past.

© BawBaw, LovesTravel, DAnneC - 2011Close

We left the Beach House and Seward in the morning, en route to Homer and the Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge. The drive traces a good part of the Kenai Peninsula, a fairly rugged area with thick forests and mountains meeting the sea. There…Read More

We left the Beach House and Seward in the morning, en route to Homer and the Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge. The drive traces a good part of the Kenai Peninsula, a fairly rugged area with thick forests and mountains meeting the sea. There are plenty of good spots along the way for hiking or picnicking. We didn’t have too much of a chance to stop though, as we had to catch a water shuttle in Homer. We ate lunch at Odie’s Deli in Soldotna and then continued along to Homer. We had been advised by Sadie Cove that we should get fishing licenses and bait in Homer to have for our time at the Lodge. To keep a King Salmon, it’s necessary to have a separate stamp on the license. They were fairly expensive, so we only got them for the day we planned to do a King charter in Soldotna on the trip back. For the lodge, we were told we’d be more likely to catch a halibut. Frozen herring is apparently the bait of choice for halibut, so we grabbed a bag and hoped for the best. We hauled all of our gear down a steep ramp to the water taxi. After we were loaded up, we headed out of the harbor and out onto the bay. Because so many of the areas near Homer are only accessible by boat, there were quite a few water taxi companies in town. We settled in and admired the scenery on the way out. The lodge owners, Keith and Randi, and their summer help, were waiting for us on the rocky shore next to the lodge. We pulled in, unloaded our gear, and were given a tour around the Lodge. It was a warm day (by coastal Alaska the upstairs rooms (with a great view overlooking the water) and Laura’s parents were adjacent to the dining area. We had a great salmon dinner that evening and did some fishing for salmon from shore. Apparently the wind was too strong to go out to the floating dock and fish for halibut. We didn’t have any bites, so we went up to our rooms to settle in for the evening.Close

Laura and Richard drove into the Kenai Fiords National Park for a day of hiking. The park’s only road ends at the visitor center near the base of Exit Glacier. There are several shorter walks around the visitor center that go up near…Read More

Laura and Richard drove into the Kenai Fiords National Park for a day of hiking. The park’s only road ends at the visitor center near the base of Exit Glacier. There are several shorter walks around the visitor center that go up near the glacier. A much longer walk climbs up the mountain to the base of the Harding Icefield. We took this trail and were treated to some incredible views of the glacier, the valley, and the surrounding mountain ranges. It was quite impressive getting a view of the glacier from above. We stopped for a break and saw some dots out on the glacier. We got out the binoculars and saw some hikers far away making slow progress up the ice sheet. On the other side of the glacier, we saw something moving much more quickly. We noticed that it was a black bear barreling along. We marveled at the ease at which it handled the uneven terrain. It covered the ground quickly and in little time, it was out of sight in the brush on the other side of the glacier. We climbed up the trail and encountered more and more snow as we got up higher. It was mid July, but not far removed from early spring in that area. Laura stopped at an overlook about 2/3 of the way up and Richard continued to the end. The trail goes over a flat area before making one final climb just past an emergency shelter. It was almost entirely covered by snow and it took some care to make sure I didn’t sink into a deep snow bank. At the top, there is an incredible panoramic view of the icefield. The glacier broadens out and stretches as far as the eye can see. Looking back toward the trailhead, it’s possible to see the glacier valley and all of the surrounding mountains. After taking about half a CF card worth of pictures (to make sure every angle and exposure were covered), Richard returned down the trail and re-joined Laura at the overlook. We encountered more people as we approached the shorter trails near the visitor center. After returning to the Beach House, we met up with Laura’s parents and had a fantastic dinner at the Exit Glacier Salmon Bake. It has a well recognized sign out front that says "Cheap Beer and Lousy Food". The food was great (featured fresh salmon and halibut) and the local Alaska microbrews were fantastic. It really hit the spot after a long day hiking.Close

Richard, already a single-engine land pilot and flight instructor, took a sea-plane lesson in a Piper Super Cub on floats. Located in Moose Pass (about 30 miles inland from Seward), Alaska Float Ratings offers seaplane instruction for pilots, as well as sight-seeing flights for…Read More

Richard, already a single-engine land pilot and flight instructor, took a sea-plane lesson in a Piper Super Cub on floats. Located in Moose Pass (about 30 miles inland from Seward), Alaska Float Ratings offers seaplane instruction for pilots, as well as sight-seeing flights for everyone that tour around the Kenai Peninsula. Seaplanes provided an entirely different kind of flying experience. Getting into the small plane (even by single engine standards) was way more involved than opening the door and stepping in. A good part of my first lesson was spent learning how to balance on the float and pull myself into the small front-seat cabin. The instructor sat in the back. After my struggle getting in, it was impressive to watch the instructor deftly cross the small cable in the front to do the pre-flight check on the other side. The instructor pushed us off the dock and we started the engine as we floated away. Unlike on land, where you have the luxury of starting the engine while stationary, in a seaplane you need to have a strategy in advance for where the plane is going when you start up. Everything happens quickly – you can be drifting towards rocks or another plane in no time. After we got out on open water, I got some experience handling the plane on the surface before we did our first takeoff. The instructor walked me through the sequence and I was able to handle it without much trouble. The scenery was absolutely incredible. We could see snow-capped peaks in every direction as we passed over the dense forest a few hundred feet below. We flew low over a few ridges and set up for some landings on a nearby lake. It took some practice learning the technique, but I was starting to do a few on my own (with a close eye from the instructor) by the end of the lesson. We landed back at Trail Lake and the instructor parked the plane at the dock. After a short walk down the road and an excellent lunch at Trail Lake Lodge, it was time for my second lesson. I was able to get into the plane a bit easier than the first time. We took off and headed for another nearby lake. After the first landing, we shut the engine down to enjoy the quiet of the wilderness for a few minutes. Used to taxiing around busy airports with airplanes everywhere, it was a nice change of pace to only have to watch that we didn’t get too close a loon drifting near the shoreline. From there, we took off and headed over to Bench Lake. It would take all day to hike there, but we arrived in just a few minutes. At Bench Lake, I had a chance to really work on my landings. After several times, I started to get more reliable as I learned how to use peripheral cues to judge height, being careful to add power at the right time to avoid dropping in too hard. On one of the circuits around the lake, my instructor saw a moose peeking out through the high grass. After several more landings, it was time to head back to Trail Lake. I made a decent landing and my instructor had me handle more of the parking maneuver back at the dock. It should seem obvious that seaplanes don’t have brakes, but the practical impact of this became apparent when the instructor cautioned that we’d need to cut off the engine early enough to make sure we didn’t float into the expensive seaplane parked at the dock ahead of us. I took her warning to heart and ended up cutting off the engine too early, leaving us floating back from the dock, with no chance to reach it without re-starting the engine, only to cut it off a few seconds later. We went back inside and I had the privilege of joining some of the other instructors for some bush plane hangar flying (a term used by pilots to talk up the experiences, sometimes harrowing, of prior flights to the amusement, horror, or awe of others in attendance). The other pilots showed some pictures of flights they had done in the Alaska bush and it left me longing to have more time (and money) to complete the seaplane rating. That would need to wait for another trip, however. After a great day, I said good-bye to everyone at Moose Pass, and made my way back to Seward to join Laura and her parents.Close

Amazingly, the bad weather had blown off, and the clouds were clearing. Our last day in the park was going to be another with great views and great photos. We left our bags by the door when the breakfast bell rang (as instructed…Read More

Amazingly, the bad weather had blown off, and the clouds were clearing. Our last day in the park was going to be another with great views and great photos. We left our bags by the door when the breakfast bell rang (as instructed the night before) and headed to our last breakfast at North Face Lodge. Breakfast, as always, was delicious, then we boarded the bus for the ride out of the park.
We stopped by Wonder Lake and Mirror Lake for pictures and stopped again when we came across a 2-year old grizzly walking down the road. We got some very good photos of that bear. We had many more fabulous views of McKinley as we wound our way out of the park. Near the end of the road, we saw our first caribou up close. It was a bull with an incredible rack, and we got more great photos. It was a truly amazing sight.
At the park, we grabbed a quick lunch at the visitor center, which was passable. Richard thought his "Wonder Lake Cheeseburger" was decent. Then we checked in for our train. North Face Lodge transferred our luggage directly to the train. The train ride back should have been as amazing as the ride to Denali, but we were all tired and slept off and on during the trip. We did see King salmon in the river as the train went by, which was pretty amazing that they were big enough to see clearly at speed. We continued to have views of McKinley, slowly shrinking in the distance as we headed back to Anchorage.
When we got back, we caught a cab to the Ramada, checked in, and headed back to the brewpub for dinner. We turned in early.Close

Day 4The dinner bell summoned us to breakfast. The food was wonderful. Each morning there was a warm cereal (different each morning), cold cereal, and a plated breakfast. The staff took real pride in each meal and explained what we were being…Read More

Day 4

The dinner bell summoned us to breakfast. The food was wonderful. Each morning there was a warm cereal (different each morning), cold cereal, and a plated breakfast. The staff took real pride in each meal and explained what we were being served as the food was brought out. After breakfast, the day’s field trip options were described, and we had to select from the Strenuous, Moderate or "Naturalist Foray" options. The Strenuous option was described as "destination oriented," presumably meaning that come hell or high water you were going to get there. At the other end of the spectrum, was the Naturalist Foray, which was described as a "vehicle-based excursion." Having said that, the naturalist foray was a great opportunity for people with HUGE cameras who wanted to spend a lot of time setting up tripods and taking serious photos.
Richard took the strenuous option and climbed to the top of the ridge behind the lodge and the sister property "Camp Denali". The guide, Matt, was knowledgeable about the animal and plant life and the local history. Matt pointed out a large dug out area likely caused by a frenetic bear digging for a bear burrito. We don’t know if it got it. There were nice views of the Alaska Range and the valley north of the ridge. The group ate lunch at the top of the ridge and watched the clouds move past McKinley.
Laura opted out of the options. She stayed in the room and read, relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet. Laura’s parents took the Naturalist Foray and reported back that they learned all about the local vegetation, about the differences between dry and wet tundra, and about the geology of the area. They were extremely impressed with the knowledge of their guide.
Dinner was fabulous – fresh salmon. Each meal also had a vegetarian option. Salad greens came from their hot house garden on site, and all of the food was extremely fresh. It was an amazing feat for being so far removed from civilization.
After dinner, Richard and Laura walked down to Wonder Lake again – through the clouds of mosquitoes – and saw scoters and other waterfowl on the lake. We also saw ptarmigan chicks along the side of the road. We went to bed late again after another long, but enjoyable day.

Day 5
Dinner bell for breakfast again. Wonderful breakfast again. Pick a trip again. Richard did the strenuous hike, again. The big difference was the weather. The bright, warm, sunny days were gone. It was cold and rainy. The excursions went much farther into the park than the previous day’s. The strenuous hike walked along the Toklat River and then turned up a valley and climbed on game trails up to a pass. The weather became increasingly worse during the climb. As we climbed higher, the wind picked up, it got colder, and the rain changed to sleet. "I had never hiked in sleet in July before." At times, the wind was strong enough that we had to walk backwards. Drew did a great job of keeping everyone together in low visibility and helping out when people had trouble due to the weather. As we descended down the other side of the ridge, the weather improved, the rain lessened, and it returned to being cool and overcast. The landscape was interesting in that there were no signs of civilization – not even a trail. Hiking in Denali is a very different experience from most National Parks. Elsewhere, you are not supposed to go off the trail. In Denali, there are no trails. Drew explained the geology of the area and identified plant life. We learned at the evening wrap up, that we were the only group not to see any wildlife.
Laura and her parents took the naturalist foray. We saw Dall sheep and lots of grizzlies. The weather was awful, though, and it was difficult to get pictures without getting the camera wet – even with a dry bag. It was cold and very windy at each stop. We also stopped at the Eielson Visitor Center, which features bull antlers locked together. (The moose died stuck together.)
Another good dinner. It was pork – not my favorite – but it was prepared well. I was wishing I had taken the vegetarian option – gnocchi. Another recount of the days’ experiences, instruction on the following day’s check-out procedures, and we headed to the room to start packing.Close

Richard got up early and went running. Again. There was easy access from the Resort to the Denali Park Entrance area via sidewalks and trails. He did a loop trail (about 7 miles) through the park entrance area and as he got…Read More

Richard got up early and went running. Again. There was easy access from the Resort to the Denali Park Entrance area via sidewalks and trails. He did a loop trail (about 7 miles) through the park entrance area and as he got to a clearing he nearly ran into moose! Although they were initially startled and moved away (he moved away as well), they went back to grazing. He got some great photos of a cow and calf. (Yes, he took the camera running.) He said that they sounded like horses eating. It was an amazing experience seeing such large animals so close.
We ate breakfast at the buffet at the restaurant on site, which had really good breakfast! We had pancakes and sausage and scrambled eggs and fruit and potatoes and biscuits with gravy…you name it. We picked up some groceries at the general store across from the resort, then went back to catch the bus into the park. We hauled our luggage onto bus, then we dropped off the luggage at a kiosk while we did some shopping at the store in the park and went through the visitor center.
We picked up our luggage and went to meet the North Face Lodge bus at the train station. We all visited the bathroom one last time before the long bus ride into the park. (It turns out that there are bathrooms all along the road, so we ended up stopping for several bathroom breaks on the trip.) Our bus driver, Drew, met us and got everyone herded onto the bus and on our way.
Drew provided a continuous narrative on the drive into the park, pointing out substantial information about the mechanics of the bus, the geology of the area, and the wildlife along the way. The weather was spectacular and probably one of the warmest days they had all summer – mid to upper 70s – with scarcely a cloud in the sky. We saw grizzly bears with cubs, bear burritos, wolf pups (which we heard whining for their mothers), bull moose, a cow moose, caribou, and Dall sheep (aka "sheep dots").
The caribou and sheep were very, very high up in the mountains. The sheep were barely visible as more than mere white dots on the green hillsides. Bear burritos are Arctic ground squirrels that make a good appetizer for a hungry bear. We learned that the grizzlies in Denali are much smaller than the grizzlies along the coast – what a difference it makes to have a diet of berries rather than a diet of fat, juicy salmon! (Apparently it takes a lot of work to catch a bear burrito.) Many of the grizzlies in Denali are light colored, almost white, rather than the dark brown so familiar in pictures.
All along the road, off and on, we saw Mt. McKinley growing in the distance. We stopped for dinner near the East Fork of the Toklat River – about half way through the drive. We had pasta salad, salmon, fruit, bread, cheese and lunch meats, PB & J… The food was yummy but not plentiful enough. They ran out before we were full. After waiting for everyone to go (one at a time) to the only restroom (i.e., outhouse), we loaded back onto the bus and continued the ride. Just before Eielson Visitor Center, the road got much narrower as it negotiated the mountain passes. We were impressed with Drew’s ability to maneuver the bus around the tight corners with approaching buses. We were running behind, and the wildlife stops became more rushed. That was when we saw the bull moose wading in a stream, a cow moose in a lake and several species of waterfowl.
Wonder Lake came into view and marked the end of the drive. At that point, Mt. McKinley had grown to dominate the landscape and the entire horizon to the south. We soon arrived at North Face Lodge and learned that we were back at summer camp. We were herded into the main dining hall, where they went through all the rules, explained where gear was available, and where we were supposed to be and when (including the dinner bell summoning for meals). We learned that we would be assigned seats at meals to ensure mingling, that we would select outings from several options each morning, that we would prepare and pack our lunches, and that we would be expected to share our daily experiences with the group at dinner time. Although our hostess was very nice, I think she might be an elementary school teacher in the off-season. We received our room assignments via roll call, and went off to take our luggage into our rooms. (The luggage was left by our doors by the staff while we were in orientation.)
Richard and I headed off on a hike through the tundra to Wonder Lake. Richard thought the mosquitoes were bad, but there was a breeze. I didn’t think it was too bad. Then we got to Wonder Lake and the swarm hit. We walked back along the road, which was sheltered, so there was no breeze, and we walked, completely enveloped in a cloud of mosquitoes the whole way back. There were little mosquitoes and big mosquitoes and loud mosquitoes and quiet mosquitoes – every kind of mosquito you can imagine. Some were the size of quarters or a large horsefly. As far as we could tell, the size didn’t matter if it bit you. It was miserable.
By the time we got back to the Lodge (around midnight), a deep dusk had set in, and Mt. McKinley was a pink glow. The rooms were nice, had private bathrooms with running water (toilets and full shower/tub) and sinks, and had queen beds. We headed off to bed.Close

The rooms were big but basic. The breakfast buffet was minimal. They had a waffle machine, a few apples and oranges, cereal and hard boiled eggs. We caught the Alaska Railroad to Denali after breakfast. Checking in for the train was…Read More

The rooms were big but basic. The breakfast buffet was minimal. They had a waffle machine, a few apples and oranges, cereal and hard boiled eggs. We caught the Alaska Railroad to Denali after breakfast. Checking in for the train was very straightforward, and the luggage handling much more straightforward than at any airport. When we boarded the train, we found that our car was not very crowded at all, although some of our neighboring passengers ended up being fairly obnoxious. The train ride was splendid. We saw a cow moose with a calf in the brush, we saw magnificent views of the Chugach Range, the Alaska Range and Mt. McKinley, and we saw a myriad of rivers, streams and lakes. We stood outside between cars for much of the ride in order to get better photos.
When we arrived at Denali, the Mt. McKinley Chalet Resort picked us up at the train station, and our luggage was automatically transferred directly to our room at the resort. My mom and I walked some around the resort and walked down to the river. Richard went running, as always. There were many trails in the area that were nicely maintained and afforded nice views of the nearby mountains (not Mt. McKinley) as they wound through the woods and clearings. The weather could not have been better. Richard and I seriously considered going on a white water rafting trip in the evening, but we decided we were just too tired. We were amazed that an evening rafting trip was even an option. Most places don't offer trips after noon - even when the days are long.
Instead, we had a wonderful dinner at the Salmon Bake and turned in for the night.Close

Our flight to Anchorage reminded us of when airline flying used to be fun and exciting. The captain descended below a cloud layer so we could keep our view of the magnificent Wrangell St. Elias National Park. This park can only be accessed…Read More

Our flight to Anchorage reminded us of when airline flying used to be fun and exciting. The captain descended below a cloud layer so we could keep our view of the magnificent Wrangell St. Elias National Park. This park can only be accessed by plane or boat. It has enormous glaciers, steep rocky cliffs, and massive snow fields as far as the eye can see. We took several pictures and they turned out well. The approach to Anchorage was also impressive in that the runway extends right to the edge of a cliff, so the airplane is over the water until just before touchdown.
Even though we were tired from a long day of travel, we gathered the energy to walk from our downtown hotel to the Glacier Brew House. We arrived right at our reservation time, but still had to wait. That gave us an opportunity to check out the gift shop across the hall. Laura saw some nicely carved wooden bowls that she really liked, until she saw the price. At the Brew House, we all had fresh seafood, although some of us liked it more than others. Laura’s appetizer fish and chips were fine – a little strong on the breading, but somewhat underwhelming considering the $18 price tag. The rest of us had a halibut or salmon dinner and everyone liked it. Dad thought his beer tasted like a pine tree, but Richard really enjoyed the Amber.
The hotel was very basic. We put a huge fan in the window because our room air conditioner didn’t seem to work. (The fan was already sitting in the room.)Close

Flying to and from the "lower 48" up to Alaska can present some very unique scenic opportunities, especially the flights to or from the west coast. When flying to Alaska, particularly Anchorage or even Fairbanks, I like to sit on the landward side, or the…Read More

Flying to and from the "lower 48" up to Alaska can present some very unique scenic opportunities, especially the flights to or from the west coast. When flying to Alaska, particularly Anchorage or even Fairbanks, I like to sit on the landward side, or the right side going north, and the left side going south. I tend to schedule my flights around daytime, as there’s nothing viewable at night. If the weather isn’t cooperating, and it’s overcast, there still isn’t much to see, but you don’t really lose anything. If it’s clear, then you’re in for a real treat as you can see a good portion of southeast Alaska from the unique perspective of an aircraft. Even better for me since I’m a photography buff now.

At worst, you’ll see some mountaintops sticking through the cloud layers. At best though, you’ll see a whole lot more, from immense mountain ranges, majestic glaciers, cities, ships, farms, even other aircraft. On my particular flights, I didn’t see much going north from Portland to Anchorage due to the cloud cover, but my flight back from Anchorage down to Seattle was full of wonderful sights to see.
I took an Alaska Airlines flight out of Anchorage to Seattle on the early afternoon of August 6, 2011. Taking off out of Anchorage, you’ll see where the Turnagain and Knik Arms meet at Anchorage. We turn southeast over Turnagain Arm and towards the coastline, where you can see the Seward Highway and the Kenai Peninsula.

After a brief climb up to cruising altitude, we cross over the Kenai Peninsula and pass Seward. You can already see a few glaciers, and I think I saw the Aialik Glacier, which is one of the glaciers the Kenai Fjords Glacier Tours took me to visit a few years back. After that, we pass over Prince William Sound and I can see the oil terminals of Valdez off in the distance.

A few moments later, the aircraft cuts away from the coastline for a little bit, then turns back towards the Alaska panhandle, the land formation that connects Alaska to the western coast of Canada. Here, we can activate our electronic devices and I eagerly take out my camera. I wish I had a better zoom lens, but I ended up bringing the opposite, a wider telephoto lens, which is a poor choice for photographing objects far away.

We see the Tyndall Glacier, which empties out to Icy Bay. Just south of Icy Bay is an odd sight with huge concentric rings just barely visible through the clouds. I already knew this was Malaspina Glacier. It’s an odd formation in that it is a piedmont type glacier. It doesn’t resemble a river of ice, but a slump of ice, similar to pancake batter pouring out on a griddle. The Malaspina Glacier is the world’s largest piedmont glacier, easily larger than Rhode Island. It’s cool in its own way, being one of the oddities of the geography world.

Just past Malaspina Glacier is Yakutat Bay. Yakutat Bay turns into Disenchantment Bay where the Hubbard Glacier empties out to. Hubbard Glacier is one the main glaciers that the cruise ships out of Seattle usually stop by. Although we aren’t up close like the cruise ships, I can see from a distance where the glacier starts as huge snow packs on the peak of Mount Logan. The Hubbard Glacier ends up in Disenchantment Bay. I learned in elementary school back in Laska that Disenchantment Bay was named by an explorer who thought it was the opening to the northwest passage, but found it dead ended at Hubbard Glacier. South of Yakutat Bay is Yakutat, a sparsely populated town that is renowed for its fly fishing.
Further south is Glacier Bay National Park, which is much larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Due to the cloud cover at the moment, the numerous glaciers are obscured, but the roots of the glaciers at the peaks Fairweather Mountains and Mt. Elias ranges are visible.

Continuing south, we pass Alaska’s state capital of Juneau. Further south we can see the shipping terminal of Ridley Island in British Columbia, where they load coal onto bulk cargo ships. South of there, we see the Coast Mountain Range, which straddle the border of Alaska’s Panhandle and Canada’s British Columbia. Regions. The Coast Mountains’ peaks are not nearly as snowy as the mountains just a little north, as we’re getting into warmer climates now.

We see the rich blue waters of Owikeno Lake in British Colombia. The lake is surrounded by high mountains and probably carved out of glaciers. Just south is the Ha-Iltzuk Icefield, which is the largest ice field in the Coast Mountains. The ice field isn’t a glacier in itself, but feeds two glaciers, the Klinakini and Silverthrone Glaciers. Think of the icefield as a lake of ice, while the glaciers are a river of ice. A little further south, we can see the Franklin Glacier, which comes off the Franklin Glacier Volcano, an ancient volcano caldera in British Columbia.

Our aircraft is now almost directly over the inside passage. Most of the islands we pass over are Canadian, not Alaskan anymore. What look like odd little sets of boxes below are actually fish farms. I took a photo of one by Sonora Island and Florence Lake. We pass by the larger town of Powell River, which is up against the Malaspina Strait. Malaspina Strait was named for the same explorer that discovered the Malaspina Glacier.

A few short minutes later, we can see the massive metropolitan area of Vancouver, British Columbia, off in the distance. As we descend lower, it’s just a little past 5 PM on a Saturday and I can see three cruise ships steaming up Puget Sound on their way to Alaska. They’re almost in a line, following each other by maybe less than a mile. I’ve been the port area of Seattle on a summer Saturday before, and the cruise ships from the various cruise lines really do set sail one after another at 5 PM. We circle around and I can see Lake Union and Lake Washington beyond that. We pass over downtown Seattle, and I can make out the definite shape of the Space Needle just outside of the downtown area. South of downtown, I can see Quest Field and Safeco Park.

Depending on the cloud cover and time of day, you can see a lot of interesting things on your trip to or from Anchorage. Some people on the plane slept, others watched a movie or did something else to occupy their time, which is their choice. But for me, I really enjoyed seeing the sights, albeit at a distance. I enjoyed seeing the majestic glaciers, enormous mountain ranges, and other things not normally viewable at ground level. I saw places that humans probably have never set a foot on. I saw places that were only described in textbooks in my geography classes back in school in Alaska. I think going places is also part of the adventure, and this mode of flightseeing is not only convenient and educational, but also quite a cool experience.
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