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Alaska was always on the list but we were never entirely sure we would make it on this trip - we're very glad we have! As the most northern of the United States by some margin and 20% the size of the lower 48, we were a bit daunted as to where to start and what we'd be able to see in the frozen winter wilderness. So, when we flew into Anchorage it was a bit of a shock and disappointment to be met with such civilisation and actually fairly mild temperatures. There was however still snow everywhere, and we were, as ever in the US, at a loss without our own wheels. After spending a couple of days in our hostel and walking along the slippery sidewalks getting sprayed by traffic, we gave in and hired a car. We needed to get out of the city to explore some of the states many highlights.
Chris had booked a heliboarding package in Valdez, a world famous steep skiing area in the Chugach mountain range, but we had a week or so before we'd be heading there. So, we first went South to take a look at the small town of Seward. There it became clear that it's not only the bears that hibernate in the winter, many people just don't get out much so tourism is very limited. We were lucky that the sun shone on us and a few activities operations had just started up again in preparation for the summer season. We booked a Kenai Fjords boat cruise and were told three hours would be as much as most could handle in the winter on the cold waters.
We had a fantastic trip first seeing sea otters then getting treated to two displays of beauty from a pod of Orca (killer) whales making their way into Resurrection bay. There were many sea lions drying out on the rocks and then some mountain goats up on the hills encircled by huge soaring bald eagles. The flanking mountain ranges were an incredible display of the power of nature as they provided evidence of thousands of years of occupation and movement in their volcanic masses and housed glaciers. It was indeed a challenge taking your gloves off long enough to get some good pictures, but every second there was another sight worthy of them.
Realising there wasn't much more to do here, we headed further north again and stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre. This is home to many orphaned or injured native animals and provided an opportunity for us to get close to some impressive beasts in a fairly natural environment comfortable for them. We saw moose, caribou and elk all displaying their amazing antlers and being as inquisitive about us as we were about them. Then there were the bears - one black one that had just come out of hibernation this week, and four brown ones. Two tussled powerfully right in front of us while one foraged forcefully in the icy ground looking for a treat. There were big bison and musk oxen there looking like direct descendents of the wolly mammoths who lived here 10,000 years ago but thankfully without the tusks!
We left them in their snowy fields and headed on to find our own to play in at Alyeska ski resort. I wasn't sure what to expect having only heard about the epic steeps you could find here, but the resort was much like many others in a very impressive setting. Chris got some off piste there after a short hike up a bowl and I stuck to the piste but had a good few runs.
From there we moved north of Anchorage and went to take a look at the highest mountain in North America - Mt McKinley in Denali National Park at over 20,000 feet. We didn't get right into the park due to time and snow, but we got a good glimpse on another uncharacteristically clear sunny day. It was still too cold to walk outside for more than a few minutes in Talkeetna, the nearest town, so we sought solace in the car with the heating up full blast and continued our drive past more impressive mountain ranges and glaciers. We stopped at a dog sled kennels to get some information and take a look at the 70 fit specimens itching to run there, many of whom have run the challenging 1100 mile Iditarod sled race.
We made our way to Valdez, another sleepy town in winter except for the self made trade in helicopter based activities invented here in the 70's. Chris has wanted to come here since hearing about it a few years ago and it really does seem to be a mecca for skiers and snowboarders looking to see what the ultimate challenges of these sports can be like. With 30 to 50 degree slopes as a norm, there wouldn't be much room for a wimpy novice like me, but I found the testosterone filled hotel an interesting experience! There was much waiting around for the weather conditions, but when it was on it was full on and the four to a chopper groups would rush to get first tracks on various peaks, landing on dangerously narrow ridges and dropping off into the unknown. There was loads of powder and Chris had his best day snowboarding ever making all the money spent worthwhile, but now of course once is never enough so we may have to come back!
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