We reached Anchorage airport at 7pm.
The landing was spectacular. We saw glaciers in the Inside passage from air and just before landing we saw Mount McKinley. On clear days you can see the 20,320 ft, tallest mountain in North America, from Anchorage. After claiming our baggage and picking up out rented car, we called Susan, our B&B host for that night to inform her that we will arrive at her place at 10pm. She asked us to let ourselves in and that she would meet us the next day. We had booked Trapper Creek B&B located in Trapper Creek, a place exactly half way between Anchorage and Denali National Park. We had to stop at Wal-Mart first to pick up a propane tank that we would need the next day on our camping trip. We had decided to stop at a Wal-Mart in Wasilla. We did stop at another Wal-Mart in downtown Anchorage and bought the Propane tank along with some snacks and duck tape!!! The reason I bought the duck tape is because my jacket had ripped in one spot and that was the only jacket I was carrying. There is a funny fact that Alaskan’s use duck tape for anything and everything. We learned later that in 2002, Wal-Mart at Wasilla had earned the title “Duck tape capital of the world” by selling the most duck-tape at a single store. They sold 325 miles of duct tape which, based on Wasilla's 5,469 residents is, 314 feet of duct tape per person!!
Our first impression of Anchorage was not bad at all unlike what we had expected. Anchorage is similar to most American downtowns with its Wal-Mart’s and Pizza Huts but fewer high-rises and a very different landscape. We could see the Chugach Mountain range in the backdrop of the city and the sight was wonderful. Once in Alaska you can see, feel and hear nature being more powerful than humans. We started traveling north on the Glenn Highway and soon began appreciating the No- Billboard policy in Alaska. Scenic drives are truly scenic and natural beauty surrounds you. We had started our travel at 7 am and it was 11 pm now (Philadelphia time) and way past our bedtime. Because Alaska is in the Alaska time zone, it was just 8pm in Alaska and we had just started our 120 mile travel to Trapper Creek.We were excited about being in Alaska but definitely not prepared for the décor of our B&B. The moment we set our foot inside the front door of our B&B, it was like entering a museum featuring mounts and animal skins, guns and knives and a lot of Alaskan handicrafts. We made sure none of them were alive as we passed them and dropped dead on the bed for a good nights sleep!
Day 1: 28th August, 2005
We woke up and were greeted by Susan, our B&B host. Her husband was away on a hunting trip and we had all the reasons to believe her. She told us fascinating stories about how she fell in love with Alaska way back in the 1975, the time when Trans-Alaskan pipeline was being built, and decided to settle there for life! Today Alaskans, both native and non-native, live off the land, like their ancestors did. Fishing and hunting is vital part of their lifestyle. After a wholesome breakfast of French toasts, locally grown fruits and lots of yogurt, we said our goodbyes and were on our way to Denali National Park around 9:30 am. Susan was kind enough to pick some cherry tomatoes from her green house and some fresh Salmon for our camping expedition! Parks highway was beautiful and trigger-happy Harshal clicked away! Little did we know that this would cost us heavily in Denali National Park! They say that the best time to spot wildlife is early in the morning. We were soon rewarded by a Black bear who crossed our path.
Day 2: 29th August, 2005 trek
Day 3: 30th August, 2005 To FB
Day 4: 31st August, 2005 “Barrow with a population of 4,438 is the northernmost community in North America. It is located on the Chukchi sea coast, 10 miles south of Point Barrow from which it takes its name. It is 725 air miles from Anchorage and has an arctic climate. The sun does not set between May 10th and August 2nd each summer, and does not rise between November 18th and January 24th each winter. The daily minimum temperature is below freezing 324 days of the year. Barrow is the economic center of the North Slope Borough. Numerous businesses provide support services to oil field operations. State and federal agencies also provide employment. The midnight sun has created a major boom in tourism. Seven residents hold commercial fishing permits, but many residents rely upon subsistence food sources. Regularly schedules jet services provide Barrow's only year-round access. The State-owned Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport Serves as the regional transportation center for the Borough. The airport has a 6,500 foot asphalt runway, and has recently undergone major improvements. Marine and land transportation provide seasonal access. HistoryArchaeological sites in the area indicate that there were Inupiaq people living on this land for thousands of years. There are many artifacts in the area that have yet to be recovered. Inupiat traditionally depend on subsistence marine mammal hunting, supplemented by inland hunting and fishing. Archaeological remains of sixteen dwelling mounds from the Birnirk culture still exist today. Barrow was named for Sir John Barrow, 2nd Secretary of the British Admiralty. Barrow's Eskimo name is known as Ukpeagvik (place where owls are hunted). In 1881, the US army established a meteorological and magnetic research station near Barrow. The Cape Smythe whaling and Trading Station followed in 1893. A Presbyterian church was established in 1899, and a post office was opened in 1901. Exploration of the Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 4 began in 1946. The Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, 3 miles north of Barrow, soon followed. Formation of the North Slope Borough in 1972, the Arctic slope Regional Corporation, and construction of Prudhoe Bay oil fields and Trans-Alaska Pipeline have each contributed to the development of Barrow. Today, tax revenues from the North slope oil fields fund borough-wide services. 63.9% of the population are Alaska Natives. The majority of residents are Inupiat Eskimos. Traditional marine mammal hunts and other subsistence practices are an active part of the culture. Bowhead, gray, killer and beluga whales migrate near barrow each summer. The sale of alcohol is banned in the community, although importation or possession is allowed.” (http://www.bellsalaska.com/barrow.html)
Day 5: 1st September, 2005
Day 6: 2nd September, 2005
