Note: after a long absence from updating this blog, I’m now adding a number of new posts. Many have been backdated (I’m adding them months later). Hope you enjoy them!
We had the great pleasure of visiting Alaska again. We have been there many times, but never in winter! Our trip, a Holiday Vacations tour, was scheduled in mid-March, giving us a chance to see the Northern Lights from the Last Frontier.
The tour started in Anchorage, a beautiful city in a beautiful setting! It was cold and icy, with record snowfall on the ground. We were well prepared with down coats, long underwear, and snow boots. We spent several nights in Anchorage, before being bussed to Talkeetna. Talkeetna has a quilt shop these days! And, the world’s best pizza at Mountain High Pizza. Oh, and the Mayor is a cat!! With very limited time, I visited the quilt shop and was unable to meet Mr. Mayor. Some members of the tour group met him . . . said he was quite friendly. I purchased some Alaska-themed fat quarters at the quilt shop.
Anchorage, as seen from the 14th floor of the Hilton Hotel. This view is looking east towards the Chugach Mountain.
Couldn't pass up a visit to the Musk Ox Producers Co-Operative. It's a six block walk from the Hilton Hotel. Record snowfall in Anchorage meant big piles of snow everywhere.
View from our bus, while traveling north from Anchorage to Talkeetna. This view is looking westward towards the Alaska Range.
Following a bus ride to Talkeetna for lunch, we visited the Dallas Seavey Kennels. Dallas was racing in the Iditarod at the time, so we did not get to meet him (he later won the race). Visiting the kennels and being pulled by a dog sled was one of the highlights of our trip. Jim served as a musher for our sled.
After our sled adventure we cuddled with our lead dog.
We spent one night at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. The lodge is slightly southeast of the town of Talkeetna. Added note: we saw 3 moose IN Talkeetna as we were leaving to head for the lodge.
Lots of snow in this area! Really nice hotel!
Watching the northbound train pull in at the Talkeetna Depot. The Alaska Railroad calls this train the 'Aurora Train" in winter. Our destination was Fairbanks.
The train made a brief stop at the Denali Park Depot. I've been here in the summer when there are hundreds of passengers waiting for the train. Nobody waiting this time. Passengers were allowed to get off the train and stretch their legs. Second photo below: Jim and I, with the train's conductor. He spent some time chopping ice of the stairways to the train during this stop.
Another highlight of the trip: Northern Lights viewing at the Aurora Pointe Activity Center. This venue is approx. 12 miles northeast of Fairbanks. Our group had reservations for 3 night in a row. The center is open from 10 p.m. til 2 a.m. These first two photos were taken on the first night. The lights were not seen the next two nights. The last photo was taken in Fairbanks at the Westmark Hotel just before our tour group was taken to the airport for the overnight flights home.
All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto
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