Alaska

[workswithseed 2,096]

I am thinking of going to see aurora borealis with the girlfriend, never been to Alaska. I will probably take a week off for it. So when is the best time to see it, and what cool things to do there?

[Macanudo 12,976]

Define Alaska.   It's almost twice as big as Texas. 

Now, to your question, the best time to see the Aurora is winter when the sun is (barely) coming up for a few hours in the southern part of the state or at all in the northern part.   You can see it this time of the year if you want to stay up until 1:00-2:00 am.  Sunrise is 5:30 am in Anchorage right now with sunset at 10:20 pm and we're still 2 months from the equinox.  Anchorage wont go complete bright/dark but it will get close.   Fairbanks doesn't either (about 22.5 hours of either.) The Aurora is pretty finicky and requires several things; Very dark and very clear skies, atmospheric conditions to be almost perfect and a sun flare happening some time within the past day(s).   The University of Alsaska - Fairbanks has a decent forecaster:

https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

Anchorage is the place to home base.  From there you can head north to Denali or south to the Kenai Peninsula.   The drive north to Denali can take 5 hours in the summer depending on how many old farts are driving RVs.  Don't waste your time going north to Fairbanks unless you plan on going way farther north to Gates of the Arctic NP.   You can not drive all the way to Arctic Ocean either.   The road is shut to normal traffic before you get there.   Nearly all of the NPS in Alaska are (almost) inaccessible by car.   You can drive "into" Denali but you wont go very far as car access is limited.  Gates of the Arctic is only accessible by packing in or plane. 

Homer and Seward are down on the Kenai and the drive to both is pretty spectacular.    Both are 3-4 hours away.   It's worth getting a hotel room there and spending a night.  If you want to fish, you can try and catch a charter out of either or head east to either Cordova or Valdez.    Fair warning if you try and stream fish on the Kenai...   It was some of the worst combat fishing I have ever seen.   Dudes were almost standing shoulder to shoulder.  That did not look fun. 

So here's the problem with trying to give ideas on what to do in Alaska.   It's more of a "how much time do I want to spend in the car" kind of thing.   Any way you slice it, you're going to be doing quite a bit. 

Not trying to be a horse's ass but you're better off looking at travel sites for an overview and then maybe come back here and ask for input.  Most people who have been to Alaska either took a cruise along the SE panhandle and saw tourist traps or went to Anchorage for a few days.   Very few people get off the beaten path and really see the state.   Plus, very few people actually go there.  I lived there for 3 years and barely made a dent in all the things to do. 

 

Edited May 7, 2019 by Macanudo

[Matuka 1,310]

Love Alaska, been there 5 times, going again next year.  Fly-fishing for trout & coho's in such a pristine setting is absolutely awesome.

Last time I went was in 2016 with my brother while we were on a DYI rafting/fishing trip.  He announces that we will get up in  the middle of the night and watch the northern lights, weather permitting.  Woke up two nights in a row, nothing but a gorgeous, clear, starry night.  Got home and my brother discovered there are websites that forecast the Aurora such as:

 https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

Turns out that although SW Alaska kicks ass for fishing, it's not the greatest for catching the northern lights.

[workswithseed 2,096]

I have no idea where. This is more of maybe, but I thought since ive never been, id let y'all suggest some cool stuff to see or do there if we went.  

[futureman 22,444]

5 hours ago, Macanudo said:

Define Alaska.   It's almost twice as big as Texas. 

Now, to your question, the best time to see the Aurora is winter when the sun is (barely) coming up for a few hours in the southern part of the state or at all in the northern part.   You can see it this time of the year if you want to stay up until 1:00-2:00 am.  Sunrise is 5:30 am in Anchorage right now with sunset at 10:20 pm and we're still 2 months from the equinox.  Anchorage wont go complete bright/dark but it will get close.   Fairbanks doesn't either (about 22.5 hours of either.) The Aurora is pretty finicky and requires several things; Very dark and very clear skies, atmospheric conditions to be almost perfect and a sun flare happening some time within the past day(s).   The University of Alsaska - Fairbanks has a decent forecaster:

https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

Anchorage is the place to home base.  From there you can head north to Denali or south to the Kenai Peninsula.   The drive north to Denali can take 5 hours in the summer depending on how many old farts are driving RVs.  Don't waste your time going north to Fairbanks unless you plan on going way farther north to Gates of the Arctic NP.   You can not drive all the way to Arctic Ocean either.   The road is shut to normal traffic before you get there.   Nearly all of the NPS in Alaska are (almost) inaccessible by car.   You can drive "into" Denali but you wont go very far as car access is limited.  Gates of the Arctic is only accessible by packing in or plane. 

Homer and Seward are down on the Kenai and the drive to both is pretty spectacular.    Both are 3-4 hours away.   It's worth getting a hotel room there and spending a night.  If you want to fish, you can try and catch a charter out of either or head east to either Cordova or Valdez.    Fair warning if you try and stream fish on the Kenai...   It was some of the worst combat fishing I have ever seen.   Dudes were almost standing shoulder to shoulder.  That did not look fun. 

So here's the problem with trying to give ideas on what to do in Alaska.   It's more of a "how much time do I want to spend in the car" kind of thing.   Any way you slice it, you're going to be doing quite a bit. 

Not trying to be a horse's ass but you're better off looking at travel sites for an overview and then maybe come back here and ask for input.  Most people who have been to Alaska either took a cruise along the SE panhandle and saw tourist traps or went to Anchorage for a few days.   Very few people get off the beaten path and really see the state.   Plus, very few people actually go there.  I lived there for 3 years and barely made a dent in all the things to do. 

 

how do you know all this?  are you from or do you/have you live(d) there?

[Macanudo 12,976]

5 hours ago, Macanudo said:

I lived there for 3 years and barely made a dent in all the things to do. 

Um, yeah.

[futureman 22,444]

20 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Um, yeah.

well your post was so long I stopped reading it. 

[Baboontyme 2,809]

I've done the SE AK cruise. It was amazing and we saw some beautiful terrain and wildlife, but it was a very high level experience. 

We have friends who have flown in a couple of times with their young kids, rented an RV in Anchorage, and saw the sights that way. Sounded like a cool way to do it. They spent most of their time in Denali. 

[Zepol87 9,185]

Going for a week in October. GF is from Anchorage. They all said I wouldn't like it

[HRSchenker 2,268]

I went to Alaska in September and loved it. We flew to Anchorage and drove all over the state. Went to Seward, Whittier, Alyeska, and then drove to Healy and spending a few days at Denali. Food was goddamn expensive everywhere we went so a few days we made sandwiches from stuff we bought from Kroger which was also goddamn expensive. Best food we had was a place called 49th State Brewery. Holy shit good food and nice vibe to the place. 

Also, do NOT read the reviews for the hike to Exit glacier. Those people are lying liars who will burn in hell one day. That was the hardest hike I've ever done in my life.

[kevwun 15,770]

14 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

I've done the SE AK cruise. It was amazing and we saw some beautiful terrain and wildlife, but it was a very high level experience. 

We have friends who have flown in a couple of times with their young kids, rented an RV in Anchorage, and saw the sights that way. Sounded like a cool way to do it. They spent most of their time in Denali. 

Same for us and we're gonna go back.  I've never seen anything like it.  We went on a whale watching tour in the bay near Juneau and it was the single most beautiful place I've ever been.  Perfect sunny day surrounded by mountains, glaciers and blue water.  I want to go to Homer for Halibut fishing.  It's not hard to get there from Austin.  Only have to change planes once in Seattle.  Denali is also on the list.

[Macanudo 12,976]

38 minutes ago, kevwun said:

It's not hard to get there from Austin.  Only have to change planes once in Seattle.

Other than the fact that it's pretty much an all day trip to get there.

[Braff Zacklin 13,556]

Stock up on DEET.

[HouTex 1,866]

I've spent a lot of time in Alaska, mainly Anchorage, on business over the last 4 years.  I love it and the people.  Except for the hotels, everything is expensive.  But the food and beer is very good.  They are very proud of their salmon and halibut cheeks.  They usually are the most expensive things on the menu, but they usually are very fresh and very well prepared.  I never had a chance to see the northern lights, but as others have said there are sites that predict the optimum time to observe them.  IIRC, you had to travel north of Anchorage to get a good look at them and the time of the year matters.  The Brewery downtown (I think that's its name--it's the most popular spot around) has very good beer and food.  It's always crowded.  Marx Bros. Restaurant also is very good, but not cheap.  I like the Ginger Cafe as well--good cocktails and appetizers.  Fishing is great in the Kenai peninsula.  Forget the combat, shoulder to shoulder, wade fishing for salmon and find a guide to take you on the Russian River for rainbows during a salmon run in the summer.  Or do a float trip for trout.  And go north to Mount McKinley (now called Denali by some--all the signs and roads in the area still say McKinley--I guess they don't want to spend the money to change everything).  It is one huge mountain and it's unique in that you can start to see it when you are pretty much at sea level just north of the Cook Inlet.  It's pretty cool to see a 20k foot peak from sea level.  

[Baboontyme 2,809]

58 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Same for us and we're gonna go back.  I've never seen anything like it.  We went on a whale watching tour in the bay near Juneau and it was the single most beautiful place I've ever been.  Perfect sunny day surrounded by mountains, glaciers and blue water.  I want to go to Homer for Halibut fishing.  It's not hard to get there from Austin.  Only have to change planes once in Seattle.  Denali is also on the list.

Here is my "only me" story about our Alaska cruise. We signed up for an excursion in Juneau to go salmon fishing. I don't know why. I've done this plenty of times on Lake MI, but I thought it would be cooler in Alaska and certainly the fish we got to keep would be better. 

So we get to our boat and there are thousands of other boats, big and small, fishing the harbor. It happened to be the day of the annual Salmon Derby in Juneau. We didn't get a single snag, and could barely find open space to operate in. Wound up buying some salmon from a local market and having them shipped home. Not quite the same. 

The next port was Ketchikan. Every fishing boat that we saw go past us was filled with salmon. Must have talked to 3-4 people on the boat that evening that went out on salmon fishing excursions and every single one of them limited out. 

[kevwun 15,770]

We went fishing out of Ketchikan for halibut.  My dad and uncle both caught one and the only one I hooked all day got off on the way up from the bottom.  I wish we had gone salmon fishing there instead because we regularly saw them jumping out of the water all day while we were fishing for halibut.

[Macanudo 12,976]

31 minutes ago, HouTex said:

And go north to Mount McKinley (now called Denali by some--all the signs and roads in the area still say McKinley--I guess they don't want to spend the money to change everything).  It is one huge mountain and it's unique in that you can start to see it when you are pretty much at sea level just north of the Cook Inlet.  It's pretty cool to see a 20k foot peak from sea level.  

Only word of caution is weather.   Denali is cloud covered a lot.

[workswithseed 2,096]

56 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Other than the fact that it's pretty much an all day trip to get there.

That the nice thing about living in Portland.

[HouTex 1,866]

50 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Only word of caution is weather.   Denali is cloud covered a lot.

Yes, and I caught it on a mostly clear day--it clouded up a bit later in the day.  It was spectacular. 

[Matuka 1,310]

3 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Stock up on DEET.

And not that weak shit.  100% brutha!

[castolon 193]

6 hours ago, HRSchenker said:

 

Also, do NOT read the reviews for the hike to Exit glacier. Those people are lying liars who will burn in hell one day. That was the hardest hike I've ever done in my life.

One of the times I've been dangerously close to hypothermia. This is one of those hikes where you don't want to be a dumbass. (am sometimes a dumbass)

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

My wife and I spent a month there years ago for our honeymoon in late March and April, staying a few days each place.  Flew into Ketchikan, hitched a ferry to Juneau, hitched a ferry to Haines, then rented a car and drove thru Yukon to Fairbanks.  From there took the train through Denali to Anchorage.   Amazing state.  

[hornbri 1,396]

I am going in June, we are doing a week cruise from Vancouver to Steward. Then spending a week exploring, have a guide for trout fishing on the Kenai one day and we are going to Denali and doing the tour bus to mile 62.

[Macanudo 12,976]

Seward, you idiot.

[hornbri 1,396]

13 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Seward, you idiot.

I thought I was a idoit

[workswithseed 2,096]

5 hours ago, hornbri said:

I thought I was a idoit

An idiot, you idiot.

[RPM 26,318]

If you want to know about Adak, Fairway Rock or Dutch Harbor let me know.

[CooterBrown 18,004]

We went fishing out of Ketchikan for halibut.  My dad and uncle both caught one and the only one I hooked all day got off on the way up from the bottom.  I wish we had gone salmon fishing there instead because we regularly saw them jumping out of the water all day while we were fishing for halibut.

Why not fish for both?

/not a fisherman.

[kevwun 15,770]

We only had time to do 4 or 5 hours of fishing so there wasn't really time.  Halibut live on the bottom in super deep water, so you can't really catch both at the same time.

Edited May 12, 2019 by kevwun

[bmbmd 1,027]

Talkeetna is the  best place I've ever been.  Ever.  King Crab Pizza from Mountain High Pizza Pie is the best thing I've ever eaten.  Ever. 

[Matuka 1,310]

For pizza in Anchorage, try Moose's Tooth.  Damn fine, especially after being in the bush for a week.

[Zepol87 9,185]

My GF swears by moose's tooth. Seems like a solid rec

[Macanudo 12,976]

3rd on Moose's Tooth.    They do make a good pie.

[NBMisha 224]

Yes on the Moose.  Also always crowded, they are printing money.  Decent beer, too.

Back to the OP question, I lived in Anc 3 years in the 80's.  Saw the lights twice during that time.  So setting the goal as seeing the lights, within a one week period, looks kind of unrealistic.

As Mac and others have said, there is a great variety of things to do and see.   Getting a plan organized is a good idea.   Just arriving and driving may not work well.

The inside passage cruises and their excursions are a pretty good entre to SE Alaska (Juneau, Ketchikan, etc), if cruises are your thing.  Guided fishing on the Kenai peninsula, or out of Homer, is great.  I go with 3 other guys to fish out of Homer a couple of days, then about 5 days on the Kenai for sockeye.  We bring back about 100# of filet per man.  If the day is decent, that is, the seas don't scare the shit out of you, then being on a 28 ft boat in Gulf of Alaska beyond the Barren Islands is like some scene from a science fiction novel.  Some alternative planet.  Just incredible.

Edited May 13, 2019 by NBMisha

[El Diablo 4,232]

Y'all making me want to go to Alaska.

[HRSchenker 2,268]

18 hours ago, bmbmd said:

Talkeetna is the  best place I've ever been.  Ever.  King Crab Pizza from Mountain High Pizza Pie is the best thing I've ever eaten.  Ever. 

I second Talkeetna and Mountain High pizza! That was a neat little town. We went to some store called The High Expedition and accidentally found out it was a weed shop. Thought about buying some wild salmon CBD oil for the novelty of it but they said we couldn't take it home with us. Bummer.

[Matuka 1,310]

Had a bud I've known since 4th grade (and we were at UT at the same time) call me last night to see if I wanted to go to AK next month with him.  I hemmed and hawed about the fact I'm going again next year on a DIY float/fish trip, and a week at a nice fishing lodge would run $6K or so, airfare not included.

He said we could take his Beechcraft Baron (with a pilot) at no charge to me, then rent a RV in Anchorage and head down the Kenai.  I replied commercial air was a 6.5 hour trip or so, how long would it take in the Baron?  He said about 8-9 hours, added with some fueling/piss stops along the way.  So I googled the cruising speed of a Baron.  It would take about 16 hours at cruising speed, not including pit stops.  So, two days just to get there.  Ummm, no.  I would get PTSD being cooped that long.

Offered to pay my way on AA then rent a RV once we get there.  We'll see. 

[NBMisha 224]

 

About 10 years ago was our first group fishing trip to AK.  This first one involved an RV.  I will say that was the only time.

Talkeetna is a blast.  Food and good times, etc.  Best thing there are the flights up McKinlely.  If before July 1, you can land on a glacier.  Anyway, just the air tour around the peak is unbelieveable.

Another good excursion from Anc is to take the train to Seward, then do a glacier tour or fishing run out of there.  Its almost always raining in Whittier, but what the hell.  The train also runs to Seward, which is a better town, and a better fishing launch point.

 

[Mdhorn 5,947]

Going in July--rough itenary

2 nights in Seward
3 nights in Denali
1 night in Talkeetna
2 nights in Anchorage 

Seems like a lot to do there--scheduled whale watching, wildlife exhibit, bus in Denali, and nothing else.  May book a guide for salmon but it's a little early for the run it seems.  This site seems pretty good: https://www.alaska.org/guide/anchorage-to-denali-national-park

Missing anything?  

[Chewbacca 7,768]

Just now, Mdhorn said:

Going in July--rough itenary

2 nights in Seward
3 nights in Denali
1 night in Talkeetna
2 nights in Anchorage 

Seems like a lot to do there--scheduled whale watching, wildlife exhibit, bus in Denali, and nothing else.  May book a guide for salmon but it's a little early for the run it seems.  This site seems pretty good: https://www.alaska.org/guide/anchorage-to-denali-national-park

Missing anything?  

The king salmon will be there and the silvers start showing up in July.  I'd book for a day of salmon fishing.

[Chewbacca 7,768]

Let me be clear that the salmon will be there in the ocean.  Probably not running up rivers yet.  I would book a day on a boat and you'll have a blast.

[kevwun 15,770]

This place is on my to do list ever since I watched it being built on one of the seasons of Building Alaska.

https://www.seaottersoundlodge.com/

[Chewbacca 7,768]

3 hours ago, kevwun said:

This place is on my to do list ever since I watched it being built on one of the seasons of Building Alaska.

https://www.seaottersoundlodge.com/

That looks awesome.  I'm heading to this place with my son in August.  It's been a couple years since I was there and we're out of fish.  Can't wait.  The nice part is that Sitka has a runway that can handle 737s, so from Denver it's just one connection through Seattle and you land 5 minutes from the lodge.  But there is only one road on the island (I think it's less than 20 miles long).

https://www.kainsfishingadventures.com/

Edited April 21, 2021 by Chewbacca

[kevwun 15,770]

So they take you out fishing every day of your stay there?  Salmon and halibut?

[Chewbacca 7,768]

So they take you out fishing every day of your stay there?  Salmon and halibut?

Yep. The lodge is about 2 min away from the marina. They wake you up at 4:45 am (not nearly as bad as it sounds due to time zone changes), feed you breakfast and you're on the boat by 6. Fish until 4, then drinks and dinner at the lodge. Go to bed early and repeat.

You catch king salmon, coho salmon, halibut and rockfish. I've been twice and each time have come home with 100-120# of fish per person. They clean it, vacuum seal it and box it up for you. You just bring a carry on, so on the flight home your fish is your checked luggage.

[Zepol87 9,185]

Flying out tomorrow morning to spend 17 days in Anchorage meeting my gf's family for the first time since we started dating 4 years ago. Cold as balls right now, wish me luck. 

[Doc Holliday 199]

2 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

Flying out tomorrow morning to spend 17 days in Anchorage meeting my gf's family for the first time since we started dating 4 years ago. Cold as balls right now, wish me luck. 

Good luck! All my clients are up there and I miss it.   Mooses Tooth, Matanuska Brews, and more.  If you need legit local info or other connections let me know.  I've got people all over the city.

[Zepol87 9,185]

Appreciate it. Yep Mooses Tooth is one of the main places she misses. Has 3 hoodies from them so we are definitely hitting that up more than once. She was born and raised there so her family has some things planned but I may get a couple of days to do what I want and I will definitely message you. 

[Doc Holliday 199]

Just now, Zepol87 said:

Appreciate it. Yep Mooses Tooth is one of the main places she misses. Has 3 hoodies from them so we are definitely hitting that up more than once. She was born and raised there so her family has some things planned but I may get a couple of days to do what I want and I will definitely message you. 

Word.  Covid fucked up my guys trip up there.  A buddy has a plane and we were going deep back country for 2 weeks in covid July.  Pure back country freedom.

 

[Chewbacca 7,768]

8 minutes ago, Doc Holliday said:

Word.  Covid fucked up my guys trip up there.  A buddy has a plane and we were going deep back country for 2 weeks in covid July.  Pure back country freedom.

 

What got fucked?  Couldn't stop in Canada for fuel?