Alaska News

Airplane daytrip: Southeast Alaska's must-see majesty and a Zip Line for foul weather

Juneau pilots are accustomed to living with some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world, but there is plenty more to see and do outside of town. Only 37 miles away on the northern end of Chichagof Island, the village of Hoonah offers a solid diversion for Juneau residents and their out-of-town visitors who are looking for a mix of thrills and wildlife along with unique souvenir shopping and a slice of history.

Flying a Cessna 180 on floats, it should take less than 20 minutes, going the scenic route, to land at the Hoonah floatplane dock. (Wheeled aircraft can use the 3,000-foot paved runway located about a mile from town.) The walk from Hoonah to Icy Strait Point* is about a mile, along the water on a concrete path. At Icy Strait there are several ways to spend your morning, depending on your interest and bravery.

The original 1912 Hoonah Packing Co. cannery is now full of local shops and a free museum. Guided tours of the facility, providing visitors with a slice of Alaska history, are also available. (In 1914 alone the facility produced 2.4 million cans of salmon according to the Icy Strait website.) The Heritage Center Native Theater also offers a one-hour interactive performance by a group of Huna Tlingit performers.

The big draw for thrill seekers will be the ZipRider, the world's longest zip line ride with a staggering 1,320-foot drop and top speed of 65 mph. With six cables running side by side, you can race to the bottom after the 45-minute bus ride up to the top of the mountain.

After wandering around Icy Strait Point, you can choose to sit for an informal lunch at several of their family oriented facilities or head back to Hoonah for lunch at Chipper Fish, where chef/owner Kristy Skaflestad serves up a lunch featuring salmon tacos with local fish caught by her father, along with several chicken dishes and a soup of the day. Plus, there is something highlighted on their Facebook page called "Bacon Mac and Cheese Balls" that looks too good to be legal.

When you depart Hoonah be sure to fly over the island so your passengers can look for bears. Chichagof is home to the highest population of brown bears per square mile (three) on the planet, so odds are decent that you'll catch sight of a one.

Crossing over Icy Strait to Gustavus takes only a couple of minutes so there is plenty of time to do some flight seeing of Glacier Bay National Park. For fixed wing aircraft, Gustavus Airport is less than 2 miles from town and for float planes, you can land at Bartlett Cove where at 2 p.m. daily, the National Park Service provides free guided walking tours of the Forest Loop Trail. Birdwatchers in particular will want to take part and add to their life lists. (Folks who arrive at the airport can contact TLC Taxi for a ride to Bartlett Cove.)

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After your enjoyable afternoon communing with nature, the best way to celebrate the day's events is with a dinner at the Gustavus Inn, which was awarded a prestigious James Beard American Classics Award in 2010. Make reservations beforehand and there is a good chance they will give you a ride with their guests up to dinner.

Seafood, of course, is a menu staple, with Halibut Caddy Ganty as a standout. Fresh produce from the garden is also a hit. The six-stool bar sells a selection of Alaska microbrews for your passengers to enjoy.

On the flight back to Juneau, don't miss another opportunity to take in the sights of Glacier Bay National Park and look for a few whales on the way home.

MORE INFO:

*Icy Strait Point schedules around cruise ship arrival so be sure to check with them prior to your trip on the availability of any activities (phone: 907-945-3141 or email info@IcyStraitPoint.com).

Colleen Mondor

Colleen Mondor is the author of "The Map of My Dead Pilots: The Dangerous Game of Flying in Alaska." Find her at chasingray.com or on Twitter @chasingray.

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