Travel

Travel Alaska: Get off the road

kodiak_flightseeing_7.1.09
Scott McMurren photos

Okay, summer is officially here. No more excuses not to get out and see Alaska. C'mon -- the weather is beautiful, the days are long, and the fish are jumpin'!

Whether you're planning for your own adventures or plotting for visiting friends and relatives, I would encourage you to get off the road this summer. Oh, the road trips around Alaska still are so fantastic. The Kenai Peninsula, in particular, is a great destination. But just a short plane or boat trip puts you out of reach of the vast majority of other travelers. Odds are you will see more and do more when you're off the road system.

Here are some of my favorite adventures:

Kasitsna Bay: This is one of several bays just across from Homer. Halibut Cove, Sadie Cove and others also are just a few miles off of the Homer Spit. But Kasitsna Bay is home to "Across the Bay Tent and Breakfast"Â (www.tentandbreakfastalaska.com) run by Tony and Mary Jane Lastufka. Take Mako's Water Taxi (www.makoswatertaxi.com) from the Homer Small Boat Harbor right to the beach in front on the Lastufkas' place. Instead of a dock, Mako simply gets a ladder off the roof and directs you into the salty brine. HA! Hope you brought your boots!

Your comfy wall tents are set back in the woods from the beach.

Clearly visible is the main house, where the Lastufkas serve up meals and guests gather to trade stories at the end of the day. Also notable are the decorative outhouses. "We are very clear about the outhouses," said Tony. "Honestly, we cater to folks who are comfortable with tents and outhouses," he said.

Mary Jane loves taking kayakers out to explore the coves--and they launch right from the beach. The protected waters of the cove means no experience is necessary prior to getting into the kayak. The Lastufkas have all the gear and offer good initial safety training.

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In addition to the kayaking, many guests enjoy hiking or biking the nearby roads and trails. I know we did. You can see Homer across the bay--but it's a world away!

kodiak_bears7.1.09Kodiak Island: If you have not been to Alaska's "Emerald Isle", then you're missing out. Catch the ferry from Homer or Whittier. Or, grab a web special on Alaska Airlines or Era Aviation from Anchorage.

Either way, Kodiak is far enough away that most people never make the journey. Don't be one of those folks! Once you arrive in Kodiak, you'll learn there is lots of history. Learn about the Native Alaskans (Alutiiq) who have lived here for thousands of years at the Alutiiq Museum (www.alutiiqmuseum.org). Learn about the Russian American history from the 18th and 19th century at the Baranov House (www.baranovmuseum.org). Then, there's World War II history up at Ft. Abercrombie State Historical Park. The two museums are located less than a block from the ferry terminal.

You also can walk from the ferry terminal to the small boat harbor, which is where the fishing boats are, as well as a couple of adventure kayak outfitters. We fished with Capt. Mel Roe on the Lana J for salmon and halibut. You can put your line in the water almost immediately after leaving the harbor. But the great part is after you're done, your boat pulls right up to the processor's dock. There, they fillet, pack and flash-freeze your fish so you can take it back with you! Sweet.

Make time for a dinner cruise with Galley Gourmet (www.galleygourmet.biz), run by Marty and Marion Owen. Each evening, they sail on the "Sea Breeze" to a secluded cove and serve up a wonderful seafood dinner, complete with organic vegetables from Marion's garden. You'll see plenty of wildlife along the way, including sea lions, otter, porpoise, eagles, puffins and an occasional whale. The yacht itself is beautiful. In fact, Capt. Marty often performs weddings on board!

Don't miss out on the bears while you're there. Take a flight with Island Air--their pilots know where the bears are (hint: they follow the fish).

Kennicott: Technically, Kennicott and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is on the road system--but it's a stretch. Plus, the last 60 miles is on a gravel road. So, if you're driving a rental car, you're better off to stop where the pavement stops: at Chitina Airport.

That's a five-hour drive from Anchorage. If you leave in the morning, you'll have enough time to connect with the mail plane, operated by Wrangell Mountain Air (www.wrangellmountainair.com) . The flight back to the McCarthy Airport is glorious (and smoother than the drive!!).

From the air, you can get a good look at the old copper mine, the glaciers and the incredible peaks that make up the nation's largest national park. I enjoy staying at Kennicott Glacier Lodge (www.kennicottlodge.com) , about five miles outside of McCarthy--right in the midst of the ghost town that once was the world's richest copper mine. We also love the McCarthy Lodge (www.mccarthylodge.com), located in "downtown" McCarthy. The bar and restaurant are remarkable! Budget at least two or three days for a Kennicott Adventure. Have the folks at St. Elias Alpine Guides (www.steliasguides.com) take you for a glacier hike and for a guided tour of the old mill building at the mine.

Katmai National Park: To get here, you have to fly to King Salmon. That can be pricey, unless you cash in some Alaska Airlines miles (www.alaskaair.com). From there, catch a float plane over to Brooks Camp. You can stay at the lodge (www.katmailand.com), or camp out in the campground and take your meals in the lodge. You'll see giant bears all over the place. Lots of them. There's great fishing right on the Brooks River, in addition to other feeder streams or Brooks Lake. Fishing charters are available on-site. But set aside a full day to take the tour up to the Valley of the 10,000 Smokes. There's a big bus that will take you up the road to the lookout over the valley. By the time you get there, it's lunch time. Then, you've got time to hike down to the Valley Floor, which is essentially a mini-Grand Canyon. The Ukak River has carved a valley through the soft pumice from the 1912 explosion of Novarupta. Don't miss it!

Sure, many of these adventures start with a "K". That's a coincidence.

There are dozens of other off-the-road adventures, including Glacier Bay, Wood-Tikchik State Park north of Dillingham and the Pribilof Islands. But we'll get to those later!

Scott McMurren

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. Subscribe to his e-newsletter at alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

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