Alaska 2008

I had the opportunity to go to Alaska with my best friend Nicole in June. We stayed with her uncle Leon and Aunt Karen. Her Cousin Brian and Amanda live there as well. They were great guides and the hospitality was great! When it was time to eat, Aunt Karen would have food on the table, and it was like a 7 cores meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Uncle Leon had us laughing the whole trip! I kept a diary of each day, and took TONS of pictures. Here is a snap shot of our trip. I'm just 7 months last getting it posted...

Flag of Alaska

Seal


Nickname-The Last Frontier" and "Land of the Midnight Sun"
Motto-North to the Future

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 6th- I got into Alaska and Nicole and Karen picked me up. We then when back to her house and had halibut enchilada’s for dinner. We went searching for moose and seen 2 by the airport and in Kincaid Park.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 7th- We went to Fred Meyer for our fishing licenses, Brian’s work site, Snow Goose/Sleeping Lady brewery for appetizers, and beer. We went to Saturday market for some shopping. Meet up with Deb at Bradly House where we had Salad and beer. We then meet up with Karen, Leon and Brian at Muldon Pizza. We ended the night at Brian and Amanda’s around a fire pit.

Amanda & Nicole

Nicole got a grawler to go...

Amanda & Deb

Cass & Aunt Karen

Outside at Brian and Amanda's

Bug zappers are a bust!!

Brian & Amanda


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 8th- We Headed for Deep Creek to halibut fish. We stopped at the Wildlife Conservation center, walked into 6 mile bridge (White Water River). Ate at Sal’s in Seldotna. Went to Ninilchik to check out the river, headed to the beach to camp but it was too windy so we went to a camp site in trees to set up camp. Al our halibut guide came to camp for a while and visited with us. We had a bear in our camp that night as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 9th- left camp at 5:15am, meet Al at Ninilchis charters lodge. Put in ocean (deep creek) Approx 5:45am. Trolled for salmon but I caught a halibut, so we thur it back. We then moved approx 5 miles got on chick garden. Halibut fishing gone mad!! At one point we were all reeling fish in the boat, one after another. We told Al we could use a break. I never realized how much work went into halibut fishing. We each caught our limit which is 2 per person. I caught the biggest one being 35 LBS. Trolled for salmon on our way back to doc, and no luck. Back to the lodge, they cleaned and fillet the fish. Went back and tore down camp. Stopped at Dairy Queen in Seldotna on our way back to the house.

Catch of the day!!

Al, our guide and my first Hailbut:)


"sunset" around 11pm "sunset" around 11pm

Home- Sweet- Home


The beach

Getting the fish cleaned and packed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 10th-
We slept in, processed fish, Leon took us to Fred Meyer. Then we went to Girdwood to ride the tram at Alyeska (ski resort) It we to, cloudy to go on the ride. We then went to Portage Glacier visitors center watched a movie called "voices in the ice". Hiked to Bryon Glacier, Dove up to Crow Creek Mine but it was closed, back to anchorage for hamburger w/ Brian and Amanda. Watched “Safe Harbor” (movie)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 11th & 12th- Drove to Deshka River. Loaded the boat and headed to find a camp stop, we unloaded and went fishing for a while. Karen caught one; everyone had a couple of good bumps. Leon had one on, and it got away when trying to put it in the net. Nicole and I fished off the sore till 11 pm. fishing hours are from 6am – 11pm. The next morning we were on the river at 5:45am. We had good bits, but nothing on the lines to reel in. We went for a boat ride and hit high land, we all had to get out and push the boat. Brian did’nt have his weightier’s on so he got his pants all wet. When we got back to camp he hung them up in the trees. We saw a moose on the way back to camp too. Tore down camp and headed back to anchorage, had to make two trips form the sore line, Brian and Nicole got out because something was wrong with the boat. Karen and I jumped out when we got back to the doc and unloaded some of the camping gear. Leon went back and picked them up. Got home, showered, chilled and called it an early night.

We unpacked some of the boat,then went back and picked up Nicole and Brian

The outhouse!!

Airplanes would fly in and out all day.

Fishing off the front of the boat, that's what you call relaxing!!

Guys tent

Girls tent.

Stuck on high land

Moose crossing

Nicole and I were fishing off the boat, you can see in the watch its 10:59 p.m
and still light outside.

Brain was always snapping pictures, so I started to stick my tough out at him:)-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 14Th- Day cruise in Whittier, one way tunnel, Berry farm- meet up with Cory, Austin, Cole, Grandma, and Grandpa Alvey.

Karen, Nicole, Leon, Amanda, Brian, Cassidy, and Laura.

The Glaiser
This was our cruis ship, the little one....

Cold out side, yet we had to try a couple of the glacier specials:)

* Longest highway tunnel in North America (13,300' or 2.5 miles).
* Longest combined rail and highway use tunnel in North America.
* First U.S. tunnel with jet turbine and portal fan ventilation.
* First computerized regulation of both rail and highway traffic.
* First tunnel designed for -40° F. and 150 mph winds.
* Portal buildings designed to withstand avalanches

Meet up with the Murray family in AK at the Berry Farm

June 15th- Nicole left at 9:30 AM. My flight didn’t leave till 4:30 so I slept in, and hung out with the family for a while. Karen took me to the airport. My flight was delayed for maintains, and took off late. I didn’t make my connection in Vegas so I stayed there for the night, got up at 4am and went to PHX then to SLC. I got in at noon on the 16th.

Karen and Leon's home in Alaska

Where we stayed

Leaving AK

The End

Nicole tat she got while we were there, she loves Alaska!!!