For our last couple days in Alaska we wanted to go south of Anchorage in order to see more glaciers and visit another National Park! We buzzed down Highway 1 for 2-3 hours on what is probably one of the most beautiful drives we’ve done and went right into exploring the Kenai Peninsula. Unfortunately, the back half of our plans had to be changed due to massive forest fires raging up again, but Nyssa did a great job being our personal tour guide on the run!
A glimpse of the drive down toward the Kenai Peninsula!
A glimpse of the drive down toward the Kenai Peninsula!
Whittier
Our first stop was the secluded town of Whittier, which is literally located behind a mountain… In order to get there, you have to drive through a small one-way tunnel through the mountain that opens up every half hour to opposite flowing traffic. Otherwise the only way here is by boat or plane! There is a small fee to pay going to Whittier, but on the way back is free. This tunnel used to be only for trains, but recently they opened it up to normal car/truck traffic. It was kind of cool, but also a bit unsettling to be directly under a mountain for 2.5 miles! Once you’re through you essentially arrive at a bustling port town sitting on the edge of the Passage Canal that leads into Prince William Sound.
Waiting for our turn to go through the 2.5 mile tunnel to Whittier!
See that tiny entrance in the lower left corner? That is the tunnel!
Waiting for our turn to go through the 2.5 mile tunnel to Whittier!
See that tiny entrance in the lower left corner? That is the tunnel!
Portage Pass Trail
You know those perfect looking glaciers that eventually shear off an iceberg right into an unsuspecting body of water??? Well this is it! This is the Portage Pass Trail that leads you straight to the Portage Glacier. When you go through the mountain tunnel into Whittier you take your first right after the bathrooms and there you’ll find the start of the trail! It is 5.5 miles with 1500 ft elevation gain and the views are pretty much awesome the entire way. You can look back and forth between Prince William Sound and the Portage Glacier at the halfway point in the hike which makes for some great pics. But wait for the majority of your pics to come at the end of the hike. You end at the glacier lake shoreline where most people are having lunch and enjoying the unrestricted view. Portage Glacier is just sitting across a small lake from you. And there was a giant iceberg in the lake while we were here which was really put into perspective when a good-sized ferry boat came upon it and was dwarfed. Indeed, if you do not or cannot do this hike to the glacier there are ferry boats that take you up close and personal for a larger fee.
A glimpse of Prince William Sound!
The glacier lake at the end of Portage Pass Trail!
The iceberg that dwarfs a ferry!
A glimpse of Prince William Sound!
The glacier lake at the end of Portage Pass Trail!
The iceberg that dwarfs a ferry!
Seward
We went to another bustling seaport about 1-1.5 hours south by the name of Seward! This is where a lot of the big cruise ships come in and spill out a bazillion people who want to go north to Denali or Fairbanks. This is also where a lot of tour boats take you out into Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska in order to see whales and more glaciers falling into the ocean. It’s a fun fishing town that has (once again) beautiful scenery all around it, and if you want to get any souvenirs, this is the place to do it.
Seward!
Another shot of beautiful Seward!
Seward!
Another shot of beautiful Seward!
Seward Brewing
After all this driving and hiking, it was time to enjoy more delicious food and drink! We stopped by Seward Brewing for a couple pints and a phenomenal salmon sandwich and fish tacos. It is a great little spot with a really good vibe- it just has very small production right now, so they only put out maybe 3-4 of their own creations.
Kenai Fjords National Park
On the second to last night in Alaska for us, we decided to stay nearby another one of our desired locations- Kenai Fjords National Park– which is just to the west of Seward. Our goal was to wake up early and climb the Harding Icefield Trail in the park (which is about 9 miles). So, we set up our tent on a makeshift campsite in the dry riverbed that was once the Resurrection River for free! We found this campsite here. This put us less than 15 minutes away from the park entrance. Unfortunately, the smoke from the forest fires drifted in the next morning and it was too dangerous and unhealthy to attempt a long hike. But all was not lost!
A wonderful free campsite!
An overview of Kenai Fjords National Park.
A wonderful free campsite!
An overview of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Exit Glacier Overlook Trail
The other trail in Kenai Fjords National Park is the Exit Glacier Overlook Trail, which is a relatively flat path about 1.5 miles long that takes you to a nice vantage point to observe the Exit Glacier. This is what our group decided to do instead, and it was still cool to see another giant sheet of ice. The park has signs posted in specific points on the trail that represent where the glacier was at that point in time which was unique.
A sign indicating where the glacier ended in 1917.
And another one for 2010, though there were many others in between!
Exit Glacier
Here’s an overview of how much the glacier has receded over the years.
A sign indicating where the glacier ended in 1917.
And another one for 2010, though there were many others in between!
Exit Glacier
Here’s an overview of how much the glacier has receded over the years.
Girdwood
As the smoke was continuing to irritate us more and more, we started our drive back north in search of better air quality. About 1.5 hours later, the atmosphere finally looked clear again, so Nyssa wanted to show us Girdwood– one of the top ski resorts in the area. Obviously, this was summertime, so no snow activities were to be had. But before more hiking, we made a lunch stop at Girdwood Brewing and enjoyed all the food from their food truck Blue Ristra. This is an awesome little brewery serving up some great concoctions- such as Space Tornado and Hippy Speedball.
Girdwood Brewing
An inside look at Girdwood Brewing.
Girdwood Brewing
An inside look at Girdwood Brewing.
Virgin Creek Falls Trail
You think we are crazy and only do long hikes?!? Nope! We find beauty in any trail- including this 0.5 mile jaunt up to Virgin Creek Falls! This trail is very close to Girdwood Brewing and should be done if you have any chance at all. Extensive tree roots create a natural staircase which ends at a sweet waterfall where you can almost observe the rushing water carving into the rock. Definitely a must do for any family with kids or anyone who chases waterfalls.
The natural steps up the Virgin Creek Falls Trail!
Virgin Creek Falls
Virgin Creek Falls in action!
The natural steps up the Virgin Creek Falls Trail!
Virgin Creek Falls
Virgin Creek Falls in action!
Winner Creek Trail
The last hike of Alaska! This one starts at the central hotel of the Girdwood resort area located by the lifts, so we got to wander in and it’s super nice! The Winner Creek Trail is supposed to be 6.5 miles long with 1200 ft elevation out and back, with a hand tram to self-propel yourself over a river gorge, but the tram was closed for maintenance… which made this hike only 4 miles, but there was plenty to look at! This was a very different environment compared to all our other Alaska hikes. This one has thick trees and brush in all shades of green with windy rivers navigating their way down the slopes of the mountains. Definitely a good experience, and our legs were finally tired from moving for seven straight days at the end!
Winner Creek Trail
The hand tram that was unfortunately closed for maintenance.
More details on the hand tram!
Winner Creek Trail
The hand tram that was unfortunately closed for maintenance.
More details on the hand tram!
We drove back up to Wasilla that night and turned around the next day to hit the airport and head out. What a beautiful state! And what an awesome trip that we will never forget!