Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
Foggy Glacier National Park
I went to Glacier National Park hoping to hike Hidden Lake and spend the day taking photographs, but thick fog at Logan Pass had other ideas. What followed included two shuttle rides, grizzlies emerging through the mist, a memorable conversation with two Blackfoot drivers, Running Eagle Falls and an afternoon exploring Two Medicine.
Calgary to Glacier National Park
After leaving Calgary, I crossed into Montana and entered Glacier National Park at St. Mary. The day included a tense border inspection, huckleberry pie on the Blackfeet Reservation, tribal history at the visitor center, bear warnings at Rising Sun, an almost-empty campground and the discovery that my 22-foot van was one foot too long for the road to Logan Pass.
A Week Between Denali and Fairbanks
I spent my final days in Denali exploring Cantwell, hiking Horseshoe Lake and trying to master my Garmin 67i before driving north to Fairbanks. That's where the week changed. A noise I'd been hearing from the rear of the van turned out to be a brake pad worn completely to metal, leaving me parked for several days while Ford searched for parts and me wondering how 7 mm of brake pad disappeared so quickly.
Denali Sled Dogs and Bike Ride
I visited Denali’s historic sled dog kennels to learn how these working dogs have helped rangers protect the park for more than a century. Later, I traded dog power for pedal power with a 20-mile bike ride, including ten miles of climbing up the Denali Park Road.
Denali: A Summer Day
After a busy week in Denali, I finally slowed down. I spent the afternoon exploring exhibits at the Denali Visitor Center, learning more about the people, artists and history of the park, wandering through the Alaska Railroad depot, and wondering whether I could squeeze in a train ride to Fairbanks. Later, I drove toward Savage River with the windows down, stopping for wildlife and photographing the evening light moving across the mountains.
Denali: Tundra Wilderness Tour
An early morning Tundra Wilderness Tour took me deep into Denali National Park, with grizzlies, caribou, Arctic ground squirrels and plenty of “bear rocks” along the way. That evening, a fascinating presentation on permafrost, wildfire history and Alaska’s changing landscape gave me an entirely different way of looking at Denali.
Denali: East Fork Discovery Hike
A full day in Denali's backcountry took me across an icy river, through colorful tundra, and into grizzly country on a ranger-led East Fork Discovery Hike. Along the way I learned about the Pretty Rocks Landslide, photographed wildlife, and experienced one of the most peaceful landscapes I've encountered in Alaska.
Denali National Park
My first day in Denali National Park was spent settling into the campground, talking with Ranger Kate, learning how the park's wilderness experience is different from most national parks, exploring the visitor center, and preparing for my first guided backcountry hike. Along the way I met interesting people, discovered a unique rock-filled retaining wall, and realized this visit would be unlike any national park I'd experienced before.
Exploring Historic Talkeetna After a Denali Flight
After my Denali glacier flight, I spent the afternoon wandering historic Talkeetna. From its railroad history and colorful downtown to Denali views, Bell's Interpretive Trail, local shops, and a memorable dinner, it was the perfect way to experience one of Alaska's most popular small towns.
Denali Grand Tour with Glacier Landing
A perfect Alaska morning takes me on K2 Aviation's Denali Grand Tour with Glacier Landing. From braided rivers and towering granite peaks to a landing on the Ruth Glacier inside the Don Sheldon Amphitheater, this flight offered some of the most spectacular scenery I've experienced in Alaska.
Seward: Alaska SeaLife Center
A rainy day in Seward didn't stop the adventure. After taking refuge inside the Alaska SeaLife Center, I explored the town's historic buildings, photographed Resurrection Bay during a brief break in the weather, and finished the evening with a drive to Exit Glacier. Sometimes the best travel days are the ones that refuse to follow the original plan.
Seward AK
After an incredible day exploring Kenai Fjords National Park, illness and steady rain forced me to slow down. What began as two quiet days of coffee shops, bakeries, and photo editing turned into an unexpected journey through Seward's history, from the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and the original Iditarod Trail to a fascinating Tribal Nations map that offered a new perspective on the incredible diversity of Indigenous cultures across the Americas.
Chitina to Valdez
Rain, rushing water, and low clouds set the tone for a slow day in Alaska. While driving back toward Glennallen for fuel, I stopped for foggy landscapes, puzzled over a lone truck sitting in a field beneath a massive cloud bank, and eventually found a beautiful campsite where two rivers met beneath snow-covered mountains. Sometimes the best days are the unplanned ones.
Salmon Fishing in the Copper River
A lazy catch-up day turned into a memorable Alaska travel day, with a walk across the Kuskulana River Bridge, views of the Copper River, salmon fishing near Chitina, fish wheels in the current, and a quiet riverside camp for the night.
Father’s Day In Remote Alaska
After a long day exploring Kennecott, Root Glacier, and McCarthy, I spent Father's Day parked beside the McCarthy Road reflecting on family, retirement, and life on the road. From blogging and photo editing to planning Valdez and enjoying a rare mosquito-free afternoon, it was a quiet day that reminded me how connected we can remain, even from remote Alaska.
Kennecott Copper Mill, Root Glacier, McCarthy, AK
What looked like a simple day trip to McCarthy became a lesson in Alaska logistics, mining history, and glacier landscapes. After navigating the infamous McCarthy Road, I toured the massive Kennecott Copper Mill, learned how one of the richest copper mines in history operated, and then hiked toward Root Glacier under gathering storm clouds before making the long journey back.
Kuskulana Bridge
A ranger's warning about a contaminated mining site sent me in a different direction through Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. The drive south led through Chitina, across the Copper River, past fish wheels and salmon fishermen, and over the dramatic Kuskulana Bridge before ending at a quiet overnight stop along the historic McCarthy Road.
Caribou Creek Trail
After learning that snow and high water had made the Skookum Volcano Trail a questionable choice, I shifted plans and hiked the Caribou Creek Trail along Nabesna Road in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Along the way were interesting conversations, a mysterious abandoned jacket, relentless mosquitoes, stream crossings, and a quiet backcountry cabin tucked deep into Alaska's wilderness.
White Pass and Alaska History
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad delivered spectacular mountain scenery, waterfalls, and a few memorable characters along the way. After returning to Skagway, I spent time exploring the Corrington Museum of Alaskan History, where exhibits on the Japanese occupation of Alaska during World War II, Native carving traditions, mammoth hunters, and the Iditarod offered a deeper look at the people, events, and cultures that helped shape Alaska's history.
Skagway's KlondikeGold Rush Stories
I spent the day exploring Skagway's history, starting at the excellent Skagway Museum and ending with the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park film. Along the way I learned about Soapy Smith, the White Pass railroad, Buffalo Soldiers, and the hardships faced by thousands of stampeders heading for Dawson City. A stop at the historic Mascot Saloon and an evening hike around Lower Dewey Lake rounded out one of the most interesting days I've had in Alaska.