Back to Indianapolis

Well.....my last day in Anchorage. Flying back to Indianapolis tonight. It has been a great summer. For anyone that might not know, I accepted a permanent position with the group that I have been working with for the summer, so Jess and I are going to move back up here in mid-January. We should have some exciting winter adventures and will keep everyone posted.

Beluga whale sightings

Beluga whales are a common in Turnagain Arm an inlet

South of Anchorage. Turnagain Arm has the second highest tidal change in the world. The whales which are white and grow up to 15 feet and length and can weigh a ton feed on salmon.

Alyeska Resort

We spent Saturday at a popular downhill ski resort just south of Anchorage in Girdwood. Doesn't Jess look great in her new hat?

Alaska State Fair

My parents, Jess and I went to the Alaska State Fair. A world record green cabbage was grown weighing 127 lbs. We were there for the weight off. Exciting!

Professional Fisherman

So my dad went fishing downtown. We found his experience with the mud very amusing.

Fun in Whittier and Portage Glaicer

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Elk, moose, black bears sleeping in trees, and grizzly bears doing the back float were some of the animals we saw at the center. All of the animals had been rescued and now live at the center.

Alaska around the town and Flat Top Mountain

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Pictures from Jessica

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Valdez

We were able to visit Valdez, located on the coast along Prince William Sound for a stay at a bed and breakfast and a sea kayaking trip.  Valdez has a population of about 4,300 and is the terminal for the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.    We were able to see lots of wildlife including sea lions, puffins, and sea otters.  Pink salmon were spawning and were very easy to catch by hand.  The trip home from Valdez was via the Alaska Marine Highway on a ferry covering 78 nautical miles to Whittier, with a short drive back to Anchorage.

Denali

Jess and I took a trip to Denali National Park.  We were able to spend the night in a cabin owned by one of the partners of the practice I am working with for the summer and then take a tour of the park the next day.  There is only one road into the park system, creatively named Park Road which is 92 miles in length and not paved.  The only way to go further than mile 15  is by shuttle or tour bus.  We took the Tundra Wildness Tour, which took us 54 miles into the 6 million acre park.  The trip took about 7 hours.  We were lucky to get a great view of Denali (Mount McKinley) North America's highest mountain with a height of  20,320 ft.  During the trip we also saw lots of wildlife including Brown bears, Dall sheep, Caribou, and Moose.