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Archive 2017 · Anchorage in June?

  
 
xoda
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Anchorage in June?


Will be in the Anchorage area in June for another trip. Have about 2-4 days in to spare though. Is there anything worth photographing there? I understand Denali is not too far away.



Feb 13, 2017 at 02:15 PM
bflood
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Anchorage in June?


Get mosquito repellent. If the active ingredient is DEET, read the warnings about what it will do to the plastic parts of your camera and lenses, and act accordingly.

Denali is about a 4 hour drive from Anchorage. You can only drive your vehicle about 15 miles into the park, but that still gives you lots of opportunity for scenery and wildlife shooting. Going deeper into the park will require riding one of the buses. They have shuttle buses and tour buses - the Kantishna shuttle goes from the park entrance to the end of the line at Kantishna and back in a long day - very much worth it, but it will require all of the day. Tours are shorter and more specific to a topic or location. Internet research required.

About a mile north of the Denali entrance is a cluster of hotels on the west side of the road and restaurants and shop on the east known locally as The Gulch. The hotels ate owned/operated by the cruise ship lines and are nice but with a price. Simpler and cheaper lodging can be had in Healy about 10 miles north of there. You need to stay in the Denali area if you want to do the all day Kantishna shuttle. Internet research required.

Most of the valley in Denali is at about 3,000 ft, which is above the tree line. On the south side of the mountain range, Denali STATE Park offer a view of the mountain's base at 400 ft - you see more of the mountain from the state park. Of course, that only means something if the mountain is visible.

South of Anchorage is Turnagain Arm (scenic, eagles, Beluga whales, maybe a bear on a hillside). Near the eastern end of the Arm is a wildlife conservancy that can offer opportunities to get good shots of the kind of wildlife you could find if you were staying longer and intended to do some hiking. Admission was a bargain, but that was almost 9 years ago - might be more than the $5/person I paid in 2008.

Past the Arm you can drive to Seward. Do some internet research: Exit Glacier (you can walk up to and touch the glacier), day cruises to Kenai Fjords National Park (all day cruise, not a 3-hour tour that doesn't get out of the bay at Seward). If you are vulnerable to motion sickness, look for a tour that uses a catamaran - much more stable than a single hull boat. Internet research required.

Make a plan for where you want to go and how long you intend to be there, and then make reservations early. Rooms and tours get filled up - don't plan on foraging for a room or getting a seat on a shuttle without a reservation.



Feb 13, 2017 at 11:39 PM
kwilliam8
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Anchorage in June?


I have two suggestions. You can get flight seeing tours around Denali that leave out of Talkeetna, which is about two hours north of Anchorage. If that sort of thing interests you, and the weather is good while you are in the area, then take one of these trips. You will not be disappointed. Another suggestion is to take one of the boat tours of Kenai Fjords National Park, which leave out of Seward (about two and half hours south of Anchorage). The scenery and wildlife can be amazing there. Good luck and have fun!
Keith W.



Feb 15, 2017 at 10:51 PM
stanparker
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Anchorage in June?


Another option, and less expensive, is Portage Valley an hour or so south of Anchorage. Hanging glaciers, waterfalls, Portage Lake (boat tour is recommended to view the Portage Glacier up close) and the tunnel to Whittier on Prince William Sound.


Feb 16, 2017 at 11:26 PM
badbulldog
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Anchorage in June?


I was in Anchorage end of last June and we drove down to Homer (about a 4 hour drive) and then took an air trip to Katmai to photography the Grizzly Bears for about 4 hours. Unbelievable trip and worth every dime we spent.


Feb 27, 2017 at 06:37 PM





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