ALASKA AND THE YUKON THE HOLLAND AMERICA WAY

It’s the best of both worlds, America’s Alaska and Canada’s Yukon.

Alaska and the Yukon Territory are “choice” destinations in many ways. Visitors can explore them by land, sea and air, all of which we enjoyed over 10 unforgettable days.

Our gateway to Alaska is Anchorage, the state’s most populated city that boasts “The trip of a lifetime starts here.” Stop by the Anchorage Visitors Log

A further 120 miles to the north is the little town of Talkeetna, where climbers begin their quest to conquer Mt. McKinley, North America’s tallest mountain (20,320 ft.) Apart from mountaineers, tourists can also charter local planes for flightseeing excursions.

On a clear day you can have a perfect view from the main street of Mt. McKinley, and sometimes others in the Alaska Range:Tokosha Mountains (6,148 ft.), Mt. Foraker (17,400 ft.) and Mt. Hunter (14,573 ft.) The log cabins and historic buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are a quaint reminder that this town of under 300 residents emerged as a trading post for gold miners in 1896 and thrived throughout the Alaska Railroad construction in the early 1900s.

The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is a great retreat to enjoy the magic of the mountain and discover the best jet boat, fishing and river rafting trips or nature trails for hikers and bikers. If you savor fabulous food, dine in at the restaurant.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Within three-and-a-half hours we approach Denali National Park to stay at the rustic McKinely Village and McKinley Chalets where luxury suites overlook the Nenana River. We are on the doorstep of the majestic Mt. McKinley, once called Denali, “The Great One” by the Athabascan Indians.

A revival of the Gold Rush days is played out at the Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater. Rollicking music, fun and laughter accompany the sumptuous, old-fashioned Alaskan dinner feast of Alaskan halibut, barbecue ribs, corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, sourdough rolls and apple pie.

Early risers and outdoor lovers have a choice of water activities. Take a leisurely scenic ride down the Nenana River along the edge of the park or brave the Class III and IV rapids for a whitewater adventure (waterproof suits are available.) Any visitor who comes to Alaska finds it awesome. It’s Mother Nature in all her splendor: magnificent mountains, unbelievable wildlife and incredible scenery. This is the perfect description for the Tundra Wildlife Tour, a six-to-eight-hour driving tour led by an interpretive naturalist guide.

The Denali National Park and Preserve has the most amazing birds, mammals and plant species throughout the six-million-acre wilderness. (Please see “WILDERNESS WONDERS IN ALASKA” in our Out of This World section for the full story)

Dogsledding demonstrations are held daily for visitors by National Park Service rangers who also use dogsledding patrols in the park. The dogs can also be viewed in their kennels and are not in the least bit shy to approach admirers.

ALL ABOARD THE MCKINLEY EXPLORER

Another highlight of this trip is to travel the McKinley Explorer from the Denali Rail Depot to Anchorage (about eight hours.) The domed luxury cars are so comfortable you might be tempted to nod off, but try not to - there are just too many fascinating vistas just outside the glass windows. The hours seem to melt away as I sit enthralled by one picture-perfect postcard scene after another. If you must take home these memories with you, keep the cameras poised and ready on the open platform for unobstructed views.

I can still sit and close my eyes and frame panoramic mountains in the distance, tiny homesteader cabins, fields of wildflowers, shining lakes, beaver dams and black spruce forests.

I also remember the enjoyable lunch in the dining car. It’s the Brakeman’s Special: honey sliced ham piled onto sourdough bread with Tillanook cheese, tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce, and a cup of hot soup. The dinner menu presents a challenge: Denali chicken or grilled breast of Italian seasoned chicken served with garlic redskin mashed potatoes and fresh garden vegetables, New York steak, Alaskan Coho salmon or McKinley vegetarian pasta. The second item wins me over, but dessert is another story. Chocolate lovin’ spoon cake, McKinley Explorer signature carrot cake, Champagne cake, Cajeta cheesecake and Alaskan Ice Cream are all very tempting, but I can’t resist the chocolate cake (it’s delicious.)

YUKON BOUND

From Anchorage we fly to Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory in Canada, and even if you’re from Canada (I am) this is a real treat because this is our true north (and the furthest I’ve come in the entire country.)

The Westmark Klondike Inn is a fine base to discover what makes this part of the world tick. We enjoy a lovely dinner at the Inn before heading out to the Frantic Follies Show, reminiscent of the vaudeville era. For over 35 years the Kan Kan girls have been dancing and kicking up their heels as many did in the days of the Klondike gold rush. If you’ve never seen a musical saw, this is where you can listen to one, along with ballads by Robert Service, affectionately known as “the bard of the Yukon.”

The Kluane region buzzes with fun things for every outdoor enthusiast and it all begins at Haines Junction where Kluane National Park is headquartered. Day trips and excursions are available for flightseeing, rafting, canoeing, hunting, fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding. This picturesque little town of 800 beneath St. Elias Mountains (where the Haines and Alaska highways meet) is popularly known as “the Junction.”

RAFTING ON THE TATSHENSHINI RIVER

Four members of our group decide on the Tatshenshini Whitewater Adventure for an unforgettable trip down the river. At the end of the day Courtney, James and Theresa agree this is a fun trip, but it is Bridget, the novice, who has quite a tale to tell.

The all-day trip (Grade II to IV) runs through the upper canyon (with 500-foot tall walls) of the Tatshenshini River from June to mid or late August. Departing at 7:45 a.m. it’s a three-hour drive from Whitehorse to the river and a courtesy shuttle provides transportation back to your parked vehicle at about 7:30 p.m. The CDN$100 fee includes wet suits, helmets, lunch, jackets and safety vests. To retain body heat wear wool, polypro or fleece tops (no cotton), as well as wool socks and shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Most importantly, remember to pack a full set of warm clothing for the return trip. The raft sets off with eight people on board, all well outfitted and equipped with paddles. Before long it’s “gal overboard” but she’s out of the water quickly and they head through the treacherous waters. Soon enough, everyone takes a tumble in the water, save Bridget and two others. But the guide knows how to wipe the smug look off their faces – he suddenly approaches Courtney and tosses her overboard, swims up behind Bridget and pulls her into the water. James tosses himself out, knowing he is next. Up ahead is another raft coursing along what appears to be calm water when a passenger abruptly lands in the water. Bridget’s gang breaks into laughter, but before anyone knows it she flips over the side and disappears underneath the raft. Others fall in and pandemonium reigns as everyone has one mission – to get back into the raft.

Bridget says her biggest fear at the time is the reality of being trapped directly underneath the raft. For split seconds all she can do is scream, but when she starts gulping water she quickly realizes she has to make an attempt to surface as quickly as possible. Her futile attempt at tapping the bottom of the raft to attract attention goes unnoticed, and finally she decides to swim and catch hold of the raft to avoid being carried away by the swift currents or slamming against the rocks. It takes mere seconds (which seems like an eternity) before she is back on board to the relief and cheers of her raft-mates.

I bet Bridget will always remember the excitement of shooting the Tatshenshini rapids, and this year you can look forward to doing the same, so gear up for running the Boulder Garden, Twin Holes rapids and others if you dare.

FLIGHTSEEING AT KLUANE NATIONAL PARK

Bernie, Ellen, Jack, Mel, Kathleen and I head in the other direction (skywards) on a Kluane Glacier Tour with Sifton Air. The four-seater plane departs from the local airport with a maximum of three passengers. Our pilot is about to offer us a rare glimpse at the mountain world “deep in the heart of Kluane” as the brochure describes it.

Kluane National Park & Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is defined by mountains and ice, roughly 82 per cent of the park. Careful observation shows two ranges of the magnificent St. Elias Mountains, narrowly divided by the Duke Depression, and these are the 8,000ft. high Kluane Ranges and the Icefield Ranges, towering around 16,000 ft. high.

The Grand Mountain Tour gives us a close-up view of the Mt. Logan, Canada’s tallest peak and the crown jewel of Parks Canada. At 19, 545 ft., Mt. Logan is a heart-stopping giant just outside my window, surrounded by the world’s largest non-polar icefields. The towering peaks of Mt. St. Elias (18,005 ft.) and Mt. Lucania (17,162 ft.) are also outstanding in the area.

At first glance it seems that there is utter abandon in the way the glaciers appear as if on cue, but it is the moist Pacific air rolling over the St. Elias Mountains that allow impenetrable snow deposits to accumulate and valley glaciers to form. Yet within this vast wilderness we see plateaus, river valleys and glacial deltas. The majestic views are miraculously sculpted by snow and ice in every imaginable shape, color and size. Looking down from our lofty perch, it seems as if there is an endless swirl of frozen highways going in different directions.

Kathleen sits in the co-pilot seat, with Mel and myself bringing up the rear, cameras ready for action. The panorama before us is a photographer’s dream and an artist’s delight. Beyond the mountain ranges lie the mysteries of the mountain world. Rare plants flourish in the coastal and arctic climates (found nowhere else in Canada.) One minute I can see forests of white spruce, trembling aspen and balsam poplar in the valleys, and the next there are willow, dwarf birch and alder in the transition zone. In the summer months the alpine tundra in the 4,600 ft. range is awash in glorious white, bright yellows, vibrant pinks and purple hues of well over 200 varieties of flora. These may include cotton grass, wind flowers, arnica, stone crop, moss campion, Yukon beards tongue, fireweed, vetch, chimming bells and twin flowers.

Numerous mammals and species of birds make the park and reserve their home. It has one of the largest concentration of Dall sheep in the world, as well as moose, caribou, grizzly bears and wolves, while wolverine, muskrat, mink, marmot, red fox, lynx, otter, coyote, beaver, showshoe hare and arctic ground squirrel round out the food chain. The alpine meadow and valley are popular with the grizzlies (depending on the season), while black bears stay close to the forested areas.

Birdwatching fans will thrill to the news that more than 150 species have been spotted in the park, and some 118 are known to have nested there. Spring sightings include many types of thrushes, yellow rumped warblers and mountain bluebirds. Others ruling the landscape include falcons, bald and golden eagles, and if you have keen eyes you might even spot a ptarmigan gliding along the tundra.

HIS WAY TO THE SHIP

Saying goodbye to the Yukon is gradual as we drive through some of its most scenic areas, including Emerald Lake and the town of Carcross, originally called Caribou Crossing for the caribou that once ruled the land there. Carcross is etched in history as the major depot for the White Pass & Yukon and the lakes gained fame during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898 when gold prospectors used handmade boats to get to the Dawson gold fields via Lake Bennett, Tagish and Tushi.

Bound for White Pass, we travel along the 2,000 miles of coastline (one of the only two routes) that takes us to the Whitepass & Yukon Narrow Gauge Railroad station for the 3,000 ft. descent to Skagway, Alaska, to join the ms Ryndam for our cruise along the Inside Passage to Vancouver. (PLEASE SEE ALASKA HERE I COME!)