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Topic: Alaska & Inside Passage (Read 5 times) previous topic - next topic
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Alaska & Inside Passage
Yahoo Message Number: 2657
We highly recommend the Alaska Marine Highway for ONE way to AK. In the southern end of the inside passage, you may get to see Orca. In the north, as you approach Haines/Skagway, the passage becomes surrounded by tall, glaciated mountains --like a Scandanavian Fjord.

The road north out of Haines is through "the American Alpines." It is beautiful.

With the help of Mileposts, one can arrange to get off of the ferry (for no or little cost) and explore some of the isolated towns. Petersburg and points south is interesting.
Ladies may shed their Bean Boots for hose and heels on the boardwalks. Juneau is a portal for Glacier Bay --very worthwhile. Ketchikan is gorgeous (depending on your waterproofing) over 20-days/year and worth a stop even if it is (usually) raining. The passage from the north to Sitka is exciting.

You can actually get by without a stateroom on the ferry --particularly if you take the coach off frequently. When we didn't get off of the ferry, we crashed on deck chairs or in the inside lounges.

Another advantage of getting on/off is that you may be able to have daylight for the interesting parts of the passage.

You'll miss some wear and tear on the rig by using the ferry both ways, but there is a lot to see on the ground in BC, Yukon, AK north of Tok.

bob phillips I'm going back