Capital Adventure
DESTINATION ALASKA
Juneau
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Rhode Island, greater Juneau has just 31,000 residents. It is the only
in a house located three-quarters of a mile
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state capital with no direct road access—everyone arrives by air or sea.
from the trailhead that leads to the glacier.
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Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 1800s, native tribes, including
With Corey is an unexpected guest, nature
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the Tlingit Indians, lived in the area and fished its rich waters. Today,
photographer Kent Mearig, Corey’s pal
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the town looks like a postage stamp in a sea of green. Visitors come to
since the sixth grade, who has just come off
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ski at Eaglecrest Ski Area in the winter, fish for salmon and halibut in
the ice after a morning of shooting photo-
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the summer, and, in every season, experience breathtaking wilderness
graphs. It’s clear that he’s eager to return.
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at every turn.
Mark, Scott and I follow Corey and
Scott, Mark and I paddle our kayaks along the shore, past a beaver’s
Kent’s lead into a shaded forest that skirts
lair. As we round a small peninsula, we see the face of Mendenhall
the glacier. We walk for nearly an hour,
Capital Adventure
Glacier and its floating icebergs. We put power into each stroke, and in
passing rocks painted with the year in
15 minutes we are circling a pair of icebergs, each as long as a city
which the fringe of the glacier extended to
Exploring Juneau and the Tongass National Forest
block and as tall as a five-story building. One has a long cantilevered
each spot. The pace of the glacier’s retreat is
By Rob Dunton
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arch protruding from its side, as though an arcing tidal wave has fro-
staggering.
s I push off the shoreline, the sound of fiberglass on sand gives
zen in place. I imagine how much ice must exist below the surface to
“One really cool thing about glaciers
way to silence as my kayak glides onto the surface of Menden-
counterbalance such a protrusion. At first, we keep our distance, wor-
flowing out of the Juneau Icefield is that
ried that these imposing structures will roll or collapse. Before long,
they move relatively fast,” explains Corey.
hall Lake. This body of water did not exist 80 years ago; the
though, curiosity gets the best of us, and we decide to paddle between
“The Mendenhall can flow up to three feet
lakebed has been exposed and filled as Mendenhall Glacier has
the pair for a more intimate look.
per day in the summer, and as a result, it
After circling the icebergs, we head toward the glacial wall that
changes dramatically. Crevasses open and
receded northward, nearly two miles since 1910. In this small part of south-
rises more than 100 feet above the waterline. We stay alert, knowing
close from year to year. New streams and
eastern Alaska’s Tongass National Forest—the nation’s largest at 16.8 million
that calving—the breaking away of part of the ice from its mass—can
moulins form; arches and tunnels appear
acres—every direction offers a view of water, lush evergreens and soaring
occur at any time. Dodging collapsing mountains of ice or rogue waves
randomly; and features change as the wind
in a kayak is not a game I want to play.
and sun melt the ice.”
mountains. To my left and right paddle my lifelong friends Scott and Mark,
An hour of spellbinding exploration later, we return to shore to
The young forest fades as we approach
who have joined me to explore Alaska’s capital, Juneau, and the forest that
meet Corey Denton, an ice-climbing guide from Above & Beyond
the glacier: Alder and willow give way to
surrounds it.
Alaska, the local outfitter we rented our kayaks from, which also leads
moss and lichen, and eventually to polished
excursions into the Tongass wilderness. Corey’s red beard and rosy
Juneau is a waterfront town nestled in Alaska’s Inside Passage, where
Above: A kayaker paddles past Mendenhall
cheeks give his face a look of alpenglow, and his calm demeanor
Above: The Mount roberts Tramway ascends
glacier, about 12 miles from downtown Juneau.
fjords, glaciers and mountains meet the sea. Though larger than Delaware or
reflects a lifetime of being outdoors. He spends part of every summer
about 1,800 feet above Juneau.
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OCTOBER 2008
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details
AcTIvITIES
Above & Beyond Alaska/Alaska
Boat & Kayak Center, P.O. Box 211202,
Auke Bay; 907-364-2333; www.beyond-
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ak.com and www.juneaukayak.com
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Alaska Zipline Adventures, 3000
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Fish Creek Road, Douglas; 907-321-
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0947; www.alaskazip.com
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Alaska Discovery (a Mountain Travel
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Sobek company), 1266 66th St., Ste. 4,
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Emeryville, California; 800-586-1911;
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www.mtsobek.com/alaska_Discovery
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granite, exposed so recently there hasn’t been time for life to take root.
Twisted Fish Company, 550 S. Franklin
We strap on helmets and crampons, and are instructed how to use an
St., Juneau; 907-463-5033; www.hangar-
ice ax, then we step onto the glacier. The terrain is undulating and
onthewharf.com
wrinkled, yet open and ethereal. We spend an hour hiking through
LODgINg
twisted gullies and serpentine tunnels, past sapphire streams and
Pearson’s Pond Luxury Inn and
glacial ponds framed by the varied white surface, always on the look-
Adventure Spa, 4541 Sawa Circle,
out for fragile pockets or fissures that could give way underfoot.
Juneau; 907-789-3772; www.pearsons-
Corey and Kent take us to a stunning moulin, a deep crevasse in
pond.com
the ice carved by surface water. On the edge of the gully, Corey drills
in two long ice screws and secures a top rope to them. With Kent
Alaska’s Capital Inn, 113 W. Fifth St.,
holding a safety line, Corey uses his ice axes to lower himself into the
Juneau; 888-588-6507; www.alaskacapi-
gorge with a waterfall rushing behind him. Three-quarters of the way
talinn.com
to the bottom, the coarse ice wall turns glassy, a seemingly bulletproof
surface that spiked crampons and ice axes can’t penetrate. End of the
man or nature that compares to this mirac-
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ulous creation. The knowledge that, in the
When Corey returns to the surface, Mark, Scott and I take turns
following weeks and months, the magical
mimicking his descent. What looked effortless for Corey is a sweat-
space will melt or calve away makes our
inducing, adrenaline-pumping workout for us. Then we spend another
visit all the more dreamlike.
hour winding our way off the ice.
Weary after our journey, Scott, Mark
Back on granite, we walk along the edge of the glacier to the broad
and I relish the hot tub that awaits us at
mouth of an ice cave. We follow Corey and Kent inside, down a steep
Pearson’s Pond Luxury Inn and Adventure
slope of granite, until we reach a river running deep within the ice.
Spa, our forested accommodations just a
Kent hands me his tripod to use with my camera, knowing what
few minutes’ drive from the glacier. When
awaits us, then motions us into the shallow stream. We scramble over
we arrive, proprietors Diane and Steve
river stones, following the stream deeper into the expanding cave.
Pearson are waiting with wine, fruit and
Every surface is intricately carved, polished and cerulean—nature’s
freshly baked cookies. Soon we are soaking
own Sistine Chapel.
our tired bodies beneath the evergreens.
“This place is constantly changing,” calls out Kent over the rever-
berating sound of water flowing inside the ice. “New waterfalls appear
The three of us awake, refreshed, to the
on the surface, then disappear below the ice, and the changing light
scent of Sitka spruce and Western hemlock.
alters everything.”
Steve offers us a choice of two breakfast
We duck through a narrow opening and find ourselves on the edge
dishes: fresh blueberry pancakes or eggs
of a lake deep inside the glacier: It’s an extension of Mendenhall Lake.
Florentine made with gourmet cheeses.
Overhead, the ceiling is an intricate pattern of carved ice in a thou-
sand variations of blue, from translucent turquoise to deep slate. In all
Above: Alaska zipline Adventures guide ben
my travels and life experiences, I have never seen anything crafted by
Mallott enjoys a ride on the forested course.
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I take a half-order of each. The meal is a
the midafternoon sun.
perfect way to fuel up for the day’s excur-
When I land on the next platform, hot
sion—ziplining through old-growth forest.
spruce-tip tea awaits, along with crackers
Rachel and Matt DeSpain, owners of
and smoked-salmon cream cheese. Posted
Alaska Zipline Adventures, designed their
on the railing are inspirational quotes,
course among the canopies to have mini-
such as: “ ‘Life is a daring adventure or
mal impact on the old-growth forest it
nothing.’ —Helen Keller.” Perfect.
showcases. While the two were planning
their business, they lived outdoors—
Back on terra firma, Scott, Mark and I head
attending town meetings while wearing
into the heart of Juneau’s historic down-
dress clothes by day, and then retiring to
town to check in to our next accommoda-
their campsite in the evening to eat salmon tions: a meticulously restored 1906
they’d caught. Once permits for the course
bed-and-breakfast called Alaska’s Capital
were approved, the DeSpains waited until
Inn. We are greeted like family by inn-
winter to start construction, so that all of
keepers Linda Wendeborn and Mark Thor-
the building materials would be trans-
son, who show us around the colorful,
ported over snowpack to protect the fragile well-tended gardens, and cozy living and
wetlands on the forest floor. Rachel and
dining rooms, and to an immaculate guest
Matt’s commitment to the environment
room with lovely antiques. We wash up
earned Alaska Zipline Adventures certifica-
and head out to explore town.
tion by the nonprofit Sustainable Tourism
A block away is the impressive state
Eco-Certification Program.
capitol, a few blocks above the city’s his-
After a requisite safety talk, two prac-
toric district. Queen Anne- and Victorian-
tice runs and a thrilling zip with great
style buildings from the gold-rush era line
views of the surrounding mountains, Scott, the streets, many of which are home to cof-
Mark and I find ourselves huddled with our feehouses, restaurants, galleries and shops.
nine fellow zipliners on a platform in the
We explore handsome Franklin Street,
upper reaches of a towering Sitka spruce.
set at the base of imposing Mount Roberts,
“Welcome to Jump!” exclaims Brittany
and admire the period architecture. Then
“Gonzo” Gonzales, our cheerful guide.
we check out the cruise ships moored
“The reason we call this tree ‘Jump’ is
along the waterfront. Floatplanes taxi up
because this run is the closest thing to
to wide wooden docks, dispatch passengers
jumping out of a tree we do. We are 90 feet
and take off again across the Gastineau
up, and we will zip 350 feet across to
Channel.
Noah’s Arch, near ground level. Who’s
We make our way to the Twisted Fish
ready?”
Company, a waterfront restaurant known
I step forward. A guide secures my
for its seafood, where we feast on wild
harness to the cable, and on the count of
salmon baked on a cedar plank, a moun-
three, I leap. The cable above me seems to
tain of Alaskan king crab legs, and seafood
fly by, and the wind whistles through my
and cream cheese baked in puff pastry.
helmet. At the end of the line, another
Scott and Mark rehydrate with Alaskan
guide helps me land safely on the platform.
Brewing Company’s Summer Ale as we
With a “yip!” and a “yahoo!” Mark and
enjoy the twilight of sunset at 9:45 p.m.
Scott follow. One by one, each member of
our group makes the thrilling ride with
After a good night’s sleep, we head down-
glee.
stairs to find warm rhubarb muffins and
Soon, all 12 of us are huddled on
granola set out on a long oak table. Mark
another platform, ready for the longest
Thorson offers us an upgrade—Alaska
zipline of the day: the 700-foot run to
sourdough pancakes and thick-cut smoked
Brother Tree. Below us winds Fish Creek,
bacon. We heartily accept.
churning with spawning salmon. I clip in,
For our last day, our trusty trio splits
leap off the platform and soar through the
up. Scott and Mark, both avid fishermen,
forest over the stream, which sparkles in
can’t imagine going home without freshly
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caught salmon, so they head off for a day of
fishing. I join up with local outfitter Alaska
Discovery for a trip down the Inside Pas-
sage via floatplane to Admiralty Island, to
visit Pack Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, which
boasts the highest concentration of brown
bears in the world.
At the 60,800-acre sanctuary, our
group of eight enters a temperate primal
rain forest and hikes for a half-mile on a
trail of peat moss. Our guide points out
thimbleberry, salmonberry and thorny,
low-lying devil’s club. As we near the
park’s observation tower, we go silent so as
not to scare away the animals we’ve come
to see. The tower is perched on the edge of
the sanctuary’s namesake Pack Creek,
named after Arthur Pack, a conservationist
who lobbied for bear-protection measures
enacted in 1934.
We ascend the ladder and enter the
tower. From our roost, we can see pink
salmon swimming in the creek below and
bald eagles perched nearby. With a collec-
tion of binoculars and telephoto lenses, we
spend about an hour scouring the sur-
rounding brush for bears.
Next, we hike to an estuary named
after Stan Price, who lived with his wife in
the area that is now the sanctuary and
habituated this colony of bears to humans
in the 1950s. For the next two hours, one
bear after another enters the clearing for a
salmon dinner, then disappears back into
the forest. Between bear visits, I soak up
the quiet majesty around me, astounded
that Juneau is only about 30 miles away. It
is hard to believe that so much wilderness,
with so few people, is so accessible. It’s an
idyllic combination I plan to take advan-
tage of as often as possible.
Rob Dunton is a freelance writer and
photographer living in Santa Barbara.
getting there
Alaska Airlines offers daily flights
to Juneau. To book an Alaska
Airlines Vacations package to Alaska,
visit the Web at alaskaair.com or call
866-500-5511.
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