Alaska
What I Learned on a Denali Land Tour of Alaska
McKinley Express tour through Alaska. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
As a travel writer, I’ve cruised Alaska several times but never included the Holland America Denali Cruisetour package.
Previous experiences involved round-trip itineraries from Seattle or Vancouver. This time was different and gave me a new perspective on the amazing adventures of the land and sea itinerary.
The cruise began in Vancouver on the Nieuw Amsterdam, with stops in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, along with sea days spent visiting Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord. The seven-day itinerary ended in Whittier, adding a stay at the Holland America Denali Lodge. There are several versions of the land portion available. Ours was the D2C 11-Day Signature Denali, including three nights at the lodge.
Room at the Denali Lodge. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
After seven days of cruising, we pulled into Whittier, disembarked early and boarded the McKinley Explorer to Denali. The domed coach train is located adjacent to the port, a short walk from the ship. Our cruise package included specific seats on the second level of the rail car with comfortable accommodations and 360-degree views during the eight- to nine-hour trip.
Breakfast and lunch are provided in the dining area below, and you will be free to wander the rail car with plenty of spaces and platforms to take in the views of the route north to Denali. There is a small lift available for those with mobility issues. Attendants in each car knowledgeably narrated portions of the route and offered drinks and snacks along the way.
With stops in Talkeetna and Anchorage, the train moved at a leisurely pace, sometimes reaching 60 mph, with amazing views and stories of people living off the grid in the region. We passed the humble home of Shannon Cartwright, a children’s book illustrator, who has worked without a computer for decades. Her relationship with crew on the Explorer grew as she would hop on to take her creations to Anchorage for publication and ride back to her home in the woods.
Nenana River. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
Upon arrival at Denali, we boarded a bus for the 15-minute ride to Holland America’s Denali Lodge where we were delivered to our quarters, located on the Nenana River. The massive campus starts at the top of a hill with the Main Lodge and works its way down to the river with multiple lodgings along the way.
In the center of the campus lies Denali Square, which houses Karsten’s Public House, providing Alaskan comfort food options like beer-battered halibut, Beecher’s mac and cheese and craft brews. Ship favorites, like the Dive-In Burger, can also be found, along with an endless breakfast buffet.
The Main Lodge houses the Canyon Ridge Grill, with a menu resembling the ship’s Pinnacle Grill, including their infamous Clothesline Candied Bacon, in addition to regional favorites with a Denali spin. Cafes offer coffee choices as well as boxed lunches to take along on lengthy excursions. We were also offered the choice of having a pizza delivered to our room, for a relaxing respite on our porch overlooking the river.
Clothesline Candied Bacon at Canyon Ridge Grill. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
Another option for an evening meal, in the Square, is The Music of Denali Dinner Theater at the Golden Nugget Saloon. Learn about Alaska history while enjoying the talents of singers belting out original musical comedy while dining on Alaskan salmon, smokehouse barbecue and all the fixings. Dinner is served family-style and there is plenty of it.
Throughout the lodge campus, we found shuttle stops, offering ride options to any point on the property. There are also several foot trails meandering along the river and up to the Main Lodge. The Denali National Park Visitors’ Center is only a mile from the lodge which offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the Center. There is also a mile-long hiking trail to the Center from the Main Lodge.
Beyond Mile 15, Denali National Park does not allow personal vehicles, only private outfitters and approved tour buses. The Tundra Wilderness Tour is a five- to six-hour narrated bus tour of the park (and not to be missed), up to Mile 43 and back. Currently, the road is closed past this point, due to an ongoing landslide blocking the only route available through the park.
View from McKinley Express. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
Sightings of Mount Denali are few as the mountain peaks are often shrouded in clouds. Our driver-naturalist spotted an opening and stopped so we all could observe the tallest, most majestic mountain in North America. He also stopped the bus when sighting Dall sheep on the hillside, or the caribou and ever-elusive moose.
Numerous excursions for all ages are available, which makes this trip the perfect multi-generational vacation destination. Everything from zip-lining, fly-fishing and mountainside golfing to ATV adventures and even an Arctic Circle flight experience. The opportunity for quiet hikes along the Nenana River or loving on musher puppies at the Main Lodge are also options.
Musher puppies with the author. (Photo Credit: Susan Young)
After three nights at the Lodge, we were transported, by bus, to Anchorage. The six-hour trip, in a comfortable motorcoach, was also occasionally narrated. Taking us through Wasilla, we stopped at Settlers Bay Lodge for a buffet sandwich lunch and a chance to stretch our legs.
At the end of our journey, we were dropped off at the Hilton Anchorage for an overnight stay before catching our flight. To top off the trip, we took advantage of the extended daylight hours and hopped on the Anchorage Trolley Tours for an educational evening ride through the city. Listening to stories about the devastating 1964 earthquake, and the culture of the region, opened our eyes to the history of Alaska’s largest city.
The experience of traversing the vast beauty of Denali National Park after spending a week gazing at glaciers on the cruise was the perfect balance of land and sea exploration. Regardless of age or mobility, this immersive opportunity is not to be missed.
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Topics From This Article to Explore
Alaska
Billionaire asks to take controlling interest of GCI
Some Alaskans are pushing back against a request by a billionaire to take a controlling interest in GCI Liberty, the state’s dominant telecommunications provider.
GCI Liberty and John Malone, a Colorado billionaire and one of the largest private landowners in the U.S., are also asking the Regulatory Commission of Alaska for a waiver to keep secret financial statements associated with the proposal. They argue in part that public disclosure could cause financial harm.
The Alaska Beacon first reported on the requests on Monday.
More than 40 individuals have commented against the proposal and the requests for secrecy in a comment period that ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The majority of the comments were uniquely written, not form letters.
Many said they oppose giving one person, particularly a non-Alaskan, control of a company that plays a vital role statewide, providing services in more than 200 Alaska communities.
Malone filed his request with the agency early this month.
The chair of GCI Liberty, Malone holds 53.5% of the aggregate voting power at GCI Liberty, the agency says.
But his voting power is restricted to 49.32%, based on agreements entered into by entities related to him, the agency says.
“GCI Liberty and Dr. Malone seek approval for Dr. Malone to increase his voting power to above 50% of the aggregate voting power of GCI Liberty, a level that would constitute control of GCI Liberty and its certificated subsidiary GCICC (GCI Communication Corp.),” the state regulatory agency said.
GCI Liberty recently reported revenue for the first six months of this year at $527 million.
Net earnings during the period, after expenses, were $62 million, according to financial reports on its website. The company came close to doubling its net earnings from the same period in the prior year.
In a statement from spokesperson Josh Edge, GCI said it “is deeply committed to Alaska and to serving Alaskans. Our headquarters and senior leadership team are all based in Alaska, and we continue making decisions locally to serve communities across the state. While our parent company, GCI Liberty, is involved in this regulatory filing, we remain focused on connecting Alaskans and investing in the state’s future, just as we’ve done for more than 45 years.”
In written comments to the agency, critics of Malone’s request and the desire for secrecy assert that Malone seeks increased control to boost profits, which would come at the expense of GCI customers in the form of higher bills and reduced services.
“Internet and phone services are necessary public services, often life saving,” wrote Christine Niemi, of Douglas. “These services should not be controlled by those whose goal is for profit. The interest of the public must be the primary concern.”
“I believe it is imperative that this process remain transparent and accountable to the public,” Jo Ann Gruber wrote.
“… The request to keep financial documents confidential undermines the principles of open governance and public oversight,” Gruber added. “These documents are critical for understanding the implications of the proposed takeover, including potential impacts on service quality, pricing, rural access, and long-term investment in Alaska’s communications infrastructure. Allowing secrecy in this context sets a dangerous precedent and erodes public trust.”
The state agency said it “will rule on the petition for confidential treatment and motion for waiver” following the comment period. At that time, it will also determine if the application from Malone is complete.
GCI, launched in Alaska in 1979, has undergone major changes in recent years. It was sold to Liberty Broadband of Colorado in 2017, upsetting some customers who wanted the ownership to remain local. Among other developments, it has outsourced its call center to the Philippines, affecting dozens of Alaska jobs, and ended its cable TV platform in favor of an internet streaming service.
Alaska
Western Alaska evacuees are moving into longer-term housing and Anchorage hotels
Many Western Alaska residents displaced by ex-Typhoon Halong will move out of mass shelters in Anchorage this week and into hotels and more long-term housing arrangements.
Roughly 320 storm evacuees were staying at shelters in Anchorage as of Monday, according to Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management spokesperson Jeremy Zidek. He said he believes the state, with the help of the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., has the capacity to rehouse all shelter residents who have been sleeping on cots at the Alaska Airlines Center or the Egan Civic and Convention Center downtown for almost two weeks.
The goal was to move more than 100 evacuees into non-congregate shelter Monday, he said. Zidek did not disclose exactly where storm victims will go.
According to a flyer from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the American Red Cross, emergency responders are working to keep multi-generational and extended families at the same hotels, and displaced residents will keep receiving three meals a day. Other resources and support will continue to be provided at the shelters as well as at hotels.
More than 650 people evacuated to Anchorage, city officials said last week. Storm damage is still under assessment and cleanup remains ongoing in Western Alaska. With many homes waterlogged, utilities damaged and winter on the way, the timeline for when residents can return remains unclear.
“Some people don’t want to stay in Anchorage,” said Thea Agnew Bemben, a special assistant to Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, on Monday. “There’s other places where people can stay on the road system, but also back in Bethel. Some people are hoping to be able to go home soon or to nearby villages.”
The state of Alaska last week formed a housing task force to match evacuees with housing accommodations. The task force included the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., Alaska Native health and housing organizations, Western Alaska groups, the Rasmuson Foundation, the municipality and others.
The Anchorage Emergency Operations Center team identified more than 1,000 hotel rooms, Airbnbs, apartments and housing units that could potentially be used as temporary housing, said city spokesperson Emily Goodykoontz.
The state’s Individual Assistance program includes a temporary housing program that provides homeowners with up to 18 months and renters with three months of housing assistance. More than 1,100 Individual Assistance applications have been received, according to a Monday update from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“We know there are more people that stayed with friends and families who will require help and are prepared to meet the need,” Zidek said.
[At a Native foods potluck in Anchorage, a taste of home for storm evacuees]
[Drenched insulation, muddy floors and broken heaters: Western Alaska villages race to clean up after the storm]
[Inside the effort to rescue the dogs that Western Alaska storm evacuees had to leave behind]
[‘It is who we are’: Alaska Native organizations collect whale meat, seals, fish and other traditional foods to help storm victims]
Alaska
Study shows impact Alaska Pollock Fishery has on economy
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – There few fish that can challenge the mighty salmon’s necessity to Alaska, but if one fish could, it might be the Alaska pollock.
Alaska’s pollock fishery is in U.S. water in the eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska primarily.
Now, a new pair of studies is shining a light on how important the fish is to the state.
In terms of economic output, the findings point toward the industry impacting around 6,000 jobs for the Last Frontier, Ron Rogness, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers director of industry relations, partnerships and fishery analysis, explained.
“What the analysis found is that in Alaska, there were 2,869 jobs associated with the fishery, that’s directly employed in either the harvesting or processing sector,” Rogness started. “Then another 3,450 jobs are associated with the fishery based on the purchases that Alaska Pollock companies make within the state of Alaska.”
For the residents of Alaska, according to the study, those jobs generated around $337 million in income in 2023.
And when looking at the economic impact as a whole for the state, including indirect impacts, that number more than doubles.
“I was certainly impressed about the sheer numbers. And in terms of economic output, $832 million of economic activity in the state of Alaska is attributable to the Alaskan Pollock Fishery,” Rogness said.
That number includes things like the cost of work being done on vessels, things bought for crew members and fishing supplies.
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