The Yelloweye That Changed My Mind
Nervous about seasickness and new to ocean fishing, one first-timer boards a charter boat out of Homer, Alaska, expecting the worst. But somewhere between the first “Fish on!” and a bright orange yelloweye breaking the surface, the nerves are replaced by pure adrenaline. A First-Time Charter Fishing Adventure on Kachemak Bay I hadn’t slept much […]
Portage Glacier: Kayaking the Ice, Spotting the Wildlife
Portage Glacier has retreated enough that it’s no longer visible from the visitor center’s deck, but paddle out onto Portage Lake, and you’re face-to-face with it again. This trip pairs a guided kayak crossing through cold, silt-blue glacial water with wildlife spotting across the Portage Valley, about an hour outside Anchorage. It’s not a casual […]
Denali Backcountry Backpacking: Wilderness Without a Trail
Denali doesn’t have backcountry trails as it has nearly 100 designated units, and once you’re dropped off, you’re navigating on your own judgment, a topo map, and a compass. Access is by camper bus only, since private vehicles aren’t allowed past Mile 15. As of this season, the park road is open only to Mile […]
Kachemak Bay: Kayaking, Glaciers & Wildlife at Homer’s Doorstep
Kachemak Bay State Park sits just across the water from Homer, but you can’t drive there. A short water taxi ride from the harbor is the only way in, which keeps it every bit as wild as places twice as remote. This excursion pairs sea kayaking through calm, wildlife-rich coves with a hike to Grewingk […]
Katmai Bear Viewing: Brooks Falls Up Close
There’s no road to Katmai — you get there by float plane, lifting off from Homer and landing where brown bears outnumber people. At Brooks Falls, you’ll watch bears fish salmon straight out of the air mid-leap, from a raised platform built for exactly this. A ranger briefs you on bear safety before you ever […]
Kenai Fjords: Glacier Views & Wildlife Beyond the Edge
Kenai Fjords National Park starts where the road ends — most of it is only reachable by boat or kayak, which is exactly what keeps it wild. This excursion takes you from the harbor in Seward out into water carved by ice, past tidewater glaciers that calve into the sea and coastline packed with more […]