Susan Solo – Photographer | Traveler | Adventurer

Tag: Alaska

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

If you travel to Alaska but don’t happen to spot a bear or a moose in the wild, just stop by the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) in Girdwood for an opportunity to view these beautiful animals up close. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals and cares for them, and if an animal cannot be released into the wild post-treatment, they remain at the center as their permanent home. (That said, keep in mind that some animals might not be “on display” at certain points of the year – it’s not the same as a zoo.) The animals roam freely in large enclosures where you can easily view them and their natural behaviors. Some animals even get up pretty close!

Several different species inhabit the center at any given time, including moose, elk, caribou, bald eagles, oxes, bison, and bears, both black and brown. We saw most of these animals, but I became obsessed with the expressive brown bears. Chris and I rented a 400mm f/5.6L lens for the trip, and it was almost too long for photographing the animals because we were so close! So it’s a great opportunity for everyone with all types of cameras to get National Geographic-style wildlife shots. You can focus your camera lens through the fence to get an unobstructed shot, and go home with some impressive wildlife photos to show off! Admission was $12.50 each, and we spent about an hour walking around and taking photos. There is a visitor center with facilities, gifts and snacks, where we purchased a couple of waters. The walkways are natural, dusty paths, so be prepared with appropriate footwear.

Most of these images were taken with an SLR, but some were with the point-and-shoot. I’ve included a few shots of the fencing so you get a feel for the enclosures and what to expect. Like I mentioned, it’s not a fancy zoo – it’s a conservation effort meant to keep with the natural feel of the wild. We ended up at the center midday and it was warm and sunny, but also contrasty lighting. I’d recommend going a little earlier in the day for better lighting and maybe more activity from the animals. When we visited many of the animals were happily resting, but some were also active and playful. Either way, we enjoyed it!

July 7, 2011
Dog Sledding on Mendenhall Glacier (via Helicopter!)

I’m not sure what the best part of this afternoon in Juneau was – landing on a glacier after a thrilling helicopter ride with stunning views, dog-sledding on the glacier, or snuggling with the puppies at base camp. All of it was simply awesome. I admit that this trip with Alaska Icefield Expeditions was a bit of a splurge, but it was totally worth the amazing experience. Note: we booked through Celebrity, but in hindsight, it’s probably just as easy and maybe cheaper to book directly with the tour rather than through the cruise.

Our excursion started with a short van ride through Juneau to get to the helipad. After we were outfitted for waterproof boots (they fit over our shoes), we boarded a helicopter and enjoyed a 15-minute flight to the glacier. Watching the tongue of Mendenhall come into view is something I’ll never forget. I can’t believe people in Juneau have that view on a daily basis. And landing on the glacier was even more special! I kept saying, “We’re ON a glacier!” It’s not every day that we get to stand on one, much less go dog sledding. The noise was also quite memorable – the dogs were so excited! Our musher gave us a bit of history on the camp and introduced us to the dogs, who were all incredibly sweet. At first I wondered if it was at all the tiniest bit cruel to make a team of dogs haul me around in the snow, but they seemed to really (really really) love sledding. The faster, the better. When we stopped, we could tell they were disappointed not to be running.

After several laps around camp, we were treated to time with the youngest up-and-coming members of the sledding team – the puppies. They were napping, but we were given the opportunity to hold a warm and sleepy pup. If it looks like I wanted to stuff that puppy in my jacket to sneak him back onto the helicopter, it’s because I totally wanted to do it.

July 6, 2011
Ziplining with Alaska Canopy Adventures

One of my favorite highlights on our trip to Alaska was the rainforest canopy tour with Alaska Canopy Adventures. We booked this excursion outside of Celebrity, and decided to do the Ultimate Canopy & Zipline Expedition in Juneau since it worked best with our schedule. At the time of booking, this tour was $179 per person, and the tour lasted a little over three hours. It was super easy to book and the customer service was outstanding. I had a few questions before booking and I received prompt, helpful answers. The tour was on time as well, which was critical since we had another excursion planned later in the afternoon.

We met a boat at the dock near where our ship was in port and we crossed the water to land on Douglas Island. Once we arrived at the base camp, we were outfitted with harnesses, helmets, and gloves, not only for safety, but also for looking awesome.

All of the equipment was in great condition, and there were several staff members to help get all of us harnessed up. A van ride up the mountain took us to the beginning of the zipline series, and during the ride we were treated to the history of the area and breathtaking views of the island.

The first zipline was a short, practice line close to the ground where we learned how to ride and most importantly, how to brake. There was a bit of timing involved – we just had to brake a few yards from the end of the line so we didn’t slam into the guide waiting to catch us. It wasn’t difficult to learn though. And our guides were so much fun – they were hilarious, but also very safety-conscious and they made sure we were always having fun and feeling comfortable. At the time of our tour, photography was permitted, but I only took photos while on the platforms and not during an actual zipline. I didn’t trust myself to hold tight onto the camera AND be able to break on time. It’s better just to enjoy the ride anyway!

In addition to the ten ziplines, we had fun on these swingy suspension bridges, high up in the air. Don’t worry, you’re carabinered into the system and it’s very safe. And it was a nice opportunity to really look around at the lush rainforest canopy surrounding us. How about a fairly unflattering photo of me standing on the bridge? Here you go!

Our guide offered photos at a different angle in which he jumped over the side of the bridge and suspended himself alongside us. Nerves of steel! And that just shows how much you can trust the harnesses.

At the end of the tour, we rappelled down off of the last platform, which was so fun! I went first even though I had never rappelled before so I didn’t know what to do. It was a little eerie sitting down over the edge of the platform just into the air, but once I felt the harness catch and support me, I had a blast scooting through the air down the line.

We were awarded medals for completing the course, which I am ~~dorkily~~ proudly wearing here with our awesome guides.

I highly recommend Alaska Canopy Adventures if you’re planning to visit Juneau! We had such a fun time with them and would love to do it again sometime.

July 5, 2011
Kayaking with Southeast Sea Kayaks

When we arrived at our first port of call, Ketchikan, it was a drizzly day, but since we planned to be on the water most of the day kayaking with Southeast Sea Kayaks we figured a little rain wouldn’t bother us. We brought our waterproof jackets exactly for this occasion and for the unpredictable weather in Alaska. It turned out to be the only rainy day of the whole trip, but we were glad we packed them!

We met the Southeast Sea Kayaks van at the famous liquid sunshine gauge in town outside of the visitor center, about 10 minutes before our 9am tour start time for the Orcas Cove tour.

The van took us to the office where we were outfitted with spray jackets, rain pants and life jackets. We opted to wear the spray jacket for the ~~fashion~~ extra protection – the wrists sealed better and tighter than our own jackets. Underneath, we were each wearing a light hoodie and a t-shirt. Chris wore hiking pants and I wore jeans, and both of us were comfortable the whole time for a June morning. We were also given a large dry bag for our camera, which worked great. The only other thing I wish I had brought was bug spray. I ended up with some really itchy bites on my hands and one above my eyebrow since my hands and face were the only skin exposed!

My head-to-toe blue outfit reminds me of a certain scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “Violet’s turning violet!” Points if you remember that moment.

From the office, we boarded a boat for a scenic 20-minute ride to a larger boat moored at Orcas Cove. Once on board, we listened to instructions on sea kayaking and paddling. Of course at that point, I began to get nervous. When I peered over the side of the boat, I could see tons of medium-sized jellyfish bobbing about in the water (later I learned they are a non-stinging variety), and I thought for sure I was going to tip our kayak and end up going for a swim with the jellies.

It wasn’t terribly difficult to get into the kayaks (our guides provided assistance), and I was relieved to be safely in the water in a sturdy tandem kayak with Chris. Our guide, Alex, took us around the cove to get used to the mechanics of paddling (for those of us who were new to kayaking), and then eventually he gave us free rein to explore the area. He also offered to take photos of us, which was such a nice gesture, especially for two photographers who don’t get to be in the photos very often.

After a few minutes on the water, I relaxed and became comfortable with the kayak enough to take some photos. I didn’t pack the waterproof housing for this trip, but the wrist strap on my point-and-shoot provided enough security that I felt like I could use the camera without accidentally flinging it into the sea. And actually, I could have even brought the SLR for this trip – the dry bags were certainly large enough, and my camera’s neck strap would have been plenty secure for shooting on the water (unless we tipped over!).

We enjoyed exploring for a couple of hours. I was even brave enough to paddle up to these sea stars for a closer look and a photo. Alex kept plucking random sea creatures out of the water (including one of the non-stinging jellyfish) and asking if I wanted to HOLD one. Um, no? Clearly he just met me.

We didn’t see any Orcas or Humpback Whales, but I was actually a little relieved not to – I imagined being capsized either by my own excitement over seeing them, or because one of them accidentally tipped me over. We did see a Bald Eagle though! It was really far away and of course my little point-and-shoot doesn’t quite do the job for telephoto images, but it was neat to see the eagle in the wild.

After we worked up an appetite kayaking, we were treated to a little snack picnic back on the boat where we sampled smoked salmon on crackers and cheese. It was nice to relax and chat with the guides and crew for a bit before returning to the dock. The whole tour from booking to return trip was awesome and wonderfully organized and I can highly recommend Southeast Sea Kayaks! I hope we get to explore on the water with them again someday.

Oh, and just a quick side-note – if you need a lunch idea for after the tour, try the little Alaskan Surf Fish & Chips stand in Ketchikan. It was one of our most favorite (and least expensive) meals of the whole trip! There is always a long line apparently, but it’s totally worth the wait. Our food was hot, fresh, and so yummy. We tried the fish & chips and the coconut shrimp and shared everything. I wish we could have eaten there more than once! Also, there’s a fantastic candy store just a short walk away called Ketchicandies where we happily stocked up on sweets like chocolate-covered Oreos and pretzels for the rest of the trip.

July 2, 2011
Alaska (Part 2 of 2)

The second half of our trip to Alaska included stops to Juneau, Skagway, a view of Hubbard Glacier from the ship, and then Seward was the last port of call. In Juneau we did some real zip-lining where you don’t just sit in a seat and go down a line like the ZipRider; you wear a harness, gloves and helmet, and connect by climbing gear to a series of zip-lines on a canopy-top course. Here Chris is learning how to break, using his right hand to apply pressure to the line and slow your speed. We practiced one time on a tiny zip line close to the ground.

In between some of the zip-lines hung these long suspension bridges that were delightfully high and swingy. I admit it felt nice to make it across safely onto the platform.

Let’s see that zip-line action in motion (short video clip):

This is what each of the platforms looked like between the zip-lines. Just a few beams of wood high atop a skinny tree, that swayed around while people were standing on it. Kind of freaky, but so cool! At the end, we rappelled down off the last platform. SO FUN.

After zip-lining, we took a helicopter ride to land on Mendenhall Glacier and went dog-sledding! The helicopter ride was amazing, with views of the glacier from above. Pardon my hair – it’s very windy standing next to a helicopter. Those yellow things are life vests from the helicopter ride.

The dogs were all so sweet, and they LOVED pulling the sled. They got super excited when they were harnessed up and while they were pulling us, and seemed disappointed when we stopped the sled.

After sledding, we spent some time with the puppies at the camp. They were in the middle of a nap, and this one was so warm and snuggly.

At our next stop in Skagway, we were pretty adventured-out, so we just walked around and explored the town. We also took a short but beautiful hike to Yakutania Point.

Our last two days on the ship were at sea, and we spent most of that time relaxing on our balcony just watching the beautiful scenery and taking photos. Chris took this cool lighthouse photo, which was totally in the middle of nowhere (not close to any towns):

And on the last day we sailed right up close to Hubbard Glacier (brrr!). My favorite part was seeing all the ice chunks in the water on the way there. We got up pretty close to the glacier. The colors and textures were amazing! Those brown lines in the ice are markers of volcanic events. Cool, right?!

Off the ship in Seward, we took a really scenic drive to Anchorage. We stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center so that we could see some moose and bears.

This one was either sleepy or doing bear yoga. (We were just about three feet from the bears so our 400mm was almost too long!)

There were other animals, but we were mainly there for the moose and bears since those were the ones we hadn’t seen in the wild on our trip. Oh and it was a good opportunity to get a better picture of an eagle:

So that’s our trip! (We took more images of course, but that would make for a very very long blog post.) We’re already itching to plan the next adventure, and we have some ideas in mind! I’ll post more details on that when we firm up some things. But for now it’s back to work! I have engagement and portrait sessions throughout July and August, so stay tuned for more photos. 🙂

July 1, 2011