Whew! They weren't kidding when they called this trip “Ultimate”. I left the van at Donna Rae and Don's place and flew to Fairbanks, barely catching my connection in Anchorage. This 67 year old can still sprint! Thankfully I had no bags to check and my carry-on was only 16lbs. Laura, our guide, took me to the hotel where we all met and had our orientation for the trip. There were only 12 of us, mostly retirees. This was not going to be strenuous travel. In fact, over and over I felt pampered wherever we stayed (french press coffee delivery service to your cabin, anyone?), and Laura was ever mindful as certain guests tended to wander hither and yon. I knew I wanted to “get off the road” to see the real Alaska, but I also knew it was time to skip the rigorous backpacking tours. (From Desiderata; “Take kindly the counsel of the years, surrendering gracefully the things of youth”) The Nat Hab trips were expensive, but priced affordably for what they delivered. I'm afraid I'm spoiled; I never equated a wilderness experience with luxury. We bussed, helicoptered, trained, boated, chartered and float planed all over the state, each time staying in beautiful lodges with delicious food and glorious views. Here are some special moments. You can see the whole itinerary here.
Denali- The helicopter ride to the Back Country Lodge was a “pinch me, this is really happening” experience. The park encompasses six million acres of untrammeled wilderness. It was so beautiful. That afternoon, a few of us did a hike and saw a caribou with a massive rack, Denali mountain towering in the distance. The next day I went out by myself kayaking in Wonder Lake in a light rain. A guide ushered me there and stayed on the shore as I communed with Nature. Normally I would default to vigorously paddling and getting some exercise, but this day I stopped in the middle of the lake and floated, listening to the drops, the light breeze, and watching the changing clouds. I watched the circles interleaving in the water and had a memory of a story my mother told me when I was very young. We were in a cafe watching the rain from the window. “See those circles? Those are made by dancing fairies. You can't see them because their life is so short; they dance and are gone.”
Scenic railroad to Seward- We saw the white flash of a Beluga whale, very rare. We were in a dome car, with 360° views and an open section to take in the scenery. Elegant breakfast down below.
Kenai Fjords- Another solo kayak in the pond behind the lodge. Most of the others had taken sea kayaks into the bay. (I enjoyed being social with the other eleven guests, but also enjoyed a break from it.) A group of seagulls were having a social bath together, splashing each other and crashing into the crowd. There's no question but that they were simply having fun. A flotilla of white feathers were scattered across the pond. I found a little brook emptying into the pond and listened for a while, and watched the sun sparkling through the trees.
Tidepools and coastal rainforest at Kachemak Bay- Our guide Alyssa asked us what we hoped to see that day. I said I was ready to “go small”. I tend to lean into grandeur, but there was a tiny world waiting for us at Otter Rock at low tide. As is always the case, we were being given fascinating info, but it only becomes knowledge if one retains it! Tubeworms, nudibranchs, sea stars and anemones abounded in this microcosm. Given the slippery rocks and seaweed, I was impressed at the trust bestowed on us old folks not to hurt ourselves. Alyssa's enthusiasm was infectious as she bounced around pointing things out. She led us on a forest walk, again describing the symbiotic life in this rich ecosystem. We saw a thirty year-old squirrel midden, which is basically a trash pile. In North America, the only creatures that make middens are squirrels, octopuses and, you got it, people.
Brooks Falls- We took a charter flight to King Salmon Lodge, then a float plane to Brooks Falls. This is a world-renowned place for up close and personal bear viewing. The iconic shot of a bear standing at the edge of a waterfall, jaw agape as a salmon flies into its mouth comes from here. We actually had to wait on the plane pontoon until we got the all clear as a mama and cub sauntered down the beach. Most of the action was downstream from the falls. We could watch from the safety of the bridge, but to get to the falls we had to walk a half mile on a path. We were instructed to only walk with a buddy and keep talking; if a bear came along, we were to back up or just get out of its way if it wanted to take the path. It's essential to follow the rules, not just for safety, but for the continuation of this delicate balance between bears and people. There can be no snacks or anything scented while walking on the property. If our olfactory system filled a postage stamp, bears's fill at least five sheets of paper.
The journey ended back in Homer. We shared our last dinner together, and felt premature nostalgia as we came to a close. I wrote a little song for Laura to thank her for her patient leadership. I bonded with some folks more than others over the course of the trip, but we all got along just fine. I'll be visiting some as my journey continues! Jim and I shared a sense of goofiness in the group and had an astonishingly long pool game as we kept missing every shot, which sent Greg into paroxysms of laughter. Jim and I had some good talks about life after losing our spouses. Paul took over 3000 photos in one day. April wasn't far behind. Cynthia could spot wildlife anywhere. There were some intense bridge games. And now we've all gone our separate ways.
I've had evolving ideas over the years about the pros and cons of tourist travel, but knowing the mission statement of Nat Hab, “Conservation Through Exploration”, and their partnership with World Wildlife Fund, I see the value in supporting tourism economy in places that otherwise may resort to extractive and exploitative resources. They do a good job of raising the bar for the industry as a whole. I plan to sign up for more!