In May/June 2023, Jill and I toured Alaska by land and by sea. We traveled from Fairbanks to Whittier by motor coach and train and then sailed from Whittier to Vancouver aboard the Majestic Princess. We had a blast!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Cruisetour.
This story, part of a series, is about our ride aboard the Alaska Railroad as we made our way from Denali to Talkeetna. It was a wonderful way to experience the wilderness in the southcentral region of The Last Frontier.
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Cruisetour.
This story, part of a series, is about our ride aboard the Alaska Railroad as we made our way from Denali to Talkeetna. It was a wonderful way to experience the wilderness in the southcentral region of The Last Frontier.
Talkeetna, Alaska (June 1, 2023) Our two-day stay at Denali was FANTABULOUS! Jill and I designed and created dichroic fused glass jewelry at the Denali Arts & Glass Studio and toured the vast and rugged wilderness in Denali National Park, and I went four-wheeling in the back country of Alaska.
Great experiences! Wonderful memories!
But it was a new day in a new month – the 1st of June – and time for us to move on because that night we had a reservation at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, located near the historic village of Talkeetna.
Had we driven south on the George Parks Highway – it was a straight shot by car – we would have reached the lodge in less than two hours. But we did not drive…and it wasn’t a straight shot!
Great experiences! Wonderful memories!
But it was a new day in a new month – the 1st of June – and time for us to move on because that night we had a reservation at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, located near the historic village of Talkeetna.
Had we driven south on the George Parks Highway – it was a straight shot by car – we would have reached the lodge in less than two hours. But we did not drive…and it wasn’t a straight shot!
Do you know the song I Love to Ride on a Train? Maybe you’ll recognize the chorus (said tongue in cheek!)…
I love to ride on a train – choo choo
I love to ride on a train – choo choo
Come on aboard and ride with me
We’ll see what we can see
I love to ride on a train – choo choo
Come on aboard and ride with me
We’ll see what we can see
This folksy song – I read that it was ‘toe-tapping, hand-clapping, and sing-alongable’ – was written by Jenny Heitler-Klevin in 2015. It spoke my language when I heard Jenny and her husband, David, sing it because…
I love to ride on a train!
Many times, I’ve done so…and I did so once again on the first leg of our journey that day.
As we got ready that morning, Jill asked, “Will you be joining me for breakfast?"
It was a fair question, as Jill went one way while I went another the past two mornings.
“Sorry, but I’m going to say ‘no’ again. Instead, I’ll use my breakfast voucher on the train. I hope you understand.”
“I get it – you want the whole ‘train experience,’” Jill replied with a wink.
“I do, but I promise I’ll join you tomorrow.”
“It’s a deal,” Jill said. “See you in an hour.”
I brewed a cup of coffee (there was a small Keurig coffee maker in the room) and read news headlines and Facebook posts while I waited. I also checked the weather forecast.
It was 40 degrees with a gentle breeze from the south. The daytime temp would top out at 52.
I heard my wife’s voice from 3,500 miles away. ‘Howard, dress in layers,’ she said.
Yes dear, I silently replied.
I glanced out the window.
It was a fair question, as Jill went one way while I went another the past two mornings.
“Sorry, but I’m going to say ‘no’ again. Instead, I’ll use my breakfast voucher on the train. I hope you understand.”
“I get it – you want the whole ‘train experience,’” Jill replied with a wink.
“I do, but I promise I’ll join you tomorrow.”
“It’s a deal,” Jill said. “See you in an hour.”
I brewed a cup of coffee (there was a small Keurig coffee maker in the room) and read news headlines and Facebook posts while I waited. I also checked the weather forecast.
It was 40 degrees with a gentle breeze from the south. The daytime temp would top out at 52.
I heard my wife’s voice from 3,500 miles away. ‘Howard, dress in layers,’ she said.
Yes dear, I silently replied.
I glanced out the window.
The sky was overcast (and it would be much of the day). But it wasn’t raining…or snowing.
Hmm, I thought. Nothing to brag about…but nothing to complain about, either.
Jill was back within the hour, and 30 minutes later – at 8:15 – we boarded a bus that dropped us at the Denali Train Depot, a seasonal station located adjacent to the visitor center in Denali National Park.
Carlos, our guide for the land portion of our Cruisetour, met us and the other members of the ‘press tour’ and their guests – Jill was ‘press,’ I was her guest – as we stepped off the bus.
“Follow me,” he said.
Hmm, I thought. Nothing to brag about…but nothing to complain about, either.
Jill was back within the hour, and 30 minutes later – at 8:15 – we boarded a bus that dropped us at the Denali Train Depot, a seasonal station located adjacent to the visitor center in Denali National Park.
Carlos, our guide for the land portion of our Cruisetour, met us and the other members of the ‘press tour’ and their guests – Jill was ‘press,’ I was her guest – as we stepped off the bus.
“Follow me,” he said.
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He had arranged for someone to take this group photo in front of the car we rode in. From left to right are Amanda, Briana (our Princess host), LeAura, Allison, Andy, Jill (kneeling), Taylor, Carlos (kneeling next to Jill), Justin, Jennifer, me, Dan, and Scott.
This was a great group of folks with varied backgrounds and interests; all were friendly and personable, and fun to be with. |
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The Princess Alaska Rail, as the cruise line’s train is known, runs along the route of the Alaska Railroad. The mainline, which was completed in 1923, stretched 470 miles from Fairbanks to Whittier.
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The train station in Talkeetna was 120 track miles south-southwest. At an average speed of 25-30 mph, our engineer navigated that route in a little under five hours.
At nine, the train attendant exclaimed, |
“All Aboard!!”
He did not have to call me twice.
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We boarded a ‘GoldStar Dome,’ a car with two levels – a dining room on the first level and reserved seating under a full-length curved glass dome on the second level. With a 360-degree view, it was an incredible way to see the Alaskan wilderness as we traveled south through The Last Frontier.
Our reserved seats – they were soooo comfy! – were on the left (port) side of the train. But there were many open seats – no ‘sell-out’ that day – so Jill scooted across the aisle. We each had more room, and a window we called our own. Soon, I heard the unmistakable sound of the train’s whistle, and then a rumbling noise as the train left the station. |
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I checked my watch. It was 9:15.
The wheels sang a familiar song - clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack – as they passed over the joints that marked the end of one segment of track and the beginning of the next.
Our tour was narrated by a young man – Peter, I’ll call him, because I missed his name when he introduced himself to us. I jotted down notes – the highlights – as he spoke.
“Welcome aboard,” said Peter. “I trust you are comfortable. If you need anything, please let one of our stewards know.
“You’re in for a treat today,” he continued. “The topography between here and Talkeetna is amazing! There are mountains that tower 9,000 feet and more, and we’ll cross a gulch with a 300-foot drop. We’ll pass through massive tracts of open land and ride past – and sometimes over – streams, rivers, and lakes. And hopefully, we’ll see wildlife. For now, please sit back and relax.”
Yes, I murmured to myself, this will be an incredible way to see the wilderness!
There were open platforms – observation decks – between the rail cars, and a quarter-hour into our journey, I wandered onto the one behind our car.
As I gazed to the west, I was treated to an ever-changing picture postcard that featured a wide river, a stand of trees, and soaring mountains.
The wheels sang a familiar song - clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack – as they passed over the joints that marked the end of one segment of track and the beginning of the next.
Our tour was narrated by a young man – Peter, I’ll call him, because I missed his name when he introduced himself to us. I jotted down notes – the highlights – as he spoke.
“Welcome aboard,” said Peter. “I trust you are comfortable. If you need anything, please let one of our stewards know.
“You’re in for a treat today,” he continued. “The topography between here and Talkeetna is amazing! There are mountains that tower 9,000 feet and more, and we’ll cross a gulch with a 300-foot drop. We’ll pass through massive tracts of open land and ride past – and sometimes over – streams, rivers, and lakes. And hopefully, we’ll see wildlife. For now, please sit back and relax.”
Yes, I murmured to myself, this will be an incredible way to see the wilderness!
There were open platforms – observation decks – between the rail cars, and a quarter-hour into our journey, I wandered onto the one behind our car.
As I gazed to the west, I was treated to an ever-changing picture postcard that featured a wide river, a stand of trees, and soaring mountains.
The river was the Susitna, which flows south from a glacier and empties into Cook Inlet. At 313 miles in length, it is the 15th largest river in the United States measured by volume. The river appeared calm and quiet, but I suspected its unseen current was swift.
There was a stand of spruce on the far bank. If I could have counted those pyramidal trees, they would have numbered in the thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands. (Here’s a piece of trivia: There are more trees in Alaska – almost 32 million – than in any other state.) The heights varied, and the tallest, I reckoned, were 50-70 feet from ground to crown.
And beyond the river and trees, far to the west, were the jagged peaks – some sprinkled with snow, others partially veiled by low-hanging clouds – of many unnamed mountains in the Alaska Range, a narrow, 600-mile-long arc of mountains in the southcentral region of Alaska.
That scenery – that scene – was picture perfect!
I reclaimed my seat in time to hear Peter say, “Our stewards will be around shortly to take your breakfast and drink order.”
“Jill, did you get a menu?”
“It’s in the seat-back pocket in front of you.”
There was a stand of spruce on the far bank. If I could have counted those pyramidal trees, they would have numbered in the thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands. (Here’s a piece of trivia: There are more trees in Alaska – almost 32 million – than in any other state.) The heights varied, and the tallest, I reckoned, were 50-70 feet from ground to crown.
And beyond the river and trees, far to the west, were the jagged peaks – some sprinkled with snow, others partially veiled by low-hanging clouds – of many unnamed mountains in the Alaska Range, a narrow, 600-mile-long arc of mountains in the southcentral region of Alaska.
That scenery – that scene – was picture perfect!
I reclaimed my seat in time to hear Peter say, “Our stewards will be around shortly to take your breakfast and drink order.”
“Jill, did you get a menu?”
“It’s in the seat-back pocket in front of you.”
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Blueberry pancakes, reindeer sausage, scrambled eggs, cream of barley, yogurt parfait, etc. etc. All sounded delicious, but only one breakfast item made my mouth water – the salmon spread with chives. It proved to be a great choice, as it was love at first bite!
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Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack went the wheels as the train rolled on.
We’re going up a hill – I hope we don’t stop
Climb, climb, climb until we reach the top
The going is slow, but if we all help out,
We’ll reach our goal and give a shout!
~ First verse from I Love to Ride on a Train
Climb, climb, climb until we reach the top
The going is slow, but if we all help out,
We’ll reach our goal and give a shout!
~ First verse from I Love to Ride on a Train
“Folks, take a look at that sign to our left,” Peter said. “It marks the highest point on the Alaska Railroad – 2,363 feet above sea level.”
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack…
Ordinarily, that noise would have lulled me to sleep, but I was mesmerized by the scenery that unfolded along both sides of the train.
Ordinarily, that noise would have lulled me to sleep, but I was mesmerized by the scenery that unfolded along both sides of the train.
Two hours into our ride, Peter announced, “We’ll reach Hurricane Gulch Bridge in about fifteen minutes, and when we do, we’ll slow to five miles per hour to give you plenty of time to enjoy the views and take photos. It’s a Kodak moment you won’t want to miss!”
Jill and I looked at one another. She smiled and gave me the hitchhiker’s sign – a fist with her left hand, thumb pointed backward – toward the rear of our car. I understood what she meant: ‘Let’s go to the observation deck.’ And that’s what we did.
We claimed a spot at the railing before other passengers joined us. The movement of the train created quite a stir in the air, and at that moment, the temp hovered between cool and cold. I was glad I had layered!
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack, ….
And then we heard Peter’s voice over the PA system.
Jill and I looked at one another. She smiled and gave me the hitchhiker’s sign – a fist with her left hand, thumb pointed backward – toward the rear of our car. I understood what she meant: ‘Let’s go to the observation deck.’ And that’s what we did.
We claimed a spot at the railing before other passengers joined us. The movement of the train created quite a stir in the air, and at that moment, the temp hovered between cool and cold. I was glad I had layered!
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack, ….
And then we heard Peter’s voice over the PA system.
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“Hurricane Gulch is a deep gorge that runs through the Alaska Range. No one knows for sure when and how it got it’s name.
“We’ll cross the gorge on the Hurricane Gulch Bridge, a steel arch bridge completed in 1971. It is the longest and tallest bridge in Alaska – more than 900 feet long and almost 300 feet above the ground. “As you might imagine, it was a challenge to construct this bridge, given its remote location and harsh weather conditions. It was, and still is, considered an engineering marvel.” |
The engineer sounded the train’s whistle as we neared the bridge, and then he slowed the train to almost a crawl. The views into the gorge and out towards the Alaska Range were awesome!
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And then, as the last car crossed the bridge, I felt the train pick up speed as we resumed our scenic journey to Talkeetna.
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack…
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack…
Somewhere between Hurricane Gulch and Talkeetna, a passenger on the right side of our car yelled, “Bears!” A lucky few – not me – saw the she-bear and two cubs, one of which was climbing the trunk of a tree. And that was the only wildlife that anyone in our car spotted that day.
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We’re going down the hill, stay on track
We’re going super fast & we won’t look back
The wind is blowing, we’re almost down
Just one more turn and we’ll roll into town
~ Second verse from I Love to Ride on a Train
We’re going super fast & we won’t look back
The wind is blowing, we’re almost down
Just one more turn and we’ll roll into town
~ Second verse from I Love to Ride on a Train
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It was nearly two o’clock when we reached the train depot in Talkeetna.
As we detrained, Jill asked, “Well, did you enjoy the ride?” “The scenery was beautiful, and the journey was stress free,” I answered. And then I exclaimed,
“I love to ride on a train!”
“You know,” she said, “I do too.”
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I laughed and Jill chuckled as we boarded a shuttle bus for a short ride to a station of a different sort.
Click to read Cruisin' on the River.
Click to read Cruisin' on the River.