In September 2022, daughter Jill and I traveled north to Alaska – a 12-day adventure from Seward to Fairbanks. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our epic trip.
This story is the third in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
This story is the third in a series about the sights we saw and the experiences we had as we traveled through The Last Frontier.
Palmer, Alaska (Monday, September 5, 2022) Last night I had a dream. I dreamt that I scaled a tall mountain to gaze on magnificent views of the surrounding peaks and valley. Soon, the mountains morphed into a series of pools and small buildings. I was drawn to the first pool, and without hesitation, I jumped in. Damn, that water’s cold, I thought. And then I woke and realized this wasn’t a dream, that I was reliving yesterday’s reality. You see, Jill and I spent a delightful day at Alyeska Resort, where we saw jaw-dropping scenery as we stood atop Mt. Alyeska and then luxuriated at the resort’s unique Nordic spa. It was a great day for Jill and me, from start to finish!
Well, this was a new day, and Jill and I had a new and distinctive experience to look forward to when we woke from our night’s sleep.
We were on the road by nine. Our destination was Talkeetna, located about 160 miles north of Alyeska Resort. There, over the next couple of days, we planned to explore this historic town and cruise the Susitna River. Jill also scheduled a flightseeing tour to Denali.
It was a two-hour, forty-five-minute drive…had we driven straight through. But of course, we did not. Instead, we stopped in Palmer for a one-of-a-kind experience and lunch at a local brewpub.
As we climbed into the car, Jill said, “Dad, we need to stop somewhere for breakfast. That was a big dinner last night, but I’m feeling low on energy this morning.”
“I looked at options earlier,” I replied. “There’s an IHOP on Old Seward Highway, about 40 minutes up the road in Anchorage. It’s on the way to Palmer.”
“IHOP? Really? That’s our best choice?” Jill shot back in rapid succession as she shook her head.
“They have it all, I assured her, “and it will be quick.”
Well, this was a new day, and Jill and I had a new and distinctive experience to look forward to when we woke from our night’s sleep.
We were on the road by nine. Our destination was Talkeetna, located about 160 miles north of Alyeska Resort. There, over the next couple of days, we planned to explore this historic town and cruise the Susitna River. Jill also scheduled a flightseeing tour to Denali.
It was a two-hour, forty-five-minute drive…had we driven straight through. But of course, we did not. Instead, we stopped in Palmer for a one-of-a-kind experience and lunch at a local brewpub.
As we climbed into the car, Jill said, “Dad, we need to stop somewhere for breakfast. That was a big dinner last night, but I’m feeling low on energy this morning.”
“I looked at options earlier,” I replied. “There’s an IHOP on Old Seward Highway, about 40 minutes up the road in Anchorage. It’s on the way to Palmer.”
“IHOP? Really? That’s our best choice?” Jill shot back in rapid succession as she shook her head.
“They have it all, I assured her, “and it will be quick.”
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Our breakfast was typical IHOP – eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Protein power pancakes for Jill; gluten-free pancakes for me. While Jill might not admit this, the food was good, the service was great, and we consumed enough calories to keep us going until lunch.
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I checked my watch. It was 9:45.
“It’s a little more than two hours to Palmer,” I said to Jill as I got behind the wheel. It was a pleasant ride, although the scenery was not as dramatic as we experienced our first few days in Alaska.
“It’s a little more than two hours to Palmer,” I said to Jill as I got behind the wheel. It was a pleasant ride, although the scenery was not as dramatic as we experienced our first few days in Alaska.
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Soon we crossed the Knik River, which stretched 25 miles from the Knik Glacier in the east. The road split 10 miles or so further on – Alaska Highway 3 went west and then north to Fairbanks, while Alaska Highway 1 went east to Palmer. East it was.
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Just the Facts
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This city was named for George Palmer, who built a trading post on the nearby Matanuska River in the 1890s. By the early 1900s, Palmer was a whistle-stop town for the Alaskan Central Railroad, which brought coal from the Chickaloon mines in the northwest to the port city of Seward in the south. From a handful of people in the early 1900s, Palmer became Alaska’s ninth largest city – albeit, with a population of just under 6,000 people.
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We passed the fairgrounds as we drove through Palmer. Guess what? The Alaska State Fair was in progress, and as I later learned, this was the last day for this year’s fair. We saw rides (“Do parents really let their children on those rides?” Jill asked), corrals and stables for animals…and lots of cars, as the fair seemed to be well-attended this day. Well, no time to stop as Jill and I had an appointment with “the bearded ones.”
Nestled in the Matanuska Valley just north of Palmer, Alaska, you’ll find
our sprawling, 75-acre Musk Ox Farm – a project steeped in uniqueness
and intrigue, from the animals we raise to the story that brought us here.
~ The Musk Ox Farm
our sprawling, 75-acre Musk Ox Farm – a project steeped in uniqueness
and intrigue, from the animals we raise to the story that brought us here.
~ The Musk Ox Farm
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Truth be told, this was another leisure activity that, like the Nordic spa at Alyeska, Jill had to talk me into. I don’t recall why – maybe there was an option that appealed to me more? – but, in hindsight, I was thankful that she did.
Jill and I toured The Musk Ox Farm with Dani Biersteker, the Education Director for this nonprofit organization, which traced its roots to a project begun in 1954 to save wild musk ox from possible extinction. Casey Ressler, marketing and communications manager with area’s convention and visitors’ bureau, joined us on our hour-long walk around the farm. |
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By way of introduction to the farm, Dani told us that “the mission of the nonprofit was to promote gentle musk ox husbandry and qiviut production, as well as to educate the public.”
“What is qiviut?” I asked. (This word is pronounced ‘kee-vee-uht.)
“That’s a great question!” replied Dani. “Qiviut is the downy-soft underwool that a musk ox sheds naturally each year during the spring months.”
“Is there a market for this wool,” Jill chimed in.
“That’s a great question!” Dani responded.
(As an aside, all of our questions turned out to be “a great question,” which made us feel like the smartest people on the planet! In truth, Dani used these words, like the educator she was, to gently pull us into the story of the musk ox. You know, make us feel smart about the questions we asked, and we will ask more…and over time, learn what she would like us to know. Very, very shrewd of Dani!)
Dani continued, “Qiviut is 8 times warmer than sheep's wool. An adult musk ox can produce four to five pounds per year. We have more than 70 musk ox on our farm, so our animals produce 300 pounds or so of qiviut each year.”
“What is qiviut?” I asked. (This word is pronounced ‘kee-vee-uht.)
“That’s a great question!” replied Dani. “Qiviut is the downy-soft underwool that a musk ox sheds naturally each year during the spring months.”
“Is there a market for this wool,” Jill chimed in.
“That’s a great question!” Dani responded.
(As an aside, all of our questions turned out to be “a great question,” which made us feel like the smartest people on the planet! In truth, Dani used these words, like the educator she was, to gently pull us into the story of the musk ox. You know, make us feel smart about the questions we asked, and we will ask more…and over time, learn what she would like us to know. Very, very shrewd of Dani!)
Dani continued, “Qiviut is 8 times warmer than sheep's wool. An adult musk ox can produce four to five pounds per year. We have more than 70 musk ox on our farm, so our animals produce 300 pounds or so of qiviut each year.”
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This did not sound like a lot to me. What are the underlying economics, I thought. It wasn’t until this evening, when I had time to do some research online, that I found the answer. At $35 per ounce, which was more than twice the price of cashmere, 300 pounds of qiviut would yield $168,000 at wholesale. Yowzers! I thought. No wonder the price of that knitted wool beanie in the gift shop was $130!
In addition to sales from raw wool and the gift shop, this nonprofit was funded through sales proceeds from admission tickets ($5 - $11 per person, depending on age). It run by a few full-time staff and a lot of volunteers. |
Oomingmak: the Bearded One
Musk ox are called Oomingmak in the Inupiaq Eskimo language, meaning “hairy one” or “bearded one,” because of the long, elegant shaggy fur that trails like a skirt along their flanks. The fur is dark brown with a creamy “saddle” across the back, as if it were dusted with snow. Musk ox are also remarkable for their horns—sweeping down along the side of the face, then curving gracefully upward and outward to slender tips.
~ National Parks Service
The musk ox were kept in a series of fenced pens - sometimes several to a pen (as in the photo above), and other times just one ox, depending on the demeanor of the ox and whether it was mating season.
Every ox had a name, and Dani knew them all. She introduced us to those that came near the fences, as we walked from pen to pen. These three, from left to right, are Topaz, Sage, and Muenster. (Yep, just like the cheese!)
Every ox had a name, and Dani knew them all. She introduced us to those that came near the fences, as we walked from pen to pen. These three, from left to right, are Topaz, Sage, and Muenster. (Yep, just like the cheese!)
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The life expectancy of a musk ox was 20-24 years, so 20-year-old Phoenix, who is pictured in the photo at the top of my story, was nearing the end of her life.
“Dani,” I asked, “do people eat musk ox?”
“Dani,” I asked, “do people eat musk ox?”
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“That’s a great question!” she replied. “Musk ox meat is a great source of protein, iron, and B vitamins.” And then she added, “But we do not raise our musk ox for food.”
The last pens we stopped at housed three related musk ox – a grandmother, mother, and granddaughter. Three generations - what do you know! This is Bumble Bee, the granddaughter. Cute, huh?! |
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We finished our tour with a Kodak moment – Jill, me, and a stuffed musk ox – and a small purchase in the gift shop, a Musk Ox Farm t-shirt for me, before we said goodbye to Dani and thanked her for a very informative and delightful tour.
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As we walked to our cars, Casey said, “I’ve picked out a place for lunch. It’s not too far from here.” And with that, Casey led and we followed.
This is the outside of Matanuska Brewery and Tap Room. The enclosed area at the left was outdoor seating, and with absolutely beautiful weather, Casey suggested we have lunch on the patio. THE. RIGHT. CALL!
The name ‘Matanuska’, by the way, was derived from the Russian word for ‘copper’, which the Russians discovered when they explored the Pacific Coast of Alaska.
The name ‘Matanuska’, by the way, was derived from the Russian word for ‘copper’, which the Russians discovered when they explored the Pacific Coast of Alaska.
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I can’t tell you what Jill and Casey ordered, but I do remember my meal…and I have the pics to prove it: Taco Matanuska with a flight of beers, all brewed in house, of course. The tacos were delish and the beers quenched my thirst! My favorite beer was Pachanga! Norte (the one on the left), a Mexican style lager that went down easy. I don’t know if it was less filling, but it tasted great!
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Jill and Casey talked shop – travel, public relations, writing, and more. I mostly listened, but I did ask an insightful question or two – after all, earlier I proved myself to be one of the smartest people on the planet!
An hour after we sat down to eat, Jill and I were on our way to Talkeetna, located about 83 miles north of Palmer. The odometer marked the miles, one by one, as we followed Alaska Highway 3 – the same highway we will take to Denali National Park and Fairbanks later this week. The Susitna River, which we will cruise on Wednesday, was a constant companion on our left.
An hour after we sat down to eat, Jill and I were on our way to Talkeetna, located about 83 miles north of Palmer. The odometer marked the miles, one by one, as we followed Alaska Highway 3 – the same highway we will take to Denali National Park and Fairbanks later this week. The Susitna River, which we will cruise on Wednesday, was a constant companion on our left.
We reached Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge late afternoon. Jill went to the front desk to check in for our two-night stay. Me? I stepped onto the patio out back, as I had read that there was a killer view of Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America. This marker told me what to look for.
This shouldn’t be too hard, I thought. Yes, Denali was about 200 miles from where I stood, so it was a stretch for my aging eyes. But Denali was TALL – 20,310 feet, to be exact – so it should not be hard to spot. I peered a bit left of due north, as Denali was north-northwest of Talkeetna, and here was what I saw.
Picturesque scene, right? But do you see Denali? Well, neither did I, as those darn clouds obscured all but the base of the mountain. The same was true of Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter to the left and Moose’s Tooth and Broken Tooth to the right. Dang it!
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Later I learned that only 30% of the people who come to Alaska to see Denali saw it. My friend Craig was one of the lucky ones. He sent this photo to me, which he took from Talkeetna when he was here.
Those clouds meant that there was “weather” around the mountains. Jill soon learned that the weather was too severe to fly into, so her flightseeing tour for today was cancelled. She was disappointed, of course, but she rebooked for tomorrow. (Spoiler alert: Same weather, same outcome – her flight was cancelled. Oh well, it wasn’t meant to be.) |
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We settled into our room – I had to carry our luggage up a flight of stair because there was no elevator in this lodge! – and relaxed for a while before dinner.
We had two onsite dinner options – Basecamp Bistro and Foraker.
“Well, Jill,” I asked, “which will it be?”
“The brochure says that Foraker “offers a more exquisite menu,” while Basecamp Bistro “offers down-home favorites,” she replied. “Let’s go ‘down-home’ tonight, and maybe ‘more exquisite’ tomorrow.”
Jill ordered the wild Alaska salmon, which came with something called ‘wilted spinach’. This did not sound appetizing to me.
“Wilted spinach,” I said as I crinkled my nose. “What the heck is that?”
We had two onsite dinner options – Basecamp Bistro and Foraker.
“Well, Jill,” I asked, “which will it be?”
“The brochure says that Foraker “offers a more exquisite menu,” while Basecamp Bistro “offers down-home favorites,” she replied. “Let’s go ‘down-home’ tonight, and maybe ‘more exquisite’ tomorrow.”
Jill ordered the wild Alaska salmon, which came with something called ‘wilted spinach’. This did not sound appetizing to me.
“Wilted spinach,” I said as I crinkled my nose. “What the heck is that?”
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“The spinach is flash cooked so that it isn’t soggy,” Jill answered. Ok, then.
I ordered a salad and caribou meatloaf, which was served over whipped garlic potatoes with a side of brussels sprouts and carrots. This, in my book, was ‘down-home’ food. Jill said her salmon was ok. I enjoyed my caribou meatloaf! |
After dinner, we sat on the rear patio for a spell. It was a similar scene we saw earlier, at least as far as Denali was concerned. But no matter. It was a beautiful evening to be outdoors as we watched the sun set on another perfect day in Alaska for Jill and me.
Tomorrow and Wednesday, we will explore the historic town of Talkeetna, take a cruise on the Susitna River, and see what else there is to see and do. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you.