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, follows our travel day from Trapper Creek to Cooper Landing, where we stayed one night at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. The scenery was breathtaking!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Cruisetour.
This story, part of a series, follows our travel day from Trapper Creek to Cooper Landing, where we stayed one night at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. The scenery was breathtaking!
Kenai Peninsula, Alaksa (June 2, 2023) On the penultimate day of the land portion of our 12-day Cruisetour through Alaska, Jill and I traveled from Trapper Creek to Cooper Landing – from one small Alaskan town to another – for a one-night stay at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge.
The lodge, surrounded by forests of paper birch, quaking aspen, and black and white spruce, overlooked the turquoise waters of the Kenai River – a mecca for salmon fishing – and offered endless views of snow-capped mountains.
The setting – the scenery – was…
The lodge, surrounded by forests of paper birch, quaking aspen, and black and white spruce, overlooked the turquoise waters of the Kenai River – a mecca for salmon fishing – and offered endless views of snow-capped mountains.
The setting – the scenery – was…
BREATHTAKING!
It was cold – 41 degrees – and raining when Jill and I woke. And it was early, just half past five, as we had to board the bus for Cooper Landing in three hours.
Main Lodge - Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge
We had breakfast at North Fork, which served up “stunning views of Denali on clear days” (not even close that day!), and a mug of Anchorage-brewed Kaladi Brothers coffee every day.
“What looks good?” I asked Jill as we perused the menu.
“The Alaska Breakfast,” she answered. “Two eggs, two strips of bacon, breakfast potatoes, and a buttermilk biscuit.”
“Scrambled or sunny side up?”
“Scrambled.”
When our waiter arrived, I said, “The Alaska Breakfast with scrambled eggs for both of us, and a cup of coffee for me.”
Our meals were MMM MMM Good!
“What looks good?” I asked Jill as we perused the menu.
“The Alaska Breakfast,” she answered. “Two eggs, two strips of bacon, breakfast potatoes, and a buttermilk biscuit.”
“Scrambled or sunny side up?”
“Scrambled.”
When our waiter arrived, I said, “The Alaska Breakfast with scrambled eggs for both of us, and a cup of coffee for me.”
Our meals were MMM MMM Good!
I never missed a photo opportunity – a ‘Kodak moment’ – and I did not let this one pass me by. My Facebook post screamed…
JILL AND I SCALED DENALI AND
HAD A GREAT VIEW FROM THE TOP!
HAD A GREAT VIEW FROM THE TOP!
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In my mind’s eye, it was so, thanks to a photo board cutout in the lobby of the Main Lodge.
“We’ll always remember Denali,” I said to Jill. “Even though we never saw it,” she replied. We both chuckled because we hadn’t seen The Tall One, as Denali was sometimes called, on two trips to Alaska. Maybe next time. |
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We traveled with five journalists and their guests (this trip was a press tour for Jill), our guide (Carlos), and our Princess host (Briana) – a total of 13 people – on a 60-passenger coach bus. There was plenty of elbow room, everyone had a window seat, and all were onboard by 8:25.
We left Mt. McKinley lodge five minutes later.
We left Mt. McKinley lodge five minutes later.
(click map to enlarge)
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Our route was south, as it had been since we left Fairbanks several days back – 115 miles along the George Parks Highway to Anchorage, and then 100 miles (mostly) on the Seward Highway to Cooper Landing. It was a four-hour trip had we driven straight through…but we didn’t.
Instead, we stopped for lunch in Anchorage and a photo op at Turnagain Arm, which made for a great day of sightseeing! |
By and large, it was a quiet ride to Anchorage. As I glanced around the bus, I saw several folks engaged in hushed conversations – journalistic business, no doubt – while others scrolled through emails on their phones. A few, like me, gazed out their window as the miles clicked by, taking in the scenery or lost in travel memories and expectations.
We passed the turnoff for Talkeetna – Will I ever be back, I wondered – and drove through a series of communities and towns, including Susitna North, Houston, and Wasilla, before we crossed the Knik River.
I was forever curious about the sights I saw, and thankful I was able to connect to the internet as we traveled. I typed ‘Knik River’ into the Google search bar.
Jill sat across the aisle from me. When I pulled up what I was looking for, I leaned across the aisle and said, “Jill, listen to this.”
She looked at me and smiled...because it wasn’t the first time that morning that I called attention to something that interested me.
(It HAD to be of interest to Jill, too, right?!)
“The river we just crossed is called the Knik. The water in it comes from the Knik Glacier, located 50 miles east of Anchorage. It empties into the Knik Arm, a section of Cook Inlet. People love to fish the Knik for salmon – silver, red, and king.”
I looked at Jill for a reaction.
“That’s a lot of Kniks,” she giggled. “Thanks for sharing.”
(Well, maybe she wasn’t as interested as me.)
The Knik Arm was on our left and the Chugach (CHEW-gatch) Mountains were on our right.
We passed the turnoff for Talkeetna – Will I ever be back, I wondered – and drove through a series of communities and towns, including Susitna North, Houston, and Wasilla, before we crossed the Knik River.
I was forever curious about the sights I saw, and thankful I was able to connect to the internet as we traveled. I typed ‘Knik River’ into the Google search bar.
Jill sat across the aisle from me. When I pulled up what I was looking for, I leaned across the aisle and said, “Jill, listen to this.”
She looked at me and smiled...because it wasn’t the first time that morning that I called attention to something that interested me.
(It HAD to be of interest to Jill, too, right?!)
“The river we just crossed is called the Knik. The water in it comes from the Knik Glacier, located 50 miles east of Anchorage. It empties into the Knik Arm, a section of Cook Inlet. People love to fish the Knik for salmon – silver, red, and king.”
I looked at Jill for a reaction.
“That’s a lot of Kniks,” she giggled. “Thanks for sharing.”
(Well, maybe she wasn’t as interested as me.)
The Knik Arm was on our left and the Chugach (CHEW-gatch) Mountains were on our right.
Despite the foul weather, the mountains created a dramatic ‘skyline.’ The highest peak, which we did not see, was Mount Marcus Baker at 13,094 feet in elevation. We saw more of the Chugach Mountains – a range that is 250 miles long and 60 miles wide – when we made our way that afternoon from Anchorage to Cooper Landing.
As we neared Anchorage – with nearly 300,000 residents, it is the largest city in Alaska – Carlos announced…
“Folks, we’ll reach downtown Anchorage in 30 minutes or so – about eleven o’clock. Everyone is invited to join Briana and me at Glacier Brewhouse for lunch at 11:30. Some of you expressed interest in going to the Anchorage Museum. I’ll point it out as we pass it. If you go, you’re on your own for lunch. If you join Briana and me, you’ll have 30 minutes of free time to wander downtown.”
I looked at Jill, and she looked at me…and then she said, “Brewhouse, right?” And I replied with a nod and a smile because my daughter knew me oh-so-well!
As we neared Anchorage – with nearly 300,000 residents, it is the largest city in Alaska – Carlos announced…
“Folks, we’ll reach downtown Anchorage in 30 minutes or so – about eleven o’clock. Everyone is invited to join Briana and me at Glacier Brewhouse for lunch at 11:30. Some of you expressed interest in going to the Anchorage Museum. I’ll point it out as we pass it. If you go, you’re on your own for lunch. If you join Briana and me, you’ll have 30 minutes of free time to wander downtown.”
I looked at Jill, and she looked at me…and then she said, “Brewhouse, right?” And I replied with a nod and a smile because my daughter knew me oh-so-well!
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There were many gift shops east of Glacier Brewhouse, which is located on W 5th Avenue at H Street, and that was the direction that Jill and I headed when we got off the bus a few minutes before eleven.
We spotted this colorful mural of the great outdoors on the side of The Kobuk Coffee Company, and then, a bit further down 5th Avenue, we encountered a few wild animals and discovered where Sasquatch hung out. |
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If you’re on the trail of Sasquatch, go to Moose Creek Trading Post. I’d bet dollars to donuts he’s still there!
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The Glacier Brewhouse, “Alaska’s first choice for wild Alaskan seafood, rotisserie roasted meats, and handcrafted ales,” is an upscale brewhouse that opened its doors in 1996.
All of its beers – food was secondary to me! – are created and brewed onsite. I would have loved to have toured the brewery, which “consistently ranks in the top ten in the United States for brewpub beer production,” but there was not enough time that day to do so. “I guess you’ll have to come back to Anchorage,” Jill said. I guess I will! |
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But I did have time for a beer or two, or…
There were 15 beers on tap. Hmm…which will it be? And then something on the menu caught my eye.
There were 15 beers on tap. Hmm…which will it be? And then something on the menu caught my eye.
ASK FOR A FLIGHT: SAMPLE THEM ALL!
‘All’ was out of the question, so instead I ordered these five: Blond (“crisp and refreshing”), Amber (“malty and balanced”), India Pale Ale (“hoppy aroma and flavor”), Bavarian Hefeweizen (“fruity aromas of bananas and clove”), and Oatmeal Stout (“full bodied with flavors of chocolate”).
I drank my way from left to right – not a ‘bad apple’ in the lot – as I ate my way from appetizers to entrée to desserts.
Carlos ordered several appetizers for our table. I sampled each, but my favorite was ‘Ale Fondue with Pretzels’ – Tillamook white cheddar, Brewhouse IPA fondue sauce, and bakery pretzels. It paired well with the Blond. Or was it the Amber? Either way, that appetizer was dee-lish!!
Carlos ordered several appetizers for our table. I sampled each, but my favorite was ‘Ale Fondue with Pretzels’ – Tillamook white cheddar, Brewhouse IPA fondue sauce, and bakery pretzels. It paired well with the Blond. Or was it the Amber? Either way, that appetizer was dee-lish!!
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“What would you like for lunch?” asked our waiter.
“Seafood fettuccine, please,” I replied. “Good choice,” he said. |
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And it was.
Alaska sockeye salmon, shrimp, Manila clams, and Alaska cod with mushrooms, spinach, red peppers, and garlic cream.
What’s not to like, right?! It, too, was delicious.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Carlos asked as we finished our entrees. Everyone raised their hand.
I did not hear him order, but soon there were five desserts on our table. I tried each one, but my favorite – and so I had more than just a bite – was the “World Famous Bread Pudding.’ Vanilla custard, apples, currants, caramelized pecans, and Yukon Jack sauce.
“Well, dad, which was your favorite beer?”
Fair question, and I gave it a minute of thought before I said, “I enjoyed them all, but I gotta go with the Oatmeal Stout. Not because it went well with the bread pudding – and it did – but I loved the dark color and rich taste of chocolate. That beer was a mouthful!”
We reboarded the bus at one and drove south from downtown Anchorage.
A quarter hour into our ride, Carlos said, “We’re going to stop at Beluga Point, a rocky outpost on Turnagain Arm. This promontory was named for the beluga whales that hunted for salmon in this inlet during the summer months. It’ll be a great photo op for you.”
Jill poked me in the arm, because we stopped at Beluga Point when we visited Alaska last year.
“Remember how beautiful it was,” she said.
I did! And despite the overcast sky, and the on-again/off-again drizzle, Beluga Point and the surrounding mountains was still a sight to behold.
Alaska sockeye salmon, shrimp, Manila clams, and Alaska cod with mushrooms, spinach, red peppers, and garlic cream.
What’s not to like, right?! It, too, was delicious.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Carlos asked as we finished our entrees. Everyone raised their hand.
I did not hear him order, but soon there were five desserts on our table. I tried each one, but my favorite – and so I had more than just a bite – was the “World Famous Bread Pudding.’ Vanilla custard, apples, currants, caramelized pecans, and Yukon Jack sauce.
“Well, dad, which was your favorite beer?”
Fair question, and I gave it a minute of thought before I said, “I enjoyed them all, but I gotta go with the Oatmeal Stout. Not because it went well with the bread pudding – and it did – but I loved the dark color and rich taste of chocolate. That beer was a mouthful!”
We reboarded the bus at one and drove south from downtown Anchorage.
A quarter hour into our ride, Carlos said, “We’re going to stop at Beluga Point, a rocky outpost on Turnagain Arm. This promontory was named for the beluga whales that hunted for salmon in this inlet during the summer months. It’ll be a great photo op for you.”
Jill poked me in the arm, because we stopped at Beluga Point when we visited Alaska last year.
“Remember how beautiful it was,” she said.
I did! And despite the overcast sky, and the on-again/off-again drizzle, Beluga Point and the surrounding mountains was still a sight to behold.
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It was an hour and a half drive from Beluga Point to Cooper Landing, located on the Kenai Peninsula.
“Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula offers adventure opportunities galore, from world-class fishing and river rafting to wildlife viewing and photography.” Jill and I had a peninsular adventure on our trip to Alaska last year – a scenic cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park. We loved it! |
I was glad we had that adventure because this time around, our stay on the Kenai Peninsula was tranquil and serene. Not a complaint, mind you – just a statement of fact.
The first 50 miles of the Seward Highway, which connects Anchorage to Seward, skirts the Chugach Mountain. It was incredibly scenic.
Just south of Jerome Lake, where I took this photo, the Sterling Highway, which leads to Cooper Landing and beyond, split off (west) from the Seward Highway.
Just south of Jerome Lake, where I took this photo, the Sterling Highway, which leads to Cooper Landing and beyond, split off (west) from the Seward Highway.
Twelve miles to go.
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We passed several campgrounds, and then I spotted a body of water. It was Kenai Lake. Within minutes, we reached the lodge at Cooper Landing.
The lodge, which opened in 1990, featured 86 bungalow-style rooms with cathedral ceilings, private porches, and a wood burning stove. The building we stayed in was a quarter mile (my best guess) uphill from the Main Lodge. No matter, though, as the lodge offered a shuttle service for guests who didn’t want to make the walk. (For the record, I walked!) |
Our room was spacious, well-appointed, quiet, and comfortable. As Jill said, "This is the nicest room we've stayed in this week." And it was!
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We had a cocktail reception and dinner in the Main Lodge that night, which was nice…but what was really nice, and a lot of fun, was my ‘hike’ along the Kenai River.
The Kenai Nature Trail, which started at the backside of the Main Lodge, was a one-mile-long trail that “meanders through spruce trees and along a bluff” before it reached the Kenai River. And when it did, it meandered some more, along the edge of the blue-green river.
Later, I learned that glacial silt gave the river its various shades of blue and green.
I lingered in a couple of spots along the river’s edge, once to watch two kayakers who quietly glided across the water, their paddles dipping to the left and then to the right, and another time to listen to the sounds the river made as it raced over rocks and boulders and lapped at the riverbank.
It was a cathartic experience.
And that was our day, from start to finish – from Trapper Creek to Cooper Landing – perhaps the most relaxing day of our trip so far.
And that was our day, from start to finish – from Trapper Creek to Cooper Landing – perhaps the most relaxing day of our trip so far.
I LOVED IT!
Click to read my next story, Of Glaciers, Whittier, and the Majestic Princess.