Whittier, AK
Whittier was our final port of call. Rosanne, Jim, Linda, and Mike transferred from our ship to the Alaskan Railroad to take us to McKinley Princess Lodge in Talkeetna. Surrounded by mountains dripping with glaciers which are beautiful when the sun is shining, they also trap storms over the town and as a result 15 feet of rain and 20 feet of snow a year is average. Most of town’s 250 residents live in one 14-story structure, which certainly cuts down on snow-shoveling time. In the past, the only way to get to Whittier was by riding through the mountain by train. Now the railway tunnel is paved creating North America’s longest highway tunnel. But it is also among the most inconvenient to use in North America. It has only one lane, and that lane must be shared by traffic and trains in both directions. A wait is almost assured.
Linda & Frank transferred from our ship to take a bus to the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Talkeetna
The town of Talkeetna is located approximately 115 road miles north of Anchorage, about 14 miles off the Parks Highway at the end of the Talkeetna Spur Road. This small distinctive community of less then 500 is often said to be the inspiration behind the television series “Northern Exposure”. The town is also the main staging area for climbers waiting to start their Mt. Denali ascents, and the Talkeetna area is probably the best location on the highway or rail system to view “the Mountain”.
Copper River
The Copper River is a 290-mile river in south-central Alaska in the United States. It drains a large region of the Wrangell Mountains and Chugach Mountains into the Gulf of Alaska. It is known for its prolific runs of wild salmon, which are among the most highly prized stocks in the world. The Copper River rises out of the Copper Glacier, which lies on the northeast side of Mount Wrangell within Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park.
Maclaren River Lodge
Maclaren River Lodge is situated between the Parks and the Richardson Highways near the base of the Maclaren Glacier. Once the original travel route into what is now called Denali Park, the Denali Highway is often overlooked by today’s travelers. This is high alpine country, the Denali Highway is the states second highest highway pass.
Whittier / Talkeetna / Copper River
Begich Towers 
Copper River 
Mount Drum is located in the far west side of the Wrangell Mountains 
Maclaren Glacier 
What we came to see 
What we saw 
Whittier / Talkeetna / Copper River
Begich Towers
Copper River
Mount Drum is located in the far west side of the Wrangell Mountains
Maclaren Glacier
What we came to see
What we saw
