Anchorage, AK

[palmfish]

Anyone in VR land familiar with Anchorage and the surrounding area?

 

I'm up here working through the end of the month and, being my first time up here, I'm hoping for some advice on things to do, places to go, etc.

 

I'm flying a Cessna instead of a helicopter on this trip, so I won't be landing on any glaciers . But if the weather holds, I plan on using it for some flightseeing.

 

Thanks!

[Chopperjess]

Howdy

 

My fiance actually lived there for 5 years, as well as his family currently lives there. Send me a message and I'm sure he'd be happy to let you know about the going ons around Anchorage. I've been there a couple times, and I absolutely LOVED it.

[NorCalHeliKid]

Anyone in VR land familiar with Anchorage and the surrounding area?

 

I'm up here working through the end of the month and, being my first time up here, I'm hoping for some advice on things to do, places to go, etc.

 

I'm flying a Cessna instead of a helicopter on this trip, so I won't be landing on any glaciers . But if the weather holds, I plan on using it for some flightseeing.

 

Thanks!

 

Ahhh, jealous!

[kodoz]

I'm up here working through the end of the month and, being my first time up here, I'm hoping for some advice on things to do

Thanks!

 

Grab some bear spray and spend an afternoon where you have nothing else to do but sit by a stream packed full of salmon. Sockeye and chum are best, but any will do. Of the fishing trip, backpacking, flight-seeing, and kayaking, that one experience is what i think of again and again.

[arotrhd]

Palm-

 

Yup, fishing should be great. Check out Lake Hood. Take the Glenn Hwy up to the Knik clacier near Palmer, or up futher to Matanuska Glacier and go hiking (~90 miles NE). I think Palmer still has the farmers market on Fridays. Visit Earthquake park. Might be a little late is season, but a trip to Whittier and a 4 hour tour of PWS was pretty good. Take a hike in the Chugach Mtns. Downtown has a fair mall (and even Nordy's). A little bit of a drive, but you can go to Talkeetna and see Denali. You'll figure things out...plenty to do. Oh, and if you want to see a bunch of moose, they'll all be right outside of Ted Stevens Int'l. Take advantage of ChopperJ's offer tho.

 

Of course, you might want to visit a realitor...A LOT of good size properties with grass strips in the Matsu Valley. You'll probably want to go back soon. Flying up the trench to Whitehorse & entering at Northway? Once clear of the hills west of Tok, a sweet flight if the Wx is good.

 

-WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

 

Oh... forgot to mention earlier - gotta go to Peggys, definitely for breakfast (great eggs & moose sausage & pancakes & pies...); it'll be busy & it's on 5th near Merrill Field. And duh, spend some time downtown - like 4th and D. I think that's where the Iditrad "ceremonial" start is (you'll see the bronze statue), while Wasilla is the "official" if I recall correctly. Lotsa bars nearby if yer into that. Not sure if they have their first Starbucks yet.

[palmfish]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I haven't been fishing for a long time, but it does sound nice. I will also check out Peggy's - I think I saw it the other day when I went to the airport (I'll be flying in/out of Merrill).

 

Is there a resource or map for knowing which glaciers are best seen from the air? The weather to the north seems much clearer than the south. Would Knik and Matanuska Glaciers, Talkeetna and Denali be a good flightseeing/day trip?

[heligirl03]

Brian...insanely jealous. I want to move back up that way!! You're getting a gorgeous time of year too!!! And the tourists are gone...so much better

 

Fishing, flightseeing, hiking, you can't go wrong, enjoy!!

[arotrhd]

Palm-

 

Grab a AAA map & talk with the local tour folks/pilots for the best views. Merrill will have more that it's share. The Matanuska river valley is a great flight... you could probably do all 3 (crossing the Brooks range) in a day with good Wx. Matanuska & Knik to the North will almost always be clearer than Anc. Just have alternates unless you have the super cub with 36" tundras. Of course, you could cross over the Chugach and fly over the PWS (& Whittier). Here's a few links for help:

 

http://alaskaairmen.org

Lake hood webcam

 

http://akweathercams.faa.gov/sitelist.php

Birchwood (NE of PANC)

Sheep Mtn (Near Matanuska)

Northway

Palmer

Tahneta Pass (Near Matanuska)

Summit (Denali)

Portage Glacier

Whitter

 

http://www.acsyellowpages.com/webcam.htm

I think Denali is visible right now.

 

Also, if you head South & go to Whittier, Portage Glacier is right before the tunnel. Great place for pix & if you have a kayak, you can get as close to the glacier as you dare. You'll be amazed at the difference in Wx from the Portage side to the Whittier side (1 mountain, ~ 3 miles). Also, I s'pose you could go to Alyeska & board/ski there.

 

Now I'm getting jealous too...

 

-WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[palmfish]

Em - yes, it seems like the perfect time to be up here. The fall colors are out and just spectacular. I can see why you love it up here.

 

arotrhd - Thanks for all the tips and links - I will use them all. I flew up around Talkeetna today and took a detour to Knik on the way back to Merrill. Simply stunning.

 

I've got all the landmarks memorized now and feeling better about the airspace (Restricted area, F-22's (saw two doing a ballet over Elmendorf today!), Int'l Airport approaches/departures, etc.). Now I also know Wasilla, Palmer, Birchwood, Eagle River, Muldoon, Ship Creek, NoName, etc.

 

I had no idea what a great trip this would be.