Skagway, Alaska – The big thing in Skagway–besides (but related to) the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Site–is the White Pass & Yukon Route Scenic Train. WPYR is an all-day train ride from Skagway to Dawson, on the historic railroad…
Gold Rush Boom Town
Skagway, Alaska – Skagway has a wild story. When gold was discovered in the Klondike in 1896, tens of thousands of stampeders set out to strike it rich, traveling over land and sea to reach the remote Canadian territory. The…
Exploring by E-Bike
Wrangell, Alaska – Curiously, you can now rent electric bikes all over Southeast Alaska. They seem to be much more widely available than regular non-electric bikes. At first I thought this was an accommodation for lazy cruise ship travelers (I…
Sitka for Kids (Tweens)
Sitka, Alaska – The twins have had their fill of totem poles (since the first totem park back in Ketchikan, realistically). And they used up their patience for history museums pretty quickly as well. So this week when Daddio and…
Kayak Sitka Sound
Sitka, Alaska – We couldn’t leave Alaska without going for a paddle! We saved this adventure for Sitka, as the gorgeous Sitka Sound is strewn with wooded islands and welcoming inlets, all begging for exploration. Sitka Sound Ocean Adventure organized…
1804 Battle of Sitka
Sitka, Alaska – The relationship between the Russians and the Tlingit was complex (which is probably true of all indigenous populations and colonizers). In 1802, the Tlingit drove the Russians away from their original settlement at Old Sitka. But a…
Old Sitka
Sitka, Alaska – Foggy day bike ride out to Old Sitka, the site of the original Russian settlement from 1799. The Russians and the Tlingit actually cooperated for several years, but relations were tense. Finally–in retaliation for a bunch of…
Capital of Russian America
Sitka, Alaska – We made it to our last stop, Sitka, the capital of Russian America. Here, more than anywhere, Alaska’s Russian history and heritage are on display. It makes sense that this is where most of our story in…
Alaska State Museum
Juneau, Alaska – When we weren’t busy climbing mountains, hanging out with humpback whales, and exploring glaciers, Daddio and I have spent our time in Juneau doing research for our forthcoming book, The Last Stand of the Raven Clan. This…
Mendenhall Glacier
What’s in a name? Juneau, Alaska – Apparently, the original Tlingit name for Mendenhall Glacier was Sitaantaagu, or “the glacier behind the town.” My source (Encyclopedia Britannica) says the Tlingit also called it Aak’wataaksit, which means “the glacier behind the…