Existing Travelling Experiences: Besides traveling and discovering Florida, California, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky and Historical Virginia' I had exciting experiences visiting Toronto, Niagara Falls on Canada side, Las Vegas, Alaska – Seattle, Skagway, Ketchikam, Juneau, Victoria in Canada.
High-lights of the Cruise were the falling of the Glaciers which we witness on 17th July 2013. Before narrating my experiences of the trip, I want to show you the wonder of nature, the highlight of the trip. We witnessed the panorama of the surrounding mountains, with its emerald spruce trees and dramatic white peaks towering above. Amid a forest of trees and a pristine mountain expanse we saw a steep waterway – known as Endicott Arm. The scene of Calving glacier and shooting glacier which we saw in movies or in pictures was in front of us, when we reached Dawes glacier. The arm pieces 30 miles into Coast Mountain Range offered spectacular sights. Floating with us in Endicott Arm were pieces of ice that have “calved” (split) from the glaciers that line the waterway. Some of those chunks of ice were as long as a city block and some were as small as an ice cube. Juneau: The only U.S Capital which is accessible by boat or plane only. The forests and hills are un-penetrable and no roads can be built easily to enter the capital of Alaska. Juneau’s top natural attraction, the Mendenhall Glacier in Tongass National Forest, you can mush along the ice and snowy terrain on the thrilling dog-sled ride. Mendenhall Glacier- nicknamed ‘the drive-up glacier’ is conveniently located in the Mendenhall Valley, the glacier is fed from an ice field high above Juneau. Mendenhall Glacier has been able to survive much longer than other glacier in North America, due to the geography and unique climate of the area. Mendenhall Glacier, which is 12 miles long half-mile wide and from 300 to 1,800 feet deep. Stretching from the Juneau ice-field to Mendenhall Lake, it has been slowly retreated since the mid -1700s. Alaska’s most renowned fish is the salmon. They are famous, for its mighty upstream struggle, to spawn. Besides glimpsing the fish in its natural habitat in the wild, the visitors can learn about them hatcheries that include educational displays and exhibits. Macaulay Salmon Hatchery: Spawning salmon swim up a 450 foot ladder from mid-June to October. The Aquarium: Inside showcases shows local marine life in their natural, saltwater environments. Treadmill Mines & Ancient Forgery park and exposure of metals
Skagway Trip: The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway is recognized as International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Before the Klondike gold rush, only one family lived there, and there was only a crude trail over the White Pass. Native Tlingit people lived in the next valley at Dyea, where the traditional trade route over Chilkoot Pass led from the coast to the interior of Canada. Skagway- the Garden City of Alaska, is located at the northern tip of Alaska’s inside Passage- 900miles northeast of Juneau and 110 miles south of Whitehorse, Yukon. On 16th July 2013, we went to explore and enjoy the unique experience of the historic ride on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad. As it climbs to 3,000ft, one catches amazing views through the large picture windows of Snowy peaks, rivers and lakes as we ride thorough the snake like tracks. The wild spring flowers and the dense pine trees create a beauty of their own. We took the WP&YR train from Skagway downtown. As we rode the WP&YR train along the old rail trail over White Pass, we pass the Gold Rush Cemetery, we saw a tall granite shaft over Reid’s resting place inscribed: “He gave his life for the honor of Skagway”. Smith’s grave is just outside the cemetery boundary. WP&YR Train Station Rotary Snowplow No1 has been restored and is on display by Skagway Depot.
Mendenhall Glacial & Nugget Fall at Juneau Alaska -
The only Capital of US which can be approached by Boat or air.
White Pass & Yukon Route at Skagway- Garden City of Alaska.
Shooting glacial - Dawes Glacier.