Mini Vacation to Anchorage

One of the highlights of this winter break was a mini-vacation to Anchorage. Being the largest city in Alaska, we had hoped to find a few things to do. Originally, we had thought we might venture up to Fairbanks in hopes of catching some Aurora Borealis. After a little research and weather report promising temperature of -50, we decided it was a long way to go (8 hours) to freeze and find not much to do. Anchorage was a good alternative.

We left from Karen and Jon Cress’s house where we spent Christmas night after a great meal and our first significant snow storm. They live in the rural Nikiski, which is about 50-60 miles north of Ninilchik. The snow was a blessing in a couple ways. It not only gave us a good reason to spend more time with the Cress clan, but by spending the night, we knocked off 120 miles of time and travel had we gone back to Ninilchik that night. The beauty of the snow was the second blessing. Our three hour drive was brightened by the reflecting sun off the clean white snow. Once we came to mountains at Turnagain, the picture was complete.

It is difficult to describe the Turnagain. Imagine a range of rounded mountains nestled in on two sides of a narrow inlet that stretches for miles and miles. In warmer weather, a variety of wildlife is on hand. On a previous trip, we have seen sea otters, beluga, seals, and a wide assortment of birds. Now, after weeks of cold weather, the waters have been transformed into jagged rivers of floating ice that shifts with the changing of each tide. This miraculous sight is one that creates the legend of Alaska as paradise.

By the time we arrived in Anchorage the sun was beginning to go down. It was about 3:30, so we decided to check into the Sheraton Hotel. If it would have been summer, the rates would have detoured us from even entertaining the idea of staying here.

Thanks to Priceline and winter, we found ourselves in a cozy room at an unbelievably modest price. We hung out there planning our activities for the next couple days before scouting out the town and grabbing something to eat.

We spent the next two days checking out some shops, touring a couple museums, and going to the movie. Like most larger cities, there were plenty of places to eat and lots of stores to spend

money. One of the things we had hoped to see were ice sculptures in Town Square. Unfortunately, we were only a couple half completed pieces that made our desire to brave the fridge cold fade. Perhaps the cold discouraged the sculptors as well.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the trip included a little communication exchange between Rick and an irritable elk buck. On the way home, we stopped at a wildlife conservatory that consisted of a variety of animals that had been rescued and placed in fenced in areas for visitor to experience them close up.

Eager to get some close up shots with his new camera, Rick was determined to get pictures by holding the camera inside the fence. Feeling confident that the animals had adapted to all the human attention, he had no apprehension about getting up there. He had a few close up words with a bison and moose and was certain they actually enjoyed the conversation. The elk was another story.

I could tell that the buck had a bit of an attitude the minute we stopped by the way he started sparring with a pile of branches. While Rick was trudging through knee high snow toward the fence, I watched as the massive elk demonstrated his skill using his three to four foot antlers with precision accuracy. He had his eye on Rick and was sending out a little message himself. How Rick misinterpreted the grunting, foot stamping, and head bobbing as play I don’t know!

Just as I shouted a warning to Rick, (who was busy clicking away), the buck had decided to clarify his intentions. The elk leaped forward lowering his head and those huge antlers to within inches of Rick’s hands. The message was finally received, and Rick began trying to back up. With his feet unable to lift from the deep snow, the buck believing Rick needed some more prompting took a couple more swings at him.

Finally, Rick made his way back to plowed ground where a group of other onlookers were snapping pictures. Within minutes the buck decided he needed to share his attitude with the others as well. Luckily, Rick was able to warn a couple other bold gentlemen photographers just before the buck taught them the lesson himself. The moral of the story: Fence or no fence, wild animals are wild animals.

With the excitement behind us, we continued on to enjoy our drive home. The skies were clear, the snow glistened, and the sun danced on the horizon outlining the mountains as they stood witness to the wonder of creation. Experiences like this are worth all the time and money and are the frosting on the cake of any mini-vacation. Such is another beautiful day in Alaska.