Alaska's coastline is longer than the entire coastline of the remaining continental USA, it has over 3 million lakes, is twice the size of Texas and therefore the largest state, has only about 5000 miles of roads, features 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the US, and ranks 48th in population based on a 2000 census.
This means, reading between the lines, that there is a lot of untouched wilderness to explore…

With our vehicle packed up beyond the roof we left Los Angeles heading north on pretty much the shortest route through Canada. Then we selected the scenic Top-of-the-World Highway to enter Alaska. This gravel road runs along several ridges and mountains with breathtaking views. The days got longer as we continued north and the interval between sunset and sunrise shrunk to about three hours.
The little border station at Poker Creek is the most northerly land border in the US. Right at this point we met some Austrian tourists in need. They had counted on a gas station marked in their map but found it closed, and their tank light was already on. We gave them the remaining gallon or so from our spare can and followed them to the next gas station fourty miles down the road in case they needed further assistance. They actually made it on their own power and we celebrated over coffee before everybody headed their own way.
Our first stop in Alaska was Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. We followed the dirt road to Nabesna, one of only two roads in this park, and spent the night at a gorgeous campsite next to the water at Twin Lakes. There we had to fight off the infamous Alaskan mosquitoes though they weren't quite as bad as horror stories had described them. The size of this park is hard to fathom but here's a detail to hit the point home: just one of the many glaciers in Wrangell (Malaspina Glacier) is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island!
We pushed on south to Valdez where the Trans-Alaska Pipeline terminates. The town itself has little to offer but the beautiful drive through the mountains and narrow gorges with several waterfalls is spectacular.
From here we continued west to Palmer near Anchorage where we hooked up with some local four-wheelers who had offered to take us on a run. Apparently everybody interested in off-roading is a member of Alaska 4x4 Network which allowed us to get in contact with many enthusiasts who were happy to show us around. We were grateful for the chance to wheel with locals who introduced us to some spectacular, wild territory in the safety of an experienced group. All trails in Alaska are extremely scenic and offer a variety of different terrain. A more detailed trail report will follow in the next issue.

After a 24-hour four-wheeling adventure, we drove south on the Kenai Peninsula to visit with friends in Homer. We used their home as our base camp for a few days and made short excursions in the area. Our friend took us on a boat trip across Kachemak Bay so we could try our luck at dipnet fishing, but it was too early in the season and there weren't any salmon in this river yet. The salmon run is very seasonal and we were told it could start at this river any day.
A floatplane flight to Katmai National Park awarded us with incredible views over Cook Inlet and the surrounding mountains and glaciers. We landed at Brooks Camp on giant Naknek Lake and, after an orientation talk with the ranger, hiked to a waterfall where the salmon run had already begun. This is prime bear country, and several massive brown bears were lining up to catch fish, some standing on top of the falls waiting for salmon to jump into their mouths, some waiting patiently in the pools below to pluck a fish out of the water. It was an impressive sight right out of a TV documentary.
To keep our adventure spirit going we rented a couple of kayaks the following day and paddled down the Kenai River, famous for its scenery and fishing. After crossing Lower Skilak Lake, where firefighter choppers were thundering overhead to battle natural wildfires on the distant shore, we made the best of the current to cruise downstream for 12 miles and spotted many bald eagles and other wildlife. Though this was quite a work-out, it was also a relaxing way to enjoy Alaskan nature.
On a sunny and hot Sunday we met up with some off-roaders from the Kenai Peninsula and they showed us around two local trails. The Ninilchik area has a vast network of trails that interconnect so you can keep four-wheeling for days. From extremely modified mud-bogger to stock Cherokee we had a wide spectrum of vehicles on the run. The trails allowed this spread because by-passes for the difficult spots were available. Loose dirt and occasional mud were the main challenges. Most of us had to use a winch at one point or another but all 8 rigs made it through. At the top of the second trail a few of us pushed further into the wilderness and crossed a field of wet tundra. Beyond was a very muddy path that ran between trees to a water crossing. The Alaskan mud is infamous for its treacherous depths and astounding sucking capability, and when the most capable rig got stuck, we decided to turn around and head back.

On our last day in Homer we were treated to a fantastic flightseeing trip by a bush pilot we had met at a party, and he took us flying over Grewingk Glacier and into some sidearms of Kachemak Bay. What better way to wrap up our stay in this marvelous scenery?

Having left Homer behind, we took a one-day boat tour from Seward to Northwestern Glacier and marveled upon humpback whales, dolphins and all kinds of sea birds. When we reached the end of Northwestern Fjord, we were awe-struck by the ice masses rising up from the ocean. Several glaciers meet the bay here and every so often, a huge chunk of ice will break off: thundering noise followed by falling ice - an incredible spectacle!

We were looking forward to more exploration in the heart and north of Alaska.
Check out our adventures in upcoming issues and read about how we pushed on to the northern-most point.