Adventure to Alaska: the Inside Passage

The Malaspina cabin was hot and stagnant this July, but comfortable with two sets of bunk beds, a closet and a bathroom.  Thankfully, we were able to procure a fan for our second night of sleep. Our port-side window, though it let in a significant amount of heat, was our portal to the vast, hazy horizon.  We explored all parts of the boat but couldn't resist the constant urge to return to the deck with binoculars...what's out there? what animals runs free in the trees? what life resides under the green blue waters?  How big are those glaciers and snow fields in the far-off mountains?

Port side deck view along a typical narrow passage.

We slept through our port in Ketchikan which was in the (somewhat) dark, early hours of the morning. Too bad on all accounts. I had a long list of places to visit in Ketchikan but not much is open at 2 AM. We considered staying for a night in order to be at port, with wifi, during the Women's World Cup soccer championship game but this change was too was costly, with too much delay in waiting for the next ferry and it didn't really help us with the soccer. So we missed Ketchikan.

Other daytime ports were 20 minute stops. In Wrangell, Kenedy and I made a mad dash for provisions at the general store while Tucker and Kris pursued the local coffee/cafe for baked goods and drinks. 

Wrangell

The weather was nearly perfect for a boat ride: warm and dry. Overall, the summer weather was unique for Canada and Alaska (and Colorado where we had record breaking snowfall and summer was delayed by about two months).  While parts of British Columbia were flooding, Alaska was burning. And it showed in the smoky, dim sunset-like haze that affected the skies throughout the inside passage.

Next port: Petersburg

Life on the boat was a balance of stillness and excitement.  We were warned in advance that there would be no connectivity on the boat (something I relished and the kids loathed). So, we were prepared for boredom with books and movies, games and journals, cameras, binoculars and treats (beer only in the cabin). Tucker watched multiple movies (the Ferry has a theater room!) and the time went fast with ports, changing sights and wildlife sightings.

We almost missed our Ferry while waiting for coffee and talking to a fellow Coloradoan in Petersburg.  He was on the ferry with his dog (pets are allowed on the car deck), moving to Alaska to meet his wife who is a traveling nurse.

The ferry at port in Petersburg.

Many passengers camp on the deck or in various other spots for overnight passages. Some only get on the ferry for one port. We met two couples from New Zealand who purchased RVs and were two years into summer RVing around North America.  They were having the time of their lives hopping on and off the ferry every few days and camping at each port; a very full inside passage experience compared to our quick three-day pass-through.

Kids sports teams also ride the ferry.  A girls baseball team took over the lounge-that-no-longer-serves-alcohol (or anything else) for their sleepover-boat-trip to games. They were the first of several teams that joined us on the ferry.

Outside of Petersburg we navigated a ridiculously narrow passage. At least a hundred bald eagles and brownish, fuzzy eaglets were there to distract us as they criss-crossed the channel from tree to tree. We held our breath while the captain gracefully, skillfully steered the boat between and around buoys, islands and sand bars.

ridiculously narrow

Our last port on the first day was at Kake where we watched transparent yellow jellyfish and lazy sea otters floating in the water while we waited for the ferry to unload, load up and leave.

Kake

Here we learned the importance of timing for navigation of big boats through high and low tides in the narrow, shallow passages within the islands.  The town of Kake was without power so the ferry ramp would not lower and neither cars nor people could depart or load.  We waited as long as possible but the town was never powered and eventually the ferry left to meet the tide.

Cabin Bunk on the Malaspina

We reserved a spot for a 30 foot car + trailer and a four person berth with full facilities and a window.  Our car + trailer length was actually 28 feet but we did not know that when we made the reservations because...we did not yet own a trailer, much less know the length! Yes, that's how we roll.

Our path through the inside passage: Prince Rupert to Juneau, Juneau to Gustavus, back to Juneau and then to Haines. Total price = $3,500. We were able to change the days of our Gustavus leg very easily for a $20 fee.

The Malaspina cafeteria serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.  There is also a gift shop with treats and...gifts, I think? We did bring our own breakfast (oatmeal) and coffee (aeropress) and sandwiches for lunch but splurged on dinner; anticipating fresh, delicious seafood. Kris also splurged on breakfast. Cheater!

How's your oatmeal? Not so good? I'm Sorry. These pancakes are amazing.

Our port at Sitka was in the wee hours of the morning, again. Like Ketchikan. Tides do not cater to tourism but this is a good reason to do it again! The weather for our third and final day on the boat was more subdued than the previous two with low clouds obscuring the islands surrounding Sitka.

What obstacles lay in wait beneath that dark water?

So whales. Did we see them? You bet! Many, many humpback whales spouting and breaching along the shores of the passage.  We also saw sea lions, seals, otters, jellyfish, porpoises, eagles and all sorts of ducks and water birds.  The three day, two night ferry ride from Prince Rupert to Juneau was glorious, beautiful, quiet, amazing, unique and educational. This adventure can't get that much better, can it?

Only in Glacier Bay...

Margerie Glacier on the Glacier Bay Cruise

Adventure to Alaska: Terrace to the Alaska State Ferry

The Skeena River is one of the longest undammed rivers in the world and, approaching Prince Rupert, is so massive that we thought we had reached the ocean far before we actually did. 

The Skeena River approaching Prince Rupert

Check the map. The Yellowhead Highway skirts the Skeena almost the entire 144 km between Terrace and Prince Rupert. Snow-capped peaks rise up from the river valley on all sides with waterfalls dropping from top to bottom at every turn.  It is a sublime drive. 

The Skeena River looking upstream towards Terrace.

At a reststop, anxious to get out of the car and closer to the wide, wide river, we met the first of many interesting others. We still call them gray van because they were on a similar adventure, going sort of the opposite direction but in a gray Sprinter with the license plate "Gray Van." Ha!

Turns out gray van was on its way to catch the same ferry to Juneau and we would catch them on the boat for many future conversations.  We still call out "gray van" when we see a gray Sprinter van. 

We arrived well in advance of our 6:45 PM departure from Prince Rupert and spent an hour exploring Cow Bay, stocking up on snacks and drinks.

Cow Bay

On the ferry you are allowed to access your car twice a day and at ports-a bit of a shift for those of us who have been living out of our car for a month.  We opened up the trailer and the car and spilled all of our stuff out onto the sidewalk in a great big yardsale mess. I'm not sure we accomplished any semblance of organization or preparedness, but we tried.

At the Ferry Terminal we waited in one line, passed customs and then waited in another line.  And waited, and waited, and waited...

Waiting in Lane 5 to go through customs.

Alaska Ferry crews deserve a whole lot of deference...and time. They puzzle together trailers, boats, huge RVs and all different shapes and sizes of cars and trucks, plus walk-ups, to fit on the boat while still making all of those variations of vehicles accessible to drive off along the way at six different ports. 

With so much anticipation for our first ferry ride, and Alaska so close, we were impatient, though. It was SO HOT waiting in the car with not much to do.  The kids went out and kicked the soccer ball around, which sparked up a conversation with fellow soccer fanatics from Uruguay.  These Uruguayans were skipping their traditional trip to watch world cup soccer (women this year) in order to do the Inside Passage and tour Alaska. Big deal!

Growing list of interesting others: gray van, soccer Uruguayans. 

And finally were on the boat, throwing stuff from the car into our cabin, anxious to explore the boat, and watch the dock float away.

Tribe J-B leaving Prince Rupert

Dark didn't come...at all. Not that we could go to bed anyway.  We stayed up late watching this whole new experience begin.

A pod of dall's porpoises escorted us out into the passage. We were on a ferry...for three days...headed to Alaska!  Adventure to Alaska phase two starts NOW! 

Adventure to Alaska: Smithers to Terrace

A cedar-filled rest area along the Yellowhead Highway

Lonely Planet calls the drive from Smithers to Prince Rupert "four-star scenic driving." We wholeheartedly agree! Exit Smithers and look back on the silent glacier that hides behind Hudson Bay Mountain, wind along the massive Skeena River, pass endless forests of aspen and pine as you skirt sheer mountain-sides that open into 360 degree vistas. We passed the Stewart-Cassiar highway thoughtfully...what lies past that right hand turn?

Seven Sisters

Skeena River

Lonely Planet also throws a bit of shade on "Tatty Terrace" and here we disagree! Terrace was full of fellow adventurers, has a downtown walking mall with art and coffee which is also right down the street from a just fine laundromat. Oh yes, we washed our clothes and the car and ourselves in Terrace.

Terrace is at the confluence of the Skeena and Kitsumkalum Rivers and locals were taking advantage of the sunny day, beaches and plentiful water.

J-B Status Check

Happy Independence Day, America! So far the J-Bs have been living with each other, out of the car and a tiny trailer, for a month; with one bag of clothing each! I am so sick of my three t-shirts. Good news, though, the treehouse cabins in Terrace are luxurious. Everyone has their own bed and there is a huge field for playing.

Hidden Acres Farm and Treehouse Resort

After an afternoon spent with a couch and running water, we all agree (Tucker somewhat reluctantly) to press on. But not without a little venting about:

• being away from home,
• needing alone time,
• motivating to work,
• the long cold walk to the bathroom,
• missing friends,
• being bored during long drives,
• staying organized,
• the full spectrum of laundry, wifi and the never-ending need for ice and fuel.

Onward, J-Bs. Today is Kris's last day of work for two weeks and tomorrow...the ocean!

Adventure to Alaska: Prince George to Smithers

Honk for Team USA and Happy Canada Day!

Happy Birthday, Canada! As of July 1, 2019, the J-Bs have camped 19 of 30 days on the road including Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, Banff and Jasper. Our sense of adventure is waning ...or soggy and growing mold from damp, cold camping through the month of June. We yearn for sunshine and dry as we depart the Canadian Rockies and, fortunately, Prince George and Terrace have the answer. (Smithers, on the other hand, was a hot, I mean wet, and sloppy, albeit beautiful and yummy, mess.)

Reservations at Woodhouse Cottages and Ranch were made long before launch in anticipation of a July 5th ferry departure from Prince Rupert. At first glance, Prince George didn't seem to merit a stop but after a three day stay we found everything we needed, and we needed a lot: Costco, a new bike rack, bike maintenance, a soft bed with solid walls and a roof. Added bonus, Prince George is home to the best bookstore we encountered along all 8,000 miles of our adventure to Alaska.

Books & Company in Prince George: the best bookstore of the trip!

Woodhouse Cottages and Ranch was a surprising and wonderful treat- welcoming, quiet, artistic and unique- complete with horses, a puppy, a pool and a TV (to watch the U.S. women's soccer team in the World Cup).

Nora the St. Bernard puppy

Chatting with the locals

The drive from Prince George to Smithers was...interesting. Woodhouse is past Prince George heading West on the Yellowhead Highway and we neglected to address the gas-guzzling requirements of our bursting-at-the-seams, trailer-pulling XC60 in Prince George. By the time we realized we were low, it was too late to turn back. There must be a gas station within a few miles, right? Ha! Carefully we eyed our fuel economy as we pulled our tiny trailer over the rolling hills of the Yellowhead Highway, holding up the local traffic, semi trucks and fellow travelers alike. With white knuckles, we pulled into the Vanderhoof Chevron and breathed a sigh of relief.

At this point, Kris needed to get on a work call so we found a park; wanting so badly to stretch legs with a ball or on a playground. No such luck. The grass was a soggy mess and it was raining yet again so...laundry instead?! Nope: $5CAD for a dry and $10CAD for a wash. Frankly at this point laundromat standards had been set by SnowDome in Jasper and we weren't yet willing to compromise.

SnowDome, the champion of all laundromats, smells like coffee and muffins.  If a photograph could smell, you would see.

We gave up hopes of productivity and sought dry shelter at Cozy Corner Pizzeria: blissful, hot, cheesy deliciousness. Kris was lucky (though not happy) that we were able to hold back and save him one small piece.

Of course we stopped to see the world's largest fly-fishing rod on our way to Smithers.

Houston, BC

And way back in Sparwood we also visited what was once the world's largest truck.

Near Fernie, BC

Smithers sits in the shadow of Hudson Bay Mountain and its watchful glacier. As we approached, Smithers seemed to have a weather pattern of its own and, for us, it didn't look good. We sloshed around the municipal campsite, setting up the tent in our own little pond and thankful the kids would sleep dry in the trailer. I love my rain boots!

Our own private mud puddle...I mean campsite.

We took off for town, seeking and finding, at the Trackside Cantina, that warm, content, happy feeling that comes from mexican food and margaritas. The next morning, after a night in our soggy camp, we felt deserving of an artful cup of 'jo and a breakfast sandwich at Bugwood Coffee which is an outdoor coffee shop (yes, they are also open for business in the very cold ski season)...

A groggy breakfast and coffee in downtown Smithers.

...and have outdoor bathrooms, too. Well done, Portland Loo.

Note: kids are not allowed in breweries and bars in Canada. This was a big problem for us back in Waterton where we were seeking someplace, anyplace, to watch the U.S. women's soccer team play Sweden. Here in Colorado breweries welcome families, which probably seems odd for Canadians, but breweries are some of our favorite places to hang out, play games, relax, eat food, drink beer and watch sports as a family.

Remembering the rain in warm, dry Glacier Bay National Park.

So we collected a four pack from Bulkley Valley Brewery, and did not stay, but saved our Hazy Dayz IPA for the true haze in Alaska (where 2.5 million acres burned during the summer of 2019).

And the curvy, vista-filled, riverside drive to Terrace ensued...

Adventure to Alaska: Camping and Connectivity (as of 2019)

Good morning from Waterfowl Lakes Campground in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada!  During this rainy morning Kenedy is giving up on the Sunday New York Times crossword and Tucker is reading Spy School.

It’s like this nearly three weeks into our eight week trip: long, mostly rainy days which make the nights humid and cold, frozen socks, going to bed late, and waking up late. We've had a few spectacular days including an epic eight mile paddle on Lake MacDonald, a waterfall-filled hike to Avalanche Lake, good eats and brews in Columbia Falls and Fernie, and hot, hot, hot springs. Kenedy’s hair has shrunk (and turned into dreadlocks) and Tucker needs a haircut. Connectivity is a constant and interesting challenge (see below for details). So many interesting places!!

Waterfowl Lakes Campground:

Great for floating and paddling but we did not find hot water and the closest bathroom did not have sinks for washing hands.  Tucker could not find sticks which is pretty critical. Also, an old shelter in the campground has turned into a roost for bats. 

Campsite at Waterfowl Lakes

Our thoughts on working while camping and traveling:

• Our cell phone booster is powered by the trailer battery, with easy setup. The booster helps with download speed (but not upload so far) where signal is week but still existent.
• T-Mobile doesn't work much in U.S. National Parks but is far better than Verizon in the Canadian Rockies.
• Our Verizon jetpack from 2018 will work in an emergency and gives us access to Verizon but is still not great in and near most National Parks.
• The Goal Zero lithium ion battery keeps Kris’s laptop crunching away all day long. The 25 amp circuit on the trailer AGM battery does not support laptop charging or coffee grinding. We tried (and blew multiple fuses)!

Goal Zero (charging the computer) and Zamp (charging the trailer battery)

Campsites, towns and connectivity so far:

• Pinedale, WY: beautiful library inside and out with blazing wifi and plugs. Verizon was weak, T-Mobile nonexistent.
• Teton Colter Bay: no T-Mobile, some parts one bar Verizon LTE. Laundromat has wifi but it was sometimes slow due to heavy use. Head to Moran Junction for two bars Verizon LTE and Jackson Library for blazing wifi and plugs!

Escaping the downpour at Jackson Hole Roasters

• Yellowstone: good luck! Verizon had a decent signal at the Old Faithful gas station but not much anywhere else (that we could find). Head to the border town of West Yellowstone for full LTE coverage both on Verizon and T-Mobile. Mountain Mama’s has yummy baked goods…huckleberry pie!
• Philipsburg, MT: we thoroughly enjoyed our cabin, late night pizza and breakfast at the Boulder Creek Lodge in Hall, Montana. The kids had a blast panning for gems at Montana Gems. T-Mobile was fine in Philipsburg but spotty for the 17 miles between Philipsburg and Interstate 90.
• Glacier Fish Creek: no T-Mobile, not much Verizon, even with the booster. Head to Columbia Falls for full Verizon and T-Mobile coverage. We loved, loved, loved, can’t say enough good things about Odd Fellows Coffee House—good coffee, comfy environment, yummy scones and waffles. Also, our car looked amazing after a visit to Glacier Clean car wash (vacuum and wash). I miss Glacier Clean every time we clean out the car now. I am ruined!
• Glacier St. Mary’s: blazing Verizon AT THE CAMPSITE! Zero T-Mobile. It is SO windy, cold here in June but there are plentiful bathrooms with many beautiful, private and flat campsites that are walkable to the lake and Visitor's Center.

Kris's office at St Mary's 

• Waterton Townsite: no coverage at all on T-Mobile OR Verizon. That’s OK, though, we just stopped through to watch the U.S. women’s soccer team.
• Fernie, BC: full, blazing T-Mobile. We stopped for the BEST yummy margaritas and food (especially the street corn) at Nevados. Fernie also has great coffee and snacks at Freshies which also has a great vibe. AND, the one thing that sets some towns apart from others…Polar Peek Books. Fernie is the whole package in our opinion--we'd move here if Canada would let us. Stop here en route to Banff.
• Kootenay Redstreak: two bars T-Mobile LTE at the campsite. We did not check Verizon because we didn't need to! Invermere is right down the street with Kicking Horse Cafe for snacks. We’ve now visited Miette Hot Springs (to escape mosquitoes), Banff Upper Hot Springs (very crowded, expensive and small) and Radium Hot Springs (practically perfect in every way). Radium has a huge hot pool AND a cool pool with a diving board. Stay at Redstreak campground and stop at Radium Hot Springs for a dip.
• Banff Waterfowl Lakes: this is true remote, primitive camping. Go here if you want to get away. If the weather is nice, paddle, paddle, paddle!!

Vermilion Crossing, Kootenay, BC 

Have Dog Will Travel

Paddleboarding Tavernier Creek in the Keys

2019 was a year to remember. We started the year in Little Havana, the Keys, then the Everglades.  We added a solar energy system and home battery to our house (right before the snow cyclone...woot!).

February Tesla Solar System and Home Battery Installation

We spent spring break in England and Ireland, bought a tiny trailer, rented out our house, and launched for sixty glorious days traversing North America from Colorado to British Columbia, West to Alaska via the Inside Passage and back down the Alaska Highway.

All the London Sites (during Brexit)

Galway, Ireland

Taxa Tigermoth in action at Colter Bay (Teton)

Pumping up the SUP at Northern Rockies Lodge (Muncho Lake, BC)

When we finally landed back at our comfy house in August after the best sleep of our lives, we sat down at our indoor table with a glorious pot of coffee and thought, among other things, "It's been an amazing eight months. We checked off many life goals but something's still missing. Let's get a dog!"  And, so we did.  We rescued a tiny puppy-mut from Arkansas.  We named her Juneau after our great summer adventure and promptly fell madly in love.

Life without a dog is so much easier: you can stay out as long as you want, stop at any hotel, pitch a tent at any campground, sleep late and, well, we won't start with the hair.  But, we've quickly discovered that, despite a little compromising, having a dog doesn't keep life at bay...it makes life so much better!  Welcome to the adventure, Juneau.