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The first couple of hours flying took me along the Alaska highway west to the city of Whitehorse. Along the way I stopped in at a couple of small strips. The first was the deserted gravel strip of Pine Lake, where I paused for a while and cooked a late breakfast. The second was Teslin, which I really just visited because it was there!<\/p>\n\n\n
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Morning at Watson Lake<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mud from The Trench<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Following the Alaska Highway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Following the Alaska Highway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Following the Alaska Highway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Brunch at Pine Lake<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nI used Whitehorse as a stop to prepare all the bureaucracy for entering the US, always more tedious than going the other way. The terminal building had Wi-Fi, so I sat there to make my phone calls and submit my notifications. After the required waiting period, I returned to the aircraft and set off south towards Alaska!<\/p>\n\n\n
Final town before Alaska!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Following the railway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Glacial terrain<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Glacial terrain<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Final sights of Canada<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Snow on the mountains in June<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe flight followed a road and railway combination south through a glacial valley. The scenery was, yet again, breathtaking. Despite the rugged terrain the road and other clearings always offered an emergency landing spot should the need arise. As I’d come to find out, the railway is still used to run primarily tourist trains back and forth between Whitehorse and Skagway. As I’d been flying over it, I had assumed it was abandoned.<\/p>\n\n\n
Glacial terrain<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Through the tunnel towards Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The railway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The railway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The railway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Descending to Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nA low overcast cloud layer hung over the route ahead, but there was clear sky below it and I could see all the way through to the water beyond. I descended alongside the railway towards Skagway. The town’s airport runs parallel to the man streets and is just a few minute’s walk from the heart of town, ideal for visiting pilots. As I approached, I could see and hear (on the radio) groups of tourist helicopters buzzing back and forth to take people up to see the glaciers.<\/p>\n\n\n
Cruise ships in Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Final approach to Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Cruise ship behemoths<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Snow-clearing train<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Rail station<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tourist information office<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Main street Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Skagway's best hat<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Trading post<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nTown was absolutely packed, because four cruise ships (carrying approximately 8,000 people) were in port for the day. This, I was told, doubled the town’s population! The town itself was picturesque and very well kept, the hordes of stores clearly catering to the cruise ship traffic. I escaped the hordes for a while by walking around the headland to Smuggler’s cove.<\/p>\n\n\n
Skagway town<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Runway at Skagway<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The helicopter nest<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>After an unexpectedly great Thai dinner I returned to the airport. The gate was locked up so I got around the very high security by walking around the far end of the fence. Skagway’s airport was too busy and developed to make camping a good idea, so I flew a few minutes south to the much less busy airport at Haines and set up for the night. The long days here meant that you could do a huge amount between sunrise and sunset!<\/p>\n\n\n
View from Smuggler's cove<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Overtaking<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Not many landing options<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked at Haines<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Camping at Haines<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
It was a peaceful night in Haines, with no sign of life other than a Cessna 152 that taxied out to go flying early in the morning. After packing up, I flew the roughly 120 miles down to Juneau, and saw my first glacier! I didn’t realise it yet but this was a mere shadow of a thing compared to what I’d see later in Glacier Bay, however. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Down the channel to Juneau<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>My first glacier!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Second glacier<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Third...and so on<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mountains above Juneau<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mountains above Juneau<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nIt was highly exciting to see my first glaciers, and so I lingered for a while, flying up and down them. The tumbling, frozen rivers of ice were fascinating. Over one of the larger glaciers, I looked down on the helicopter base where cruise ship tourists were shuttled up from town like a production line, and taken on a dog sled around in a circle. Helicopters were coming and going non-stop. Having had my fill of glaciers for now, I descended by a different route and flew around towards Juneau.<\/p>\n\n\n
The helicopter base<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Icefall<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Back down to the channel<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Rugged terrain<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Final glacier, for now...<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>On the arrival into Juneau<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nI was given the “Super Bear” arrival into Juneau which sounded quite cool, but in fact just meant I had to fly over the “Super Bear” shopping mall on the way in. Juneau, like many airports in Alaska, had a parallel water runway for seaplanes. Some airports I’d visit later on would have 3 parallel runways; tarmac, grass\/snow, and water! After landing I taxied to the sole FBO, who were very friendly, parked up and took the bus into town.<\/p>\n\n\n
Totem pole<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>State Capitol<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>A bear, my favourite<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The "before I die" board<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>