Author Topic: Alaska Master Thread  (Read 189424 times)

Offline Dani

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #400 on: July 19, 2015, 02:44:43 PM »
We flew Delta NYC-MSP-ANC using Skymiles.
how many? what class?

Offline Traveler718

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #401 on: July 19, 2015, 02:50:28 PM »
4 seats (2 adults, 2 kids), coach, forgot how many miles per ticket it was, but we booked somewhat last minute and it was by far the best rate. If you're planning for 2015 you're very late, if for 2016 you should be able to get a good rate.

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #402 on: November 03, 2015, 09:00:51 AM »
Random cool fact I recently learned:

Not only does Alaska have the northernmost and westernmost spots in the US, but it actually has the easternmost spot as well! The Aleutian island of Semisopochnoi is around 10 miles past the 180th meridian, making it east of the rest of the US.

(If your dividing line is the International Date Line, then this doesn't hold true, but only because the Line was arbitrarily deviated to accommodate precisely this island...)
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Offline blue eyes

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #403 on: June 30, 2016, 03:18:24 PM »
I know this thread hasnt been posted in forever, but is denali an ideal place to spend shabbos? has anyone done that?

Offline LookBeforeYouLive

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #404 on: June 30, 2016, 03:21:37 PM »
Are you tenting, RVing, or looking for a hotel?

I know this thread hasnt been posted in forever, but is denali an ideal place to spend shabbos? has anyone done that?

Offline blue eyes

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #405 on: July 14, 2016, 12:37:27 AM »
Are you tenting, RVing, or looking for a hotel?
Looking for hotel

Offline blue eyes

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #406 on: July 24, 2016, 08:04:29 PM »
Has anyone tried the ranger led tour at exit glacier?

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #407 on: July 24, 2016, 08:10:14 PM »
Has anyone tried the ranger led tour at exit glacier?

That was my plan before I discovered Matanuska. It seemed quite nice.

If you have the time though, I would definitely recommend Matanuska over Exit.
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Online nafnaf12

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #408 on: August 22, 2016, 09:14:59 PM »
so here's my itinerary so far for this upcoming week
Arriving Tuesday night in Anchorage
Wednesday go to do some ice trekking in Matanuska
Paging SF anything else we should do there?
Thursday taking a 26 glacier cruise( booked not refundable)
Need some advice for Friday shabbos gets it at about 8-9 was thinking to take the train up to girdwood and maybe to whitewater rafting or rappelling. And other idea for friday?
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline blue eyes

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #409 on: September 04, 2016, 11:26:36 PM »
That was my plan before I discovered Matanuska. It seemed quite nice.

If you have the time though, I would definitely recommend Matanuska over Exit.

I did both exit and MAtanuska and it's no comparison At all!!!!!!!!!
MAtanuska is 100000000 times nicer (especially if you take the mica guides trekking your)

Offline blue eyes

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #410 on: September 04, 2016, 11:36:22 PM »
so here's my itinerary so far for this upcoming week
Arriving Tuesday night in Anchorage
Wednesday go to do some ice trekking in Matanuska
Paging SF anything else we should do there?
Thursday taking a 26 glacier cruise( booked not refundable)
Need some advice for Friday shabbos gets it at about 8-9 was thinking to take the train up to girdwood and maybe to whitewater rafting or rappelling. And other idea for friday?

Not sure if it's still applicable but here is my suggestion assuming you are staying in anchorage
Hike or take the tram up to Alyska mountains in gird wood.
They have a gold mining tour for like $20 or something. I didn't do it but heard it's really cool.
On your way back you can stop on the Seward highway along the way. Like at the potters marsh - the bird point- mchugh creek etc
Also closer to anchorage you can hike the flat top peak. It's really cool even if you don't make it to the top ( which gets steep cliffy and extremely windy)
knicaid beach is cool and on sunny days you can see McKinley from genre
You can always do the zoo is supposed to be really good



Online nafnaf12

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #411 on: September 04, 2016, 11:55:22 PM »
Not sure if it's still applicable but here is my suggestion assuming you are staying in anchorage
Hike or take the tram up to Alyska mountains in gird wood.
They have a gold mining tour for like $20 or something. I didn't do it but heard it's really cool.
On your way back you can stop on the Seward highway along the way. Like at the potters marsh - the bird point- mchugh creek etc
Also closer to anchorage you can hike the flat top peak. It's really cool even if you don't make it to the top ( which gets steep cliffy and extremely windy)
knicaid beach is cool and on sunny days you can see McKinley from genre
You can always do the zoo is supposed to be really good
too late but thanks!
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=65249.msg1547822#msg1547822
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #412 on: March 28, 2017, 10:20:05 PM »
Has anyone been up to Barrow? Is there anything to see this time of year? Can I find polar bears? I have seen some reviews on tripadvisor recommending taking a taxi around over one of the tour companies. Anyone have experience?
« Last Edit: March 28, 2017, 10:31:52 PM by Thingywingy »
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Online Something Fishy

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #413 on: March 29, 2017, 12:01:14 AM »
Has anyone been up to Barrow? Is there anything to see this time of year? Can I find polar bears? I have seen some reviews on tripadvisor recommending taking a taxi around over one of the tour companies. Anyone have experience?

Everything I've researched (a number of years ago, to be fair) indicated that there's nothing really to do there, other than the slight novelty of the place.

Don't count on Polar bears, and there isn't any access to the Arctic Ocean either.
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Offline mendy613

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #414 on: April 27, 2017, 10:50:07 PM »
Does it make sense to to Alaska during the 9 days?
We do a trip evrey summer (trying to visit all 50 states)..

We have two children, Ages 2 and <1

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #415 on: April 27, 2017, 10:54:56 PM »
Does it make sense to to Alaska during the 9 days?
We do a trip evrey summer (trying to visit all 50 states)..

We have two children, Ages 2 and <1

As much sense as any other trip would make during the 9 days. Nothing particularly different with Alaska.
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Offline mendy613

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #416 on: April 27, 2017, 10:56:58 PM »
We go for the whole summer so we have to be somewhere then.
I am just starting to look into details, but i had the impression most activity's there are boating, extreme sports etc..

Offline mendy613

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #417 on: May 01, 2017, 11:58:02 PM »
I know this is from 2013, but what a great TR,

This last line stands out!


Some Motzai Shabbos reading:

Part one


P.S. A word about the state:

Alaska is not 'like the rest of the U.S. just with mountains'. It is very different, exotic even. Everything is different; the trees, the plants, even the weeds. Certainly the scenery everywhere is breathtaking. The Kenai peninsula, (where Seward is), is an actual rain-forest.

Along with glaciers and waterfalls everywhere and the fact that barely anyone lives there (the population of Alaska, an area twice the size of Texas is less than 3% of the NY metro area) the sense I got was that I was truly in another world, the last great wilderness.

Thus, I think it is a mistake to leave the U.S. looking for exotic locations internationally when you have a wonderland like this in your own backyard. Well - maybe your backyard's backyard.

Offline Lamppost

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #418 on: May 08, 2017, 08:38:04 AM »
Hey, Something Fishy, this is for you;
I have a Marriott 7 night cat 1-5 voucher. I was trying to figure out where to use it, id like to go somwhere in the USA thats got great natural beauty (we are a parks family, we enjoy hiking, etc...) that I havent yet been to. Problem is that after having been to 47/50 states there isnt much left to see. Also I need the parks or whatever to be reasonably close to the hotel if i am staying in one place the entire time. I thought maybe Id go to Banff but the closest hotel is in calgary which is 90 min away and the DDF seems to think that going back and forth is nuts.

So I was looking for some other inspiration and I thought that maybe Alaska might work... (its one of the 3 states not yet visited; OK,AR and the grand prize AK). My question is if you think its crazy to try to stay in Anchorage and drive around the local area (say within 2 hours)? We have a 2 year old and an 8 month old. They travel well. But i dont want to overdo things.
Also thought maybe skip Marriott and do an RV after reading your TR. Is that something tht could work with 2 Adults and 2 kids? Can a pack and play or crib (2 i guess) open up in there? Also would the crazy late sunset wreck havoc on bedtime schedules for them? Are attraction  really not nogea (Glaciers look really awesome but will it work with 2 little kids, say in a carrier)?
I'd love to hear your feedback, let me know if I have a chance of pulling this off or if i should just give it up.
Thanks!

Offline mendy613

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Re: Alaska Master Thread
« Reply #419 on: July 25, 2017, 01:43:46 AM »
Hi all,
We are staying in Wasilla now and I am not sure if we should drive tomorrow to "glacier view" or to "Talkeetna".
 They are both an hour and a half from where we are now.
 We will be in Anchorage for the full week after, so we have to pick just one of these. It's the nine days so no boat rides etc. also we cant hike.

Thanks!