Trn Ft0209 Alaska
1
FANTRIP Seward Anchorage Fairbanks Denali Park N © 2009 Kalmbach Publishing Co., TRAINS: Rick Johnson 0 50 miles Scale Map area ALASKA What are tourists to do once their cruise ship arrives in Alaska? Take a rail trip, of course, right through the state’s in- terior. e Alaska Railroad Web site, www. akrr.com, provides detailed information, including options to book trips, hotels, and tours either online or by phone. It wasn’t easy to choose, but my husband and I set- tled on a three-day, 470-mile trip north from the coast to inland Fairbanks. A cab whisked us the half-mile from the ship to the Seward rail station, where we boarded the Coastal Classic bound for An- chorage. Since this first leg of the trip was the shortest (four hours), we declined the option to upgrade our seats, and coach did not disappoint. It was heavenly to melt into roomy, reclining seats, stretch our legs, and gape out the window while gliding by gla- cier-fed lakes and streams, sitka spruce, co- nifers, and birch trees flanking the train. For the next two days, we splurged on upper seats in a GoldStar dome car. e en- compassing windows gave us a whole new appreciation for the view, especially as the train wound through the former construc- tion camp at Moose Pass, then ascended 1,063 feet to the Kenai Mountains’ Grand- view Summit. ough the Loop District was breathtaking, at Broad Pass we reached the highest elevation on the route: 2,363 feet. ere’s nothing like a sumptuous view to enhance one’s dining experience. e menu featured tempting, hearty meals made with local fare: Alaskan snow crab and salmon, even duckling glazed with Alaska birch orange syrup. ere was a stew that smelled delightful, but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to order it. Let me put it this way: We didn’t want Santa’s sleigh team to be one short next year. Ready, aim, shoot! As our train followed serpentine rivers through rugged bear country, passengers spotted Dall sheep, soaring eagles, and four pairs of trumpeter swans. A waiter/bar- tender kept our cups full while a local high- school student served as our guide, narrat- ing the story of the land outside. We learned how crews minimize unexpected avalanch- es by shooting unstable snowpacks on mountains with 105mm howitzer cannons. (Personally, I prefer to do my shooting with a Canon Rebel X camera.) An outdoor viewing area provided a thrilling place for photography, particu- larly when crossing one of the more than 50 bridges on the route, such as the 918- foot-long Hurricane Gulch Bridge, with Hurricane Creek gushing along nearly 300 feet below. Tucked inside the 10-mile Healy Canyon, where the Nenana River cuts through steep cliffs, or watching a linger- ing sunset over Potter Marsh, this route was packed with spectacular photo oppor- tunities, both inside and out. So go north, young man, young woman, children of all ages. Alaska awaits. PAT WOODS is a freelance writer in Sun City West, Ariz. is is her first T rains byline. Go north, young man! Think you’ve ridden every worthwhile U.S. rail trip? Think again BY PAT WOODS The Denali Star took us from Anchorage to Denali and on to Fairbanks. As the train rounds a curve, the last cars seem to catch up to us. Two photos, Pat Woods Two SD70MACs pull a generator car, baggage car, and 11 passenger cars.
Transcript of Trn Ft0209 Alaska
FANTRIP
Seward
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Denali Park
N
© 2009 Kalmbach Publishing Co., TRAINS: Rick Johnson
0 50 milesScale
Maparea
ALASKA
What are tourists to do once their cruise ship arrives in Alaska? Take a rail trip, of course, right through the state’s in-terior. The Alaska Railroad Web site, www.akrr.com, provides detailed information, including options to book trips, hotels, and tours either online or by phone. It wasn’t easy to choose, but my husband and I set-tled on a three-day, 470-mile trip north from the coast to inland Fairbanks.
A cab whisked us the half-mile from the ship to the Seward rail station, where we boarded the Coastal Classic bound for An-chorage. Since this first leg of the trip was the shortest (four hours), we declined the option to upgrade our seats, and coach did not disappoint. It was heavenly to melt into roomy, reclining seats, stretch our legs, and gape out the window while gliding by gla-cier-fed lakes and streams, sitka spruce, co-nifers, and birch trees flanking the train.
For the next two days, we splurged on upper seats in a GoldStar dome car. The en-compassing windows gave us a whole new appreciation for the view, especially as the train wound through the former construc-tion camp at Moose Pass, then ascended 1,063 feet to the Kenai Mountains’ Grand-view Summit. Though the Loop District was breathtaking, at Broad Pass we reached the highest elevation on the route: 2,363 feet.
There’s nothing like a sumptuous view to enhance one’s dining experience. The menu featured tempting, hearty meals made with local fare: Alaskan snow crab and salmon, even duckling glazed with
Alaska birch orange syrup. There was a stew that smelled delightful, but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to order it. Let me put it this way: We didn’t want Santa’s sleigh team to be one short next year.
Ready, aim, shoot!As our train followed serpentine rivers
through rugged bear country, passengers spotted Dall sheep, soaring eagles, and four pairs of trumpeter swans. A waiter/bar-tender kept our cups full while a local high-school student served as our guide, narrat-ing the story of the land outside. We learned how crews minimize unexpected avalanch-es by shooting unstable snowpacks on mountains with 105mm howitzer cannons. (Personally, I prefer to do my shooting with a Canon Rebel X camera.)
An outdoor viewing area provided a thrilling place for photography, particu-larly when crossing one of the more than 50 bridges on the route, such as the 918-foot-long Hurricane Gulch Bridge, with Hurricane Creek gushing along nearly 300 feet below. Tucked inside the 10-mile Healy Canyon, where the Nenana River cuts through steep cliffs, or watching a linger-ing sunset over Potter Marsh, this route was packed with spectacular photo oppor-tunities, both inside and out.
So go north, young man, young woman, children of all ages. Alaska awaits.
PAT WOODS is a freelance writer in Sun City West, Ariz. This is her first Trains byline.
Go north, young man! Think you’ve ridden every worthwhile U.S. rail trip? Think again
By PAT WOODS
The Denali Star took us from Anchorage to Denali and on to Fairbanks. As the train rounds a curve, the last cars seem to catch up to us. Two photos, Pat Woods
Two SD70MACs pull a generator car, baggage car, and 11 passenger cars.
