Sunday, November 17, 2019

Juneau, Alaska



Juneau, Alaska’s remote capital, sits in the state’s panhandle, at the base of 3,819-ft. Mount Roberts. It’s a popular cruise-ship stop, reachable only by boat or seaplane.



A tram carries visitors 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts to an alpine area with hiking trails, wildflowers, and views of Gastineau Channel. This is also the site of the Juneau Raptor Center, dedicated to local birds.


We took an excursion to the Mendenhall Glacier located in part of the Tongass National Forest.  Mendenhall is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau, on land owned by the Federal Forest Service, which provides a visitor center, park rangers, trails, and year-round exhibits and educational outreach.



The glacier is a 13-mile ribbon of ice that flows from the Juneau Ice Field. which is a 1,500 square mile frozen plateau that feeds a total of 38 major glaciers. The Juneau Ice Field is the fifth-largest ice field in North America and is leftover from the last ice age.  Mendenhall Glacier has been in a period of retreat.  In fact, there were various markers that were placed on the lakeshore, and in the visitor center, that showed how the glacier at one time covered those areas in as little as 60 - 90 years ago!



It certainly was a beautiful glacier!






Double click on the photo above to enlarge it and read this informational placard.



Double click on to enlarge

Although there are many negative effects of the recession of the Mendenhall Glacier and glaciers in general, there are also a few positive outcomes. With the retreat of the Mendenhall Glacier, the Mendenhall Lake has formed. The lake has a unique ecosystem and is a nursery for a variety of fish including several types of salmon, Dolly Varden char, and cutthroat trout.


Click on to enlarge

In the ever-changing landscape of Mendenhall Glacier, even the Nugget Falls waterfall has moved since a 1952 photo seen in the placard above, was taken.



There is a 45 minute round trip trail that leads to Nugget Falls.




We were tempted to take the walk, but we knew our allotted tour time here would not allow it... 




...so we went inside the visitor center to enjoy the views of it there, as well as the other exhibits.


Double click on to enlarge

There were many informational placards in and around the visitor center...



...and beautiful examples of a forest reclaiming the former glacier land with the growth of flora, fauna, trees, and lichen.



Our next stop on our excursion was the DIPAC Macaulay Salmon Fish Hatchery.  

The goal of Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Inc. is to sustain and enhance valuable salmon resources of the State of Alaska for the economic, social, and cultural benefit of all citizens, and to promote public understanding of Alaska's salmon resources and salmon fisheries through research, education, and tourism.  At the Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center, we learned about the fascinating life cycle of salmon, their nearshore marine environment, and the inner workings of a hatchery through a variety of exhibits and commentaries.




The hatchery raises just over 130 million chum, king, and coho salmon annually and is designed to allow visitors to see the outside operations of an active hatchery.




There were many placards along the walkway by the freshwater pens holding the young salmon.  They explained how salmon eggs were harvested and fertilized, the stages of salmon development, the freshwater rearing phase, the saltwater rearing phase, and then their release.




Salmon are assisted in spawning to ensure their numbers are not depleted by fishing by men or wildlife.  

During the months of July through September, millions of salmon swim up a 450-foot fish ladder outside the fishery and gather into holding ponds until they are ready to reproduce, and the life cycle begins again. We were visiting too early in June to see this sight but the photos we saw of it are amazing!





We enjoy eating salmon and usually purchase sockeye or silver (coho) to eat at home, but we did try samples of all the rest during our cruise.  King salmon is especially rare and delicious!



After leaving the fishery our excursion bus drove to a beautiful forested area in Juneau and there, under tall pine trees, we were treated to an authentic Alaskan Salmon Bake and buffet.  




There were unlimited pieces of fresh wood fire-grilled salmon and many different sides to enjoy in the buffet, plus beer and wine for purchase if desired.



Everything was so good!



Back on our cruise ship, we soon set sail again and enjoyed gazing at scenic views of the Alaskan shoreline from our balcony.

Our last stop in Alaska was ahead--Ketchikan!


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34 comments:

Shiju Sugunan said...

Such an interesting place and gorgeous pics. Wow!

A Bit of the Blarney said...

As always, this post is most informative. Your photos are beautiful. And oh, the wood fired salmon looks wonderful. One day I hope to get to Alaska!! i especially liked the information about the glacier!! Thank you and have a wonderful week!!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Wonderful photos from Juneau! Seeing the Glacier brings back memories of my trip there. The views and photos are beautiful. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Fabulous views and looks like you had great fun!

Powell River Books said...

We have been to Alaska twice in our small plane. The second trip the coast was clear enough for us to fly to Juneau from the Yukon and follow the coast south back to BC. It was a beautiful but scary flight with so few places to land in a place on wheels. - Margy

Joanne said...

More amazing views! The food looks really delicious too.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Seems that each place has so much of interest. Thanks for sharing your trip in great detail.

Lowcarb team member said...

Your photographs from Juneau are just wonderful.
I do enjoy salmon, so interesting to read about the fishery.

All the best Jan

William Kendall said...

Incredible landscapes!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Pat, I enjoyed seeing Juneau with you. We went on the same tour as you to Mendenhall Glacier! It's so lovely and your photos reminded me of our trip there years ago. The Salmon Hatchery looks great and so does your meal. I try to buy salmon often at home, but it really is nothing like fresh caught. Your trip looks fabulous. Thank you for bringing back such good memories. ♥

ellen b. said...

What a feast you enjoyed! Nothing like fresh! Don't know if we'll ever enjoy a cruise to Alaska but it's nice to see your trip through your photos!

Angie said...

Pat - another beautiful and educational post about Alaska. I was particularly focused on the placard about how long it takes for nature to re-claim barren land - that's how I feel about my efforts to grow a prairie around our house! Thanks so much for sharing these stunning photos with everyone at Mosaic Monday!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

That looks fascinating. I've read before the life cycle of salmon and it is amazing and mysterious at the same time.

We saw salmon fight to swim up a fish ladder in Seattle a few years ago. It was like a pure fight to conserve DNA. Natural Selection in real life.

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

Truly a magnificent stop in Juneau, and oh my, how delightful to get to sample all the different kinds of salmon! I enjoyed reading about the differences in each one. You take the loveliest of pictures, and truly showcase the majesty of the area you visited, so amazing! Very much enjoying your sharing of this incredible trip to Alaska via cruise ship!!!!

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Gorgeous scenery, especially the glacier. Looks like a fun cruise.

diane b said...

That sure is a great trip. The glacier is amazing and your excursion interesting. The Salmon Bake looks delicious. When we had a salmon bake a bear came to lick the BBQ plate clean.

Lady Fi said...

Fabulous shots and scenery!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I really loved this Pat and all of this was new. Mendenhall is beautiful and the salmon bake sounds amazing! The ferry stopped in Juneau for six hours, but through our own carelessness, we missed the announcement saying you needed to be off the boat within the first hour of the stop, because it would be taking on fuel and there would be no boarding or disembarking during the next three hours. (Ferries don’t cater to passengers quite the way cruise ships do!)). So we ended up only having only a couple of hours in Juneau. Maybe there will be a next time! Meanwhile, enjoyed this virtual tour very much.

Michele Morin said...

Alaska looks so much like my home state of Maine. I hope to visit some day!

likeschocolate said...

Despite growing up in Alaska, I have never been to Juneau! It looks like a beautiful city!

Rajlakshmi said...

Omg I can never get tired of looking at your Alaska photographs. The glacier looks amazing, and so does the waterfall and the views from cruise. What an amazing journey!

NanaHood said...

Oh how I wish I could go to Alaska! Thanks so much for sharing! Teresa from NanaHood

NCSue said...

Lovely photos.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/11/urp.html

handmade by amalia said...

I love these photos! I hope I get there myself one of these days.
Amalia
xo

Spare Parts and Pics said...

Beautiful photos. Mmmmm, that salmon looks good. It would be fun to do a taste test of the 5 different species. The tram looks amazing!

Michelle said...

I keep sharing these photos/posts with my husband. He is in agreement that we need to visit.

Your daughter seems like she is moving along in her recovery. My dad has had heart/vein issues and surgeries. I know it is a painful time for her, and her family, but I hope this helps her health.

Tamar SB said...

Such a stunning place!!

betty-NZ said...

What a fantastic trip! These photos are just wonderful and I can almost feel the cold air! Thanks so very much for sharing your photos and telling us about it :)

I'm happy to see your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week!


My Corner of the World

Dixie @ Arranged Words said...

Gorgeous pictures!
Looks like a fabulous trip. And O the salmon looks delicious.

Pauline said...

I never tire of looking at photos of Alaska. Thanks for sharing your tour. I particularly enjoyed the photos of the glacier.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Patricia,

Your photos from Juneau are beautiful. The cruise is a great way to see some of Alaska. Sending prayers and well wishes for your daughter.
Thank so much for linking up and sharing your post. Enjoy your day, have a happy new week ahead. PS, Thank you for the visit and comment on my blog.

Light and Voices said...

From our house to your house have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Powell River Books said...

Powell Lake where our float cabin is anchored was carved out by an ice age glacier. In some places it is over 1000 feet deep. - Margy

April J Harris said...

That Alaskan salmon bake has my mouth watering, Pat! And what gorgeous scenery. I so enjoyed getting this little glimpse of Juneau. Thank you for sharing it with the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!