On To Alaska!

[+Wetpaws]

We are headed up tp the great state of ALASKA on July 15th and wonder if anyone has any favorite caches within close proximity to the harbors of Juneau, Skagway, and/or Sitka...

We can't wait to see that beautiful state!!

Any waypoints would be greatly appreciated!

[+Bilder]

Sitka Caches

 

Skagway Caches

 

Juneau caches

 

Here is one is Sitka very close to the tour dock:

 

Tour Dock Cache

 

I have yet to get down there myself and check these out. Some should be near the port.

 

Anchorage zip code is 99501 if you want to search there as well. A couple near the airport. Clover Leaf is one of mine by the airport.

 

99693 Whittier

 

99664 Seward

 

Enjoy your cruise. Just remember to buy some skeeter repellant if you go hiking. They are bad this year.

Edited June 28, 2004 by Bilder

[+Wetpaws]

Wow! There's lots of interesting caches up there!! Thanks so much Bilder, for the info!! Now to try to narrow down which to snag

Thanks again!

[+Nighthawk700]

Can you add a link for Ketchikan too? I'm hitting Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka in mid-August. My wife is gonna kill me (I just told her and she rolled her eyes ), so I'll just try to get some of the quick ones that aren't too far (as time is available... want to do whale watching and "walk on a Glacier" stuff too!)

 

I'm also hitting Vancouver, but unless there is something right at the airport or docks, I probably won't be able to get anything, given all the luggage I'll be carting.

 

Thanks,

 

Louis

[+Bilder]

Ketchikan Caches

 

Petersburg Caches

 

Wrangell Caches

 

Alaska zip code list

 

That should give you plenty to look at.

[+ShowStop]

Skagway now has another traditional cache thanks to the one I placed early last month. Nothing special to write home about, but it's located in a convenient spot for those on a quick stop off the boat like myself.

Lil' Miss Mollie cache

 

Be sure to take the Classic Street Car tour while you are there. It is an excellent tour and provides more historical info about the city then any other tour. Also stop by the small pretzel shop on Broadway. They have good pretzels and the owners will appreciate the business.

 

If you are heading up to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, stop by and grab this cache:

Frozen in Pine cache

The camo on that cache is a bit unusual, so don't let it escape you. I planted that cache up there last month also for those with a quick stop at the glacier.

 

This cache is also along the trails by the glacier and the placement is definately a bit unusual:

Mendenhall Coin Exchange

 

If you have any other questions about the area, let me know. I was just up there last month on my trip aboard the Regal Princess.

[+Team Mixster]

Hey there,

 

Our family is heading up to AK next year (I'll have to recheck the cache list then) but I wondered if anyone could help me out. I used to live in Anchorage as a child around 15 years ago. Seems like on the highway from Anchorage out towards Portage Glacier there's a place called 'the bird house' or something like it. Basically it's sunk halfway into the ground. Anyone know if there are any caches nearby, or the approximate coordinates? I'm planning on hitting quite a few of the caches while we're up there. Some places that I remember visiting as a child: Seward, Hatcher's Pass, Portage Glacier, and (IIRC) there's a fish ladder somewhere downtown. It'll be great to head back. Any travel tips for someone who hasn't been there in 15 yrs and will be flying up from KY w/ my wife and our 7 & 10 yr olds?

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[+Bilder]

I have some bad news for you.

 

The Bird House burned down several years ago. It was a landmark and one of the most unusual bars you could ever visit. Chillkoot Charlies in Anchorage has a replica of it in their bar if you go there.

 

I dont have the exact coords, but it should not be hard to find the area. Highway still passes right by it.

 

I am thinking of putting together a website that deals with Alaska caches. Would have links to GC.coms Alaska listings by city. Would give caches that follow the cruise ships as well as the highway.

 

Just an idea I am tossing around. Been getting lots of emails asking for information.

Edited July 16, 2004 by Bilder

[+Team Mixster]

Ah, that's too bad... Nothing like showing the kids all the unmentionables hanging on the walls. We still plan to geocache quite a bit up there while making the rounds. Hopefully I'll have enough frequent flyer miles on Northwest to pay for the flight. The rest, well - we'll see I guess. Is there a place to rent camping goods for a good price in the Anchorage area? (Good enough price to offset a $99 a night hotel room?) I plan on saving quite a bit between now and then. Should be fun. If you do decide to make the webpage please send me an email or post it here. Thanks!

 

Mike from Team Mixster

[+WildOates]

Any recommendations for those of us who are driving up? We are planning a trip up to the great state of Alaska next week, but given the ad hoc nature of the trip we don't have a ton of money to spend on the ferries (wow, they are EXPENSIVE!). We'll be coming up from California, camping along the way, and are especially interested in caches that aren't too far off the highway. We do want to do a little hiking, though, so some hike-to caches would be perfectly cool as well.

 

My mom died in May, and one of the things she never did was to visit Alaska...she always told us that she DARN well better visit before she died, but, ooops. Ummm...we're in trouble now, and in danger of perputual haunting if we don't take her to Alaska(imagine a ghostly specter at the foot of your bed saying "I neverrrrr gottt to Alaskaaaaaaa...."). So we're going to leave a little bit of Mom there, if you know what I mean (shhh...don't tell the State of California about that, though...they charge a $90 fee for the privilege of doing that yourself. We told them we were just going to keep Mom on the mantel.).

 

So we're looking for something that we can drive to (not easy in coastal Alaska, it seems), is beautiful (hard to find some place that isn't), where we can camp/hike, and of course, where we can bag some Alaska caches. Maybe a glacier? How can you visit Alaska without seeing a glacier?! We like history and pre-history, too.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Jenn in Sacramento

 

PS: I just heard from WetPaws and she had a great time on her trip up there. Bagged some caches too.