Onward to Seward, Alaska

The trip to Seward took us back the way we came through Ninilchik, Soldotna and Cooper Landing on the Sterling Highway. The intersection with the Seward Highway happens at beautiful little Tern Lake where we turn southeast and drive through the town of Moose Pass. Five miles south is Trail River Campground which is set between the Trail River and Kenai Lake, providing lake, river and snow-capped mountain scenery among the hemlock and spruce forests of the Chugach National Forest. It lies within driving distance of two main tourism destinations; 24 miles north of Seward and 40 miles east of Cooper Landing, AK. This would be our base camp for the next four days, Tuesday July 16 through Friday, July 20.

The campground was divided into three loops. Our camp sites were located in Spruce Tree, the first come, first serve loop which had ample campsites available with some shade along with stellar views of the mountains. The Eagle Point Loop overlooking the beautiful Kenai Lake and the River Terrace Loop nearest to the river were by reservation only. Miles of hiking and biking trails weave throughout the area. Moose, brown and black bear, sheep and goats can be found across large parts of the forest. Kenai Lake marks the headwaters of the Kenai River. This campground is situated on the Eastern Kenai Peninsula at an elevation of 450 feet.

Our decision to stay at this particular location was based on observations we made in Homer. Most of the city campgrounds were relatively pricey and crowded with sites much too close together. Granted, they did include full hook-ups, but we really prefer dry camping and using our own water, battery power plus holding tanks for the days we planned to be in the area. My solar wasn't going to be enough if the weather was overcast and rainy. However, all of our rigs had generators to charge the trailer's batteries when necessary, so power generation wasn't of any concern. Our campsite price was a bargain at only $11.50 per night in this National Park, with a quiet setting and breathtaking scenery around our spacious sites. We knew this would be a fine location for the duration, even with a 25 mile drive into Seward.

Seward, Alaska is a port city in southern Alaska set on an inlet in the Kenai Peninsula. It’s a gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, where glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield into coastal fjords. Surrounded by peaks, the fjords are a whale and porpoise habitat. The city’s Alaska SeaLife Center houses seals and puffins; fishing boats fill Seward Harbor.

The city was named for President Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Henry Seward (1801-1872), who engineered the purchase of Alaska from Russia. As history books tell the story, in 1867 Secretary of State William Seward secretly negotiated with Russian officials to purchase the Alaskan territory for $7.2 million, putting Alaska on the road towards statehood in 1959. This was a bargain price at two cents per acre. Though the treaty was mocked by some at the time, “Seward’s Folly” is regarded by history as a masterful deal.

Because the land was located so far north, it was considered virtually unusable and uninhabitable. Because of these factors, Alaska was not seen as a worthwhile purchase for the United States and was thus considered a foolish endeavor, hence the Seward's Folly definition. Below his statue in town is a quote, “The purchase of Alaska was my greatest achievement, but it will take the people of the United States a generation before they realize it.” With the later discovery of both gold and oil in Alaska, he was certainly correct!

Our first activity planned in Seward on Wednesday, July 17 was Seavey's IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours. We visited the Seavey Family Homestead in Seward, and toured their beautiful tether free summer camp for Iditarod athletes! Meeting the dogs, feeling their excitement as teams were hitched to their comfortable summer sleds and then mush for two miles through the scenic rain forest was a joy. Upon return to the kennel we got to meet with the dogs, cuddle adorable puppies, try on the parkas worn on the Iditarod, check out the race gear, and learn about these incredible dogs and mushers. It may seem odd to mush on wheels, but Alaska only has snow for 4-5 months in the winter. The same dogs that run and win the Iditarod do these tours; it's how they stay in shape during the off-season! 

Thursday, July 18 was spent on the water, in my happy place of course. We purchased seats on the Major Marine 7.5 hour cruise exploring the Kenai Fjords National Park, where wildlife is abundant and tidewater glaciers are massive. Providing a full narration on our journey, our knowledgeable onboard captains and naturalists took us to spectacular sights while answering any of our questions. With 7.5 hours on the water, this cruise allows more time for the captain to seek out the best whale and wildlife viewing opportunities in the area. We got to spend time in front of two active tidewater glaciers: Holgate and Aialik Glaciers.

Upon our return we witnessed a large pod of Humpback whales "bubble net hunting". Bubble-net feeding is a cooperative feeding method used by groups of humpback whales. This behavior is not instinctual, it is learned; not every population of humpbacks knows how to bubble net feed. Humpback whales use vocalizations to coordinate and efficiently execute the bubble net so they all can feed. As the group circles a school of small fish such as salmon, krill, or herring, they use a team effort to disorient and corral the fish into a "net" of bubbles. One whale will typically begin to exhale out of their blowhole near the school of fish to begin the process. More whales will then blow bubbles while continuing to circle their prey. The size of the net created can range from 10 feet to 100 feet in diameter. One whale will sound a feeding call, at which point all whales simultaneously swim upwards with mouths open to feed on the trapped fish. As the whales swim up to the surface to feed they can hold up to 15,000 gallons of sea water in their mouths. Humpback whales have 14 to 35 throat grooves that run from the top of the chin all the way down to the navel. These grooves allow the mouth to expand. When they swallow, they stream the water out through their baleen as they ingest the fish. The fish that they ingest are also a source of hydration for them. Bubble netting is an advanced and necessary feeding method developed by humpback whales to feed multiple mouths at one time.

On our last full day in Seward we hiked out the the Exit Glacier. There are some glaciers you can drive to, but very few that you can stroll to. With just a 10-to-15-minute drive out of Seward, you can hike right up to the Kenai Fjords National Park's Exit Glacier and experience the dense, blue ice while listening to it crackle.

One of the most visited glaciers in the world, Exit Glacier earned its name from grateful back-country travelers. It descends about 3,000 feet in just a few miles, forming a stunning, natural ramp for mountaineers exiting the immense Harding Icefield. Its hard ice—fluted and crevassed—is close to a visitor center in the only portion of Kenai Fjords National Park that’s accessible by road. This setting has a primeval feel with scoured bedrock, craggy ice, rushing water, and a flourishing new forest with towering cottonwoods above jungled thickets.